what is the difference between product and library in windchill pdmlink

[ptc-6026219]

Hi Guys,

Could any please explain me what is the difference between a PRODUCT and a LIBRARY in Windchill PDMLink?

Thanks in advance.

Regards

Rajeshkumar Balaganesan

[adesai]

https://support.ptc.com/appserver/cs/view/solution.jsp?n=CS22028

[TomU]

For those who don't have maintenance:

[MikeLockwood · Accepted solution]

The referenced CS says "there are no technical differences between Products and Libraries..."

There is one HUGE difference: Products have on their Details page the "End Items" table. Libraries do not have this table.

The End Items table is a subset of the WTParts in that context - those with End Item = True. It only applies if you are using WTParts and Product Structure - and have designated End Items where appropriate.

The table, if Parts are maintained, becomes a very convenient top-level point for each Product Context to access all the actual items that you sell to customers from one place, and drill down to the details of each.

[DarrenStorey]

Lack of end items table is the only difference I know about.

You can add an end items table to a custom tab of the libary details page, but in that case you might as well use a product container.

[sriram0043]

1. Can we use product containers for storing the start parts?

2. How to change the default template location?

3. Can I use the default template stored in the product container? 

[BenLoosli]

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@sriram0043 wrote:

1. Can we use product containers for storing the start parts?

2. How to change the default template location?

3. Can I use the default template stored in the product container? 

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1) You could but if they are in a library, you can make the library files read only and your users cannot change how the start files are defined. My start files are on disk only. The only system level files I have in Windchill are formats and these MUST be in Windchill and on disk.

2) Use template_solidpart in config.pro to point to your model template. 

3) Yes, but PTC's recommendation is to store start part templates on disk.

[MikeLockwood]

By the way, there is nothing inherent in using a Library vs. a Product for data that should be read / download to all users but highly restricted for changes except for "librarians" or similar Role.

One needs to configure access control carefully.  One good approach is to configure access control in general for Products at Org level and have all Products inherit from there, but to configure all or most Libraries "Private" such that all access control needs to be defined within the Library.  It becomes simple then to remove all but Read/Download for most objects for most roles, leaving other actions to a single Library Manager or Librarian role.

[sriram0043]

Thank you for your reply. I need one answer for the below too.

I have updated my config.pro file to take the start part from one of the containers. But while creating the part using default template it is taking the default template from the Standard library. Can you please help me with this. 

Attached Config.Pro file.

[DanielReid]

One other difference if ProjectLink is included:

Products can have the "Plan" features enabled to manage work tasks and assignments, Libraries cannot.

[mdebower]

I am starting to think that there should be absolutely no difference between a Product, a Library or a Project. It's just a label.

In fact I would like to see a workflow where I start a Project and once it is developed, change the label to Product, or Library. Turn on the plan feature or turn it off. Use the features that your business requires, not what PTC decided you needed.

A context should be a box that I dump my stuff in and the software should have features to support my business requirements, whether I call it a Library, Project, or Product should not determine what features I can have.

[BenLoosli]

If there was no difference then why would you need the others?

I can put parts I want to be read-only in a library and the general user population cannot chnage them. Easier than doing it with ACLs and group access rights to a folder under product.

[mdebower]

So in the proposed scenario you would just enable it to be read only in the options. Put the ability to configure the system for specific business needs in the hands of the administrators of the system, and not the programmers of the software.

Set up a "Library" template for your company to use. But it would just be a set of configuration settings, set the way your company wants a "Library" to behave. We should be able to do the same for Products and Projects too. The underlying technology is the same for all three, it is just the label and the settings that are different. Settings and labels that should be able to be changed at any time.

-marc