How to set up standard files for multiple users?

[RossGalson]

I have fallen into a CAD administrator role at my current company and have been tasked with creating standard start parts and config files for the entire company – about 40 engineers in three separate offices. We are all connected with a basic file system but do not have an interlink or Windchill system set up. So far I think I have done a pretty good job of finding all the configuration files I need to modify, but I am a little stumped on how to distribute the files across the company and keep them up to date without a huge amount of work on my part. We may have a PDM system in the future, but this is at least a year out so I need a solution for the near future.

My current approach is to store standard start parts, formats, and config files on a protected network folder. I will set the search path on users’ computers in PTCsetup to look at the network drive. Then I will let the users set the start up directory in the PRO-E short cut icon to point at their locally saved config files for any personal options they may want. When the engineers are in the office connected to the network I think this set up will work very well.

My issue is many of the engineers check out licenses and work disconnected from the office network. I am worried in these cases that the initial search path will fail because the network drive is now inaccessible. Since all the standardized parts and configurations are also on the network these will be unavailable. At this point the engineers are no longer using the standards for part creation. When switching over to a system like Windchill or interlink does this issue go away?

Is there a way, with my current set up, and minimal IT knowledge to allow engineers to have local copies of the standard start parts and config options pushed to their computer on a regular basis so they always have the latest standard company revision controlled parts and configurations? I realize this is probably a monstrous task, so any guidance would be much appreciated.

This thread is inactive and closed by the PTC Community Management Team. If you would like to provide a reply and re-open this thread, please notify the moderator and reference the thread. You may also use "Start a topic" button to ask a new question. Please be sure to include what version of the PTC product you are using so another community member knowledgeable about your version may be able to assist.

[PeterJFrancis]

Hi Ross,

I encountered a similar problem with standard part models on our network not being available when off site.

As we run under Windows my solution was to use Synchronize (Open an Explorer window on the folder you want to Synchronize select Tools , Synchronize)

This has worked well for me, it needs to be setup on each PC but once its done you can forget about it.

Let us know how you get on

Regards

Peter

[DanielKeogh]

Hi Ross,
You may want to consider Dropbox (https://www.dropbox.com/tour).

I started using this so I could work on some critical projects from home this past winter. I save projects and config settings in my Dropbox so everything is available and synchronizd at work and home. It allows for shared folders, but I have not used this aspect.

Obviously it is a concept your company will need to be comfortable with.

Beyond ProE it has been extremely useful personally. Exactly as they promote I no longer email files to myself or use usb thumbsticks. Once you start using it you appreciate what it can do. I get by with the free 2GB, but you can buy 50 or 100GB.

Dan

[RossGalson]

Dan and Peter,

Thank you for the reply's. I ended up using my companies sharepoint installation to house our standard parts. I had our sharepoint admin set a folder that I could map as a network drive on individual computers. This way I could set up a config.pro file for everyone that points to a consistent drive location (the mapped share drive) for standard parts and formats. This set up works well for users in our office and users working offsite with internet conductivity. In the case the users do not have internet access I have also dropped a copy of all the standards on their computer along with a second config.pro file. The user is required to load this extra config.pro file to get access to standards.

[GavinBurnham]

Ross,

I use a batch file which pulls in standard config files each time ProE is started up - whether on a fixed workstation or CAD-spec laptop.

These config files are controlled by me so any changes made get rolled out to all users - generally only main config.pro and tree.cfg - I let individual users set their own preferred screen layout.

Part of the batch file deletes the current configs from the users machine and re-loads the most up-to-date ones from the controlled location.

If the laptops are used off-site (we regularly visit China for example) then this takes place during the license borrowing process.

When the laptops are fired up off the network, I use a second ProE desktop shortcut that bypasses the batch file so the config files loaded earlier do not get deleted.

If the user runs the wrong shortcut then they can always pull the configs from the network drive using VPN - this can make ProE load-up messy though as if you hook into VPN straight away then ProE goes looking for the server for the license file...okay if you have lots of spare licenses...

Hope this is useful.

Gavin.