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Search Settings for multiple Released file types?

pnelson
3-Visitor

Search Settings for multiple Released file types?

 

Sorry, but the title is not very good.  The longer version is that we are replacing some AutoCAD files with equivalent Creo files.  As the Creo model and drawing are Released we now have 2 drawings (Creo and AutoCAD) appear in the search results when "Latest version" is the company search parameter.  Manufacturing can only view Released.  If we simply demote the latest AutoCAD drawing to Obsolete, the next most recent Released AutoCAD then appears in the search results.  It doesn't appear that I am able to move all previous Released iterations to Obsolete, and I don't think that is even a good idea, since that would be changing the history of the AutoCAD drawing.  How can we make sure Manufacturing is seeing a single Latest (by date) Released object when there are multiple file types?  I know we cant be the first company to convert one file type to another and need to filter out the old type.  Thanks!

 

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

Accepted Solutions
MikeLockwood
22-Sapphire I
(To:pnelson)

Yes, very common need. Cannot deny Read for Obsolete or as you say, the system simply gives the previous Released version and users don't even know that a later Version is Obsolete.  This would be solved if Search worked differently. Search starts with the latest Version, then applies ACLs; if user has Read, it displays that result, if not it goes to the next latest Version / repeat.  End result is that you see the latest Version that is at a state you can see. In the case you describe, you likely have one CAD Doc Number "take over" at the next Rev of the base Number from the other, but in fact they are two distinct CAD Doc's. So - Only way to hide these is to move.  Can move to a folder within the current context for which Deny Read is applied to some users (possibly not all users) or can move to another context. Have to be very careful - if a user doesn't have Read for any child of any assembly, they can't retrieve the assembly. If you use publishing, watermarking can be used to great advantage on this if you in fact move to a different context.  In the "obsolete items" context, the watermark can display something appropriate.

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4 REPLIES 4
MikeLockwood
22-Sapphire I
(To:pnelson)

Yes, very common need. Cannot deny Read for Obsolete or as you say, the system simply gives the previous Released version and users don't even know that a later Version is Obsolete.  This would be solved if Search worked differently. Search starts with the latest Version, then applies ACLs; if user has Read, it displays that result, if not it goes to the next latest Version / repeat.  End result is that you see the latest Version that is at a state you can see. In the case you describe, you likely have one CAD Doc Number "take over" at the next Rev of the base Number from the other, but in fact they are two distinct CAD Doc's. So - Only way to hide these is to move.  Can move to a folder within the current context for which Deny Read is applied to some users (possibly not all users) or can move to another context. Have to be very careful - if a user doesn't have Read for any child of any assembly, they can't retrieve the assembly. If you use publishing, watermarking can be used to great advantage on this if you in fact move to a different context.  In the "obsolete items" context, the watermark can display something appropriate.

As Mike suggested, this was the most straightforward solution.  I created a new folder in the same context and applied Deny Read to the majority of roles/groups.  Our Service group was one who is still allowed Read access because they will need the ability to view previously Released objects for service calls and parts orders.  We will also add a step in our Work Instructions for the Engineers to move previous file types to this Obsolete folder when they create a Change Notice.  Thank you Mike!

you could always add a criteria into the search to filter by authoring application and set this to Creo

Would have to be done from advanced search page, or you could create a generic search and save as shared with all users.

Hellot Pete,

as Mike said,  very common need indeed.

Here is what I last implemented.

Autocad drawing (DWG) were uploaded into a WTDoc subtype.

Generally, if DWG was iterated, this is what we had

A.0 Released (because we uploaded the latest released version)

B.0 In Work

B.1 In work (until the designer is ready to have his work released)

Once B.1 is released,  we set A.0 to Obsolete.

That is we only kept only one version released.

Now, if we have B.1 Released and we convert it to Creo.  We create a Creo file that start at A.0 and iterate it until it can supersede the DWG version.  eg A.4 at IN WORK.

When we promote A.4 to Release we set DWG B.1 to Obsolete.

We did not want to develop complex workflow or customisation to automatically obsolete the DWG file when the Creo was released. Users had to do it manually but users being human being, my admin team used to run report on regular basic to find discrepancy (eg Creo and DWG both released). We then ran a script to set the DWG to obsolete.  The key was that DWG and CREO (EPMDoc) Number were the same. This is possible as they are different objects.

What puzzles me in your situation is that you have older versions which are released. Without that your situation will work as smoothly as mine.

For DWG file

A.0  IN WORK

A.1 IN WORK

A.2 IN WORK -> RELEASED -> OBSOLETE (because of a later version released, here it is B.1)

B.0 IN WORK

B.1 IN WORK -> RELEASED (which should lead to A.2 being set to Obsolete)

As a consequence at any given time you only have one version released.

Hope this helps and surely, I have explained efficiently what I had implemented.

Best regards

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