Drawing approver name from Windchill into the proe drawing

Sanjay,

This is doable but will not involve any of the PTC_WM_* parameters.

Create and designate a parameter APPROVED_BY in ProE

Create a String attribute APPROVED_BYin Windchill.

Add the APPROVED_BY attribute to EPMDocument in Type manager

That's step one.

Step 2 is updating the APPROVED_BY attribute in Windchill in a workflow

In your workflow decide when/how to update it. Perhaps during the completion of an Approve workflow assignment.

In the Complete Transition of the approve assignment add the following:

//This will get the approver's fullname (or Windchill name)

String approvedBy = ((wt.org.WTUser)wt.session.SessionHelper.getPrincipal()).getFullName(); // or .getName() your choice

//Add a webject to update the ProE Drawing

Put this code in a class and reference the class. DON'T put this directly in the complete transition.

Transaction transaction = new Transaction();
transaction.start();

//Checkout

ActionWebject co = new ActionWebject("Checkout-Objects");
co.setService(ie);
co.addParam("INSTANCE", taskProcessor);
co.addParam("OBJECT_REF", PersistenceHelper.getObjectIdentifier(epmDrawing).toString()); //epmDrawing is your drawing
co.addParam("Attribute", "obid");
co.addParam("GROUP_OUT", "checkout_group");
co.invoke();

obid = (String) co.getService().getGroup("checkout_group").getAttributeValue(0, "obid");

//Update

ActionWebject ud = new ActionWebject("Update-Objects");
ud.setService(ie);
ud.addParam("INSTANCE", taskProcessor);
ud.addParam("OBJECT_REF", obid);
ud.addParam("MODIFICATION", "REPLACE");
String field =APPROVEDBY + "=" +approvedBy + ";
ud.addParam("FIELD",field );
}
ud.addParam("GROUP_OUT", "updated_group");
ud.invoke();

//Checkin

ActionWebject ci = new ActionWebject("Checkin-Objects");
ci.setService(ie);
ci.addParam("INSTANCE", taskProcessor);
ci.addParam("OBJECT_REF", obid);
ci.addParam("GROUP_OUT", "checkin_group");
ci.invoke();

transaction.commit();

I would strongly recommed create a class and referencing this code. I make the code very generic as well.

something like ext.tools.IBAHelper.updateValue(Persistable obj, HashMap map) The HashMap can store the IBA names and corresponding values. This will allow you to update several IBAs at the same time.

FYI, there are APIs in 10.0 that can update an IBA. I still use webjects however. They work well and once you know how to use webjects you can do a lot with them.

Hope this helps

David

In Reply to Sanjay Sawant:

Hi,

I am using PDMLink 10.0M010 with Creo 1.0.

When any drawing is Released from Windchill (using either promotion request or Change Management), I want to add Drawing approver name from Windchill into the proe drawing.

The way in which we add drawing creator name using parameter "PTC_WM_CREATED_BY' in drawing format.

How to add approver syntax? If such syntax is not available out of box, how to do it?

Thanks,

Sanjay

I'm old enough to remember when people actually signed vellum drawings - and then made copies of others to use (blueprints). So in this case, the actual editable original changed.

With PLM systems, the STATE of the original editable changes, but not the content.

Changing something that is checked in is a lot like taping up a box, then approving what is in the box, then opening up the box and inserting the record of approving what is in the box after it was taped shut.  Major circular flow that you don't want to use.  When you go down this path, what displays on the drawing is completely dependent on correct retrieval and refresh - and subject to model changes made since the drawing was checked in.

Using Windchill watermarking thru Creo View completely eliminates the need for any of this - and allows for generating PDF's that you do business on from just a browser, no CAD involved.