WGM Workspace Location

[Chris17]

Hello there,

I am having issues with setting the cache and workspace location in the workgroup manager.

I set the environmentvariables as follows:

PTC_WF_CACHE = %LOCALAPPDATA%\Windchill\cache

PTC_WF_ROOT = %LOCALAPPDATA%\Windchill

PTC_WFS_ROOT = %LOCALAPPDATA%\Windchill\.wgm

PTC_WGM_ROOT = %APPDATA%\PTC\Windchill Workgroup Manager

PTC_WGM_STARTUP_DIR = %LOCALAPPDATA\Windchill

PTC_WLD_ROOT = %LOCALAPPDATA%\Windchill

The cache location is correctly set to the path in the environmentvariables.

However, the Windchill file system management sets the storage location for the workspace to %USERPROFILE%\Documents\PTC Environment.

When trying to save files to the Workspace using Solidworks, Solidworks tries to save to %USERPROFILE%\Documents\PTC Environment and fails.

Using the standard path in %USERPROFILE% is not possible. This folder is on a server. Using a simple path like C:\PTC\Windchill is not possible as we have several computers that are shared by several users.

Thank you in advance for any hints how to solve this issue.

Best regards

Chris

[Florent · Accepted solution]

Hi Chris,

the WFS doesn't work the same way as the WGM for Creo does.

Hence, you need to use the bellow command:

set WWGM_VFS_PTC_PLACES=<locationOfYouChoice>
<WGMDIR>\i486_nt\obj\wwgmvfsconfig.exe"

Florent

[Chris17]

Works perfectly! Thanks a lot, Florent!

For those who'd like to reproduce:

Create folders:

%LOCALAPPDATA%\Windchill
%LOCALAPPDATA%\Windchill\Workspace

set environment variables:

PTC_WF_ROOT = %LOCALAPPDATA%\Windchill
PTC_WFS_ROOT = %LOCALAPPDATA%\Windchill\.wgm
PTC_WGM_ROOT = %APPDATA%\PTC\Windchill Workgroup Manager
PTC_WGM_STARTUP_DIR = %LOCALAPPDATA\Windchill
PTC_WLD_ROOT = %LOCALAPPDATA%\Windchill

execute two commands in terminal as user:

set WWGM_VFS_PTC_PLACES=%LOCALAPPDATA%\Windchill\Workspace
"C:\Program Files\PTC\wgm\i486_nt\obj\wwgmvfsconfig.exe"

start workgroupmanager, register server and check cache and wfs location.

[YodaKim]

In Windchill 11.1 M020, the Windchill Workgroup Manager installer reads "PTC_WFS_DEFAULT_LOCATION" to define the Windchill folder location to a local folder for WFS. I recommend to use this newly supported Windows system variable because setting WFS folder is one time thing, it does not have to be repeated every time WWGM is launched.

After installation, you can define the Windchill Folder path from the WFS management UI by 'Tools > Windchill File System Management'.

[Florent]

Hi Yoda,

the command line feature was great for administrative tasks or subsequent installations of an add-on.

Now, it's not possible to change the location using a command line.

[YodaKim]

Hi Florent,

Can you please describe the admin use case in detail?

Thanks,

Yoda 

[Florent]

For a standalone application that is using WGM, we change the WFS location (for a path that doesn't contain space or Windows user's name).

Prior the installation of this application the WGM must already be installed.

What we used to do during the installation/configuration of this application was:

1. allow a third-part application to access to the content of WFS
2. change the location of WFS.

Now, those 2 actions can only be achieved manually:

1. by editing the wgmclient.ini
2. by changing the WFS location through WGM UI.

Of course the workaround is above but this adds manual actions.

I also imagine a customer who, for some reasons (I don't have any at the moment however ), wants to change the WFS location for all the engineering computers.

Doing this using a GPO would be much easier than going thru all computers to change it manually.

[YodaKim]

Florent,

PTC_WFS_DEFAULT_LOCATION is not an option in wgmclient.ini but an system environment variable. So I think the installation use case can be covered by setting the environment variable to a certain location prior to WGM install.

Thanks,

Yoda

[Florent]

Yoda,

Sorry it was my error to mix the 2 issues.

To allow an application to access to the content of WFS, we do now need to edit wgmclient.ini (wfs.add.applications).

To change the location of WFS, we need the perform the change manually (WGM is already installed).

I forgot to mention, the workaround does exist, so it's obviously not a must to have. I was just mentioning the fact that it was previously doable with command lines while now those 2 settings must be changed manually.

For the second scenario I mentioned, even though I don't have real example, I feel like this might occur.

[JamesDenman]

I followed the recommendation for this post. When I create a Solidworks model and save it I get this message.

Any ideas of how to resolve this issue.

[Florent]

Depending on the version you're using, this is no longer applicable.

From 11.1, to change the WFS location, you need to use the UI:

Tools > Windchill File System Management > Windchill Folder Location