PTC Optegra Release 6 EPD.Connect User Guide

PDF

Dokument

Reklama

EPD

®

.Connect

User Guide

Optegra

Release 6

DOC40159-012

Parametric Technology Corporation

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Advanced Surface Design, CADDS, CADDShade, Computervision, Computervision Services,

Electronic Product Definition, EPD, HARNESSDESIGN, Info*Engine, InPart, MEDUSA, Optegra,

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Parametric Technology Corporation, 140 Kendrick Street, Needham, MA 02494-2714

8 January 2001

Preface

Related Documents ________________________________________ xxi

Book Conventions __________________________________________ xxii

Online User Documentation ________________________________ xxiii

Printing Documentation ___________________________________ xxiii

Resources and Services ____________________________________ xxiv

Documentation Comments ________________________________ xxiv

EPD.Connect Overview

About EPD.Connect _____________________________________________ 1-2

An EPD.Connect Scenario _______________________________________ 1-3

Advantages of EPD.Connect__________________________________ 1-7

EPD.Connect Components ______________________________________ 1-8

Basic Components ___________________________________________ 1-8

Information Browser________________________________________ 1-8

Product Structure Window ________________________________ 1-10

Data Browser _____________________________________________ 1-12

3-Dimensional Viewer _____________________________________ 1-13

Optional Components _______________________________________ 1-14

Database ________________________________________________ 1-14

Dynamic Application Interfaces ___________________________ 1-14

EPD.Visualizer ____________________________________________ 1-15

MockUp _________________________________________________ 1-15

Web Browser _____________________________________________ 1-16

EPD.Connect User Guide Contents-v

EPD.Connect Support for Topology Bus __________________________ 1-17

Limitations and Restrictions __________________________________ 1-18

Accessing and Exiting EPD.Connect _____________________________ 1-19

Exiting EPD.Connect _________________________________________ 1-19

Customizing EPD.Connect ______________________________________ 1-20

Customizing with Perl _____________________________________ 1-20

Symmetry in EPD.Connect ______________________________________ 1-21

Symmetry ________________________________________________ 1-21

Mirroring _________________________________________________ 1-21

Components Modified During Mirroring _______________________ 1-22

Features ____________________________________________________ 1-23

Limitations and Restrictions __________________________________ 1-24

SYMMETRY-FLAG Attribute ___________________________________ 1-24

Navigator License Considerations in EPD.Connect _______________ 1-26

Restrictions__________________________________________________ 1-26

Where to Look for Information __________________________________ 1-27

Using the Product Structure Window

Product Structure Window ________________________________________ 2-2

Working with Multiple Product Structure Windows _______________ 2-2

Limitations _________________________________________________ 2-2

Using the Product Structure Window_______________________________ 2-3

Product Structure Window Toolbar _____________________________ 2-4

EPD.Connect Toolbar for the Product Structure Window _________ 2-5

Mouse Behavior _______________________________________________ 2-6

Creating a New Product Structure Tree ____________________________ 2-8

Opening a Product Structure Tree _________________________________ 2-9

Opening a Product Structure Tree from a Local Disk ____________ 2-9

Displaying Subtree Components _____________________________ 2-10

Retrieving Associated Attributes ______________________________ 2-11

Opening a Product Structure with TIM Components ___________ 2-11

Contents-vi EPD.Connect User Guide

Closing and Expanding Reference Components ________________ 2-12

Expanding One or More Reference Components _____________ 2-12

Refreshing Expanded Reference Components ________________ 2-12

Closing One or More Reference Components _________________ 2-13

Expanding and Closing Hidden Reference Components_______ 2-13

Hiding Components ____________________________________________ 2-14

Example _________________________________________________ 2-14

Editing Component Attributes ___________________________________ 2-15

Defining Assembly Attributes and Values Externally ____________ 2-17

Using Local Memory for Tree Manipulation _______________________ 2-19

Compress Mode __________________________________________ 2-20

Comparing Two Trees___________________________________________ 2-21

Obtaining a Comparison Report __________________________ 2-24

Saving a Report __________________________________________ 2-25

Printing a Report__________________________________________ 2-25

Comparing TIM Components_________________________________ 2-25

Saving and Closing a Product Structure Tree _____________________ 2-26

Saving a Product Structure Tree Locally ______________________ 2-26

Saving a Product Structure Tree as a New Tree ________________ 2-26

Saving a Subset of the Tree __________________________________ 2-27

Saving the TIM Components of a Product Structure Tree _______ 2-28

Closing a Product Structure Tree _____________________________ 2-28

Status and Report Windows ____________________________________ 2-29

Session Summary ____________________________________________ 2-29

General Tab______________________________________________ 2-30

Structure Tab _____________________________________________ 2-30

Component Status __________________________________________ 2-31

Component Comparison Status _____________________________ 2-32

ADRAW Items _______________________________________________ 2-33

Indicator Key________________________________________________ 2-33

Clip Board __________________________________________________ 2-34

Audit Log ___________________________________________________ 2-34

Working with Multiple CVPATHS _________________________________ 2-35

EPD.Connect User Guide Contents-vii

Selecting a CVPATH _________________________________________ 2-36

Editing a CVPATH ___________________________________________ 2-37

Printing and Displaying Reports _________________________________ 2-39

Printing Product Structures ______________________________________ 2-42

Plotting a Tree Structure ________________________________________ 2-44

Creating a Binary CGM File __________________________________ 2-44

Plotting a Tree_______________________________________________ 2-46

Plotting from the File ______________________________________ 2-46

Plotting from the Product Structure Tree ___________________ 2-48

Setting Variables for Plotting _________________________________ 2-49

Launching Applications from Product Structure Components _____ 2-51

Launching Applications______________________________________ 2-51

Defining Component/Application Associations _______________ 2-51

Defining an Application Environment ______________________ 2-52

Associating Components with Applications ________________ 2-53

Editing the launch.ini file __________________________________ 2-53

Editing the cvepd.ini File _________________________________ 2-54

Creating and Editing a Product Structure Tree

The Edit Menu____________________________________________________ 3-2

Options for Editing Components _______________________________ 3-3

Editing the Properties of a TIM Component _____________________ 3-3

Limitations and Restrictions__________________________________ 3-3

Adding Components ____________________________________________ 3-4

Creating New Components ____________________________________ 3-4

Adding a Component with Mirror Flag _______________________ 3-7

Example ___________________________________________________ 3-7

Adding a Component on a Compressed Node _________________ 3-7

Adding TIM Components ______________________________________ 3-8

Editing the Tree Structure _________________________________________ 3-9

Cutting and Pasting the Components __________________________ 3-9

Copying Components _______________________________________ 3-10

Copying and Pasting from the Data Browser __________________ 3-11

Contents-viii EPD.Connect User Guide

Undoing and Restoring Previous Editing _______________________ 3-12

Swapping Component Positions _____________________________ 3-12

Reordering Components_____________________________________ 3-13

Positioning Components __________________________________ 3-13

Sorting Components ______________________________________ 3-14

Setting Global Attributes ________________________________________ 3-16

Copying Instance Attributes _________________________________ 3-17

Setting Revision Levels __________________________________________ 3-18

Setting Revision Levels of a Component ___________________ 3-18

Changing the Revision Levels of a Component_____________ 3-18

Customizing the Product Structure Tree Window

Selecting and Displaying Components ___________________________ 4-2

Setting the Component Selection __________________________ 4-2

Setting Component Text Display ____________________________ 4-3

Setting the Component Text Font ___________________________ 4-5

Setting the Component Display Rules_____________________________ 4-6

Creating Access Indicator Rules ______________________________ 4-6

Changing a Rule __________________________________________ 4-9

Deleting a Rule ____________________________________________ 4-9

Selecting Components by the Access Indicator _____________ 4-9

Creating Highlighting Rules _________________________________ 4-10

Highlighting by Value _____________________________________ 4-12

Highlighting by Attribute __________________________________ 4-12

Creating Display Rules _______________________________________ 4-14

Example _________________________________________________ 4-16

Creating a Display Rules Template ___________________________ 4-17

Retrieving a Template _______________________________________ 4-18

Defining the Display State for TIM Components___________________ 4-19

Saving Display States ___________________________________________ 4-20

Restoring Display States_________________________________________ 4-21

Compressing a Display Structure ________________________________ 4-22

Uncompressed Node ________________________________________ 4-22

EPD.Connect User Guide Contents-ix

Compressed Node __________________________________________ 4-23

Example: Screws in an Assembly __________________________ 4-24

Advantages ________________________________________________ 4-24

Limitations __________________________________________________ 4-24

Browsing for Components ______________________________________ 4-25

Creating and Clearing Display Conditions _______________________ 4-28

View Menu _________________________________________________ 4-28

Clear Menu ________________________________________________ 4-30

Using the 3D Viewer

About 3D Viewer _________________________________________________ 5-2

Mouse Behavior _______________________________________________ 5-2

3D Viewer Operations _________________________________________ 5-3

Setting the Viewer Session ________________________________________ 5-5

Creating a New Session________________________________________ 5-5

Opening a Graphics File from the 3D Viewer ____________________ 5-5

Opening a Graphics File from the Product Structure Window ____ 5-6

Setting the View _________________________________________________ 5-7

Resetting the Primary View _____________________________________ 5-7

Setting a New Primary View ____________________________________ 5-7

Viewing All Components_______________________________________ 5-7

Zooming ______________________________________________________ 5-7

Setting the Camera ______________________________________________ 5-8

Setting the Camera Position ___________________________________ 5-8

Setting the Camera Target_____________________________________ 5-8

Setting the Camera Position and Target ________________________ 5-8

Measuring Distance ______________________________________________ 5-9

Measuring Distance from Camera to Point ______________________ 5-9

Measuring Distance Between Two Points________________________ 5-9

Rendering _____________________________________________________ 5-11

Rendering Methods _________________________________________ 5-11

Back Facing Polygons _______________________________________ 5-12

Contents-x EPD.Connect User Guide

Display Buffering ____________________________________________ 5-12

Moving the Camera ____________________________________________ 5-13

Moving the Camera in an Angular Direction __________________ 5-13

Moving the Camera in a Linear Direction _____________________ 5-14

Setting the Working Units________________________________________ 5-16

Selecting and Scrolling _________________________________________ 5-18

Running Custom Reports _____________________________________ 5-18

Selecting Application Objects __________________________________ 5-19

Display Menu __________________________________________________ 5-20

Loading Tree Components into the 3D Viewer (Load) _________ 5-21

Deleting Components from the 3D Viewer (Delete)____________ 5-21

Converting CADDS Parts to Graphic Files (Convert) ___________ 5-21

Showing Components (Show) ________________________________ 5-22

Hiding Components (Hide) ___________________________________ 5-22

Selecting Components (Select) ______________________________ 5-23

Incrementally Selecting Components in the 3D Viewer _____ 5-23

Selecting Components in the 3D Viewer ___________________ 5-23

Deselecting Components (Deselect) _________________________ 5-24

Incrementally Deselecting Components in the 3D Viewer ___ 5-25

Highlighting Components (Highlight) _________________________ 5-25

Highlighting the Selected Components ____________________ 5-25

Highlighting the Components Incrementally________________ 5-25

Highlighting Only Selected Components ___________________ 5-26

Highlighting Only Highlighted Components ________________ 5-26

Applying Transparency (Transparency) _______________________ 5-26

Resetting Colors (Color)______________________________________ 5-27

Displaying Polygons (Options) ________________________________ 5-27

Using the Display Options — Examples ________________________ 5-28

Displaying Selected Components _________________________ 5-28

Displaying Highlighted Components _______________________ 5-28

Hiding Only Selected Components ________________________ 5-29

Exiting the 3D Viewer ___________________________________________ 5-29

EPD.Connect User Guide Contents-xi

Clash Detection and Zoning

Detecting Clashes _______________________________________________ 6-2

Viewing Clash Detection Results _______________________________ 6-4

Hard Clash Detection_______________________________________ 6-4

Soft Clash Detection________________________________________ 6-4

Reporting Clash Detection Results ______________________________ 6-5

Zoning ___________________________________________________________ 6-6

Activating Zones ___________________________________________ 6-6

Working with Vault Data

The Data Browser Window ________________________________________ 7-2

Accessing the Vault ___________________________________________ 7-3

Using the Database Menu Options ________________________________ 7-4

Vault Signon and Signoff Procedures ___________________________ 7-5

Viewing Application Directories _______________________________ 7-6

Setting Vault Access Defaults __________________________________ 7-7

Invoking Database Transfer Actions ____________________________ 7-8

Transferring Data and Starting Applications __________________ 7-9

Deferred Vault Transactions _________________________________ 7-9

Searching for a Component _________________________________ 7-10

Sending and Responding to Messages _______________________ 7-11

Sending Messages to Other Users _________________________ 7-12

Reading Messages _______________________________________ 7-13

Changing the Vault User Password ___________________________ 7-14

Refreshing the DOD _________________________________________ 7-14

Refreshing the DOD Manually _____________________________ 7-15

Refreshing the DOD Automatically ________________________ 7-15

Using the Vault Menu Options___________________________________ 7-16

Signing Out Vault Items ______________________________________ 7-17

Copying Vault Items to the Local Directory ___________________ 7-17

Updating Vault Items ________________________________________ 7-17

Replacing Vault Items _______________________________________ 7-18

Unlocking Vault Items________________________________________ 7-18

Contents-xii EPD.Connect User Guide

Storing Items in Vault ________________________________________ 7-18

Storing a Single Item ______________________________________ 7-18

Storing Multiple Items _____________________________________ 7-19

Copying Vault Items _________________________________________ 7-22

Changing the Attributes of a Vault Item ______________________ 7-23

Editing Vault Attributes_______________________________________ 7-24

Changing the Status or Revision of a Vault Item _______________ 7-25

Reviewing Vault Items _______________________________________ 7-26

Requesting Reviews ______________________________________ 7-26

Requesting a Review of a Single Vault Item ________________ 7-27

Requesting a Review of Multiple Vault Items _______________ 7-28

Responding to Reviews ______________________________________ 7-30

Responding to a Review of a Single Vault Item _____________ 7-30

Responding to a Review of Multiple Vault Items ____________ 7-32

Working with Distributed Vaults _______________________________ 7-34

Registering Objects _______________________________________ 7-34

Unregistering Objects _____________________________________ 7-35

Subscribing Objects ______________________________________ 7-36

Unsubscribing Objects ____________________________________ 7-39

Distributing Objects _______________________________________ 7-39

Listing Information about a Vault Item ________________________ 7-40

Obtaining Information from the Vault____________________________ 7-42

Querying Vault Data______________________________________ 7-42

Customizing Query Results ________________________________ 7-45

Saving the Query Results __________________________________ 7-46

Opening a Tree Structure from the Vault __________________ 7-47

Working with Vault Data Using the Information Browser ___________ 7-49

Using CAMU in EPD.Connect

Overview _______________________________________________________ 8-2

EPD.Connect Interface for CADDS _______________________________ 8-3 epdconn.ini __________________________________________________ 8-3 caddsrb.ini ___________________________________________________ 8-7

