Adding attributes (fields) to Windchill

[bschmidt-2]

Hi everybody,

in the PTC Windchill customization guide (chapter 😎 is a tutorial for adding attributes to a type.

I have a request to add two more informations to a WTPart. They are needed for a interface to a erp-system. My plan is to use the "Typ- und Attributverwaltung" (type- and attributeadministration) to add two more attributes to the type WTPart.

In fact I have no experience with customizing windchill and I have no test system. So I would appreciate your advice for my approach.

Thanks in advance.

Best regards

Benjamin

[MikeLockwood]

A few comments:

1. Most important - you say you have no test system.  Stop and don't do anything until you have both a test system and the ability to routinely re-host it from production.  Develop absolutely all changes in the rehosted system before applying to production.  Don't take this lightly - have to do it.

2. Adding attributes is done from a web page / java applet rather than from the file system, so classified as configuration, not customization.  This is important for rehosting, backup, installing new builds, etc., etc.  Anything done when initiated from a web page is stored in the database, so management of files is not an issue.  When you change files, more process is required.

3. You may want to create sub type(s) of WTPart and apply the attributes to one sub type, leaving the root WTPart type alone. Seems to be something almost everyone wished they had done.  Attributes assigned to the root type are inherited by all sub types.

[mdebower]

I agree with Mike.   A test system is necessary for changes like this.  Especially if you are just starting to configure your system.  You will make mistakes, and you really don't want to do that on your production system.

-marc

CAD / PLM Systems Manager

[khines]

I have an additional question for you.  When exporting these attributes to Excel, how can you control numeric value # of trailing zeros?  ex. 5.000 V, 0.500 mV, 1.000 uF, 0.100 uF, 32.7680 kHz, 32.0000 kHz.  Is there a way to truncate the zeroes?

[doehr]

Hi Benjamin,

As others have said, first don't do anything until you have a test environment set up with a copy of your current production data.

Once that's in place, take a look at the Type and Attribute Manager function, Global Attributes in particular. They are easy to create and link to any object type in the system, as many as you want, and even in the views that you want (i.e. Edit vs New vs standard display). I've used them extensively all over the place, they are very, very handy and easy to use.

Daryl

[LoriSood]

Hi Benjamin,

Were you able to follow the advice above and get a test system set up? Were you able to use the Type and Attribute Management to add the attributes to the type, or did you end up having to use customization?

[bschmidt-2]

Hi Lori,

unfortunately I still haven´t got a test system. It´s a little bit tricky because our productive system is separated in two instances (application and database) and I have only one license for my test system left. So I need to set up the test system as monolith, but I haven´t figured out yet, how to transfer all the productive stuff (data, settings, ...) to the monolith. I´m planing to use the rehosting utility ...

I will be very thankfull for any tips

Best regards,

Benjamin

[TomU]

Benjamin Schmidt, you're probably better off creating a new discussion for your rehosting questions, but basically you ‌copy your database over, copy the Windchill loadpoint over, and then run the rehosting utility to fix everything up with the new locations.  Whether the database is installed on a separate server or the same server doesn't really change the process at all.  You might want to refer to this discussion: Re: Which Rehosting Method?

[MikeLockwood]

You can install and run Windchill pretty effectively on any laptop these days.  No need to wait for a server to "have a test system."