Intralink 10.0: Name vs Filename vs Number

[ScottPearson]

No, this isn't the expected question of, "What is the difference between Name vs Filename vs Number." (Collective sigh of relief is heard from all. <g>)

But rather, this is a question about how Windchill/Intralink 10.0 "thinks" and how everyone out there assimilates to Windchill's "thinking."

In the couple of months that we've had WC/Intralink 10.0 up and running here, I've noticed that pretty much every table in WC has a column which lists an object's Name. But frequently there is not a column for theobject's Number. And there is rarely a column for the object's Filename.

That leads me to believe that WC/Intralink 10.0 generally "thinks" of an object with respect to the object's Name.

That is Question #1: Do all you 'chillers out there agree that WC/Intralink 10.0 gives primary attention to an object's Name and that Filename and Number are virtually second-class properties?

Which leads to Question #2: How do you and your users accommodate WC's mindset when it comes to Name being the primary object identification shown to the end user?

Why the question? Because in the world of digital files -- since the earliest days ofDOS --users have always searched for files based on Filename. It is the natural instinct of users.

But now in WC, with Filename often not listed in a table, the user can not rely on Filename for a quick identification of the file he/she is looking for within a folder. Instead of Filename, the user is generally presented with Name.

Since Filename and Name are not required to match..., and since Number will never match Filename once the file has been renamed (i.e. Number is unchangeable after initially created)..., then Name seems to be identifier that users should pay attention to.

So Question #2 also begs the question of, "Do you emphasize to users that they should live and die by Name instead of Filename? (And to essentially ignore Number?)"

Thanks for the feedback. I expect the responses to be interesting.

[MikeFoster]

Hi Scott,

Here is some more info to consider:


* Our system is set up with a different OIR so your statement " Number will never match Filename once the file has been renamed " is not true for ours and many other Windchill implementations.


* We use name for an informal name since it was mapped from Intralink 3.x's Common Name attribute during migration.


* Rather than use the defaults we set up our Windchill table views to present name, number, and filename as appropriate.


* Filename and number must be unique in the database while the same name can be given to many objects.


* Number and filename can be forced to remain the same for new objects and copies (save as) - Unfortunately the exception is renames - There is no preference that forces users to keep them identical so sometimes they get out of sync. PTC should make a lockable preference for this.

Mike Foster
ATK

[egifford]

Scott,

We've been on Windchill PDMLink for a little over a month and can understand the user confusion. I've often had the question from users of why there is a Number field and Filename field if they're kept the same (how we have it configured) - particularly when coming from a filename centric mindset (whether Intralink 3.x or a simple Windows server folder structure). Mike's reply and Steve's reply in a parallel thread make some good points that basically boil down to it's all in how you choose to set it up. Our system is set up similar to what they describe which addresses serveral of the issues you mention. Biggest simple thing you can do (things like the OIR aside, which is critical) is set up acentral table display for workspace, commonspace, search resultsetc thatcan be set as adefault. I haven't found a way to makeCS and WS table displayseveryone's default for the first time they ever log in, but once they choose it the setting is "sticky" and will remain set.

I strongly agree with Mike's last comment that PTC should make a lockable preference setting for rename to make Filename = Number or Filename = Name. The workaround we've found is in the rename dialog, select the files again (checkbox), click the "set new name" function (looks like a price tag - we've affectionally coined it the "Minnie Pearl price tag" - those of you old enough will get that reference), click the File Name- Same As Number checkbox and click OK on that dialog - don't enter any renaming in the Set: or To: fields. That sets <same as=" number="> in the New File Name field in the rename dialog for all the files you selected by checkboxing. Sort of clunky, but it serves the purpose. I would suspect somewhere in the system you can find a hack to set that checkbox as checked by default, but would have to dig since it's not a preference setting.

Erik