Export a File

snellutla · ‎Mar 15, 2011

Hi Guys,

Could you guys suggest me a way to export part or assembly file directly from Windchill PDMLink session without launching Pro-engineer. Our guys from toolroom used to download (fetch) files from graphic server directly.

Thanks,

Sharath

KevinAlexander · ‎Mar 15, 2011

You need to use the Package functionality (assuming you are on 9.0 or later)

snellutla · ‎Mar 15, 2011

Thanks

hadiga · ‎Mar 15, 2011

you can add to workspace and export from server side workspace.

On Tue, Mar 15, 2011 at 11:35 AM, Kevin Alexander <
-> wrote:

>
>
> You need to use the Package functionality (assuming you are on 9.0 or
> later)
>
>
>
> *From:* Sharath Nellutla [

snellutla · ‎Mar 15, 2011

We tried this option but export option is available only thruogh pro-engineer interface. In our case, we use matercam and NC programmers need access to latest pro-e part files.

In Reply to hemantha adiga:

you can add to workspace and export from server side workspace.

On Tue, Mar 15, 2011 at 11:35 AM, Kevin Alexander <
@-> wrote:

>
>
> You need to use the Package functionality (assuming you are on 9.0 or
> later)
>
>
>
> *From:* Sharath Nellutla [mailto:-]
> *Sent:* Tuesday, March 15, 2011 10:22 AM
> *To:* -
> *Subject:* [solutions] - Export a File
>
>
>
> Hi Guys,
>
> Could you guys suggest me a way to export part or assembly file directly
> from Windchill PDMLink session without launching Pro-engineer. Our guys from
> toolroom used to download (fetch) files from graphic server directly.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Sharath
>
>

cadjett · ‎Mar 15, 2011

I could be off on the intent of the message &/or not recall wc 9 functionality properly, but I think there is a column with down pointing arrow icon. To download epmdocs, right from wc browser.

I thinks its almost center of all columns left to right.

If I recall right, it will easily do single a prt, but might also download asm, including all its components. Might even work for drw, but that might be asking too much.

I know package does this, but that includes several steps & slight learning curve.

But I will pull up my vmware tonight & see if the icon/action exists or was for some other download functionality.

L Jett

snellutla · ‎Mar 16, 2011

True. Package looks like tedious process. We used graphic server (with intralink 3.4) to support production team so they can download latest pro-e files directly from it and is only a 3 step process (log-in, search, download).

Now with PDM 9.1 what are my options?

Sharath

SteveVinyard · ‎Mar 16, 2011

Packages for good reason. If you check in a Drawing and a week later its meta-data gets updated in Windchill...does the ACTUAL CAD data reflect these changes? No.

So if you did a direct download, you would get some CAD data that is incorrect and you'd never know it unless you opened it in the authoring tool. Packages, though and extra step, relieve this problem by refreshing the CAD data etc.

[cid:image001.gif@01CBE3B7.A672C1D0]

Steve Vinyard
Application Engineer

Cosmo · ‎Mar 16, 2011

Sorry Sharath,
According to this PTC "Solution", they removed the ability for you to download directly from of Windchill as of 9.1 M060 because of the possibility of data "corruption." However, they did put this quote in the description which I appreciate:
"Our apologies for any inconvenience you may have experienced because of the termination of this functionality"
We are still on M020 so we have not upgraded to remove this functionality yet 🙂
We would like to keep allowing our NC people to download the file without opening Pro/E to get it to Mastercam.....so here we stay at M020.
I heard that when you click on that download button on or after M060 (yes it still exists), it now launches a replay of "Caddyshack".

RonZabilski · ‎Mar 17, 2011

Michael,

Please consider Plot Service for Windchill (PSW), from Etrage LLC, to
download files from Windchill without data corruption.

Parts, assemblies and drawings, managed by Windchill, can be downloaded to a
local or network directory in a by monitoring Windchill for Lifecycle or
Revision change or at check-in, there is a Batch mode by creating a list of
models or through an On-Demand Web Access mode where a user can search for
and select models for download. Models can be downloaded with their
dependent files.

For more information about PSW, please visit the Etrage website product page
at

Cosmo · ‎Mar 17, 2011

Hi Ron,
I appreciate that third parties such as yourself are building solutions like this to plug the holes in Windchill but this is something that should be available in Windchill by default.
The use case for this functionality is quite simple. Any customer that uses Windchill for Pro/E data management but uses a third party CAM software application or CAE application should not have to open files in Pro/E to get them into these systems.
While there may be methods available to do this, like the package functionality that has been discussed in this thread, I believe this task should be straightforward and much easier to accomplish.
I'm hoping that Windchill 10 has this capability. Does anyone know of you can download files directly in 10?
Mike -

KevinAlexander · ‎Mar 17, 2011

Mike - looks like, at least in pre-production, you still can't download the native .prt, etc:

[cid:image001.png@01CBE47B.AA1081F0][cid:image003.png@01CBE47B.AA1081F0][cid:image004.jpg@01CBE47B.AA1081F0]

Cosmo · ‎Mar 17, 2011

Hi Kevin,
What is a pha file? This does not seem to be the .prt file I would expect.
For reference, I was just trying to help a friend out (Sharath) when I found this issue out. I could use the same technique on my installation and receive the part, but he received the pha file. So I took to the knowledgebase and found that document.
I know that I am not the most skilled user of Windchill so I'm sure there must be a quick way to do this that I don't know about. Maybe the pha file somehow gets you the actual part file? But I thought I read that this launches Pro/E and grabs the file for you.....so I think you still need Pro/E installed on the machine.