EPD Interface for CADDS Support ________________________________ 8-8

General Process Flow ________________________________________ 8-11

EPD.Connect User Guide Contents-xiii

Contents-xiv

Tree Structure and CAMU _________________________________ 8-11

Tree Structure Only _______________________________________ 8-11

Opening an Existing Assembly __________________________________ 8-14

Opening an Assembly Using the Data Browser Menu _______ 8-16

Opening an Assembly Using the Information Browser _______ 8-16

Opening a TIM Assembly_____________________________________ 8-16

Opening a New Assembly ______________________________________ 8-17

Opening Another Assembly from CAMU ______________________ 8-17

Opening an Assembly Using the Product Structure Menu ___ 8-18

Activating an Assembly From the CADDS LDM _____________ 8-18

Working on an Assembly________________________________________ 8-19

Using Attributes _____________________________________________ 8-19

Symmetry ___________________________________________________ 8-20

Using the Associative Topology Bus ______________________________ 8-21

Importing Pro/ENGINEER Parts and Assemblies ________________ 8-21

Exporting CADDS 5 Parts and Assemblies _____________________ 8-21

Verifying TIM Parts and Assemblies____________________________ 8-22

Updating TIM Parts and Assemblies ___________________________ 8-22

Setting Variables for TIM Parts and Assemblies_________________ 8-23

Exiting CAMU and EPD.Connect ________________________________ 8-24

Using the Information Browser Assembly Tab _____________________ 8-25

Information Browser Options _________________________________ 8-25

Query Fields ______________________________________________ 8-25

File Menu ___________________________________________________ 8-26

Filing an Assembly ________________________________________ 8-27

Filing an Assembly with Options ___________________________ 8-27

Quitting Suspended Parts _________________________________ 8-27

Quitting and Exiting the Active Assembly __________________ 8-27

Entering the CADDS Local Data Manager _________________ 8-27

Closing the Current EPD.Connect Session __________________ 8-27

Edit Menu ___________________________________________________ 8-28

CAMU Application Toolbar___________________________________ 8-29

Copying and Pasting from the Data Browser __________________ 8-32

Limitations _______________________________________________ 8-33

EPD.Connect User Guide

Performing Vault Operations on CADDS _________________________ 8-34

Overview ________________________________________________ 8-34

Features _________________________________________________ 8-35

EPD Interface to CADDS ________________________________________ 8-36

Store, Update, and Replace Commands __________________ 8-36

Notes ____________________________________________________ 8-36

GET Command ___________________________________________ 8-37

READ Command _________________________________________ 8-37

Working with EPD.Connect______________________________________ 8-38

Working with the Product Structure Window___________________ 8-38

Working with the Data Browser _______________________________ 8-38

Creating Preprocessing and Postprocessing Routines __________ 8-39

Vault Operations on CAMU Objects __________________________ 8-40

Pro/FLY-THROUGH Integration with EPD.Connect

Overview _______________________________________________________ 9-2

Features _____________________________________________________ 9-2

Advantages _________________________________________________ 9-3

Limitations ___________________________________________________ 9-3

Setting the Pro/FLY-THROUGH Environment________________________ 9-4

For IBM AIX Platform __________________________________________ 9-5

System Requirements ____________________________________________ 9-6

Hardware and Operating Systems __________________________ 9-6

Memory and Disk Space Requirements _____________________ 9-6

Licenses___________________________________________________ 9-6

Accessing Pro/FLY-THROUGH _____________________________________ 9-7

Display Menu Options ________________________________________ 9-7

Using the EPD Interface for MEDUSA

Overview ______________________________________________________ 10-2

File-Naming Conventions ____________________________________ 10-2

Features ____________________________________________________ 10-3

EPD.Connect User Guide Contents-xv

Limitations __________________________________________________ 10-3

Setting up MEDUSA Support on the Vault ________________________ 10-4

Creating Preprocessing and Postprocessing Routines_____________ 10-5

Sequence of Actions for MEDUSA Objects _______________________ 10-6

Working in EPD.Connect ________________________________________ 10-8

Using the EPD Interface for Pro/ENGINEER

Overview ______________________________________________________ 11-2

Features ______________________________________________________ 11-3

Limitations _____________________________________________________ 11-4

EPD Interface for Pro/ENGINEER Support _________________________ 11-5

Understanding the EPD Interface for

Pro/ENGINEER __________________________________________________ 11-6

Supported Objects and Optegra Commands _________________ 11-6

The store, update, and replace Commands __________________ 11-7

The get and read Commands________________________________ 11-7

Preprocessing and Postprocessing ______________________________ 11-8

Working in EPD.Connect ________________________________________ 11-9

Working with the Information Browser _________________________ 11-9

Working with the Data Browser ______________________________ 11-10

Using the EPD Interface for CATIA

Overview ______________________________________________________ 12-2

Features _______________________________________________________ 12-3

Limitations _____________________________________________________ 12-4

Working with CATIA Data in the Vault ___________________________ 12-5

Setting Up CATIA Support on Vault ________________________ 12-5

Querying Vault for CATIA Data ____________________________ 12-6

Working in EPD.Connect ________________________________________ 12-7

Contents-xvi EPD.Connect User Guide

Working with the Information Browser _________________________ 12-7

Working with the Data Browser _______________________________ 12-7

Working with 3D Viewer and EPD.Visualizer ____________________ 12-8

Working with CATIA Assemblies or Models __________________ 12-8

Using the EPD Interface for STEP AP203

Overview ______________________________________________________ 13-2

Features _______________________________________________________ 13-3

Displaying STEP Folders and Files ______________________________ 13-4

Opening Product Structures That Originate as STEP Files________ 13-5

Viewing a STEP File’s Geometry_______________________________ 13-6

Working with STEP Product Structures _________________________ 13-6

Creating STEP Output ___________________________________________ 13-7

Converting STEP Files to and from CADDS _____________________ 13-8

Converting STEP Files to CADDS Files _______________________ 13-8

Converting CADDS Files to STEP Files ______________________ 13-10

Converting STEP Files to CAMU Assemblies ___________________ 13-11

Performing EPD.Connect Actions on STEP Files________________ 13-12

Reviewing STEP File Attributes and Component Status _____ 13-12

Generating Reports______________________________________ 13-12

Working with STEP Data in the Vault _________________________ 13-12

Limitations ____________________________________________________ 13-13

Working with AEC Application Objects in EPD.Connect

Overview ______________________________________________________ 14-2

Features _______________________________________________________ 14-3

Limitations _____________________________________________________ 14-4

Working with Application Objects in the

Product Structure Window ______________________________________ 14-5

Notes _______________________________________________________ 14-6

Working with 3D Viewer _________________________________________ 14-7

EPD.Connect User Guide Contents-xvii

Working with EPD.Visualizer _____________________________________ 14-8

Detecting Clashes ________________________________________ 14-9

Setting up AEC Support for EPD.Connect _______________________ 14-10

Correlating AEC Objects with Visualization Applications _________ 14-11

Generating Reference Nodes for Application Objects___________ 14-12

Working with ASM Objects _______________________________ 14-12

Working with AEC Cable Objects _________________________ 14-12

Generating Reports for Reference Nodes ____________________ 14-12

Using aec2ps on a CADDS Model ______________________________ 14-13 aec2ps.ini__________________________________________________ 14-13

Interacting with CAMU from EPD.Connect - An

Alternate Approach

Overview _______________________________________________________ A-2

Notes _____________________________________________________ A-2

Features ________________________________________________________ A-3

Generating and Activating a Single DB ___________________________ A-4

Reading Orientations from CAMU ________________________________ A-7

Limitations and Restrictions ______________________________________ A-9

Options for System Administrators

Creating Environments for Applications____________________________ B-2

Defining Applications_____________________________________________ B-5

Setting Application Project Relationships __________________________ B-8

Switching the DOD _______________________________________________ B-9

Making the Switch___________________________________________ B-10

Setting Interface Preferences for Users___________________________ B-11

Contents-xviii EPD.Connect User Guide

Process Flow of EPD Interface Commands

Introduction_____________________________________________________ C-2

Processing Phases _______________________________________________ C-3

Phase I — Initial Processing _________________________________ C-3

Phase II — Execution _______________________________________ C-3

Phase III — Cleanup _______________________________________ C-3

Locating Objects for Vault Commands ___________________________ C-5

STORE _____________________________________________________ C-5

GET _______________________________________________________ C-5

READ _____________________________________________________ C-6

EPD.Connect User Guide Contents-xix

Preface

EPD.Connect User Guide provides the EPD.Connect users with a detailed overview of the capabilties of EPD.Connect and the specific procedures required in order to accomplish the following tasks:

• Create, edit, and view product structure trees and their component attributes

• Display the three-dimensional geometry of any component

• Access company, supplier, or personel information that is pertinent to job responsibilities

Optional EPD.Connect add-ons provide the following additional capabilities:

• Monitor the progress of work processes being followed by members of the product development team

• Work with the design application being used to develop a product

• Perform configuration management tasks

• Display product parts and assemblies

Book Conventions

The following table illustrates and explains conventions used in writing about

Optegra applications.

Convention

EPD_HOME

Menu selections

Command buttons and options

User input and code

System output

Parameter and variable names

Commands and keywords

Text string

Integer

Real number

Keystrokes

Example

$EPD_HOME/install

(UNIX)

Explanation

Represents the default path where the current version of the product is installed.

%EPD_HOME%\install

(Windows)

Vault > Check Out > Lock

Mandatory

check box,

Add

button,

Description

text box

Wheel_Assy_details

Indicates a command that you can choose from a menu.

Names selectable items from dialog boxes: options, buttons, toggles, text boxes, and switches.

Enter the text in a text box or on a command line.

-xvf /dev/rst0

Enter command>

plot_config

Where system output and user input are mixed, user input is in bold.

Indicates system responses.

CT_struct.aename

tar -cvf /dev/rst0 filename

Supply an appropriate substitute for each parameter or variable; for example, replace filename

with an actual file name.

The ciaddobj

command creates an instance of a binder.

Shows command syntax.

n x

"SRFGROUPA"

’SRFGROUPA’

Shows text strings. Enclose text strings with single or double quotation marks.

Supply an integer for n.

Supply a real number for x.

# mkdir /cdrom

Indicates the root (superuser) prompt on command lines.

% rlogin remote_system_name -l root

Indicates the C shell prompt on command lines.

$ rlogin remote_system_name -l root

Indicates the Bourne shell prompt on command lines.

> copy

filename

Return or

Control-g

Indicates the MS-DOS prompt on command lines.

Indicates the keys to press on a keyboard.

xxii EPD.Connect User Guide

Preface

Online User Documentation

Online documentation for each Optegra book is provided in HTML if the documentation CD-ROM is installed. You can view the online documentation from an HTML browser or from the

HELP command.

You can also view the online documentation directly from the CD-ROM without installing it.

From an HTML Browser:

Navigate to the directory where the documents are installed. For example,

$EPD_HOME/data/html/htmldoc/ (UNIX)

%EPD_HOME%\data\html\htmldoc\ (Windows NT)

Click mainmenu.html

. A list of available Optegra documentation appears.

Click the book title you want to view.

From the HELP Command:

To view the online documentation for your specific application, click

HELP

(Consult the documentation specific to your application for more information.)

From the Documentation CD-ROM:

Mount the documentation CD-ROM.

Point your browser to:

CDROM_mount_point /htmldoc/mainmenu.html

(UNIX)

CDROM_Drive

:\htmldoc\mainmenu.html

(Windows NT)

Printing Documentation

A PDF (Portable Document Format) file is included on the CD-ROM for each online book. See the first page of each online book for the document number referenced in the PDF file name. Check with your system administrator if you need more information.

You must have Acrobat Reader installed to view and print PDF files.

The default documentation directories are:

• $EPD_HOME/data/html/pdf/doc_number.pdf

(UNIX)

• %EPD_HOME%\data\html\pdf \ doc_number.pdf

(Windows NT)

EPD.Connect User Guide xxiii

Preface

Resources and Services

For resources and services to help you with PTC (Parametric Technology

Corporation) software products, see the PTC Customer Service Guide. It includes instructions for using the World Wide Web or fax transmissions for customer support.

Documentation Comments

PTC welcomes your suggestions and comments. You can send feedback in the following ways:

• Send comments electronically to [email protected].

• Fill out and mail the PTC Documentation Survey located in the PTC Customer

Service Guide.

xxiv EPD.Connect User Guide

Chapter 1

EPD.Connect Overview

This chapter introduces EPD.Connect and provides an overview of its components.

• About EPD.Connect

• An EPD.Connect Scenario

• EPD.Connect Components

• EPD.Connect Support for Topology Bus

• Accessing and Exiting EPD.Connect

• Customizing EPD.Connect

• Symmetry in EPD.Connect

• Navigator License Considerations in EPD.Connect

• Where to Look for Information

EPD.Connect User Guide 1-1

EPD.Connect Overview

About EPD.Connect

EPD.Connect links multiple Electronic Product Definition (EPD) applications in a common desktop environment. It provides simultaneous access to the software tools that are included in an EPD process. It also provides an interconnected EPD work environment.

With EPD.Connect you can:

• Create or open a hierarchical representation (product structure tree) of all the parts that compose a product.

This information is presented in the Product Structure window. Individual parts are displayed in a logical tree structure that shows their relationship to the overall product structure.

• Create or review information such as attributes associated with each part listed in the product structure tree.

• Display the three-dimensional geometry of any part in a Viewer.

• Access company, supplier, or personal information that is pertinent to your job responsibilities.

You can open product data stored in a database, word processing files stored on project disks, and other files stored on a local disk inside the tool that is used to manipulate that data. You can also access internet and intranet sites from

EPD.Connect.

• Access information through the Information Browser. Query the information and display it in the Data Browser.

• Track the work processes followed by members of the product development team. Members of a team can view the project schedules and commitments.

People working on interdependent projects can see how their work relates to that of others.

• Open and work with the design application used for product development. A design engineer can access CADDS, CAMU, CATIA, or MEDUSA parts from within EPD.Connect.

• Use EPD.Visualizer to display product parts and assemblies.

1-2 EPD.Connect User Guide

EPD.Connect Overview

An EPD.Connect Scenario

This section describes a hypothetical EPD scenario. It assumes that the

EPD.Connect desktop includes Vault and CADDS, both of which are optional components.

In the sample scenario, a design engineer who works for a large automobile manufacturer is responsible for designing the dashboard for a new automobile.

EPD.Connect User Guide 1-3

EPD.Connect Overview

An EPD.Connect Scenario

Before beginning the actual design of the assembly, the designer must become familiar with the other automobile assemblies that are located near the dashboard.

The designer must be aware of the schedule and work processes being followed by the design teams that are working on related assemblies. A designer would perform the following tasks using EPD.Connect to begin work on the dashboard design tasks:

The designer must first become familiar with the product design processes directly related to the dashboard work. With this knowledge, the work can be coordinated with that of the associated teams.

The designer uses the Information Browser to learn about these processes. The

Information Browser is the common interface to access all data sources for the project.

The designer wants to see the number of completed parts in the assembly and the current status of all parts directly related to the dashboard. The work in progress on the windshield and steering mechanism parts are of particular concern. To view the product structure tree, the designer:

Chooses the Structure tab in the Information Browser, which contains a link to the Vault where the assembly structure is stored.

Signs on to the Vault by choosing

Database > Signon

from the menu bar.

Displays all Vault product structure files in the Data Browser by choosing

Vault > List all Product Structures

in the Information Browser. The Data

Browser is explained later in this chapter.

Opens the windshield assembly file in the Product Structure window, by selecting the required file, pressing the right mouse button, and clicking

Open

1-4 EPD.Connect User Guide

EPD.Connect Overview

An EPD.Connect Scenario

The Product Structure window displays the selected product structure, as shown in the following figure.

The designer wants to see how many parts in the assembly have been completed and the current status of all parts related to the dashboard, such as the windshield. He can query the properties assigned to the windshield component by:

Choosing

Window > Component Status

from the menu bar.

The Component Status window opens.

Selecting the part for the windshield in the product structure tree.

EPD.Connect User Guide 1-5

EPD.Connect Overview

An EPD.Connect Scenario

Its attributes are displayed in the Component Status window, as shown in the following figure.

1-6

The designer wants to look at the graphical image of the windshield in its current form. To display the windshield assembly in the Viewer:

Choose the

Subassembly Selection

icon in the toolbar.

Select the required component in the Product Structure window.

Open the 3DViewer by choosing

Tools > 3D Viewer.

Choose

Display > Load > Selected

The tessellated model of the assembly is displayed in the viewer.

The composite view of the windshield and steering column shows the components that the designer can query individually by selecting them in the

Product Structure window. The selected components are highlighted in the viewer.

This allows the designer to start detailed work on the dashboard.

EPD.Connect User Guide

EPD.Connect Overview

An EPD.Connect Scenario

A component is often modified during the dashboard design process. To change the design, the designer needs write access to the geometry of this component.

To have write access:

Select the component’s node from the product structure tree in the Product

Structure window.

Choose

Database > Vault > Signout

from the menu bar.

The designer needs Read access to refer to the geometry of adjacent components. To have read access:

Select the part in the Product Structure window.

Choose

Database > Vault > Read Specific Rev from the menu bar.

The designer views the components with their dimensions and constraints in the

CAD product used for part design, in this case CADDS. To launch CADDS and open the part:

Choose

Tools > CADDS/CAMU

Choose the

Assembly

tab in the Information Browser.

Choose

File > Activate Assembly

Identify the name of the assembly.

Select the component node from the product structure tree.

Choose

Open Model

in the dialog box.

The designer begins work on the dashboard.

Advantages of EPD.Connect

The advantages of an EPD.Connect environment are:

• It optimizes collaboration and communication among members of a team. Thus, pertinent information is routed and accessible to all persons involved in a project, regardless of their location or role.

• It can be configured to user preferences and delivers familiar, context-sensitive views of information and applications to all users involved in the process.

• It improves user understanding of complex products and processes, making all aspects of a project accessible to all users.

• It improves information accessibility and allows all users to get information, no matter where it is located.

• It protects existing technology investments and adds value to existing environments and applications.

• It provides process assistants and integrates product and process views.

EPD.Connect User Guide 1-7

EPD.Connect Overview

EPD.Connect Components

EPD.Connect includes basic components as well as optional add-on components.

Basic Components

The base EPD.Connect system contains the following components.

• Information Browser — You can gain access to business and engineering information.

• Product Structure Window — You can create, edit, browse, and interrogate product and assembly structures.

• Data Browser — You can search and list information about data stored locally and in the Vault. You can also gain access to and update this information.

• Viewer — You can visualize the tessellated files that you create with

3-Dimensional CAD systems. You can select from the 3D Viewer, Visualizer, or MockUp.

Please note: Visualizer and MockUp are optional components. MockUp integration supports the MockUp installation.

Information Browser

Information Browser is a tool that lets you:

• Visualize the information in a hierarchical form irrespective of the source of information.

It breaks all the complex structures into hierarchies and sub-hierarchies.

• Browse information in a comprehensive form irrespective of the type of information.

• Organize and manage data residing on your system.

1-8 EPD.Connect User Guide

EPD.Connect Overview

EPD.Connect Components

The following figure shows a typical Information Browser view.

The Information Browser does the following:

• Supports common window functions like Cut, Copy, Paste, Delete, and

Rename.

Please note: The Cut, Copy, Delete, and Rename functions are not supported for the Vault.

• The behavior of the commands and menus depends on the Service Provider of the data source. The Information Browser just supports the skeleton and extends it to provide a concrete definition according to the requirements of the business.

• The Registry is the core that provides necessary information to simulate this behavior. The EPD.Connect Registry API is detailed in the next section. See the

Information Browser User Guide for details.

