Attribute Layouts and Viewing

[BenLoosli]

Under the Type and Attribute management Manage Types screen, there are many data types defined. When one is selected, it lists a lot of system defined attributes and allows you to create new attributes. My first question is: How do you add a new attribute that has already been added under the Manage Reusable Attributes tab?

The second part of this is concerning Layouts. There are a number of layouts listed with default attributes listed. I can added a new 'table' to the layout with default attributes, but how do I add the added attributes from the Manager Reusable Attributes tab?

Question three is: How do you specify which layout screen is used where with the View Information screens of an object? Between different Types, the default list of layout names are different. 

Looking on my existing production system, when I look at the CAD Part object type and open the various layouts, none of them have the information that is displayed in the same order as the View Information for a CAD object.

This is very confusing and I hope someone can shed some light on what is going on or at least point me to some intelligent documentation.

Windchill 111.0 m030 CPS08

[STEVEG]

Just to make sure, are you logged in as site admin?  You can't do some tasks as org admin.

[BenLoosli]

Yes, wcadmin account login.

Working in the organization level for flow down to libraries and products.

[STEVEG · Accepted solution]

This is what I had written up for my own instructions a few years ago.

• Log into PDMLink as wcadmin.
• Got to Site > Utilities > Type and Attribute Manager.
• Select to expand the Manage Reusable Attributes section.
• Select and expand xxx or any of the needed areas.
• Right-click on xxx in the left windows pane or select Actions in the right window pane then select New Reusable Attribute.
• New Reusable Attribute dialog box:
  1. Change the Internal Name from “com.xxx.” to the name of the new attribute. It cannot have spaces.
  2. Change the Data Type.
  3. Type in the Display Name field how it should look.
  4. Add a Description if desired.
  5. The Logical Identifier should be the same as Internal name.
  6. Select OK > Done.
• Repeat for more attributes if necessary.
• Next you will have to assign the attribute(s) to the object type in PDMLink. Pick on Manage Types to expand.
• Select the Type. e.: Expand EPM Document and select “CAD Document” to add the attribute to CAD files.
• Action > Edit > New Attribute.
• Name the Internal Name the same as the Global Attribute (Again, without spaces).
• Select the Radio Button for the related Global Attribute.
• Select the Attribute created in the Manage Reusable Attributes section.
• Set Properties:
  1. Add a comment to the Description if desired.
  2. For the rest of the fields (Help files are not fully up to date):

Create Hyperlinks	(String data type attributes, only) Specifies whether text representing a URL in a String attribute is to be displayed as a hyperlink. If Yes, text such as “http://www.ptc.com” in a String attribute is displayed as hyperlinks. If this property is not specified, the value of the Create Hyperlinks preference is used.
Default Value Display Mode	Configures how the default value, if any, is populated in the input field for the attribute. If not specified, the value of the Default Value Display Mode preference is used. Possible values: • None—The default value is not used to populate the input field. • Prepopulate—The default value, if defined, is set in the input field. • Display a Default Value Button—A button displays after the input field. A user can click the button to add the default value to the input field.
Input Field Type	(String data type, only) Specified whether the input field for the attribute is to be single line or multiple lines. This setting overrides the String Length Threshold For Multiple Line Input property Possible values: • Single Line— a text box is rendered for this attribute. • Multiple Lines—a text area is rendered for this attribute.
Selection List Style	Specifies whether the legal values for the attribute are to be displayed as a drop-down list or as a set of radio buttons. If not specified, the value of the Selection List Style preference is used. Possible values: • Drop Down—the legal values display in a drop-down list, where the user can select a single option. • Radio Buttons—the legal values display as a set of radio buttons, where the user can select a single option. This property applies only when the attribute has a Legal Value List or Enumerated Value List constraint applied to it.
String Length Threshold For Multiple Line Input	(String data type attributes, only) Specifies the threshold for rendering a multi-line input field for a String attribute. The value can be any positive number. If the maximum length of the attribute in characters exceeds this value, a multi-line input field is displayed for the value in object creation or object edit operations. If not specified, the value of the String Length Threshold For Multiple Line Input preference is used.

• Finish.

[mmeadows-3]

Steve nailed the technical implementation.  Just some additional business configuration notes...

• Reusable (a.k.a Global) attributes can only be applied once per object type (e.g. WTPart) but can be used across multiple object types (e.g. "TITLE" reused in WTPart and Document objects).
• PTC recommends using Local (a.k.a Standard) attributes when possible.  Their limitations are that they require adding database columns, are single valued, can only be applied to one object type/subtype and aren't supported for cascading attributes.  Personally, I don't use Local attributes because of these restrictions.
• Recommended practice is to not touch the OOTB organizers or attributes.  Instead, create a new Organizer specific to your company (e.g. "Company Attributes") and create the company specific Reusable Attributes under it.  This makes it easier to identify company specific defined attributes going forward.

[mmeadows-3]

Q: How do you add a new attribute that has already been added under the Manage Reusable Attributes tab?

A: Two attributes can have the same display name but they cannot have the same internal name.  It is possible to reuse a Reusable Attribute on a different object type than where it is currently in use.  If the object type where you are trying to add a Global attribute is already using this Reusable Attribute (internal name), then you need to create a new Reusable Attribute for use with the new type attribute.  Wow this is confusing...

Q: How do I add the added attributes from the Manager Reusable Attributes tab?

A: Procedurally, you create a Reusable (Global) Attribute and then reference is when create a type specific Global Attribute.  At that point, the new type specific attribute will be pre-populated in some of the layouts.  You just need to drag-n-drop it in or out as desired.

Q: How do you specify which layout screen is used where with the View Information screens of an object?

A: PTC pre-defines which pages are tied to each layout.  It is possible to define new layouts and tie them to new pages through Windchill customization.

The OOTB pages can vary by object type because different objects have different pages.  Also, not all available layouts are used.  For example, Phone and Tablet Info layouts are for those form factors and part of the deprecated mobile module.  There is no documented mapping that I am aware of but the naming can guide you in a direction.  Also, the create and information pages are the most commonly modified:

• Default Layout - no idea, never used this one and always empty
• Primary Attributes - Top section of Information page, Details tab.
• More Attributes - Attributes are automatically added here when they are created for the type.
• Create CAD Document Layout - User defined attributes are automatically added here.
• Structure Compare Attributes - User defined attributes are automatically added here.