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workspace folders

gboterman
1-Newbie

workspace folders

How do I create multiple folders in my workspace to store my different CAD projects.

If I can only store one CAD projects at the time (using Solidworks 2012) can I have multiple workspaces open at the same time.

All I want is to have direct access (or even simultaneous access) to my different projects without having to close SW.

Can this be done

(new to Windchill, Gerard)

8 REPLIES 8
kpritchard
4-Participant
(To:gboterman)

Suggest a workspace per project, and delete each when finished with it.  The Windchill environment is a bit different than file folders...  for files that are needed but not modified in the Workspace think of it like linking to the original file rather than creating a copy for local use.  When files are modified in a Workspace a working copy is created and checking in, in essence commits these changes.  So a file can be modified in many local Workspaces, but once one of these is checked in none of the others can.  It keeps multiple users from stepping on each others work, and once you get used to it you'll wonder how you ever managed using file folders on network drives.

If you need folders within your Workspace, you probably have too much going on - use more Workspaces of lesser scope.  You can only have one Workspace active at a  time but you should be sable to switch between them, but this will mean any previously opened fileswill be cleared from memory.

I need access to any files from different projects as shown in my SW recent files tree.

I work on three of four different projects at the time.

Example: when I work on a design of one project, I get phone calls or request to quickly check files of another project.

Clicking on such a file in my recent file tree now results in an error, saying the workspace is not open.

I cannot open a workspace without closing my current design . . .

Now I have to close my current design, close SW, open workspace manager, find the workspace, activate it, find and open the file, do what I have to do in SW. Close the file, close SW, open workspace manager, find my current workspace, activate it, find the file I was working on, open this and find back the feature or sketch where I was working on.

Also of this was done with one simple click having two files open at the same time.

Any suggestions please?

Terminology is sometimes very important - appears to be so in this case.

Ideally you Check In everything as soon as it is created, then check out as needed for ongoing development.  Assuming this, then workspaces become unimportant for accessing and looking at data - one can do so for the most part within Windchill accessed directly from a browser.

From a browser:

- examine relationships / where-used / history

- examine / measure / section in Creo View (assuming you have publishing in place)

Would need to a workspace and bring up in CAD only rarely.

Thanks for the replies, I will clarify the problem one more time:

Currently my main problem is that PTC work against me using Solidworks:

Example:

I work on three different (note: development) projects all placed in a separate workspace. Previously (pre-PTC Windchill) each project was located in a separate folder on our ‘development’ network drive.

Now  with Windchill, after opening the workspace, opening the file in SW, I frequently get requests to quickly check a part of the other project, as all are in progress during development and design.

The part file requested shows in SW in ‘recent files’, with one click I had access to open these, leaving my current design in the background.

Now with PTC Windchill, clicking on the 'recent file' results in an error, indicating the workspace is not open.

I cannot open a workspace without closing my current design . . . I am in the middle of a design tree somewhere in a sketch . . . so I cannot move it to the background.

With PTC I have to:

- close my current design,

- close SW,

- open workspace manager,

- find the workspace, open it,

- activate the workspace,

- find and open the file,

a total of 6 tedious actions to just open my previous file, do what I have to do, close it and repeat another six steps to continue working . . . trying to remember where I left off in the tree / sketch, etc.

So with Windchill I currently cannot efficiently work as this happens continuously during the day.

Is there a solution for this, being able to open multiple project, workspaces and having my SW ‘recent files’ working again please? Not having to close my file what I am working on.

We can use maybe only one workspace for all projects, but then all project parts mix up and some might have the same name which would become a chaos.


I am looking for a solution. No doubt others have encountered the same problem.

From a browser, search Windchill. From search results, right click, Open In SolidWorks.

System downloads files to currently active workspace and opens in SW.

I am beginner with Windchill.

Can you explain the steps please?

I have combined all my 'development' projects and parts as advised below.

How do I open another part on the fly (using solidworks) without having to exist the current part I am working in.

You said: 'From the browser . . .'? You mean Internet browser?

TomU
23-Emerald IV
(To:gboterman)

We can use maybe only one workspace for all projects, but then all project parts mix up and some might have the same name which would become a chaos.

Windchill will not allow files with duplicate names to be checked in.  There is probably no major benefit to trying to isolate these different projects to their own workspaces.  Windchill is more than capable of keeping track of the relationships and dependencies between files.  Unless you are dealing with assemblies that contain thousands of objects each, there is probably no harm is simply keeping them together.  There is definitely no harm in adding an assembly and opening it "on the fly" when someone has some questions about it.

I just open what I need to open. I haven't really cared much about the workspace or the folders. The only time it is of importance is creating a new item and setting the desired Commonspace folder. But even then they can be moved if they are placed incorrectly.

Call your workspace "Development" and only copy out items that are being developed. Then you can have all the things you are developing available at the same time.

If not, then teach AutoIt to do the steps for you. It'll give you a chance to get a soda or something while the context shifts.

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