Update Version in Windchill with Creo Parameter

[ZC_10909252]

This probably is not possible but, I am working on implementing revision/version control at my company. When windchill was introduced the  version control was not really used and there was a lot of legacy data. Is there a way to change the Windchill revision/version to the creo parameter that was used? The revision can be updated in windchill but I would need to do this on a large scale. The creo parameter is mapped to windchill but does not usually match the Windchill version. 

[SWeiler_9940261]

I believe this is what you are looking for:
https://www.ptc.com/en/support/article/CS374514

[ZC_10909252]

Not quite. All the creo models are already in Windchill. That preference only works on initial upload. 

[SWeiler_9940261]

In that case, I would echo what @avillanueva stated. 

[avillanueva]

Is the proper version series setup in Windchill and is the Legacy data mapped to the proper series? You might need to do some cleanup to make sure your object initialization rules are set right. If this is so, likely your object in Windchill are just behind a few versions. Break with the past by revising and aligning the version to the current value in that Creo parameter. From that point forward, I would cease using the Creo parameter and let Windchill flow the version down.  I would not try have it both ways going forward.

[ZC_10909252]

Everything is mapped to the havard series. The legacy data is already in Windchill. Pretty much everything not at rev "-" is out of alignment within Windchill. Unfortunately the drawings were set up to use the integer scheme and the models are alphabetic. There will be a lot of clean up involved but obviously I can't do all of that manually. Is there a faster way to clean it up? 

[avillanueva]

What is you total CAD object count? Aside from DB scripting to make changes, would you consider starting over with a clean install and migrating data into new server to be setup properly? There are some tools that PTC has for data loading.

[ZC_10909252]

There are 10's of thousands. IT does not really give me access to the Database or windchill server so I'm not sure if there is a way for me to really find an exact number. Nothing is rev controlled in windchill. I would be for starting over but that would be a difficult task with our IT dept restrictions on everything... So I am trying to find the most efficient way without having to deal too much with them. 

[d_graham]

@ZC_10909252 

Is it fair to say the Cero Parameter used is “Designated” and that there is a corresponding EPMDocument attribute?

If yes, what you are looking to do should be doable by running Java code that sets the Windchill rev to match the parameter/attribute.

It’s possible to change the version series as well.

At the end of the day this is all about knowing where data is in the database, and knowing how to edit it.

Using supported APIs is the best way to go but sometime a direct dB edit gets the job done just as well.

Mind you all of this can be done WITHOUT iterating (or revising) anything.

Also, if IT is a PITA to deal with, code can be run without access to the Windchill server. They’ll never know it happened. 😁

[ZC_10909252]

Thanks for the input. Do you know where I can get documentation I can use for the Java code and how to run it without access to the server? I am coming from Teamcenter and new to windchill, so I am still learning the ins and outs. It would be nice to have a workaround for IT. I still have to get a test server set up whenever IT gets around to that, but I'll be lucky if I even get access 🙄

[d_graham]

@ZC_10909252 

I don’t think you’ll find documentation anywhere on this. And PTC would say changing the series is not possible. I say, anything is possible.😁

Your requirement is quite unique and an interesting problem. To be honest I’ve never come across this request before but I’m confident I could write a utility to do it as I know how to change the series and the revision. Just never actually done it.

If you need help drop me an email at windchill.developer@yahoo.com 

David

PS. I’m retired now but still write a fair amount of code for companies. Mostly to keep my brain from tiring to mush. And I love figuring new stuff out.

[jlecoz]

Imagine it would be possible
I would check first the list of rev coming from that CAD files and check these values against the target revision scheme.
I'm almost sure that as setting revision in the CAD is not controlled you will find many values, or invalid sequences (revising backward).
So your legacy data may not be compliant with the new revision sequence.

-> As a result you can't just replace the windchill rev by reading the CAD rev value.

• I think the way to go is to leave the legacy data as they are, forbid their modification with proper access control, and apply a CAD modification method that would force the user to review the CAD model with the ability to set manually the version.

You should keep the current data which is using the same rev (assuming you never set it in Windchill) and modify the access rights to forbid any checkout restricting access with a lifecycle state.

This not about customization, just:
- setting proper rev scheme
- setting the CAD document lifecycle adding states with proper transitions and access rights
- setting the Windchill preference around revision setting (to allow revision jump).

- test this on the test environment

- deploy the setting and train the CAD user about the new process

Possible example

• Initial : model.prt 1.19 In Work (Revision D set in CAD) ( assuming no rev or lifecycle state usage)
• Revise the model.prt to wished target (for exampleE) in your workspace (the new revision will set the object lifecycle state with object modification access)
• Modify and checkin you model.prt Rev E.1
• When all modifications are done release the model to make it read-only. The model.prt is now E.1 Released

To modify again the model

• Revise it in the workspace (should go directly to F). The newly revised object should at a workable lifecycle state.
• Then run the same modification and release process.

[d_graham]

@jlecoz ,

You stated,

This not about customization, just:
- setting proper rev scheme
- setting the CAD document lifecycle adding states with proper transitions and access rights
- setting the Windchill preference around revision setting (to allow revision jump).

- test this on the test environment

- deploy the setting and train the CAD user about the new process

Train the user? Really? 😂

 @ZC_10909252  stated he has 10s of thousands of these to do.

How are you going to do this on 10s of thousands (let say 50,000 objects) without customization? (rhetorical)

Anything of this magnitude is going to need a utility written to pull this off.  Don't you think?

[jlecoz]

If you have a good data integrity at the beginning you can run a customization.

I often observed this issue when assessing data before running such kind of migration tool. For the legacy 10000 object the rev will still be accessible for reference.

About training the user, you will have to do it anyway as soon as they will use Windchill revisions and lifecycle states to run their release process as I think the target objective is to implement a better controlled change process. 

At the end it about how much the customization would cost, how much time it takes (dev and test),  and how much value it would bring.

[ZC_10909252]

the time it cost me or the engineers to modify each object that really have no business being rev'd would be too significant because we would not only have to modify the windchill object but also all the drawings and rev blocks. Even with a mapkey that would take awhile. Engineers also cannot not modify library objects so I would be left having to write some sort of code anyways. 

[BenLoosli]

I went to work for a company that had set up Windchill but did not use versioning or promotions to control revisions. I went in and made the changes so we could do it and we just left old data alone and only used the new process on files moving forward. If an older object (part/assembly/drawing) is revised, then you bring it up to date within the new process.

[ZC_10909252]

Thanks. That is an option I might try to push more to the boss especially if the cost to correct everything is significant. Were there any significant problems going this route?

[BenLoosli]

The biggest issue was user push back on the change in their procedures and work habits. They were used to revising only individual sheets of a drawing and had a table on the first sheet that had sheet number and revision of that sheet on it. Some sheets had 5 or more revisions while others had only the initial release. I went to management and explained that since all sheets were in a single file, they were all technically at the same revision. Once the managers understood that, the change was easy to push through, but users still balked at change. We had over 250 users on various projects so it was a challenge to get them all to use the new process. It also didn't help that we also had TeamCenter and their process was to do a backup of the Wildfire drawing and PDFs of the drawings into a single folder, zip it and then that would be the 'release' package that went into TeamCenter. 

[ZC_10909252]

Gotcha. Thats always the issue. Thankfully I do not have too many users and everyone seems to be open to/want change. We'll see how they feel once things change lol