Choose the EPD.Connect environment to be activated through the Information

Browser. The environment can work in one of the following modes:

• Product Structure

• Assembly

EPD.Connect User Guide 1-9

EPD.Connect Overview

EPD.Connect Components

Environment availability is contingent upon the options installed. The browser can be customized in response to each user’s needs.

For more information about using the Information Browser, see the Information

Browser User Guide.

Product Structure Window

The Product Structure window is a graphical tool that allows you to create, edit, browse, and query any product structure or assembly.

It provides access to the many components that comprise complex product assemblies.

A product structure is displayed in the Product Structure window as a hierarchical tree showing logical relationships among product components.

The following figure shows a typical Product Structure window.

1-10 EPD.Connect User Guide

EPD.Connect Overview

EPD.Connect Components

The window displays a product structure as a hierarchical tree showing the logical relationships among components and their subassemblies. Each component has identifying attributes that can be edited. Attributes optionally associate a component with an application and assign it a geometric orientation.

You can query assembly and component attributes associated with the displayed product structure.

The common functions supported by the Product Structure window are:

• Browse structure — Use the tree structure to examine the relationships of components in large structures. Traverse large structures using the Structure

Overview window.

• Edit structure — Use the clipboard to rearrange components by cutting and pasting them.

• Reuse design — Reuse designs by referencing them as subassemblies of a product structure.

• Create and edit user-definable and standard attributes — Attach nongraphical information, such as material, supplier, and cost onto any component or component instance. Store attributes into other EPD.Connect applications for enterprise-wide access.

• View information — Use colors on the component tree to represent results of attribute queries.

• Generate reports — Define new reports or customize existing reports to obtain information in a format of your choice.

• Locate component location — Query the database to learn about all assemblies in which a component is used. This allows you to check how extensively a component is used in an assembly before committing to a design change.

• Compare configuration versions — Focus on specific areas of interest by graphically highlighting the differences between versions or revisions of a product structure.

• Integrate product structure with other add-on applications — Mix and match applications across different components within the same assembly. Use multiple application files within a single product structure. You can do the following when the corresponding optional applications are installed in your

EPD.Connect environment:

• Create and modify part geometry using CADDS, CAMU, Pro/ENGINEER,

MEDUSA, CATIA, or AutoCAD.

• Store, retrieve, and replace assembly files using the interface to Vault.

EPD.Connect User Guide 1-11

EPD.Connect Overview

EPD.Connect Components

Data Browser

The Data Browser allows you to transfer data between the local disk and the Vault.

You can search and list information in the Data Browser without opening a configuration tree in the Product Structure window.

1-12

You can open the Data Browser window along with the Product Structure window and work interactively with the files and the tree structure.

EPD.Connect User Guide

3-Dimensional Viewer

The 3-Dimensional Viewer allows you to:

• Visualize the tessellated files that you create with 3-Dimensional CAD systems.

• Perform tasks upon the graphical depiction of the product represented in the hierarchical view of the product.

Use the viewer to display the product represented in the hierarchical Product

Structure window.

The following figure shows the 3-Dimensional Viewer.

EPD.Connect Overview

EPD.Connect Components

For more information about using the 3-Dimensional Viewer, refer to Chapter 5,

“Using the 3D Viewer.”

EPD.Connect User Guide 1-13

EPD.Connect Overview

EPD.Connect Components

Optional Components

There are some optional add-on components. You can use them to complete your

EPD.Connect environment.

• Database

• Dynamic Application Interfaces

• Visualizer Applications

• Web Browser

Database

EPD.Connect can interface with Optegra Vault, which provides features for classifying, sorting, and cataloging data files and simplifies system administration, setup, and archive management.

Dynamic Application Interfaces

EPD.Connect provides interfaces to product life-cycle applications. Files created in these applications can be stored in and retrieved from the Vault.

1-14 EPD.Connect User Guide

EPD.Connect Overview

EPD.Connect Components

The applications supported by EPD.Connect are:

• CADDS /CAMU

• Pro/ENGINEER

• CATIA

• MEDUSA

• STEP

• AutoCAD

EPD.Visualizer

EPD.Visualizer is advanced visualization software that lets you create CAD models from graphical information generated by a variety of CAD systems.

Using EPD.Visualizer you can:

• Enter the CAD models visually and traverse paths through them.

• Record animated movies as you move through the models and play them back later.

• Simulate virtual walk-throughs of 3D scenes such as power or process plants, offshore platforms and ships, manufacturing and office facilities, and civil sites.

These 3D scenes can be accented with lights and specific material surfaces

(such as chrome) to create shadows and reflection for greater realism.

• Access the Database Management System (DBMS) for live engineering data through the SQL interface.

• Analyze complex models through sectioning, interference checking, and path traversal.

MockUp

MockUp is a graphical visualization software that lets you analyze and simulate a variety of 3D CAD models. MockUp provides the following features:

• Management of large assemblies.

• Heterogeneous CAD support.

• Effective Visualization and interaction mechanisms.

• Effective communication tools.

• Multi-user collaboration.

EPD.Connect User Guide 1-15

EPD.Connect Overview

EPD.Connect Components

Web Browser

EPD.Connect allows you to open a Web browser while working in the

EPD.Connect desktop. You can specify browser information in the following fields in the epdconn.ini

file:

Variable

EPD_HTMLBROW_DIR

EPD_HTMLBROW_NAME=

EPD_HTMLBROW_CMDFMT=

Description

The directory that contains the browser executable. For example:

/usr/local/bin

The name of the browser. For example: netscape

The required command to remotely communicate with the browser. The command should necessarily include the absolute path name. For example:

/usr/local/bin/netscape3.0

.1/netscape -noraise

-remote ‘openURL(%s)’

You can directly access URLs relevant to your work by adding them to your

Information Browser. When you click on the node in the Information Browser, the corresponding web site is displayed in your Web browser.

Choose

Tools > Web Browser

from the menu bar to display the Web browser.

1-16 EPD.Connect User Guide

EPD.Connect Overview

EPD.Connect Support for Topology Bus

Associative Topology Bus provides the facility to share geometry, topology, and assembly structures among different CAD environments. The topology bus operation in EPD.Connect allows you to insert a Pro/ENGINEER object as a

Translated Image Model (TIM) in the EPD.Connect environment.

TIM objects are created by converting the Pro/ENGINEER objects to CADDS parts or assemblies. You can access TIM parts and assemblies both in Structure mode as well as the Assembly mode of EPD.Connect.

The Associative Topology Bus in the Assembly mode provides you a heterogeneous environment where both CADDS and Pro/E parts and assemblies can be used together. For more information, refer to Chapter 8, “Using CAMU in

EPD.Connect.”

The file-naming conventions that govern TIM objects are the same as those for

CADDS objects.

The following table lists and describes attributes that capture TIM data from the

Translated Image Model assembly:

Attribute

TIM-FLAG

TIM-SOURCE

Description

Differentiates between the TIM objects and the CADDS objects.

Stores the details of the path and the revision of the parent Pro/ENGINEER assembly.

The nodes of TIM objects appear in a different color. The color is determined by the variable

CA_TIM_NODE_COLOR

, which is set in the epdconn.ini

file. Also, the TIM assemblies are marked with the letter ‘T’.

Please note: The attribute

TIM-SOURCE

represents assembly nodes such as the root assembly or the reference assembly. It is used only to restore the TIM data when the PS file is converted to the TIM assembly.

EPD.Connect User Guide 1-17

EPD.Connect Overview

EPD.Connect Support for Topology Bus

Limitations and Restrictions

• EPD.Connect recognizes all of the place holder nodes as CADDS objects or

CAMU assemblies.

• When you replace a CADDS part or a CAMU assembly with a TIM part or an assembly or vice-versa using any OS commands or in CADDS/CAMU, the state is not updated dynamically.

1-18 EPD.Connect User Guide

EPD.Connect Overview

Accessing and Exiting EPD.Connect

EPD.Connect runs on Windows-based PCs or UNIX workstations.

To access EPD.Connect from a Windows environment, choose:

Start > Programs > Optegra® Applications > EPD.Connect> EPD.Connect

<release>-English

To access EPD.Connect from a UNIX workstation, type the following command in a window:

$EPD_HOME/scripts/Connect

Exiting EPD.Connect

To exit EPD.Connect, choose

File > Exit

or click on the Exit icon.

The system prompts you for confirmation and exits EPD.Connect if you confirm.

The system displays a warning message if you have not saved changes before attempting to exit.

EPD.Connect User Guide 1-19

EPD.Connect Overview

Customizing EPD.Connect

You can customize an EPD.Connect CMOM client using supplied Perl modules and extensions. The term CMOM stands for Common Message-Oriented

Middleware. CMOM is the mechanism by which the desktop user interface (GUI) and the agent applications (no GUI) communicate. It is the central communication handler for EPD.Connect and all its constituent applications.

1-20

When you start EPD.Connect, a CMOM server process is begun. This process handles communication between EPD.Connect components.

All EPD.Connect customization is based on using the CMOM message passing mechanism.

Customizing with Perl

You must have a working knowledge of Perl in order to customize EPD.Connect.

All the functionality you need to create a simple CMOM client is available using the Perl language. Supplied Perl modules and extensions provide this capability.

EPD.Connect User Guide

EPD.Connect Overview

Symmetry in EPD.Connect

This section describes the concepts of symmetry and mirroring.

Symmetry

Symmetry allows you to mirror components without creating new left-handed parts. This is done by storing information about the mirroring transformation within the product structure. This is similar to the way rotation and translation information (orientation information) is stored.

Symmetry is done in the component space and positioning in the global or the local space, according to the current behavior of EPD.Connect. The difference between global and local symmetry is that the component is either X or Y mirrored.

A product structure consists of components positioned and oriented in the 3D space, independent of each other. A component can be duplicated several times at different positions using translations and rotations. Each position is represented by:

• an instance of that component

• an instance node in the assembly tree.

An instance can be translated or rotated in the same way.

Please note: Symmetry options in EPD.Connect are enabled only when the

CA_USE_SYMMETRY

variable is set to 1 in the epdconn.ini

file.

Mirroring

Mirroring allows you to apply a symmetry to an existing instance before orienting and positioning it. Mirroring in EPD.Connect is not the capability to duplicate and transform a group of instances by using a symmetry plane.

Mirroring is a symmetry against a plane (XZ or YZ plane). Mirroring in

EPD.Connect can be defined or managed from the CAMU database in two ways:

• From EPD.Connect

• From external applications (by using the

OpenNavigator command language)

The geometry of the mirrored component is dependent on the original component, because they correspond to the same part and are instances of the same component class.

EPD.Connect User Guide 1-21

EPD.Connect Overview

Symmetry in EPD.Connect

When an instance is mirrored within CAMU, it will have to be understood as is within EPD.Connect when:

• Interrogating or building the product structure

• Loading the assembly into a viewer

• Converting the product structure from/to CAMU or Vault

• Storing the product structure from/to CAMU or Vault

The default plane of mirroring is set to X/Y using environment variable

CA_DEFAULT_MIRROR_PLANE.

Components Modified During Mirroring

The following components are modified during mirroring:

• Add Component: Adds an oriented component into the structure.

• Edit Properties: Modifies the system attributes values associated to a component and its children, if any.

• Component Status: Displays the attributes of a component.

• Interface with Visualizer and 3D viewer: Loads components into Visualizer or

3D viewer and gets correct display of the oriented components.

• TRANSPVS: Transforms Visualizer graphic file by specified orientation data

(translation, rotation, symmetry).

• CADDS2PVS: Converts

_td

file into Visualizer graphic files. CADDS2PVS uses the CAMU database, not the

_ps

file.

• Visualizer and 3D viewer: Displays components according to their orientation.

Visualizer may be used to move them and interface with Life Cycle

Application.

• Interface with CAMU: Exchange between CAMU database and Product

Structure.

• OpenNavigator command language: Used to interact with EPD.Connect and to create or modify a product structure.

• Clash Detection: Clash detection between components based on computed tessellation data.

• Zoning: Detection of components belonging to a predefined geographic zone, based on clash detection.

• Store, Get, Read from/to Vault: File manipulations between EPD.Connect and

Vault.

1-22 EPD.Connect User Guide

EPD.Connect Overview

Symmetry in EPD.Connect

Features

The features of symmetry are:

• The information of the symmetry is shared by local and global positioning.

• Symmetry is performed before rotation and translation.

This is to be consistent with independent mirroring as developed in

CADDS/CAMU where rotation and translation is applied on a symmetrical component.

• The geometrical transformations are applied in the following order:

Current syntax:

Rotation around X

Rotation around Y

Rotation around Z

Translation to X_coord, Y_coord, Z_coord.

New syntax:

Symmetry against plane of symmetry (X or Y mirroring)

Rotation around X

Rotation around Y

Rotation around Z

Translation to X_coord, Y_coord, Z_coord.

• Current syntax is equivalent to new syntax when

Sym_flag is 0 or 9.

When reading a product structure, components without any

SYMMETRY-FLAG defined will receive a

Sym_flag

equal to 0. This value allows you to apply a symmetry to the component if

CA_USE_SYMMETRY authorizes it.

• A component having a

Sym_flag equal to 9 is not mirrored when mirroring its parent. Only the position of the component is mirrored.

EPD.Connect User Guide 1-23

EPD.Connect Overview

Symmetry in EPD.Connect

Limitations and Restrictions

• Child Reference Assemblies are not supported while mirroring a subassembly instance.

• TRANSPVS applies the symmetry to the vertices of a

GPATH

but does not transform the three angles defining referential orientations.

• TRANSPVS changes the orientation of the facets if a symmetry is activated.

• Visualizer is used with the Back Facing Polygons option set to

Display instead of

Remove

(in the Render Controls dialog box).

• The PS to DB converter generates error messages when converting a PS structure with symmetrical components into a DB file in a revision unable to support symmetry.

SYMMETRY-FLAG Attribute

The attribute SYMMETRY-FLAG indicates if a symmetry is applied or can be applied to a component.

SYMMETRY-FLAG Sym_flag

Sym_flag

indicates the preferred symmetry plane and if the symmetry is active or not.

Symmetry Flag Value

-1

-2

Mirror Plane

Symmetry plane not chosen.

The mirrored component does not exist.

1-24 EPD.Connect User Guide

EPD.Connect Overview

Symmetry in EPD.Connect

There is no way to indicate that a component should be mirrored. Local and global positions of a component are described by using the following attributes:

•

ORIENTATION X_coord Y_coord Z_coord X_rot Y_rot Z_rot where the 6 arguments are real values defining the position of the origin of the component (in centimeters) and the rotations around X, Y, and Z axis (in radians) against reference frame of parent node.

•

GLOBAL-ORIENT X_coord Y_coord Z_coord X_rot Y_rot Z_rot where the arguments are real values defining the position of the origin of the component (in centimeters) and the rotations around X, Y, and Z axis (in radians) against reference frame of root node.

EPD.Connect User Guide 1-25

EPD.Connect Overview

Navigator License Considerations in EPD.Connect

Navigator License Considerations in

EPD.Connect

You cannot use the

OptegraNavigator

license to access EPD.Connect

functionality not available in Navigator.

Restrictions

With the

OptegraNavigator

license, you cannot access the

3D Viewer

Clash

Detection

, and the

Zoning

options from the

Tools

menu in EPD.Connect.

To access the above mentioned

Tools

options, you must upgrade to EPD.Connect.

On upgrading, a new license file is provided along with the EPD.Connect license file.

Please note: The upgrade from Navigator to EPD.Connect is not free of cost.

1-26 EPD.Connect User Guide

EPD.Connect Overview

Where to Look for Information

The following table lists the tasks associated with EPD.Connect and the chapters or appendix of this book where you can find information about them.

To learn more about...

Managing basic product structure functionality, such as opening and working with a product structure tree.

Adding, changing, cutting, copying, and pasting components in a product structure tree.

Controlling the display of product structure tree components.

Displaying and manipulating parts in the 3D

Viewer.

Performing clash detection and zoning on displayed parts.

Signing on to Vault, setting database defaults, and querying Vault data in the Data Browser window.

Working with assembly design products in

EPD.Connect.

Working with Pro/Fly in EPD.Connect.

Read this chapter

Chapter 2, “Using the Product Structure

Window.”

Chapter 3, “Creating and Editing a Product

Structure Tree.”

Chapter 4, “Customizing the Product Structure

Tree Window.”

Chapter 5, “Using the 3D Viewer.”

Chapter 6, “Clash Detection and Zoning.”

Chapter 7, “Working with Vault Data.”

Chapter 8, “Using CAMU in EPD.Connect.”

Chapter 9, “Pro/FLY-THROUGH Integration with

EPD.Connect.”

Working with MEDUSA products in

EPD.Connect.

Chapter 10, “Using the EPD Interface for

MEDUSA.”

Working with Pro/ENGINEER in EPD.Connect.

Chapter 11, “Using the EPD Interface for

Pro/ENGINEER.”

Working with CATIA products in EPD.Connect.

Chapter 12, “Using the EPD Interface for

CATIA.”

Working with the STEP interface in

EPD.Connect.

Chapter 13, “Using the EPD Interface for STEP

AP203.”

Working with AEC applications in EPD.Connect

Chapter 14, “Working with AEC Application

Objects in EPD.Connect.”

Using the Single tree feature in EPD.Connect

Administering Vault application definitions.

