Can't load active workspace in Creo or WGM

[Dobi]

I am using Windchill PDMLink Release 12.0 and Datecode with CPS 12.0.2.8

In both Creo (8.0.6.0) and WGM (12.1.1.0) with Windchill 12.0.2.8 I now have the issue that when I go to open my active workspace, the loading wheel spins forever and the workspace never loads on the web page. However, through CAD I can open/checkin and checkout my files just the same.

Here are the errors that I faced
There aren't any messages or warnings. The load wheel just spins forever when trying to open an active workspace in both Creo and the WGM.

[BenLoosli]

What web browser are you using? You need to be using a chromium browser.

Why are you running 12.1.1.0 WGM with Windchill PDMLink 12.0.2.8?

[Dobi]

Chromium browser is set in both the config.pro and wgmclient.ini files. 

We're on 12.1.1.0 for the WGM because that's the version compatible with NX2007, the other CAD that we're using. In Windchill 12, PTC switched to separate release streams of the WGM so that we don't have to upgrade the entire environment with a new date code  just to get compatibility with a newer version of NX. 

To be clear, this is only an issue for the active workspace. I can open any inactive workspace (and through a stand-alone browser, that's all of them) with no issues. 

[avillanueva]

Is this a new upgrade or was this working fine and then just started occurring? Have you tried deleting and creating workspaces? Also tried removing local .wf folder and rebuilding cache?

[Dobi]

It was working fine... I'm not sure what changed. Definitely nothing intentional or planned on my end. I noticed it started not working on Creo a couple of weeks ago and just today on WGM. 

I rebuilt the cache at the WGM level and that didn't make a difference. 

My thought was that perhaps something is off with the creo agent... Creo 8 and WGM 12.1.1.0 actually use different versions of Platform Services (8 for Creo and 9 for that version of WGM) but that seems to be running fine too. 

[Marco_Tosin]

We encountered a similar problem for two users who also use NX in addition to Creo.

The strange thing is that the problem does not seem to be caused by the Creo/Windchill/WWGM compatibility matrix.

We upgraded Windchill to version 12.0.2 last September and are still using Creo 4.0 M140 (we will upgrade to 8.0.8.0 in early June)

The problem of the wheel spinning endlessly when trying to access the WS, after connecting to WWGM for NX, we only noticed it when we switched the mobile workstations to the two users.

We have done countless tests and can rule out that the problem is the matrix of SW versions, in fact the same versions work on the old workstations.

By the way we are able to register NX to WWGM and access the commonspace, while it is impossible to access the workspaces.

We hypothesize that there is some local configuration (environment variable, ACL on WWGM folders, or something else) causing the problem but we could not find anything to account for it in the Windchill logs.

The two users are currently still working with the old workstations.

[avillanueva]

Have we checked network connections like firewalls or other things that can block connections. It sounds almost like a request was made but response was never received. If load on DB and server are normal or low, its likely not due to performance or slow transaction but rather something blocking connections or a timeout.

[Marco_Tosin]

The network connection is the same and the firewalls are disabled by Windows policy.

If on the same network port I connect the old workstation with the exact same versions of Creo/Windchill/WWGM I have no problem accessing the workspaces.

Just connect the new workstation to the same port and the problem occurs but only if I try to access the workspace.

If I try to access the commonspace it works without a problem.

[Dobi]

I have anti-virus exclusions in place for the cache folders and services (genlwsc, PTCWFSService, etc.). 

None of my on-site users seems to be having this issue and neither do any of the other remote users like me. So right now it's a "me" problem. 

Perhaps something did change on the network or VPN... 

In my NX launch scripts I have task kills of outstanding services (uwgm_client.exe, genlwsc, PTCWFS and creoagent) and this was an issue with the CAD workers but not (as yet) on client systems. I thought initially it could be something to do with that, but the spinny wheel happens when I run just Creo or just NX/WGM and not the two concurrently. 

[cgautier]

Hello Dobi,

I'm Charles from PTC Technical Support in Europe: may I suggest you open a new case for this question?

KR,

Charles.

[Dobi]

Hi Charles, 

I tried the "ask the community" option when I was submitting this case. My next step is to go the PTC tech support route but wanted to try out this as an option first. 

Dobi

[Marco_Tosin]

I finally found the source of the problem and fixed the error.

As @BenLoosli had suggested the problem was due to a WWGM browser setting.

What doesn't make sense to me is that the commonspace is accessed regularly while the little wheel spinning endlessly only occurs when trying to access the workspace.

I solved it by setting chromium_browser as the default in the wgmclient.ini file where IE was the default instead (see below)

# ie_browser (Default) - sets IE as WWGM embedded browser.
windows.browser.type=chromium_browser

[jbailey]

It is likely due to creo agent versions mismatch. We create a custom cache and agent location for Creo, and similarly for our WGM applications (Solidworks). Inactive workspace is just like browsing a workspace through browser, not the Creo WGM.

[Dobi]

I do have the creo agents separated for NX and Creo and both have their own (and completely separate) cache locations. 

My guess also is that the mismatch in the Platform Services between Creo 8 and WGM 12.1.1.0 is to blame but then I would expect everyone to have the same issue and it seems as though it's just me some of the time. 

It could even be with my launch scripts to be honest... for my NX launch script I have some taskkill lines for uwgm_client, and creo agent (among others) and I haven't checked if my issue is with Creo when I launch NX first (creo .psf doesn't have the taskkill lines) or with NX or Creo when I have creo running (in this case, NX would kill the creo agent and restart the version9 which ought to make Creo that needs version8 not run). 

[jbailey]

Just for grins... is the user assigned to a Windchill CAD license? 

The user needs to be assigned to one of these:

ptc_creo_dm_and_vis_named, ptc_mech_design_1_named, or ptc_mech_design_2_named

[Dobi]

Yes, the user (me) is assigned to appropriate CAD licenses.

[jbailey]

Hmm.. Did you launch one or the other (one at a time) and see what version of creo agent starts running (to verify they didn't grab the wrong one) ?

[Dobi]

This seemed to be an issue first only on Creo. Then only on NX... then for a bit on neither... 

I'll do a more detailed launch/check procedure and report back. 

[jbailey]

When we first tested WGM with SW we had issues having both SW + WGM open at the same time as Creo

[Dobi]

Did you have special launch scripts and separate cache? OOTB the two can't really run cleanly and it takes a bit of admin work to get everything to play nicely together. 

[cgautier]

Hello Dobi,

Will you need further information here?

KR,

Charles.

[buenosroas]

Perhaps a stupid question, but have you tried to clear out the chromium browser cache (..\zbcef_profile\) in case this is merely related to outdated cached files? Its location may differ depending on your environment. Check its location by typing chrome://version/ in the WGM address box. The Cache Path should point directly to it.

Just stop WGM and delete the entire folder. It will be recreated when you start back up your WGM. 

We're using WGM 12.1.1.1 with Windchill 12.0.2.x for the same reason you list: compatibility with the NX2007 series, but I have yet to see this behaviour with our users.