Batch modification of filename and number in Windchill

[StevenDumon]

Our legacy library originated in Windchill 7, and was filled with library WTParts such as W00123456. A few years later, when we actually started working with Pro/E WF3, all parts got an associated CAD Document such as DIN931_BOLT_M10x50_W00123456.prt

We now realize that we didn't acually followed the general idea that the filename should be identical to the number. That is the case today for all newly created parts, and even for all parts that are not included in the library. The legacy parts in our library are still there, with their long ugle intelligent filenames.

Recently, standards have started to change. DIN 931 got EN 4014, DIN 933 got EN 4017, and so on. Since the old standard is included in the filename, we have several thousand filenames and numbers of CAD documents to be modified. Our software vendor has already come up with a tool to modify the Common Name of objects with inputfiles to provide what objects needs to be renamed and what the new name should be. Unfortunately, that tool cannot modify the filename and number of EPMDocuments.

We can use the rename tool in Windchill, Object Initialization Rules and policies allow (library admins) us to rename one by one, but since the parts arent' related, we have no top-level assembly to start the rename from and so we've to rename them one by one. A quick guess revealed we will be renaming for about two months if we have to do it manually.

A solution to modify the filename and number in batch should really help us.

[TomU]

If you need a solution before PTC provides one, take a look at Fishbowl's "linkRenumber".  I haven't personally used it, but I have verified that they can easily modify it to handle filenames as well.  Basically it will do a rename of name (common name), number, and filename from a .csv file.

LinkRenumber provides a simple user interface that allows names and numbers on both WTDocuments and EPMDocuments to be freely modified, even with auto numbering enabled. It validates that the new number is unique in the system and also checks that Object Initialization Rules are satisfied. It can also be configured to allow users with simple Modify rights to perform renumbering on Released objects.

[StevenDumon]

We are able to perform the actions on each object individually as well, using a simple 'rename'.

All Fishbowl demo's, images, ... look... euhm, a bit 'old' ? Win XP, Windchill 9, ... would prefer not to be the quinea pig for testing on newer versions. With all respect, of course.

I already had this question asked to our software provider, hope they can make the opposite move : they already can work with inputfiles, now only need to make the changes that apparently Fishbowl have accomplished.

Thanks for the info !