Appendix A, “Interacting with CAMU from

EPD.Connect - An Alternate Approach.”

Appendix B, “Options for System

Administrators”

Process Flow for the EPD Interface Commands Appendix C, “Process Flow of EPD Interface

Commands”

EPD.Connect User Guide 1-27

Chapter 2

Using the Product Structure

Window

This chapter describes the Product Structure window and explains how to use it.

• Product Structure Window

• Using the Product Structure Window

• Creating a New Product Structure Tree

• Opening a Product Structure Tree

• Closing and Expanding Reference Components

• Hiding Components

• Editing Component Attributes

• Using Local Memory for Tree Manipulation

• Comparing Two Trees

• Saving and Closing a Product Structure Tree

• Status and Report Windows

• Working with Multiple CVPATHS

• Printing and Displaying Reports

• Printing Product Structures

• Plotting a Tree Structure

• Launching Applications from Product Structure Components

EPD.Connect User Guide 2-1

Using the Product Structure Window

Product Structure Window

The Product Structure window is a graphical tool that engineers and project managers can use to create, edit, browse, and interrogate product and assembly structures. The Product Structure window provides access to the many components that comprise complex product assemblies.

The window displays a product structure as a hierarchical tree showing the logical relationships among components and their subassemblies.

Use the commands available in the Product Structure window to query assembly and component attributes associated with the displayed product structure. You can highlight query results on the tree or list them in reports that detail requested attribute information.

Working with Multiple Product Structure Windows

You can open more than one Product Structure window at a time and work on the active product structure configuration. When you open more than one Product

Structure tree, the dialog boxes and the command windows that are activated while working with the product structure tree are dynamically updated based on the operation that you perform in the selected Product Structure window. The dialog boxes and the command windows will reflect the recent selection that you have made in any of the open Product Structure windows.

Limitations

If more than one Product Structure window is open, interfaces like the

EPD.Visualizer are not aware of the existence of more than one Product Structure window. The interfaces interact only with the active product structure in such cases.

2-2 EPD.Connect User Guide

Using the Product Structure Window

Open the Product Structure window using one of the following methods:

• Choose

Window > Structure Window

from the EPD.Connect menu bar.

• Click the Product Structure window icon.

• Choose

File > New

File > Open

• Select an item in the Data Browser window, press the right mouse button, and choose

Open

from the pop-up menu.

The Product Structure window appears as shown below. You can drag the tree in the window while pressing the left mouse button.

Please note: You can open a maximum of four Product Structure windows at a time, using the options that are explained above.

EPD.Connect User Guide 2-3

Using the Product Structure Window

Product Structure Window Toolbar

The toolbar located at the bottom of the window contains buttons. It allows you to open dialog boxes and command windows while working with a product structure tree. The buttons and their respective functions are as follows:

Displays the Structure Overview window. It provides a visual overview of the entire hierarchical structure of the product.

You can also display this window by choosing

Window > Structure Overview

Opens the Vault Data Browser. It is a comprehensive facility for searching and listing information about data stored either locally or in the Vault.

Displays the component status about a selected component or set of components displayed sequentially in browse mode. For more information on displaying one component or a set of components, refer to “Component Status” on page 2-31.

Displays the Memory dialog box, which allows you to save displayed trees locally in temporary memory and perform various actions such as compare operations.

For more information refer to “Using Local Memory for Tree Manipulation” on page 2-19.

Displays the Configuration Compare Rules dialog box. It allows you to compare one tree with another according to a set of comparison rules. For more information refer to “Comparing Two Trees” on page 2-21.

Prints the tree structure on a PostScript printer. For more information refer to

“Printing Product Structures” on page 2-42.

Opens the Item Properties dialog box. You can also display this dialog box by choosing

File > Properties

. It includes the following tabs:

General —

Edits component attributes. For more information, refer to “Editing

Component Attributes” on page 2-15.

Assembly —

Modifies attributes of the components or nodes of the Product

Structure loaded in EPD.Connect.

Displays the Session Properties window. For more information, refer to “Session

Summary” on page 2-29.

2-4 EPD.Connect User Guide

Using the Product Structure Window

Please note: If more than one Product Structure window is open, a window is activated when you click an icon on the toolbar. The associated action is immediately executed.

EPD.Connect Toolbar for the Product Structure

Window

The EPD.Connect menu bar includes a toolbar whose icons change according to the folder chosen in the Information Browser. The toolbar icons and their respective functions are as follows:

Exits the EPD.Connect application.

Creates a new product structure tree.

Opens an old product structure tree.

Closes the current product structure tree.

Saves the current product structure tree.

Cuts selected components to the clipboard.

Copies selected components to the clipboard.

Pastes selected components from the clipboard.

Undoes the cut/paste operation.

Redoes the cut/paste operation.

Reorders components by positioning.

Reorders components by sorting.

Swaps selected components.

Sets the selection mode to one component at a time.

Sets the selection mode to more than one component at a time.

EPD.Connect User Guide 2-5

Using the Product Structure Window

Sets the selection mode to multiple subcomponents.

Displays the tree structure using the angled style.

Displays the tree structure using the fan style.

Displays the tree structure using the file manager style.

Highlights selected components.

Highlights components not selected.

Clears highlighted components.

Displays the respective Product Structure window.

Displays the clipboard.

Displays an overview of the tree display.

Displays the Data Browser window.

Loads the selected components.

Deletes the selected components.

Mouse Behavior

In EPD.Connect, you can use both the right and left mouse buttons.

If the Product Structure tree nodes are not selected, a menu with the following options is displayed when you click the right mouse button.

Command

Open New Configuration

Open Old Configuration

Exit

Action

Create a new product structure tree

Open an existing product structure tree

Exit EPD.Connect

Choose an option to perform the corresponding action.

2-6 EPD.Connect User Guide

Using the Product Structure Window

If a Product Structure tree node is selected, a menu with the following options is displayed when you click the right mouse button.

Command

Parts_list

Indented_parts_list

Assembly_weight

Status_to_plan

Bom

Launch to modify

Launch to view

Explore Object

Close Object

Action

Display a report containing the component name, its Vault file name, part number, and description.

Display a report containing the component name, its part number, and description. Child components are indented under their parent components.

Display and the actual and planned total assembly weight of the part.

Display the name, status, and planned activities for a part.

Display bill of materials information, including part numbers, quantities, and descriptions.

Launch the application in which the component was created and modify the component file contents. This option is available only if an application is associated with the component. For more information, refer to “Launching

Applications from Product Structure Components” on page 2-51.

Launch the application in which the component was created and view the component’s contents. This option is available only if an application is associated with the component.

Explore the model and display the hierarchy and the attributes of the CADDS application objects.

Remove the explored model from the product structure window.

Using the left mouse buttons, you can:

• Click components in the product structure window to select them.

• Press the left mouse button and drag the tree to move the tree in the window.

EPD.Connect User Guide 2-7

Using the Product Structure Window

Creating a New Product Structure Tree

Create a new product structure tree by creating its root node as follows:

Choose

File > New. T he Open New Configuration dialog box opens.

2-8

Enter a name in the

Name

field.

Enter the type of configuration in the

Application

field or select one from the drop-down list. Standard applications are:

Options Description

CAMU

Retrieves a configuration stored in a CAMU database format.

PS Retrieves a configuration stored as a product structure (a formatted ASCII text file describing the tree structure).

Click Open . The first (root) node of the tree is displayed and it is labelled with the name you have entered in the name field.

For more information about adding subsequent nodes to a tree hierarchy and editing or modifying existing trees, refer to Chapter 3, “Creating and Editing a

Product Structure Tree.”

Please note: You can create a maximum of four product structure configurations at a time using the File > New option. You cannot create a new assembly until one of the four opened product structures is closed.

EPD.Connect User Guide

Using the Product Structure Window

Opening a Product Structure Tree

You can display product structure files that are stored on your local disk; you can display product structure files stored in the Vault, if your EPD.Connect

environment includes Vault access.

This section describes how to access local product structures. To view local data, you need only read access. To display a product structure stored in the Vault, refer to Chapter 7, “Working with Vault Data.”

Opening a Product Structure Tree from a Local Disk

To open a product structure tree from a local disk:

Choose

File > Open

to open the Open Configuration dialog box.

Enter an existing configuration name in the

Name

field.

To find out the name of existing configurations:

Enter an asterisk (*) in the

Query Pattern field. Click the

Query

button.

The Available Configurations dialog box opens.

Click the name of the configuration you want to open. The information is read into the Open Configuration dialog box.

Specify the Revision level. If you do not specify a revision number, the latest revision is retrieved.

Specify the application type in the

Application

field, or select one from the drop-down list.

Choose the

Local Disk

option in the

Location

field.

Choose one of the following

Directory

options:

Options Description

Create Read the part from the create directory.

Read

Read the part from the read directory.

Other Specifies the full path name for a user directory.

CVPATH

Read the part from the CVPATH.

Please note:

• You can specify the

CVPATH option along with the

Create

Read

, or the

Other directory options. In such cases if the file does not exist in the create, read, or the user directories, the first occurrence of the file in the

CVPATH

is opened.

EPD.Connect User Guide 2-9

Using the Product Structure Window

Opening a Product Structure Tree

• In case of reference nodes you can specify the directory for opening the file by setting a value to the

CA_SEARCH_REF_DIR variable in the epdconn

ini file.

If you specify a value

to the

CA_SEARCH_REF_DIR

variable, the system searches for the reference node in the directory from which the root tree node is opened and opens it from there in case it exists. If the node does not exist in that directory then the system opens the first occurrence of the file from the

CVPATH directory. If the value of the

CA_SEARCH_REF_DIR

variable is set to

the reference node is opened from the

CVPATH

Click

. The product structure tree is displayed and the Open Configuration dialog box closes. To keep the Open Configuration dialog box open, click

Apply

Please note: You can open a maximum of four Product Structure windows using the Open Configuration dialog box. By default, a new Product Structure window opens when you load a product structure tree.

Displaying Subtree Components

In the Open Configuration dialog box, the

Expand References buttons allow you to specify the number of levels of reference nodes to display in the tree.

Reducing the number of levels saves retrieval and display time. The options follow:

Options Description

All

Level

Opens the tree with all reference components fully expanded.

Opens the tree with reference components expanded to the number of levels you specify. The default level is 1.

2-10 EPD.Connect User Guide

Using the Product Structure Window

Opening a Product Structure Tree

Retrieving Associated Attributes

The

Query Attribute Data command specifies whether to retrieve associated attributes on each node when you open a tree. When clicked, all attributes associated with nodes on the tree are retrieved.

The Query Attribute Data options are as follows:

Options

Local

Description

Retrieves attribute data from the local disk. These are attributes provided through the file system, such as file date and time.

Database

Retrieves attribute data from the database.

To retrieve a tree without attributes, clear both the

Local

and

Database

options before you open the tree.

To query the local and database attributes for individual components after the tree is opened, select the tree component. Then choose

Database > Vault > Refresh

Attributes

Opening a Product Structure with TIM Components

You can open a product structure file whose nodes are associated with TIM components. The TIM flag of each node of the file is processed and a predefined color is set for the associated TIM part. The TIM assembly is marked by the prefix

‘T’.

EPD.Connect User Guide 2-11

Using the Product Structure Window

Closing and Expanding Reference Components

A reference component indicates another data file. The data file of the main assembly does not contain information about reference components or their children. The main assembly contains only a pointer to the reference data file.

You can open a reference component as a main assembly because it has its own data file.

Access indicators identify reference components. Component names are followed by access indicators :

• A square — All subcomponents are displayed.

• A triangle — The component is an unexpanded reference component or it has hidden subcomponents. Reference components are displayed in a different color.

Expanding One or More Reference Components

To expand one or more reference components:

On the Product Structure window, select the reference components.

Choose

File

Open

to expand the reference components.

Please note: If you expand more than a single reference component, you can edit only the

Location

File Mode

Expand References

, and

Query Attribute

Data

fields in the Open Configuration dialog box. All other fields are disabled.

Refreshing Expanded Reference Components

To refresh expanded reference components:

Set the

REFRESH_MODIFIED variable in epdconn.ini

. This variable controls the refresh operation of the modified reference components. The values are as follows:

• If set to

, a reference component that is modified but not saved is not refreshed.

• If set to

, all selected reference components are refreshed irrespective of the modifications that are not saved.

2-12 EPD.Connect User Guide

Using the Product Structure Window

Closing and Expanding Reference Components

In the Product Structure window, click to select the parent node of one or more reference components.

Choose

File

Open

The display is refreshed.

Closing One or More Reference Components

To close one or more expanded reference components so that their subcomponents are hidden:

Select one or more components.

Choose

File

Close Ref

. If you have modified one or more components and did not save it, you are prompted before the reference component is closed.

A triangular access indicator after the unexpanded node indicates that it can be expanded.

Expanding and Closing Hidden Reference

Components

When reference components are selected and then hidden, they remain selected after they become invisible.You can therefore expand and close these components if you set the

EXPAND_HIDDEN

variable in epdconn.ini

. The values are as follows:

• If set to

, reference components that are selected but hidden are not expanded or closed.

• If set to

, reference components that are selected but hidden are expanded or closed.

EPD.Connect User Guide 2-13

Using the Product Structure Window

Hiding Components

Hiding components removes them from the display, but keeps the data accessible.

When you close a reference component, the data of that

_ps

file is not accessible because the main assembly no longer points to the reference

_ps

file.

Example

The ringer_1

and keypad_1

components contain hidden subcomponents.

To expand a hidden tree component:

Select the ringer_1

component.

Choose

View > Clear > Selected Hide

In the following figure, the ringer_1

components are expanded.

2-14

To hide components:

Select the components.

Choose

View > Hide > Selected

Please note: For additional information, see “Expanding and Closing Hidden

Reference Components” on page 2-13.

EPD.Connect User Guide

Using the Product Structure Window

Editing Component Attributes

Each component has identifying attributes. Attributes optionally associate a component with an application and assign it a geometric orientation.

You can edit the properties of an existing component in a product structure and change the orientation attribute values when

CA_EDIT_ORIENTATION

is set to 1.

To edit attributes:

Select the component in the product tree structure.

Click the edit icon in the Product Structure window or click

in the structure window. The Item Properties window opens.

EPD.Connect User Guide 2-15

Using the Product Structure Window

Editing Component Attributes

Click

Application in the

Associated Item field if the component is associated with an application. Select an application from the drop-down list.

The application can now be launched directly from the Product Structure window.

Enter the

Item Name

and

Revision

of the component, if you have specified an

Application

Specify a geometric

Orientation

for the components:

• Specify

, and

values for the location of the origin.

• Specify

ANGX

ANGY,

ANGZ

for its orientation in space.

• Specify the translational units as millimeters(MM), centimeters(CM), meters(M), or inches(IN). The default is centimeters. The system converts one unit of measurement to the required units and displays it.

• Specify the angle of rotation in degrees or radians.

• Click the scope of the orientation as follows:

Options Description

Local Specifies the orientation relative to the item’s parent orientation.

Global Specifies the orientation relative to the assembly’s (global) origin.

Select a

Symmetry

option:

•

YES

— The component is mirrored.

•

— The component is not mirrored. This is the default option. The

Symmetry type option becomes inactive.

Select a

Symmetry type

option:

•

MIRROR X

— The YZ- plane of symmetry is used to mirror the component.

•

MIRROR Y

— The XZ- plane of symmetry is used to mirror the component.

This is the default option.

The

Symmetry type

option is visible only when

Symmetry

is set to

Yes

Please note: The symmetry option is visible only when the environment variable

CA_USE_SYMMETRY

is set to 1.

Select one of the

Units

option.

Click

OK.

Please note: Child reference assemblies are not supported.

2-16 EPD.Connect User Guide

Using the Product Structure Window

Editing Component Attributes

When you apply symmetry to a subassembly, all child nodes except child reference assemblies of that subassembly will be mirrored. If a leaf node is modified, only that node is modified where as if a subassembly node is modified, all its child nodes are also modified.

Defining Assembly Attributes and Values Externally

You can define assembly attributes and values in an external file. Define each attribute in the following format:

STARTATTR

Attribute_Name<TAB>Comment

Value_1<TAB>Comment

Value_2<TAB>Comment

ENDATTR

Please note:

•

Attribute_Name

is the name of the attribute.

•

Value_1

Value_2 are the values for that attribute. You can have as many values as you require.

• Each attribute that you define must begin with

STARTATTR

and end with

ENDATTR

•

<TAB>

indicates that the comments are separated from the attribute name or value by a

Tab

To display these attributes and values in the list of the

Attribute

and

Value

fields of the Item Properties and Global Attribute Edit dialog boxes, specify the attribute file name for the

USER_ASSY_ATTR_FILE

environment variable in epdconn.ini

EPD.Connect User Guide 2-17

Using the Product Structure Window

Editing Component Attributes

The attributes and the values are displayed in the

Attribute and

Value fields of the following dialog boxes:

• The Item Properties dialog box (on clicking the

Assembly

tab)

2-18

• The Global Attribute Edit dialog box

For more information, refer to “Setting Global Attributes” on page 3-16.

Please note: In addition to the attributes and values defined in the external file, the Attribute, and the Value lists show the following respectively:

• The new attributes and values you have defined in the active EPD.Connect

session.

• The existing assembly attributes and values in the

_ps

file.

