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23-Emerald III
September 21, 2023
Solved

Switching versions

  • September 21, 2023
  • 1 reply
  • 2126 views

We are currently running Windchill 12.0.2.10 in production with Creo 7.0.10.0. The cache is in a .pdm12 folder under the user's start -in folder on disk. If we run Creo 9.0.5.0 to the same server without making any other changes, we have an issue with switching folders in the workspace. If I dlete the .pdm12 folder and all content, register Windchill in Creo 9, everything works normally. If we then run Creo 7 again, it hoses the cache and Creo 9 will not switch workspace folders until we delete the .pdm12 folder and resgister WIndchill again.

Has anyone else experienced this issue and have a solution? I am not too worried about it, as once we go to a new version, we seldom have need to utilize the older version again. It probably would only be me as the admin who might have a need for an older version of Creo to test something.

Best answer by avillanueva

Wow, running PDMLink 11 and 12?  I would create unique batch files for each and hard code the PTC_WF_ROOT values in there. Here was our upgrade modification to the start up scripts:

 

REM ****************************************************************************
REM set the .wf folder location; if it doesn't exist create it
REM User the users folder to accomodate multiple users on the same workstation
@set PTC_WF_ROOT=C:\Users\%USERNAME%\creo7ws
@set PTC_WLD_ROOT=%PTC_WF_ROOT%
REM ****************************************************************************

REM ****************************************************************************
REM Backup .wf folder once upon upgrade from PDMLink 11 to PDMlink 12
If Not Exist %PTC_WF_ROOT%_11_backup rename %PTC_WF_ROOT% creo7ws_11_backup
REM ****************************************************************************

1 reply

avillanueva
23-Emerald I
23-Emerald I
September 21, 2023

I've always viewed workspace caches as disposable. Yes, users keep locally modified data in there so its not without some pain. When we switched to PDMLink 12 from 11, we backed up this area and created a fresh new one.  My assumption is that you are doing a clean break for all users. Everyone switches together. Aside from weird issues that you need to test with Creo 7, you should not need to revert. If like you said, as admin you need to do it, clearing that area, or have a special Creo7 cache location different from the default with Creo9, that could work too.

BenLoosli23-Emerald IIIAuthor
23-Emerald III
September 21, 2023

I am setting PTC_WF_ROOT in a batch file called from parametric.bat. As such, I could create unique folders for each version pairing of Windchill and Creo.

Windchill 11/Creo 7 could be .pdm11-7

Windchill 12/Creo 7 could be .pdm12-7

Windchill 12/Creo 9 could be .pdm12-9

Currently I just use .pdm12 for Windchill 12 with either Creo 9 or Creo 7.

 

Yes, I do agree that the workspace cache is disposable. When we do a Windchill upgrade, I have the users check in everything, delete their workspaces and delete the .pdmX folder. For a creo upgrade I did not think it was needed, but I see now that it is.

20-Turquoise
September 21, 2023

@BenLoosli wrote:

For a creo upgrade I did not think it was needed, but I see now that it is.


I typically never have had an issue with reusing the same local cache in the past until upgrading from Creo Parametric 8.0 to Creo Parametric 9.0. We went from 8.0.7.0 to 9,0,3,0. At least half of the users had one or both of these issues:

  • Creo Parametric always started with the Windchill Server offline
  • Creo Parametric refused to switch the active workspace

This was solved by deleting the <AppData>/Roaming/ptc/Creo directory and then re-registering the Windchill server in Creo Parametric.