Using Creo to generate WVS viewables for Solidworks Files

[Chris_Johnson]

Hi All,

This seems like it should be possible, but I can't find any documentation explaining how to do it. We have some legacy solidworks data in Windchill, that I'd like to create visualisations for. We don't have a spare Solidworks license to use as a CAD worker, but Creo opens all of the Solidworks files just fine. So, my question is, can I just set up the Solidworks CAD worker to use Creo instead of Solidworks to generate the .pvs files for Windchill visualisation? If I can, how do I do it?

Thanks in advance.

Chris

[TomU · Accepted solution]

No, you can't.  The reason has to do with the authoring application type.  Files created in SolidWorks and uploaded to Windchill via the work group manager know they were created by SolidWorks.  Any publishing done on them will also require the work group manager and a seat of SolidWorks.

When you open a SolidWorks file in Creo (with 'Unite' functionality), you are really just creating a new Creo file under the hood.  (This is the same process as creating a new Creo file from a neutral STEP file.)  When this file is checked into Windchill, it's checked in as a Creo file, not a SolidWorks file, and can only be opened in Creo.  Even though it has the SolidWorks file extension, since it was not added to Windchill via the SolidWorks workgroup manger, it can never be opened in SolidWorks.  (Unless PTC changed something recently...)

[Chris_Johnson]

Thanks, I had assumed that was the case. I might create an enhancement request to deal with this.