EPD.Connect User Guide

Using the Product Structure Window

Using Local Memory for Tree Manipulation

You can save displayed trees locally in memory. Trees remain in memory only for the duration of the current EPD.Connect session. You can perform the following:

• Put one tree aside temporarily to look at another and retrieve it when you need it again.

• Open another tree from the File menu or open a product structure tree that is already in the active memory.

• Compare one tree with another tree.

• Cut and paste components from one tree to another tree.

To save a tree in memory:

Choose

File > Memory

or click the Memory icon. The Memory dialog box opens.

EPD.Connect User Guide 2-19

Using the Product Structure Window

Using Local Memory for Tree Manipulation

Select an option in the

Option

field. Perform the corresponding steps:

Option

Save

Restore

Delete

Procedure

To retain the tree display after saving it:

1. Click

in the Close field and Click

Apply

To close the tree in order to open another:

1. Click

Yes

in the Close field and click

Apply

To retrieve a tree display from memory:

1. Select the tree from the list in the display area.

2. Click the

Restore

option.

3. Click

Apply

to display the selected tree.

To remove a tree display from memory without actually deleting the tree from the local work area:

1. Select the tree from the list in the display area.

2. Click the

Delete

option.

3. Click

Apply

to delete the selected tree.

When you apply the selections, the currently displayed tree is replaced with the tree selected from memory. The memory directory is usually

/usr/tmp

You can open more than one product structure tree and save the displayed trees in the memory. In this case,

• The name of the active configuration is displayed in the

Name

field when you open the Memory dialog box.

• The

Save

option saves the active tree which is displayed in the list in the display area.

• The

Restore

option retrieves the trees from memory and can open a maximum of four product structures.

• The

Delete option removes the selected product structure tree from the list in the display area.

Compress Mode

When you save the product structure tree, it changes to uncompress mode. When you restore the tree from memory, the product structure tree opens in compressed mode in the active window.

This structure is considered for compression in uncompressed mode. This is done even if the product structure is in compressed mode. This is done for comparison of structures.

2-20 EPD.Connect User Guide

Using the Product Structure Window

Comparing Two Trees

The compare operation compares the active tree configuration with another stored in memory.

You can compare components within and between product structures, optionally limiting the comparison based on specific attributes. The compare operation color codes the text labels of the tree components to show whether displayed tree components are the same, new, or changed, as compared to those stored in memory.

EPD.Connect User Guide 2-21

Using the Product Structure Window

Comparing Two Trees

To compare two trees:

Display an active product structure tree and store another tree in the memory.

Choose

File > Compare

or click the Compare icon. The Configuration

Compare Rules dialog box opens.

2-22

Select attributes for comparison. The

Compare Attribute

list contains the attributes that are used for comparison. Use the

All Attribute

list to select attributes and add them to the Compare Attribute list.

EPD.Connect User Guide

Using the Product Structure Window

Comparing Two Trees

Choose an option to set the comparison rules:

Options

Add All

Description

Adds all attributes in one operation.

1. Click the

2. Click

Add All

button

Apply.

(

Reset

also reinstates all attributes.)

Add

Delete

Allows you to add attributes from the

All Attribute

list.

1. Select a required attribute from the

All Attribute list. The Add button is activated by default.

2. Click

Apply

to add it to the

Compare Attribute

list.

3. Repeat the operation for other attributes you want to add.

Deletes an attribute not required for the compare operation. This is the default option.

1. Select an attribute from the

Compare Attribute

list. The Delete button is activated.

2. Click

Apply

to delete it from the list.

3. Repeat the operation for other attributes not required.

Delete Al l Clears the

Compare Attribute

list and allows you to insert attributes.

1. Click

Delete All

2. Click

Apply

Click

Restore From Memory

to swap the displayed and stored trees.

The color of the text label of the displayed tree components indicate the results of the comparison:

• Black — The element is the same (unchanged).

• Yellow — The element is changed.

• Red — The element is new.

Choose

Report

to select a file in which you can place the results of the comparison. For more information, refer to the “Status and Report Windows” on page 2-29.

Perform one of the following tasks to get the results:

• Click compare

to compare the specified product structure trees.

• Click

Clear

to clear the dialog.

• Click

Apply

to process the request that you have submitted.

• Click

Reset to reset the property sheet and negate the requests that you have submitted since opening the property sheet.

• Click

Cancel

to close the property sheet.

Choose

Window > Component Status

to view the information statistically.

See“Component Status” on page 2-31 for a description of the fields in the

Component Status window.

EPD.Connect User Guide 2-23

Using the Product Structure Window

Comparing Two Trees

Please note: You can display a maximum of four Product Structure windows with product structure trees and compare the active product structure tree component with the tree component that is stored in memory. The attributes for comparison are dynamically populated when you change to another Product

Structure window.

Obtaining a Comparison Report

Report options are displayed in the

Report field at the bottom of the Configuration

Compare Rules dialog box. These options customize reports. To obtain a comparison report:

Define the comparison rules, as directed in the previous section.

Select the type of report from the

Report

list in the Configuration Compare

Rules dialog box.

Click

Compare

. The Report Viewer window opens.

2-24 EPD.Connect User Guide

Using the Product Structure Window

Comparing Two Trees

Saving a Report

To save the report, perform the following:

Click

Save

. The Save Report Results dialog box opens.

Enter the file name under which you wish to save the report.

Click the

Overwrite

option, if necessary.

Click

Save

Printing a Report

Click

Print in the Report Viewer window to print the report. A compressed product structure will be printed in compressed mode.

Comparing TIM Components

When you compare a component with another component stored in the memory that has TIM objects associated with the nodes, the attribute

TIM-FLAG

is also compared. If the

TIM-FLAG

is different for both the components, the node is displayed as a changed node.

EPD.Connect User Guide 2-25

Using the Product Structure Window

Saving and Closing a Product Structure Tree

When you change a product structure tree, save it to the local disk before closing it, so that you do not lose the changes.

Saving a Product Structure Tree Locally

Save a tree regularly when making edits. To do this, choose

File > Save

. The following conditions apply:

• The tree is saved to the local disk.

• If any reference trees have been edited, they are also saved.

• If you have Vault installed, choose

Database > Vault > Update

to save the changed tree to the Vault.

• If more than one Product Structure window with a product structure tree is open, you can save the changed state of the tree that is displayed in the active window.

• Choose

Database > Vault > Store

to store a new tree in the Vault. For more information, refer to “Storing Items in Vault” on page 7-18.

Saving a Product Structure Tree as a New Tree

To save all or part of a product structure tree locally under a new name:

Select the component you want as the root node for the saved tree.

Choose

File > Save As.

The Save Structure dialog box opens.

2-26

Enter a new name in the

Name

field, to rename the tree.

Select the appropriate application format for the file in the

Application

field.

EPD.Connect User Guide

Using the Product Structure Window

Saving and Closing a Product Structure Tree

In the

Directory

field, click the local directory option in which to save the configuration. The options are as follows:

Option

Create

Read

Other

Description

Save the part to the create directory.

Save the part to the read directory.

Enter the full path name for a user-specified directory.

Click

Overwrite, choose

if you do not want to overwrite the tree.

Please note: If more than one Product Structure window with a product structure tree is open, you can save the changed state of the tree configuration that is displayed in the active window using the

File > Save As option.

Saving a Subset of the Tree

To save the components of a tree:

Select components on the displayed tree. The selected components must form a hierarchy to a single root.

To verify that you have selected such a hierarchy, choose

View > Link Selected

Click

Nodes Selected,

in the Save Structure dialog box.

Click

Save

to save the subtree to the local disk.

Please note: If Vault is installed, you can save the tree to the Vault after you have saved it locally.

To save the tree to Vault:

Choose

Database > Vault > Update

to update the tree.

Choose

Database > Vault > Store to store it as a new tree.

EPD.Connect User Guide 2-27

Using the Product Structure Window

Saving and Closing a Product Structure Tree

Saving the TIM Components of a Product Structure

Tree

You can save the TIM assembly that is opened in EPD.Connect to the local disk after making the required changes. When you save a CAMU assembly or a product structure all the modified TIM reference subassemblies are saved.

When you choose the

File > Save As

option to save a TIM assembly, the root component is saved as the PS or the CAMU node, depending on the application type that you have selected in the Save Structure dialog box. All of the associated

TIM objects remain unchanged.

Closing a Product Structure Tree

Closing a displayed tree removes it from the main window.

To do this, choose

File > Close

. The system prompts you for confirmation and then removes the displayed tree.

The system displays a warning message if you have not saved changes before attempting to close the tree.

Please note: If more than one Product Structure window with a product structure tree is open, choosing

File

Close closes the configuration only in the active window

Repeat this process for each active window to close all the product structure trees.

2-28 EPD.Connect User Guide

Using the Product Structure Window

Status and Report Windows

Several windows are available for displaying general information, such as component status or reports. In some cases, a status or report window appears automatically. For example, when you request any type of Vault transfer, the Vault

Transfer Request window appears and shows your queued request.

The following table lists and describes the path to report files.

Report Window

Session Summary

Component Status

Compare Status

Description

Reports general and structure information related about the tree.

Reports component status information.

Displays node comparison information.

Vault Transfer Requests Transfers data to/from the Vault.

Indicator Key

ADRAW Window

Lists the color codes for access indicators.

Displays

ADRAW

information.

Clipboard

Toolbar Customizer

Displays contents of clipboard.

Chooses a desktop button set.

Session Summary

Choose

File > Session Summary

. The Session Properties dialog box opens.

EPD.Connect User Guide 2-29

Using the Product Structure Window

Status and Report Windows

General Tab

The General tab shows the details of the currently displayed configuration, including Name, Revision level, Type, Location, and Display time of the tree.

Structure Tab

The Structure tab shows statistics about the currently displayed product structure tree and the results from the most recent compare operation.

2-30

EPD.Connect updates the structure page automatically to reflect changes in the displayed tree. The structure page also reflects the subsequent select, deselect or compare operations.

EPD.Connect User Guide

Using the Product Structure Window

Status and Report Windows

The

Compare Same

and

Different

fields provide comparisons of similar and dissimilar components between the displayed tree and a tree in memory.

The

Selected

field displays the total number of nodes selected in the Product

Structure window, when a structure is open.

Component Status

You can obtain a status report for any selected component, or for a set of components displayed sequentially in browse mode.

The display reflects the setting of the

SYMMETRY-FLAG

attribute. The data will be read in the PostScript file using the

SYMMETRY-FLAG

attribute.

To see the status of a component:

Select a component in the Product Structure window.

Alternately, choose

Window > Component Status

. The Component Status window opens.

EPD.Connect User Guide 2-31

Using the Product Structure Window

Status and Report Windows

Choose

View > Browser

to open the Browse Configuration window.

This window shows the properties of the node that has been selected. It also contains a line describing the symmetry flag.

Component Comparison Status

When you perform a tree comparison, a comparison report is automatically displayed. The comparison report contains information you requested before the compare operation.

In addition to the tree comparison report, you can view a component-level comparison between a currently selected component and components in memory.

Select a single component.

Choose

Window > Memory Status

. The Component Memory Status Report window opens.

2-32 EPD.Connect User Guide

Using the Product Structure Window

Status and Report Windows

This report displays the comparison information. EPD.Connect updates the

Component Memory Status Report window automatically when you select or sequentially browse components.

ADRAW Items

An ADRAW is a special CADDS assembly drawing that is associated to a CAMU assembly database (

_db

To view ADRAW items represented by component instances in a currently displayed product structure tree:

Select the root node in the product structure tree.

Choose

Window > Attachment Window

. The ADRAW window opens. The

CAMU tree is displayed in the ADRAW window.

You can perform Vault transfer actions from the CAMU tree by selecting a component in the tree and following the same procedure as you would when selecting from the product structure tree or Vault Transfer window.

Indicator Key

Color-coded component access indicators flag components that match search criteria. This is useful when you need to distinguish characteristics such as a part’s status or release date. Access indicators are located at the right end of tree components.

You can view the current list of rules defined for color-coded access indicators.

Choose

Window > Indicator Key

to display the Color Key window.

For instructions on creating the color rules associated with access indicators, refer to “Creating Access Indicator Rules” on page 4-6.

EPD.Connect User Guide 2-33

Using the Product Structure Window

Status and Report Windows

Clip Board

A clipboard appears when you are editing a product structure tree by cutting, pasting, or copying components. For more information and an example, see

“Cutting and Pasting the Components” on page 3-9.

Audit Log

EPD.Connect maintains an audit log to provide information on command processing. Messages are sent to the audit log as the commands are processed.

Choose

Help > Audit Log to display the audit log.

The audit log is also displayed when you issue certain commands relating to database transfers.

2-34 EPD.Connect User Guide

Using the Product Structure Window

Working with Multiple CVPATHS

You can select and apply a

CVPATH to the current EPD.Connect session. You can also edit directories of a selected

CVPATH

in the structure mode as well as the

NAV/CAMU mode.

Please note: You can use the edited

CVPATH

only in the currently active

EPD.Connect session. It is not valid for the other dynamic applications that are invoked from EPD.Connect. For example, the changes made to the

CVPATH variable defined in CADDS are not reflected in EPD.Connect and vice versa.

When you start a new EPD.Connect session, all of the environment variables with the prefix

CVPATH

are scanned. These variables are treated as the selected

CVPATHs

and displayed. If the variable with the prefix

CVPATH

are not found in the environment, the

$CVEPD_INIT

( cvepd.ini

) file is scanned.

Please note: If a

CVPATH

variable is found in the environment, it is not looked for in the cvepd.ini

file, even if an entry has been made in the cvepd

ini

file.

The

CVPATH

variables are generally set in the cvepd.ini

file on the Windows platform and epdconn.ini

.caddsrc-local

on the UNIX platform.

Please note: Any path name in the

.caddsrc-local

file that is longer than

40 characters is ignored from that

CVPATH

and a message is added to the log.

The following example shows sample files that are scanned for the

CVPATHs

For Windows:

C:\%Windir%\cvepd.ini

CVPATH=C:\users\create=C;C:\users\parts1

CVPATHA=C:\usr1\parts1;C:\usr2\parts;C:\usr3\parts

For UNIX: setenv CVPATH /users/abc/parts:/users/ps/parts1 setenv CVPATHA /users/parts/parta:/users/parts/parta/Aparts

Set the above variables in

.caddsrc-local

Please note: The format of the

.ini

files is the same on Windows and UNIX platforms.

EPD.Connect User Guide 2-35

Using the Product Structure Window

Working with Multiple CVPATHS

Selecting a CVPATH

To select a

CVPATH

from the currently available

CVPATHs

Choose

File > Select CVPATH

. The Select CVPATH dialog box opens.

Please note: You cannot access the above option when there is an active tree in the Product Structure window.

Select an item from the list of

CVPATHs

and click

Apply

. The selected

CVPATH

variable is used for the entire session.

You can also trace the currently active

CVPATH

from the Session Properties window on the EPD.Connect menu bar.

2-36 EPD.Connect User Guide

Using the Product Structure Window

Working with Multiple CVPATHS

Editing a CVPATH

To edit a selected

CVPATH

Select an item from the

CVPATH list that appears in the Select CVPATH dialog box.

Click

Edit

. The Edit Selected CVPATH dialog box opens. All the current directories in the selected

CVPATH

are displayed.

EPD.Connect User Guide 2-37

Using the Product Structure Window

Working with Multiple CVPATHS

Choose one of the following editing options and click

Apply

to confirm the changes:

Options Description

Delete

Deletes the selected directory of the

CVPATH

from the list.

Add

After

Adds the specified directory to the directory in the list.

CVPATH

directory list after the selected

Add

Before

Adds the specified directory to the directory in the list

CVPATH

directory list before the selected

Change

Changes the path of the selected directory in the list.

When you select a directory and click

Change

, the

Add Dir

field displays the selected directory. Click

Apply

to change the path.

Move

Down

Allows you to move the selected directory in the CVPATH list upward one level.

Allows you to move the selected directory in the CVPATH list downward one level.

When you click

Apply

in the SELECT CVPATH dialog box, the changes are permanent. You cannot trace the original setup by clicking

Reset

Please note:

• If there are no directories in the current

CVPATH

, the options

Add After

and

Add Before

add a directory to the

CVPATH

list without any priority.

• You can edit the

Add Dir

field only if you select the

Add After

Add Before, and the

Change

options.

• You cannot specify the path name of a directory that has more than 40 characters.

2-38 EPD.Connect User Guide

Using the Product Structure Window

Printing and Displaying Reports

You can display and print reports related to the product structure tree. Select the parent component and press the right mouse button to display a menu of reports:

This Report Option

Parts_list

Indented_parts_list

Bom

Assembly_weight

Status_to_plan

Displays This Data

The component name, its Vault file name, part number, and description.

The component name, its part number, and description.

Child components are indented under their parent components.

Bill of materials information, including part numbers, quantities, and descriptions.

The part and actual and planned total assembly weight.

The part name, its status, and planned activities.

EPD.Connect User Guide 2-39

Using the Product Structure Window

Printing and Displaying Reports

The report is displayed in the Report Viewer window as follows:

2-40

Using the Report Viewer window you can select, deselect, highlight, make transparent, reset, hide, show, clear, and load components in the Product Structure window or the EPD.Visualizer window as follows:

Select one or more parts displayed in the Report Viewer.

In the Options panel, select

Structure Window

Visualizer

Please note: You can also select both the above options.