Mike -

Dmi3U · ‎Mar 17, 2011

Pha file is just a link to the .prt file. In WC8 you could export real prt file in 9 they "improved" this functionality to export just a link.

SteveVinyard · ‎Mar 17, 2011

I think you bring up a good point here. Packages are the intended functionality and included the required info to ensure your data is correct and clean...but it's clunky to use right now. Things will get better and certainly are, I haven't had a chance to play with WC 10 packages yet but I know that PTC is actively improving the end user experience. Until then, some nice customizations are available.

[cid:image001.gif@01CBE495.314AB230]

Steve Vinyard
Application Engineer

cadjett · ‎Mar 19, 2011

I reiterate.

There is a "Download Content" icon from the product/library folders pages.

It is a downward arrow icon 1/2 way through columns in folders page. 7th column from the left in my ie wc browser (table config).

If you hover over it, it will show "Download Content".

I attached an image (dlprt.jpg) that shows the shows the column & icon.

It did not download a .pha. It downloaded a direct prt/asm/drw & I was then able to open ProE & go to the folder where I downloaded the prt & it opened fine. But it would not download children of the drw/asm.

But if you need the prt alone, to send for mfg, it might suffice.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I am not on M060. Is this what goes away in M060 or some other functionality?

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

As far as it working or not in WC10, there was an imagine attached in one of the posts here, that shows the .pha when some one was trying to open the proe file. What actions/selections were used to "OPEN" this file.

The icon in the columnto the right ofthe "File Name" column & right before the "Category" column, is the icon I was speaking of all along. The downward arrow (download) icon/action. Was that the icon/action yo selected? I would think the pop up would save Download Content or similar & not "Opening....".

So whoever was doing the testing on WC10, please select the Download Content icon/action (downward arrow), which is column number 4 from the left in the image he attached (along with dlprt2.jpg I attached)

So let me know on the statements/questions, because I am lost as to why the "Download Content" icon/action is not what is needed here.

L Jett
cadjett@aol.com;datajett@aol.com

KevinAlexander · ‎Mar 21, 2011

Lawrence - the "download content" icon still shows up in 9.1 M060, but it gives you the .pha (which somewhat ironically stands for "PTC Helper App"), NOT the native content.

The screenshot I originally posted from 10.0 pre-production was essentially showing that it worked identically.

However, I just loaded 10.0 production and all I'm seeing is just this icon:

[cid:image003.jpg@01CBE793.1BCE8840]

My screen capture doesn't capture it but if you hover over the icon it simply says "Open in Creo" - when I click it I get:

[cid:image002.png@01CBE792.00DF8080]

So basically the same behavior

Cosmo · ‎Mar 21, 2011

Here is the PTC article in the knowledgebase on this topic. They removed it to prevent data loss or data corruption when bypassing the workgroup manager.
So I think they are going to change the title of the button from "Download Content" to "Download a little bit of Content"

While opening a CAD document in a registered CAD application, any metadata changes (e.g. updated parameter values, lifecycle states or links to renamed dependencies) are propagated into the CAD files by the workgroup manager Adapter. This data synchronization is essential to ensure that the binary C...

snellutla · ‎Mar 21, 2011

Thanks,

Sharath

jfrankovich · ‎Mar 21, 2011

I always considered the old "Download" link to be just as you say, a "Download a little bit of Content" link, since on an Assembly file or a Drawing file, all you got was the file itself with absolutely none of the required files. Great for part models, but not such use for anything else.

BTW, to get around PTC's issue, it would be nice if, from a standalone browser and a "Download" link, Winchill could utilize the existing PV ProE worker functionality to "sync" the parameters, lifecycles, etc. and deliver a nicely packaged part model, or drawing or assembly (and all requisite models) to a simple browser user.

John

snellutla · ‎Mar 22, 2011

It is not the same with Graphics server (Pro-Intralin 3.x). If you try download any drawing or assembly file it brings all associated files along with it.

BTW, to get around PTC's issue, it would be nice if, from a standalone browser and a "Download" link, Winchill could utilize the existing PV ProE worker functionality to "sync" the parameters, lifecycles, etc. and deliver a nicely packaged part model, or drawing or assembly (and all requisite models) to a simple browser user.

John

jfrankovich · ‎Mar 22, 2011

I think we are on the same page here. Currently the only way to do a true associative Export from Windchill is from within the ProE embedded browser.
The standalone browser interface should be able to present users with a true "Export" action that would cause the retrieval of the primary file and all associated files into a ProE session on a remote ProE worker (just as it does now for Windchill 9.1 ProductView visualization creation). The files in session would now be in sync with any lifecycle states, revisions, or other parameter data from Windchill. But, rather than create PV viewables from this ProE session to send to Windchill, it would instead do a Backup or Save a copy as a Zip file and deliver it back to the user.

John