Can't save model in Windchill Workspace

[fwang-2]

Hi,

When I save my Creo model in my local directory, it works fine. But when I tried to migrate to the Windchill workspace, it says that the parts I use already exist and that I would be overwriting them by saving again, does anyone know how to fix this? Thanks.

[sm · Accepted solution]

Sounds like you already have the same model saved in your Windchill Workspace. You have a couple of options here.

1. Do these models also exist in your Windchill Project? Have they been Checked In?
   YES - You could rename the local files before saving them to a Workspace
   YES - You could create a new Workspace and save the models in the new, empty workspace.
   YES - If the models exist in your Windchill Project, you need to pick Tools Synchronize from th Workspace menu
              This will let you update the Workspace model and Synchronize it with the Windchill Project model
   YES - You should be able to pick OK an override the workspace files since that is the default action presented in the Conflicts box

Windchill requires you to use unique names for all CAD files. For instance, you cannot create bracket.prt multiple times. The first bracket.prt checked into Windchill is the winner. All other brackets will need a new name.

[nrensing]

To elaborate on Scott's reply, if you haven't been working in Windchill all along and you're trying to load a large assembly, it can be pretty tedious to resolve the name conflicts. In particular, if your assembly uses generic names like "bracket.prt" and the earlier assembly also uses them, you might have to rename dozens of parts. Fortunately, Creo provides a "rename" command that allows you to add a prefix to the name of every part in your assembly. It's accessible under the "File" menu, "File"->"Manage File"->"Rename". Be sure to start with the uppermost assembly. You want to rename "In session and on disk" and you have to select the files you want to rename (I rename all of them) and then click on "Generate new names". You may need to do some manual editing if any file names are too long. I use a letter and number prefix to allow us to have multiple versions of each robot (for example, as designed, as built, and post-season changes).

Noa

[fwang]

Noa, thanks for the tip. We just got started on Creo model with windchill workspace as a second year team. It is good to know about this tip before we start setting up the workspace.

Fang

[fwang]

Scott,

The team members were playing around different commands on check in and out. Probably some parts were attempted twice. I am having our CAD lead cleaning up the workspace and divide the work among team members. You mentioned the option of creating a new workspace. I am under impression that each team has one workspace in windchill. We can create a new workspace ourselves?

Thanks.

Fang

[sm]

Yes, Workspaces are assigned to individuals. Each team member can make as many workspaces as they want and they are all unique to that one team member. Workspaces cannot be shared amongst team members, only the project folders (Commonspace).

Team members create new models or update existing CAD models in their own workspace and check in to their Project (Commonspace). Other team members with the same CAD files in their workspaces will need to use the Workspace Refresh and Update actions to make sure they always have the latest version of CAD files in their workspace.

The new status column in the workspace will identify which items are out-of-date, but team members will need to push the Workspace Refresh button periodically to ask Windchill to look for updates, it does not happen automatically.

[nrensing]

Chiming in again to expand on Scott's explanation:

(1) I tell my students to give their workspace a meaningful name (like "nmr_chassis"). Especially if your students share computers or accounts, it makes it a lot easier to figure out who left a computer/project in progress.

(2) I tell my students to check for updated parts frequently. Very weird things can happen if they go too far with out-of-date parts. In particular, if they haven't worked in that workspace for several days, they need to check for updates  before resuming work. If it's been a week or more, I tell them to clear the workspace and go back to the project folder for a new copy.

(3) For similar reasons, I try to get them to save, upload, and check parts in at the end of every meeting.  Otherwise, if they happen to disappear for a while because of schoolwork or other reasons, it can cause a problem for everyone else. At least if the parts are uploaded, they can check them in from any browser.

(4) If your students use different computers on different days (which is pretty common in school environments) they have to be careful to sync the workspace before they start and again before they leave for the day. Otherwise very weird things can happen. In fact, I tell them to never just "save", always "save and upload", so the server files are always the latest ones.

Noa