EPD.Connect User Guide

Using the Product Structure Window

Printing and Displaying Reports

Choose one of the following:

•

Selected

— The command affects the selected part. Parts already changed retain their changed state.

•

Only Selected

— The command affects only the selected part. Parts already changed are reset to their original state.

•

All

— The command affects all parts irrespective of the part selected.

Using the right mouse button, select one of the following options:

Report Viewer Option Description

Select Selects components.

Clears selections.

Deselect

Highlight

Transparent

Highlights components.

Makes transparent components in the EPD.Visualizer window. For information on the Transparent option in EPD.Visualizer,see the

EPD.Visualizer User Guide.

This option does not affect the Product Structure window.

Resets components to their original state.

Reset

Hide

Hides components.

Show

Clear

Shows components that are hidden.

Load

Resets components that are either selected, highlighted, transparent, or hidden.

Loads components in the EPD.Visualizer window.

Please note: The result of the option chosen is reflected in either the Product

Structure window or the EPD.Visualizer window or in both depending on the application chosen in the Options panel of the Report Viewer.

You can print the report or save it to a file.

You can also display and print reports by selecting them directly from the Reports menu on the EPD.Connect menu bar. For information on how to generate customized reports, see Customizing EPD.Connect.

EPD.Connect User Guide 2-41

Using the Product Structure Window

Printing Product Structures

To print the product structure tree displayed in the Product Structure window:

Display a product structure.

Choose

File > Print

. The Print Panel opens.

2-42

Click

File

Printe r to achieve one of the following r esults:

• File — Creates a PostScript file which can be printed at a later time. To use this option, specify the name of the file in the File Name field.

• Print — Submits your file to the default printer defined by your operating system in the

Print Command

field. For example,

On the UNIX platform specify: lpr -P <printer name> lpr

is the default print command that can be changed by assigning values to the variable

CA_PRINT_COMMAND

in the epdconn.ini

file.

On the Windows NT platform, in the Print Command field, specify: print /D: <printer name> print /D: is the default print command that can be changed by assigning values to the variable

CA_PRINT_WIN_COMMAND

in the epdconn

ini

file.

Click appropriate option for

Paper Size and

Orientation

for the print job.

EPD.Connect User Guide

Using the Product Structure Window

Printing Product Structures

Set the

Scale

You can reduce the size of the printed product structure tree by entering a digit from 1 to 9. The number entered will represent the denominator of a fraction with an assumed

for the numerator.

For example:

If you enter

, the tree will be printed at half (1/2) of its default size (1).

If you enter

, then the scale will be one-third (1/3) of the default size.

Click appropriate

Tier option for printing the levels of the tree. A tier is a single vertical level in the product structure tree.

•

All

— To print the entire product structure of a tree.

•

Tiers

— To specify the tiers, fill in the

From

and

fields in the dialog box that is displayed.

Click

to execute the print job.

Please note: A compressed product structure is printed in compressed mode.

EPD.Connect User Guide 2-43

Using the Product Structure Window

Plotting a Tree Structure

You can create a binary CGM file format of a tree as it is displayed in the Product

Structure window and plot it.

Please note: This feature is available only on UNIX platforms.

Creating a Binary CGM File

To create a binary CGM file of an AccessWare tree that is displayed in the Product

Structure window:

Display a product structure tree.

Choose

File > Plot > Create CGM File

. The nonmodal Create CGM File dialog box opens.

2-44

Enter the directory name in which the CGM file is to be created. Use the variable

CA_PLOT_DIR

in the epdconn.ini

file to set the default directory.

EPD.Connect User Guide

Using the Product Structure Window

Plotting a Tree Structure

Enter the name of the file that is to be created in the

CGM File Name

field. If you do not provide the file name, an error message is displayed.

Select an appropriate file-suffix option:

•

No File Suffix

- The file is created without the .

cgm suffix when this option is selected. Otherwise, the suffix is appended to the file.

Please note: If you provide the suffix as a part of the file name, the system does not append any other suffix, even if the option

No File Suffix

is deselected.

•

Overwrite File

- The file that is created overwrites the file with the same name if it is in the same directory.

Specify the paper size in the

Paper Size field. The paper size can range between

A and E (US ANSI Standard) and A0 and A4 (ISO Standard).

Assign a float number in the

Scale field. The values that you specify here must be greater than zero. If you specify values greater than 1, the tree created using the CGM file is scaled up.

Click either the

Portrait

or the

Landscape

options for specifying the orientation of the tree.

Click the appropriate

Tier option for plotting a range of levels of the tree. A tier is a single vertical level in the product structure tree. The root node is designated as the zero tier.

•

All

- To print the entire product structure of a tree.

•

Tiers

- To print a selected range of tiers in the product structure tree.

Refer to Printing Product Structures for printing product structure trees.

10.

Click

Apply

to complete the file creation process.

If the tree that is plotted using the CGM file does not fit within the given paper size, multiple pages are created whose names are given using the following format:

<given CGM file name without extension><page row_page column><.cgm

extension if any>

For example, if the given CGM file name is mytree.cgm, then multiple pages are created whose names are of the type mytree1_2.cgm

If you provide incorrect or incomplete information, an error message appears in the main EPD.Connect messages panel.

EPD.Connect User Guide 2-45

Using the Product Structure Window

Plotting a Tree Structure

Plotting a Tree

You can plot an AccessWare tree using the binary CGM file. You can also plot it directly from the Product Structure tree.

Choose

File > Plot > Plot CGM

. The Plot dialog box opens.

Plotting from the File

Use the

File

tab option to plot the tree using the CGM file.

2-46

Enter the directory name that contains the CGM file.

Specify the CGM file name for plotting the tree.

EPD.Connect User Guide

Using the Product Structure Window

Plotting a Tree Structure

Select the plotter name from the list of plotters that are set up using the lpsetup

command.

Specify the number of copies that you want to plot.

Choose one of the following

Auto Scale

options:

•

Yes

- Fits the tree within the given paper size.

•

- Plots the tree on the paper and truncates the portions that do not fit within the given paper.

Specify the orientation and the paper size in the respective fields.

Click

Plot

to plot the tree.

EPD.Connect User Guide 2-47

Using the Product Structure Window

Plotting a Tree Structure

Plotting from the Product Structure Tree

Use the

Tree tab option to plot directly from the Product Structure tree. Select the appropriate

Tier

option, the plotter name, the number of copies, the appropriate

Auto Scale

option, the paper size, and the scaling factor for plotting the tree directly.

2-48

Click the

Plot Details button to view the selected plotter type, the units for plotting, the maximum tree length in the X direction that can fit within the given paper size (X size), and the maximum tree length in the Y direction that can fit within the given paper size (Y size), in the Plot Setup Details dialog box that appears. The values displayed in the various fields of the dialog box are READ

EPD.Connect User Guide

Using the Product Structure Window

Plotting a Tree Structure

ONLY. They are automatically populated when a Plotter is chosen from the Plotter

Name list in the Plot menu.

Please note: Execute the plotter setup utility lpsetup

before using the

Plot option. The Plotter Name list displays only those plotters on which lpsetup

has been executed. Refer to the PTC Plotter Drivers Administration Guide for details.

Setting Variables for Plotting

The cvups

utility is used for plotting an AccessWare tree in EPD.Connect. The following settings in the cvups.ini

file located in the directory

$EPD_HOME/data/cvups/reposit

are used for plotting:

•

CVUPS_MSG_REP=$EPD_HOME/data/cvups/$AWLANG/cvups.msg

The directory location of the message files used for plotting.

•

CVUPS_CDIR=/var/spool/cvconfigdir

The default directory location of the plotter configuration files.

•

CVUPS_INS_DIR=/usr/apl/cvups

The default directory location for installing cvups

•

CVUPS_DEFDIR=$CVUPS_INS_DIR/config_files

The default directory location of the plotter definition files.

EPD.Connect User Guide 2-49

Using the Product Structure Window

Plotting a Tree Structure

• CVUPS_BIN_DIR=$CVUPS_INS_DIR/bin

The default directory location of the cvups

binaries.

•

CVUPS_XORIG=10

CVUPS_YORIG=10

The offset values for the X and the Y plotting origins on the paper. The default value is 10 millimeters.

Apart from the above variables, set appropriate values to the following variables in the epdconn.ini

file.

•

CA_CVUPS_CDIR=/var/spool/cvconfigdir

The configuration file directory for plotting an AccessWare tree.

•

AW_TEXT_SHRINK=0.75

The shrink factor for the AccessWare plot node text can be changed by setting appropriate values. The default value is 0.75. Sometimes when the font size is very large, the text goes beyond the actual tree nodes. To avoid this, set an appropriate value to this variable greater than 0.0 and less than 1.0.

•

CA_PLOT_DIR=$EPD_TEMP

The default directory location for plotting the files.

2-50 EPD.Connect User Guide

Using the Product Structure Window

Launching Applications from Product Structure Components

Launching Applications from Product Structure

Components

Components in a product structure tree can be associated with the application used to create and modify them. For example, a component could be a product specification document. That document can be associated with the publishing tool used to edit it.

When components are associated with an application in this way, you can launch the application directly from the Product Structure window. If the environment includes Vault, you can also launch the application when you transfer the component from the Vault.

When the application is opened, you can either view or modify the component, depending on the user and component authorizations.

Launching Applications

To launch the application associated with a component:

Select the component in the product structure tree and press the right mouse button. A menu is displayed.

Choose one of the following:

•

Launch to Modify

— Launches the application and allows you to make any necessary changes to the component.

•

Launch to View

— Launches the application to display the component. No modifications are allowed.

Defining Component/Application Associations

To launch an application from a component in a product structure tree, the component must be associated with the application. The following sections describe how to define such an association. You must:

• Define the application’s environment.

• Associate the component with the application.

• Edit the EPD.Connect

launch.ini

file.

• Edit the EPD.Connect

cvepd.ini

file.

EPD.Connect User Guide 2-51

Using the Product Structure Window

Launching Applications from Product Structure Components

Defining an Application Environment

Defining applications is an administrative task. In EPD.Connect, applications can also be referred to as rulebases, because the application contains the rules that must be used to manage the data in a file.

To define an application environment:

Choose

Admin > Appl. Environment

from the EPD.Connect menu bar. The

Application Environment window opens.

2-52

Select

LOCAL

from the scrollable list at the top of the window.

Click

Add

in the

Option

field.

Choose the name of the application you are defining in the

Application

field

(for example,

MS WORD

Enter a description for the application in the

Description

field.

If you are defining an application environment that will be associated with individual files, you do not have to modify the remaining fields in the window.

Click

Apply

to add the application to your EPD.Connect configuration.

Click

Cancel

to exit the window.

EPD.Connect User Guide

Using the Product Structure Window

Launching Applications from Product Structure Components

Associating Components with Applications

After you have defined an application environment, execute the following steps to associate a component in a product structure tree with the application:

Select a component in the product structure tree.

Choose

File > Properties

to edit its attributes. Choose

Edit > Add

to add a new component. The Add Component dialog box opens.

Edit the

Associated Item

attribute field:

Click

Application

in the

Associated Item

field.

From the drop-down list box, select the application you want to associate with the component (the application you defined will be included in the list).

Editing the launch.ini file

The launch.ini

file contains the information required to execute the command to launch the application. It contains two entries for each application:

•

View —

Points to the application to be launched when you are authorized only to view the component.

•

Mod —

Points to the application to be launched when you are allowed to view and modify the component.

EPD.Connect User Guide 2-53

Using the Product Structure Window

Launching Applications from Product Structure Components

In the UNIX environment, the file is located in:

$EPD_HOME/data/reposit/C/launch.ini

In the Windows environment, the file is located in:

Install_Drive:

$EPD_HOME\data\reposit\C\launch.ini

Each application or rulebase in the launch.ini

file includes a section that is headed by the application name in brackets. Specify the view= and mod= paths as shown in the following example:

;

[FILE] view=/usr/openwin/bin/textedit mod=/usr/openwin/bin/textedit

;

[LOCAL] view=/usr/openwin/bin/textedit mod=/usr/openwin/bin/textedit

;

[WORD] view=/home/machinename/path_to_word_executable mod=/home/machinename/path_to_word_executable

;

Editing the cvepd.ini File

Edit the cvepd.ini

file by adding a Vault variable to the file for every new application defined. For example, if you are defining WORD as an application, add the following line to the cvepd.ini

file:

EDM_WORD=<name of rulebase executable or .dll file>

Please note: The name used for the application must be the same both in the header of the lines added to the launch.ini

file as shown in the preceding section, and in the segment of the

EDM_xxxx statement.

2-54 EPD.Connect User Guide

Chapter 3

Creating and Editing a Product

Structure Tree

This chapter explains how to add, change, cut, copy, and paste components in a product structure tree.

• The Edit Menu

• Adding Components

• Editing the Tree Structure

• Setting Global Attributes

• Setting Revision Levels

EPD.Connect User Guide 3-1

Creating and Editing a Product Structure Tree

The Edit Menu

The EPD.Connect

Edit

menu provides options for adding, cutting, pasting, copying, and changing components in a tree configuration. The

Edit menu options are listed here along with brief descriptions.

Edit Menu Options

Add Component

Swap Components

Reorder Components > Position

Reorder Components > Sorting

Undo

Redo

Cut

Copy

Paste

Global Attribute

Set Revisions

Unset Revisions

Options

Function

Adds a component to the tree.

Exchanges component positions.

Changes component order.

Sorts components in ascending or descending order.

Undoes last edit.

Restores edit after the Undo option.

Cuts (deletes) components and transfers them to the clipboard.

Copies components to the clipboard.

Pastes components from the clipboard.

Edits assembly component attributes.

Sets selected items to the Vault revision value.

Removes selected items from the Vault revision value.

Allows you to apply edits to a single node or multiple instances of a node.

Please note: If more than one Product Structure window with a product structure tree is open, you can perform the edit operations only on the components of the active product structure tree. The Product Structure window in which you want to perform the undo or the redo operations must be active.

3-2 EPD.Connect User Guide

Creating and Editing a Product Structure Tree

The Edit Menu

Options for Editing Components

When you add, cut, or change a component, you are editing it. You can limit edits to a single instance of a component or apply the edits to all instances of that class.

Choose

Edit > Options.

The Node Selection dialog box opens.

Select one of the following options:

•

Yes

— Edits all instances. The edits to one component are applied to all instances of that component.

•

— Edits a single instance. Only one component is edited.

Click

Apply

to implement the selection.

If you select

and want to modify a single instance of a component,

EPD.Connect adds a prefix to the component name to make it unique.

Editing the Properties of a TIM Component

You can edit the properties of a TIM component in the same way that you edit the atttributes of a component in the product structure. If you change the associated component of a node or the application type to CADDS/CAMU, the TIM data is extracted from the header and is checked to determine if the associated model is

TIM or not. The node changes and is displayed accordingly.

Limitations and Restrictions

• TIM flag data is read only from the

_pd

file while adding or changing components in case of parts. In case of assemblies It is read from the

_db

file.

• When you update, change, delete, or add a part database that contains TIM data, the TIM information of the node does not change when you open the assembly containing these parts.

EPD.Connect User Guide 3-3

Creating and Editing a Product Structure Tree

Adding Components

This section explains about creating new components and the process of adding of components.

Creating New Components

To create a new component for a new or existing tree:

Select the node you want as the parent on the displayed tree.

Choose

Edit > Add Component

. The Add Component window opens.

3-4

Enter the name of the new component in the

Class Name

field.

Please note: Use only alphanumeric characters for defining the component name and the attribute name of the node in the product structure window.

Enter the numeric start number in the

Instance

field to append to the class name.

Each additional instance of this component replicates the class name and increments the number. You need not enter anything for a single instance.

Enter the number of instances of the new component in the

Number of field.

Select the appropriate option in the

Associated Item

field:

•

None

— Specifies that no item is associated.

•

Application

— Associates an item from the drop-down list that displays when you select this option.

EPD.Connect User Guide

Creating and Editing a Product Structure Tree

Adding Components

If you select

Application

, enter the item name in the

Item Name

field.

Optionally, enter the revision level in the

Revision

field.

Click

Orientation

. The Add Orientation dialog box opens.

Default values for orientation and position are as shown in the dialog box. Enter the local orientation data against the parent node.

Select a

Symmetry

option:

•

YES

— The component is mirrored.

•

— The component is not mirrored. The Symmetry type option becomes inactive.

Select a

Symmetry type

option:

•

MIRROR X

— The YZ- plane of symmetry is used to mirror the component.

•

MIRROR Y —

The XZ- plane of symmetry is used to mirror the component.

The

Symmetry type option is enabled when

CA_EDIT_ORIENTATION and

CA_USE_SYMMETRY

are set to 1.

It is not dependent on the local/global mode, since the same symmetry setup and the same symmetry flag will be associated with the current component with either mode.

EPD.Connect User Guide 3-5

Creating and Editing a Product Structure Tree

Adding Components

Enter an orientation for a component:

• Specify

, and

values for the location of the origin.

• Specify

ANGX

ANGY

, or

ANGZ

for the orientation of the component in space.

To specify the units for orientation to be displayed in the Component Status window, specify a value

0 or

1 to the

COMPSTATUS_ORIENT_DEG variable in the epdconn.ini

file. The value

0 allows you to specify the orientation in radians. The value

allows you to specify the orientation in degrees

• Specify the translation or position units as millimeters(MM), centimeters(CM), meters(M), or inches(IN). The default is centimeters.

