Questions about Packages in 10.1

[sdrzewiczewski]

We are currently investigating packages as a replacement for some homegrown processes to extract data from Windchill to be sent off to our external partners. Do any of you out there use packages for sending data to external parties? If so do you have any lessons learned that you would be willing to share? Also we some of other questions:

• Do you have a need to send specific configurations of a product structure, or do you send Latest? If you send a specific configuration how do you add your content to the Package?


• Do you have multiple cad formats? Specifically do you have one cad format that does not support synchronization and one that does not and both need to be included in a package? (Our example Creo 2.0 synch supported, Altium (ECAD) not synch supported)


• Who fills the different roles in the package creation/review process


• Do you leverage any of the routing options?


• How do you distrubute the packages to the external parties?


• Have you customized the package framework? If so what did you do?


• Do you provide the external party the .zip file from Windchill or do you postprocess the .zip file and provide them a different archive file?


• Do you exclude files by extension or context?

Thanks

Steve D.

[ascharnitzky]

Steve,

1) I create a baseline of the product structure before I do any package. Though we haven't had the need to go back to the historical baseline object to compare...it is there JIK. Before WC v.10 I was able to collect items from a baseline, but something changed in 10 and since then we did a search and select feature from the product structure and copied/paste or add to package. This collection from a baseline would give you the items at a particular configuration.

2) ?

3) We thought we were going to be sophisticated and had different people in the different roles, but when all said and done it turned out to be me doing all the functions of the team. Roles of importance if delivering packages out is Package Recipient

4) We created deliveries for each package and then zipped the content. We do use routing for approval and routing for delivery so that our customer has the face-time with the ultimate recipent (I am supproting in a sub-contracting role)

5) no

6) yes as the recipient distributes to others not in WC and a zip file of contents makes it easier for them to distribute

7) use to as a means of another filter to get the files needed for the zip, but along came 10 and some issues with collections that caused a work-around that no longer utilized collections and therefore we include all in the zip

Hope that helps

Andy