EPMDocument subtyping

[arajagopal]

Is this possible and let me know if anyone had success.

Creating two subtypes at site level to achieve the end goals 1 and 2. Mainly to drive separate list of attributes and layouts on each subtype.

1. EPMDocument subtype1 - This should be available to for org1,2,3,4,5 creo users. 

2. EPMDocument subtype2  - This should be available to only for org 6 creo users. 

First started defining single subtype at site level and then followed steps documented as per this article https://www.ptc.com/en/support/article/CS41665. Could't force Creo/WGM to use epm subtype to create first CAD Document. I don't see options in this article to proceed to create CAD Document templates when not having single CAD Document in system using custom subtype. 

[joe_morton]

I haven't tried this, but could you create the the subtypes in the respective org levels? If all the CAD documents in each org should default to just the one subtype, you could try making the CAD document main type non-instantiable. Hopefully that would force it to use the subtype. If each Org only has one subtype, then I'd imagine it would default to just the subtype available for that Org.

[BenLoosli]

One thing to consider is that you should not be doing things at the Site level as a CPS patch or an upgrade may change the behavior of what you are doing. I make my changes at the Organization level for this reason.

Do you have multiple Organizations in your Windchill? If so, I would do the changes at each organization level.

[mmeadows-3]

It is not supported to subtype CAD Documents at the Org level (CS34349).  As far as I know, this has never been changed.

Working at the Site level is appropriate when the defined content applies to all organizations.  To Ben’s point, it is easier to avoid modifying anything provided by PTC if working at the Org-level.  PTC can update their objects, workflows, life cycles, etc. at any time, without warning, or remorse on their part.  For Types and Attributes at the Site, define new attributes and subtypes, but try not to modify the OOTB if you can help it.  Sometimes it is unavoidable.

FYI: CS41665 is part of the process for enabling/setting up CAD Document subtypes driven from CAD.

• This isn’t part of the explicit instructions provided by PTC and actually difficult to interpret.  But the WWGM (Windchill Work Group Manager) can’t create a CAD Document subtype until it is added to a resource bundle and available for programmatic use.  Add the subtypes to the EPMDocumentTypeRB.RB.ser resource bundle (CS54502 and Command Line Management of Subtyping).  EPMDocSubTypeRB.RB.ser may be relevant too, not entirely certain.
• Did you configure the WGM to recognize the subtype (see Using EPMDefaultSoftType.xml)?

The core question is why do you need to subtype CAD Document?

I kicked the tires on this back in 10.x, found it frustratingly limited.  Configuration mistakes and user error ended up creating the wrong subtypes and system administrators had to change the types from the backend.  Then good luck with those subtype-specific attributes.

I fell back on more robust and reliable techniques.  It was easier to add all necessary attributes to CAD Document and use organization-level Profiles to hide attributes not relevant to a specific Organization or collection of application contexts representing a business unit.

It would be nice to hear from those who have successfully implemented CAD Document subtypes.

[arajagopal]

• Prior to org level subtyping, I looked at EPMDefaultSoftType.xml approach. What I understand is that this approach supports scenarios like EPM Subtype 1 for Creo and EPM Subtype 2 for Solidworks and can't be used for org specific users. Is that wrong assumption?
• As you mentioned, I have started org level subtyping, not successful and then opened TS call and end up with article https://www.ptc.com/en/support/article/CS34349
• I moved ahead with site level sub-typing after looking at CS41665. Till this moment I didn't find an easier way to create CAD templates using the new types. If we can't have a minimum of a single CAD Document created using subtype then there is no way to create a CAD Document template. PTC article CS41665 is totally frustrating and has no clear instructions. Hopefully someone in product management will read this and respond.
• Tried instantiate and access control approach. I don't think ptc is not clear with this idea. Creo application simply creates default OOTB CAD Document and acl triggers during checkin.
• I have not looked at hiding attributes. We have newer/line of business products and attributes on CAD Documents supports those new products slightly different than our existing CAD Documents attributes.

Thanks for all of your feedback on this topic. 

[rhart]

@arajagopal  The CAD Doc subtypes will only be visible in the New CAD Doc wizard when CAD templates have been associated with the type. So when you create the CAD template in org1 associated with subtype1 then users will only be able to create subtype1 in org1. Alternatively, if you wanted to create the CAD templates in the site, you can hide/show the templates within the orgs to make them available where they should be used.

[jvonzastrow1]

Hi @arajagopal 

You can control users access to the subtypes using Policy administration on organization level. This way users can only use the EPM Documents subtypes they have access to.