To specify the units for position to be displayed in the Component Status window, specify the values

, or

INS

to the

COMPSTATUS_ORIENT_POS

variable in the epdconn.ini

file. The value

allows you to specify the position in centimeters,

allows you to specify the position in millimeters,

allows you to specify the position in meters, and

allows you to specify the position in inches.

The values that you specify here are reflected in the Properties window as well as the Component Status window. The system also converts one unit of measurement to the required units and displays it.

• Select the angle of rotation in degrees or radians.

Please note: The default measurements in CAMU are in inches.

Select the scope of the orientation as follows:

•

Local

— Specifies the orientation relative to the parent orientation of the item.

•

Global

— Specifies the orientation relative to the assembly’s (global) origin.

The local and the global coordinates are dependent on each other. Set only one of them.

Select the appropriate

Units

option.

Click

Close.

Click

Add to add the new component to the tree.

The Add Component window remains open after adding the new component in case you want to add another component to the same parent.

Click

Reset

to clear all fields except

Parent Name

You can now add another component.

Please note: To add a component to a different parent, select a different component on the tree.

3-6 EPD.Connect User Guide

Creating and Editing a Product Structure Tree

Adding Components

Adding a Component with Mirror Flag

You can add an oriented component to a product structure with mirror flag using the Add component dialog box. The orientation attribute value is set when

CA_EDIT_ORIENTATION=1

The value of symmetry flag is decided depending on the selections made for symmetry options in Add Component dialog box.

Example

To add a component with an XZ symmetry representing the plane separating the left side from the right side, select:

• Symmetry:

Yes

• Symmetry Type:

Mirror Y

(XZ symmetry).

• Orientation:

Global

Local

• Specify the orientation and position of the mirrored component in the selected coordinate system

• Click

to validate the component insertion.

Adding a Component on a Compressed Node

Add component can be performed on a compressed node. Leaf nodes are actually more than one, but are shown as one in the product structure. If add component is performed on leaf nodes, it will be applied on all the nodes and they lose the status of leaf nodes, get uncompressed automatically and show the added component for all the nodes.

Figure 3-1 Product Structure with node ref_node_1 compressed

EPD.Connect User Guide 3-7

Creating and Editing a Product Structure Tree

Adding Components

For example, if you add screw node to refsubnodes_1[3]

in the above figure, all refsubnodes get uncompresses automatically as they are no longer end nodes.

Add component is performed on all these nodes as shown in the following figure.

Figure 3-2 Add component performed on compressed nodes

Adding TIM Components

When you add a component that has CADDS or CAMU application objects associated with its nodes, the TIM information is extracted from the corresponding CADDS/CAMU object and added to the component. If the node associated with the component is a TIM assembly, it is marked with the prefix

“T”. If the node is a TIM part, it is displayed with the color that is defined using the variable

CA_TIM_NODE_COLOR

3-8 EPD.Connect User Guide

Creating and Editing a Product Structure Tree

Editing the Tree Structure

To change the structure or hierarchy of a product structure tree, you can cut/copy and paste components as required. You can also swap or reorder components. It is useful to store the trees in memory to facilitate these actions.

For more information refer to “Using Local Memory for Tree Manipulation” on page 2-19.

Cutting and Pasting the Components

To cut and paste components from one tree to another:

Select the components you want to cut.

Choose

Edit > Cut to remove the selected component and its associated subcomponents from the product structure window.

You can also click the

Cut on the toolbar to perform the cut operation.

The cut components are added to the clipboard when you perform the cut operation.

Please note: If you are cutting components from open product structures, you can choose to remove lock files for such components by assigning a value to the variable

CA_DEL_LOCK_ON_CUT

in the epdconn.ini

file.

• Set the value of this variable to 0 to disable the removal of lock files. This is the default setting.

EPD.Connect User Guide 3-9

Creating and Editing a Product Structure Tree

Editing the Tree Structure

• Set the value of this variable to 1 to remove lock files during the cut operation.

If you perform the paste or the undo operations using this setting, the cut nodes are pasted back to the active product structure in the read-only mode.

Select the component to which you want to add components from the clipboard.

Choose the components on the clipboard that you want to paste. If the clipboard is not displayed, choose

Window > Clipboard

Choose

Edit > Paste to paste the components selected in the clipboard to the component selected in the Product Structure window.

You can also click

Paste on the toolbar to perform the paste operation.

Please note: EPD.Connect automatically increments the instance number of pasted components that have the same class name as other components.

Copying Components

Copying the components places them in the clipboard without removing them from the Product Structure window.

Select the components you want to copy.

Choose

Edit > Copy

. The clipboard appears, displaying the copied components.

You can also click

Copy

on the toolbar to perform the copy operation.

When a compressed node is cut or copied to clip board, it is in the clipboard in uncompressed mode. When you paste from the clipboard to the product structure, it is always done in uncompressed/compressed mode depending upon the compressed state set in the environment.

3-10 EPD.Connect User Guide

Creating and Editing a Product Structure Tree

Editing the Tree Structure

Copying and Pasting from the Data Browser

To copy components from the Data Browser and place them in the clipboard,

Select the components you want to copy.

Press the right mouse button in the Data Browser and choose

Copy

from the pop-up menu. The clipboard appears, displaying the copied components.

Please note: The copied components will be added as child components to the root node of the clipboard. If you have copied an assembly node on the clipboard, it is displayed with an arrow indicating that the node can be expanded further. A component node is displayed with a square.

Select the component in the Product Structure to which you want to add components from the clipboard.

Choose the components on the clipboard that you want to paste. If the clipboard is not displayed, choose

Window > Clipboard

Choose

Edit > Paste to paste the components selected in the clipboard to the component selected in the Product Structure window.

You can also click

Paste on the toolbar to perform the paste operation.

EPD.Connect User Guide 3-11

Creating and Editing a Product Structure Tree

Editing the Tree Structure

Please note:

The components from the clipboard are pasted as child components in the

Product Structure.

If you have pasted an assembly node in the Product Structure, you can expand the node by,

• Selecting the node and choosing

File > Open.

• Saving the Product Structure, closing it, and opening it again and choosing

Expand References > All

Undoing and Restoring Previous Editing

To restore the state before the last edit choose

Edit > Undo

You can also click

Undo on the toolbar to perform the undo operation.

Please note: This command affects only cut

and paste

actions. It cannot undo a swap or reorder action. It also cannot change or edit component attributes.

To reinstate the effect of the last edit action you performed before choosing the

Undo command, choose

Edit > Redo

You can also click

Redo on the toolbar to perform the undo operation.

Swapping Component Positions

You can swap the positions of two components attached to the same parent.

Select the two components you want to interchange.

Choose

Edit > Swap Components

You can also click

Swap components on the toolbar to perform the swap operation.

3-12 EPD.Connect User Guide

Creating and Editing a Product Structure Tree

Editing the Tree Structure

Reordering Components

You can reorder components in the following ways:

• By positioning a component above or below another component.

• By sorting components in ascending or descending order.

Positioning Components

You can position a component above or below another component if both components are attached to the same parent.

Select the component you want to reposition on the tree.

Choose

Edit > Reorder Components

Position.

The Position dialog box opens.

You can also click the

Position icon on the toolbar to perform the same operation.

The selected component is automatically entered in the

Component1

field.

Select the second component (whose position determines the repositioning of the first).

Select one of the following options:

•

Above

— Places Component1 above Component2.

•

Below

— Places Component1 below Component2.

Click

Apply

to reorder the components.

EPD.Connect User Guide 3-13

Creating and Editing a Product Structure Tree

Editing the Tree Structure

Sorting Components

You can sort components attached to the same parent in ascending or descending order.

Choose

Edit > Reorder Components > Sorting. T he Sort dialog box opens.

You can also click

Sort

on the toolbar to perform the same operation.

Please note: At this point, selections in the Product Structure window are cleared. The previous selections are restored after the sort or if you click

Cancel

3-14

Select the components to be sorted. The names of the selected nodes appear in the

Selected Nodes

field. The name of the parent node appears in the

Parent field.

Please note:

• If you select nonconsecutive components, only the selected components are sorted. The position of other components is not changed.

• In the Assembly mode, if you sort components of a reference assembly of which there are multiple instances in the same structure, then the sort is reflected on all instances of the reference assembly.

EPD.Connect User Guide

Creating and Editing a Product Structure Tree

Editing the Tree Structure

Select one of the following options:

•

Asc

— Sorts the nodes in ascending order.

•

Desc

— Sorts the nodes in descending order.

Click

Apply

to sort the components.

EPD.Connect User Guide 3-15

Creating and Editing a Product Structure Tree

Setting Global Attributes

Global attributes are common assembly attributes, any of which can be applied to a component in the assembly. To add, change, or delete global attributes:

Select the component whose attributes you want to edit.

Choose

Edit > Global Attribute to open the Global Attribute Edit window.

3-16

Select an

Option setting, as follows:

•

Add/Change

— Adds a new attribute to the pool or changes the values of the attribute.

•

Delete

— Deletes the attribute from the pool.

Enter the details of the new attribute in the

Attribute

field. Optionally, enter a value for the attribute in the

Value

field.

You can select an attribute or value from the drop-down list by clicking on the buttons adjacent to the

Attribute

and

Value

fields. For information on defining attributes and values externally, refer to “Defining Assembly Attributes and Values

Externally” on page 2-17.

Select a

Type

for the attribute, either

Instance

Class

Part names consist of a class level and an instance level separated by an underscore (_).

EPD.Connect User Guide

Creating and Editing a Product Structure Tree

Setting Global Attributes

Enter a group name in the

Group

field. LINK is the standard attribute group that is available in the drop-down list.

All the attributes are unique based on their name and type. Attributes can also have a group name which is optional that makes them unique. Namely, the same attribute can exist in different groups.

If you are working with reference assemblies, all the attributes that belong to the group LINK are available even after the assemblies are expanded.

Click

to make the changes.

Copying Instance Attributes

You can specify whether the instance attributes must be copied to the new instance that you have created during the copy and paste operations by setting values to the variable

CA_COPY_INSTANCE_ATTR

as shown below:

• If the value of this variable is set to 0, instance attributes are not copied to the new instance. This is the default.

• If the value of this variable is set to 1, instance attributes are copied to the new instance.

EPD.Connect User Guide 3-17

Creating and Editing a Product Structure Tree

Setting Revision Levels

Setting Revision Levels of a Component

You can set the revision level of a component reference on the product structure tree to agree with the revision level of the corresponding component in the database.

Select the component.

Choose

Edit > Set Revisions

Changing the Revision Levels of a Component

You can change the revision level of a tree component to give it a revision level that is different from the corresponding component in the database. To do this,

Select the component.

Choose

Edit > Unset Revisions

3-18 EPD.Connect User Guide

Chapter 4

Customizing the Product

Structure Tree Window

This chapter explains how to control the way components in a product structure tree are displayed.

• Selecting and Displaying Components

• Setting the Component Display Rules

• Defining the Display State for TIM Components

• Saving Display States

• Restoring Display States

• Compressing a Display Structure

• Browsing for Components

• Creating and Clearing Display Conditions

EPD.Connect User Guide 4-1

Customizing the Product Structure Tree Window

Selecting and Displaying Components

This section explains how to set and display the components in a product structure tree.

Setting the Component Selection

You can determine the selection mode for tree components. To do this:

Choose

View > Control

. The Selection Control dialog box opens.

4-2

The Selection Control dialog box controls both the Product Structure and the

Information Browser windows.

Select a

Tree State

option:

•

Single —

This setting allows you to select only one component at a time.

Selecting another component automatically deselects the previously selected component.

You can also click the

Single icon on the toolbar to perform the same operation.

•

Multi

and

Node —

This allows you to select an unlimited number of components.

You can also click the

Multi Node icon on the toolbar to perform the same operation.

EPD.Connect User Guide

Customizing the Product Structure Tree Window

Selecting and Displaying Components

•

Multi

and

Subassy —

This allows you to select an unlimited number of subcomponents. In addition, you can automatically select all the children of a parent by selecting the parent.

You can also click the

Multi Subassy icon on the toolbar to perform the same operation.

Select a

Browser State option.

Select a

Compress Nodes

option to specify if the node is Uncompressed or compressed.

Select a

Scroll Report

option:

•

Yes

— The Report Viewer scrolls to the component selected in the Product

Structure window. For more information, see “Printing and Displaying

Reports” on page 2-39.

•

— The Report Viewer does not scroll to a component selected in a

Product Structure window. This is the default.

Click

Apply.

Please note: If you have opened more than one Product Structure window with the product structure configuration, the options that you select for the Tree

State, the Browser State, the Compress Nodes, and Scroll Report are applied to all the Product Structure windows when you click

Apply

Setting Component Text Display

You can add attribute information to display components on the product structure tree. The original state of the component information is stored with the tree and can be easily restored to the display.

EPD.Connect User Guide 4-3

Customizing the Product Structure Tree Window

Selecting and Displaying Components

Add component attribute information to the tree display as follows:

Choose

View > Component Text

. The Component Text Display dialog box appears.

4-4

Choose either

Component

Structure

(or both) for the type of

Edit

Click an attribute in the

Attribute

list to display it in the

Component and/or

Structure fields. Repeat for each attribute you want displayed. Each attribute you select is appended to the text.

Please note: The default delimiter between attributes is a space. Use the

Delimiter

field to specify a different delimiter, such as an underscore (_).

Click

Apply

to display the attribute information on the product structure tree.

The length of each component is determined by the length of its attribute text string.

Click

Reset

to restore the original settings in this window.

Click

Default

to reinstate the default settings.

Click

Clear to clear the current information from all components. Click

Apply to blank out all the components.

Please note: If more than one Product Structure window with the product structure tree is open, the component attribute information is added to all the tree configurations when you specify the required Component Text Display options and click

Apply

EPD.Connect User Guide

Customizing the Product Structure Tree Window

Selecting and Displaying Components

Setting the Component Text Font

You can determine the text font that labels tree components in the Product

Structure window, Structure Overview window, and the Clipboard window. The fonts available depend on the platform and graphics window system. They are held in a text file on the system.

To set the font:

Choose

View > TreeFont Customizer

. The Tree Font Customizer dialog box opens.

Select a font from the list.

Specify the window to which it applies.

Click

Apply

Please note: If more than one Product Structure window with the product structure tree is open, the text font that you choose is applied to the active product structure when you choose

Main

and click

Apply

EPD.Connect User Guide 4-5

Customizing the Product Structure Tree Window

Setting the Component Display Rules

EPD.Connect lets you sort and display tree components based on the criterion specified such as part name, revision, or component attribute. The system searches for components that match the specified criteria. Depending on the visibility rules set up, it displays the results:

• Color-coded component access indicators to flag components that match search criteria.

This is useful when you need to distinguish characteristics such as a part’s status or release date.

• Highlighted components that match the search criteria.

This is useful when you need to distinguish a set of components having the same feature.

• Hiding components that match the search criteria. Components are hidden according to a set of predefined visibility rules.

Please note: The procedure for creating display rules is similar in each of the

Access, Highlight, and Visibility Rules command windows.

Creating Access Indicator Rules

Access indicators are located at the right end of the tree components. The color of the access indicator of a component corresponds to a specified attribute value.

Components having a common attribute value are displayed with identically colored access indicators.

4-6

In the above figure, all instances of class spokes

that are associated with a particular material are color coded with a black access indicator.

EPD.Connect User Guide

Customizing the Product Structure Tree Window

Setting the Component Display Rules

To define rules that determine the color coding of access indicators:

Choose

View > Access. The

Access Rules window opens.

Please note: If an access indicator is subject to more than one rule, the most recent rule overrides previous rules.

In the

Action

field, select

Add

In the

Color

field, select a color.

In the

Attribute

list, select an attribute.

Use the Edit Assembly Component Attribute window to assign the attributes.

EPD.Connect User Guide 4-7

Customizing the Product Structure Tree Window

Setting the Component Display Rules

In the

Test

column, select a test character.

Table 4-1 Test Characters

Options

> like

!like

Description

less than numeric value less than or equal to (numeric) equal to (alpha or numeric) not equal to (alpha or numeric) equal to or greater than (numeric) greater than (numeric values) like; permits the use of a wildcard unlike; permits the use of a wildcard

Enter a parameter for the access rule in the

Value field.

The

Value

field represents an arbitrary value against which to compare each attribute.

Enter a descriptive name for the rule in the

Key

field. This name is reflected in the Color Key window accessed by choosing

Window > Indicator Key

In the

Ignore Case

field, select an option to specify whether or not you want the parameter in the

Value

field to be case sensitive.

Click

Apply

to create the rule.

Click

Access to apply the rule to the tree components.

Click

Clear

to remove color coding from the component access indicators.

If more than one Product Structure window with the product structure tree is open, the access rules that you apply are reflected only in the active product structure.

When you activate another product structure, only the display of the product structure is refreshed and not the access rules.

Please note: You can save access rules to a template and recall them when required. For more information, refer to “Creating a Display Rules Template” on page 4-17.

4-8 EPD.Connect User Guide

Customizing the Product Structure Tree Window

Setting the Component Display Rules

Changing a Rule

To change an existing rule:

Select the rule you want to change from the data display list.

The data associated with the rule appears in the appropriate fields. It is highlighted in red.

In the

Action

field, select

Change

Modify the appropriate fields as required to change the rule.

Click

Apply

to change the rule and to display the modified version in the display list.

