Compare (CAD) to Part Structure needs to allow filter selection

doakes · ‎Jan 25, 2019

Only the Part to Part Structure compare allows Filter Selection on opening. Compare (CAD) to Part Structure defaults to and ONLY allows Latest:Working filtering. It should allow filtering just as in Structure view.

Currently, in the CAD assembly Structure tab, you can set a filter (Latest:Released, As Stored, As Matured) on the CAD structure displayed. Then right there is the Compare to Part Structure button! But it doesn't compare what you have displayed to the associated WTPart structure. No !!! It compares the Latest:Working filtered version of the CAD assembly to it's associated WTPart structure. That is VERY BAD/ CONFUSING/ NONSENSICAL !!!

We have multiple design teams (New Product/ Maintenance/ Commonality) working on changing items in a structure on DIFFERENT Change Notices. We do NOT want to do the Compare (CAD) to Part Structure on the Latest:Working, but, AT MINIMUM, between the Structure tab displayed filtered CAD Structure to its' associated WTPart Structure. But, since the general Compare Tool utility is designed to allow the setting of filters, why not just TAKE OFF the arbitrary limitation of the Compare (CAD) to Part Structure to ONLY allow Latest:Working.

doakes · ‎Feb 06, 2019

Hi Jennifer,

I understand that the Build process works on the Latest iteration of the object. At question is which version of the children is being used in the Build process.

In our company, we could EASILY have one design team (Team 1) working on a revision of PARENT.asm, using the RELEASED versions of all of the children except for the portion (adding/changing part numbers of one or two children) of PARENT.asm that they are modifying (ie. Latest Released -Working filter selection). Another design team (Team 2), half way around the world or in the same building, could be working on a revision of one of the OTHER CHILDREN of PARENT.asm. Team 2 is NOT revising PARENT.asm, just the OTHER CHILD; Team 1 IS revising PARENT.asm.

Your current BUILD process would include the IN WORK version of the CHILD from Team 2 in the BUILD for PARENT.asm for Team 1. That is NOT acceptable. That is NOT what is needed. We need to be able to set the filter for the CHILDREN to be used in the BUILD process for the Latest iteration of an object (PARENT.asm). I understand that the object being BUILT can ONLY be for the Latest iteration of PARENT.asm, but the issue is which version of the CHILDREN to use in the BUILD process of that Latest iteration of PARENT.asm. Let us set the filters to be used for the children!!!

Your current BUILD process works fine for small companies where changes are easily controlled by tribal communication. That's NOT how we NEED to use Windchill. Please give us the tools that are needed in a modern, global, agile business model.

And, yes, we are one of your BIG customers.

Best regards,
_________________________________________________
David Oakes

JenniferPierron · ‎Feb 07, 2019

Hello.

Thanks for the idea. A generalized CAD Document to Part compare has been discussed; but so far, I have not seen it prioritized by customers. I encourage you to bring this up with others at TC meetings and the working groups (e.g. the Part and Document management working group).

A bit of background about why the filter control is NOT available.

The "Compare to Part Structure" UI is not a pure compare; but previews what will be built. The tool was implemented as a part of our enhancements in 10.0 to allow overrides of the CAD to Part build and to allow a Part to CAD build.

The build process can only occur on the latest iteration of the associated revision. As a result, the compare tool as implemented can only show differences based on the build rules which are also between the latest iteration of a revision.

With this framework, it would be possible to compare using a configuration specification that is Latest at a particular lifecycle state, since this always resolves to a latest iteration on a revision; but configuration specifications like baselines or As Stored would require a larger enhancement.

Can you provide more examples about the types of filters you were hoping to use?

Thanks

Jennifer

sgoletz · ‎Sep 15, 2020

Hi Jennifer,

I can provide one more example where this leads to a display error.

In our windchill setup we work with different collaborating windchill organizations. When a WTPart is stored in ORG-A a so called "Reduced-View" of this WTPart is provided, that ORG-B can use.

Now we have the case, that ORG-B has an assembly, where they use a Part from ORG-A. It is fine when they look at the structure, because they insert the "Reduced-View" and this will be shown there.

Unfortunately, in the structure compare this view is sorted out and its place stays empty. The user expects to see the "Reduced-View" as he is used to see it - also because the used CAD will be linked (via Image Link) to the "Reduced-View" in most cases as well.

Best regards

Simon

JenniferPierron · ‎Sep 16, 2020

@sgoletz

Hello Simon.

Thanks for your feedback.

Questions for you:

Is the "ORG-A Part" related to the CAD Document assembly? If so how?

- I am thinking it is associated with Owner? If not, please let me know.

Is the "ORG-B Part" related to the CAD Document assembly? If so how?

- Does it have a "Content Association"?

- Does it have no association?

- Does it have Image Association? (this is only allowed if the server-side preference, Operations > Auto Associate > Allow CAD Document To Build Multiple Parts is set to Yes)

Please confirm to help me understand your use case better.

Thanks

Jennifer

sgoletz · ‎Sep 16, 2020

Hi Jennifer,

First - yes we allow CAD Documents to build multiple parts. The background is, that different use cases require different CAD Models (e.g. one time detailed, one time just a surface model)

We have two cases here, that run into issues when comparing the structures in "Compare CAD to Part Structure":

-----------

Part (Design) [ORG A] -> Owner Link -> CAD [ORG A]

Part (Reduced View) [ORG A] -> Image Link -> CAD [ORG B]

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Part (Design) [ORG A] -> Contributing Image Link -> CAD [ORG A]

Part (Reduced View) [ORG A] -> Image Link -> CAD [ORG B]

-----------

We also have the setup where company B has access to the Design View, then an Image Link is added directly to the Part in Design View. Here "Compare CAD to Part" works as expected, because the Part in Design View is accessible.

Thank you for your quick reply and best regards

Simon