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ptc-60262191-Visitor
1-Visitor
October 8, 2014
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what is the difference between product and library in windchill pdmlink

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

MikeLockwoodAnswer
22-Sapphire I
October 8, 2014

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.

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12 replies

adesai1-Visitor
1-Visitor
October 8, 2014

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

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TomU23-Emerald IV
23-Emerald IV
October 8, 2014

For those who don't have maintenance:

14.PNG

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    MikeLockwood22-Sapphire IAnswer
    22-Sapphire I
    October 8, 2014

    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.

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      DarrenStorey12-Amethyst
      12-Amethyst
      October 9, 2014

      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.

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      DanielReid12-Amethyst
      12-Amethyst
      October 28, 2014

      One other difference if ProjectLink is included:

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

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        mdebower18-Opal
        18-Opal
        October 31, 2014

        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.

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        BenLoosli23-Emerald III
        23-Emerald III
        October 31, 2014

        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.

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        mdebower18-Opal
        18-Opal
        October 31, 2014

        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

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