Click

Access

to make the change on the component tree.

Deleting a Rule

To delete an existing rule:

Select the rule from the data display list.

In the

Action

field, select

Delete.

Click

Apply

Click

Reset t o clear all the rules in the list.

Selecting Components by the Access Indicator

To select all product structure components with the same access indicator:

Choose

View

Select

Color

. The Color Selection dialog box opens.

Click the color you would like to select in the product structure.

Click

. All components with the same access indicator are selected.

EPD.Connect User Guide 4-9

Customizing the Product Structure Tree Window

Setting the Component Display Rules

Creating Highlighting Rules

You can define highlighting rules that determine which components are highlighted on the currently displayed component tree.

For each rule, you can define one or more attribute characteristics as selection criteria. All tree components sharing common characteristics are highlighted with a colored box outline. The default highlight color is red.

To define a new highlighting rule, follow these steps:

Choose

View > Highlight

to open the Highlight Rules window. The current highlighting rules are listed in the display area at the top of the window.

4-10 EPD.Connect User Guide

Customizing the Product Structure Tree Window

Setting the Component Display Rules

In the

Operator

field, choose an operator. The following operators are available:

•

AND

— This is the default. When more than a single rule is defined, this operator combines the rules and highlights the nodes that satisfy all the rules.

•

— When more than a single rule is specified, this operator combines the rules and highlights the nodes that satisfy any of the rules.

Please note: You can combine two or more rules using either the

AND

or the

operator. However, you cannot combine the rules using both the

AND

and the

operator.

In the

Action

field, select

Add

From the

Attribute

list, select the attribute you want to use for the test.

From the

Test

column, select the appropriate operator in the test field. See page 4-8 for a brief description of each option.

Choose an attribute option:

•

Value

— Defines a rule for a given value of the selected attribute.

•

Attribute

— Defines a comparison between two attributes.

Click

Apply

to create the rule.

Click

Highlight

to apply the rule to the component tree. The message line displays the total number of components highlighted, including the number highlighted as a result of the new query.

The highlighting is applied to the components that satisfy the applied rules in the list (applied as the Boolean operator

AND

). In addition, any components already highlighted by a previous action remain highlighted.

To remove the highlighting from the displayed tree, click

Clear or choose

Clear >

All Highlight

from the menu bar.

Please note: The procedure for changing or deleting a highlight rule is the same as described for changing or deleting an access rule. For more information, refer to “Changing a Rule” on page 4-9.

You can save highlight rules to a template and recall them as needed. For more information, refer to “Creating a Display Rules Template” on page 4-17.

EPD.Connect User Guide 4-11

Customizing the Product Structure Tree Window

Setting the Component Display Rules

Highlighting by Value

The following procedure highlights bicycle tire components that have been assigned the attribute pressure

Click

Value

(the initial default).

From the

Attribute

list select pressure

In the

Test

column select

In the

Value

field specify

60 psi

Click

Apply

to create the rule.

Click

Highlight

to highlight tire components associated with the attribute pressure

and having a value of

60 ppi

Highlighting by Attribute

You can query the component tree to compare attribute and highlight components having attributes that satisfy the comparison criteria. This allows you to perform the following comparisons:

• Test two selected attributes of the same component.

• Test a component attribute against an attribute of the parent of the component.

• Test an attribute of the subassembly of the component.

4-12 EPD.Connect User Guide

Customizing the Product Structure Tree Window

Setting the Component Display Rules

To define a comparison between two attributes, follow these steps:

In the Highlight Rules window, select the

Attribute

option for the test method.

A second attribute list is displayed in the same window.

EPD.Connect User Guide 4-13

Customizing the Product Structure Tree Window

Setting the Component Display Rules

In the

Operator

field, choose an operator. The following operators are available:

•

AND

— This is the default. When more than a single rule is defined, this operator combines the rules and highlights the nodes that satisfy all the rules.

•

— When more than a single rule is specified, this operator combines the rules and highlights the nodes that satisfy any of the rules.

Choose an

Action

button. The actions that can be performed are:

•

Templates

— Displays Rules templates.

•

Add

— Adds a new Rule.

•

Change

— Allows you to edit an existing rule.

•

Delete

— Removes an existing rule.

Select the attribute to which you are applying a comparison in the attribute list on the left.

Select a test option. See page 4-8 for a brief description of each operator.

Select an attribute from the attribute list on the right.

Select the type of component to which the test applies:

•

Component

— Tests two attributes of the same component.

•

Parent

— Tests an attribute of a component against an attribute of its parent.

•

Assembly

— Tests an attribute of a component against an attribute of its subassembly.

Click

Apply

to create the attribute comparison rule.

Click

Highlight

to apply the rule to the product structure.

For example, the preceding screen image shows that the user is asking

EPD.Connect to highlight the components where either the cost is greater than the planned cost or the weight is less than the planned weight.

Creating Display Rules

You can define display rules that determine which components are displayed or hidden on the component tree. For each rule, you can define one or more attribute characteristics as selection criteria. When you apply the rule, components having attributes that match the criteria are hidden on the component tree.

4-14 EPD.Connect User Guide

Customizing the Product Structure Tree Window

Setting the Component Display Rules

To define component visibility rules, follow these steps:

Choose

View > Visibility to open the Visibility Rules window. The current list of visibility rules is listed in the data display area at the top of the window.

EPD.Connect User Guide 4-15

Customizing the Product Structure Tree Window

Setting the Component Display Rules

In the

Operator

field, choose an operator. The following operators are available:

•

AND

— This is the default. When more than a single rule is defined, this operator combines the rules and hides the nodes that satisfy all the rules.

•

— When more than a single rule is specified, this operator combines the rules and hides the nodes that satisfy any of the rules.

In the

Action

field, select

Add

Select the attribute you want to use for the test in the

Attribute

list.

Select a test option in the

Test

column. Refer to step 5 on page 4-8 for a brief description of each operator.

Select a

Test By

attribute option:

•

Value

— Defines a rule for a given value of the selected attribute.

•

Attribute

— Defines a comparison between two attributes.

Click

Apply

to create the rule.

Click

Visibility

to apply the rule to the product structure tree.

Components that satisfy the attribute value or comparison are hidden from the display.

The hide function is applied to the components that satisfy the applied rules in the list (applied with the Boolean operator

AND

). In addition, any components hidden by a previous action also remain hidden.

Please note: The procedure for changing or deleting a visibility rule is the same as described for changing or deleting an access rule.

Click

Clear

or select

Clear > All Hidden

to redisplay the hidden components.

You can save highlight rules to a template and recall them as needed.

Example

The following steps have the effect of hiding all components that have been modified since they were last read out from the Vault.

Select

Attribute

to display a compare list of attributes.

Select

READ_TIME

from the attribute list on the left.

Select the less than or equal to

Operator

(

4-16 EPD.Connect User Guide

Customizing the Product Structure Tree Window

Setting the Component Display Rules

Select the attribute

MODIFY_TIME

from the attribute list on the right.

Select

Component

Click

Apply

Creating a Display Rules Template

If you use a particular set of rules on a regular basis, save them to a template. You can apply the template to any currently displayed product structure tree.

The procedure for creating a rules template is the same for Access, Highlight, and

Visibility rules:

Select

Templates

in the

Action field. The Action rules window displays the current list of templates.

EPD.Connect User Guide 4-17

Customizing the Product Structure Tree Window

Setting the Component Display Rules

Click

Save

. The Save Template dialog box opens.

Enter a name for the template.

Select an Overwrite option.

Click Save to save the template in the Access, Highlight, or Visibility Rules templates directory and to display it in the templates list.

Please note: If you assemble several rules in the top scroll list, they are all saved as one template.

Retrieving a Template

To retrieve a template:

Click

Templates

Select the template you want from the template list.

Click

Apply to display the template rules.

Click

Access

Highlight

Visibility

to apply the template rules to the component tree.

Select a different

Action

option to return to the main display area.

4-18 EPD.Connect User Guide

Customizing the Product Structure Tree Window

Defining the Display State for TIM Components

When you are working with components whose nodes are associated with TIM parts or assemblies, use the TIM data from the TIM assembly when you define the highlight, the visibility, and the access rules for these components. Assign the following values to the attribute

TIM-FLAG

Table 4-2 Values for the TIM-FLAG Attribute

Value

Results

Non-TIM objects, namely only CADDS/CAMU objects, will be marked for defining the highlight, the visibility, and the access rules. Other applications like PS,

Pro/ENGINEER parts or assemblies are ignored.

TIM parts and assemblies will be marked.

Any other value than those assigned does not affect the TIM components.

EPD.Connect User Guide 4-19

Customizing the Product Structure Tree Window

Saving Display States

You can save all the highlighting, visibility, access, and selected states you have assigned to components in a product structure.

To save these states to a file:

Choose

View > Save State.

The Save State dialog box opens.

4-20

The default directory is as shown. To change this default, use the

CA_STATES environment variable.

Enter a file name in the

Filename

field.

Select an Overwrite option:

• Yes — Overwrite the current version of the file by the same name.

• No — Does not overwrite the current version of the file by the same name.

Select one or more display states:

Table 4-3 Display State Options

Options Description

Highlighted Saves the state of highlighting on the tree structure.

Saves the state of the access indicators on the components.

Access

Visible

Selected

Saves the state of the visibility of components.

Saves the state of the selected components.

Click

Apply

Please note: If more than one Product Structure window with a product structure tree is open, the display state is saved only for the active product structure tree.

EPD.Connect User Guide

Customizing the Product Structure Tree Window

Restoring Display States

To restore a display state previously assigned to tree components and saved, follow these steps:

Choose

View > Restore State

to open the Restore State dialog box.

Select the state file name from the list.

Click Apply .

Please note: If more than one Product Structure window with the product structure tree is open, the display state is restored only for the components of the active product structure tree.

EPD.Connect User Guide 4-21

Customizing the Product Structure Tree Window

Compressing a Display Structure

A product structure consists of components in the form of nodes. There are two types of nodes:

• Reference nodes

• Normal nodes

A product structure may have many levels. Each level consists of reference nodes, normal nodes or a combination of both.

If there are a large number of components, it becomes difficult to view the product structure and to locate a particular node or a segment of the product structure.

Please note: There may be many nodes which are identical, but all are displayed. The number of such nodes is very high at the ends.

Compress node is only for viewing. There are two options used for this purposes:

• Uncompress Node

• Compress Node

Uncompressed Node

The uncompressed node is the one which is not compressed. By default, a tree is opened in uncompressed mode. The following figure shows all nodes in uncompressed mode.

Figure 4-1 Product structure in uncompressed mode

4-22 EPD.Connect User Guide

Customizing the Product Structure Tree Window

Compressing a Display Structure

Compressed Node

A node is called compressed if only one copy of identical node is shown along with number of nodes. Compression is done on a node if there are more than one identical node to the same parent at the same level, having no children.

The selected node specifies the node to be compressed needs to replaced by a single node for display purposes. After compression of one node ( ref_node_1

), the product structure tree appears as shown below.

Figure 4-2 Product structure with node ref_node_1 compressed

After compression of the whole tree (root node), the product structure appears as shown below.

Figure 4-3 Product structure with the entire tree compressed

In the above figure, the children of ref_node, node_1

and node_2

are compressed because they are end/leaf node. The nodes attached to sec_node_1 are not compressed even though they are identical. This is because they are not leaf nodes.

Compression is not done for reference nodes. If all the children of ref_node_1 in the figure are reference nodes, then it will not be compressed even after you perform compression.

EPD.Connect User Guide 4-23

Customizing the Product Structure Tree Window

Compressing a Display Structure

Example: Screws in an Assembly

These nodes remain as end nodes with no components added to them.Typically, a screw does not have any components attached to it. So it is not necessary to see all the nodes. You may want to see only one of a particular variety. You prefer to see only one screw and its number rather than viewing all the components.

Compressed node enhances viewing by showing only one node in place of many identical end/leaf nodes.

Advantages

• Compress node improves viewing of the product structure.

• You can open the product structure in compressed or uncompressed mode.

• You can open the product structure even if the whole structure is not compressed/uncompressed.

• Steps 1 through 3 are achieved in product structure file format without any changes.

• It improves the visibility of the CM structure.

• You can compress or uncompress a partial or a whole tree in the product structure window by selecting the nodes independently.

• This is an independent functionality within EPD. Connect and does not block any other functionality or command available in EPD.Connect.

Limitations

Compress node is applicable to only end/leaf nodes at the same level that are attached to the same parent.

Compress node is not applicable to the reference nodes.

4-24 EPD.Connect User Guide

Customizing the Product Structure Tree Window

Browsing for Components

Locating components or a sequence of related components in a very large tree can be difficult using only the main product structure window. The Browse

Configuration panel allows you to navigate large trees to view designated components in the main window or in the Overview window.

The Browse facility is particularly useful when used in conjunction with the

Component Status or Compare Status panels. By opening these panels and leaving them displayed while browsing the tree, you can check the attribute information for each component as it is located.

To browse for components, follow these steps:

Choose

View > Browser

to open the Browse Configuration window.

Select a browse option:

Table 4-4 Browsing Options

Options Description

By Name Locates components by name. You can enter the name or choose from the drop-down list of components in the tree.

Highlighted

Locates highlighted components.

Compare

Same

Compare

Different

Compare

New

Locates components that are the same by comparing it with tree configurations stored in the database.

Locates components that are different by comparing them with tree configurations stored in the database.

Locates components that are new by comparing them with tree configurations stored in the database.

EPD.Connect User Guide 4-25

Customizing the Product Structure Tree Window

Browsing for Components

Select one of the

Display Window

options.

•

Main

— to display results in the main Product Structure window.

•

Overview

— to display results in the Structure Overview window.

Choose

Window > Structure Overview to open the Structure Overview window.

In the following example, a highlight rule was applied to a group of components, and then the browser was used to display those components in the

Structure Overview window.

4-26 EPD.Connect User Guide

Customizing the Product Structure Tree Window

Browsing for Components

To sequentially scroll the display to each component in the group you are browsing, select one of the following options:

Table 4-5 Scrolling Options

Options Description

Next Scrolls the display to the next component in the group being browsed.

Scrolls the display to the previous component in the group being browsed.

Goto

Moves the display to the position of the nth component in the browse sequence. For example, if a highlight display rule highlights 15 components scattered throughout a large tree, and you specify GOTO 9, the browse facility goes to the ninth component of the 15 highlighted components.

Please note: As the display moves around the configuration, the current component number is shown in the

Messages

field.

EPD.Connect User Guide 4-27

Customizing the Product Structure Tree Window

Creating and Clearing Display Conditions

This chapter has discussed a variety of ways to create and clear display conditions for product structure tree components. This section summarizes the display operations you can perform by selecting the options in the View and Clear menus.

View Menu

The following table explains the operations you can perform with the View menu, along with pointers to sections where they are explained in detail.

Table 4-6 Display Command Options

To Create this Display

Condition:

Single or multiple component selection.

Determine attribute information to display on tree components.

Determine the text font that labels tree components in the product structure window, the Tree Overview window, and the Clipboard window.

Save all the highlighting, visibility, access, and selected states you have assigned to components in a tree structure.

Restore a display state previously assigned to tree components and saved.

Compress a display structure.

Choose this Command: For Details Refer to:

Control “Setting the Component

Selection” on page 4-2

Component Text

“Setting Component Text

Display” on page 4-3

TreeFont Customizer

“Setting the Component

Text Font” on page 4-5

Save State

Restore State

Compress

“Saving Display States” on page 4-20

“Restoring Display States” on page 4-21

Uncompress a display structure.

Uncompress

“Compressing a Display

Structure” on page 4-22

“Compressing a Display

Structure” on page 4-22

“Creating Access Indicator

Rules” on page 4-6

Create color-coded component access indicators to flag components that match search criteria.

Define highlighting rules that determine which components are highlighted on the currently displayed component tree.

Define visibility rules that determine which components are hidden from the displayed tree.

Navigate the tree by specified criteria.

Highlight all selected components.

Access

Highlight

Visibility

Browser

Select > Highlight ed

“Creating Highlighting

Rules” on page 4-10

“Creating Display Rules” on page 4-14

“Browsing for Components” on page 4-25

4-28 EPD.Connect User Guide

Customizing the Product Structure Tree Window

Creating and Clearing Display Conditions

Table 4-6 Display Command Options (Continued)

To Create this Display

Condition:

Highlight all nonselected components.

Choose this Command: For Details Refer to:

Select > Not

Highlighted

Select > To Root

Highlight all the components that have a direct link to a selected component.

Select all components with the same access indicator color.

Select all highlighted components.

Component selection mode must be set to multiple.

Select all components that are not highlighted. Component selection mode must be set to multiple.

Hide all selected components. A subassembly is only hidden if all its components are hidden.

Hide all components that are not selected.

Identify the common parent component for a group of selected components by selecting the parents.

Identify the common parent component for a group of highlighted components by highlighting the parents.

Trace the inter-component links from a selected component to the root component. Traced lines are changed to a distinctive color.

Select

Color “Selecting Components by the Access Indicator” on page 4-9

Highlight > Selected

“Hiding Components” on page 2-14

Highlight > Not

Selected

Hide > Selected

Hide > Not Selected

Link > Selected

Link > Highlighted

Trace Selected

EPD.Connect User Guide 4-29

Customizing the Product Structure Tree Window

Creating and Clearing Display Conditions

Clear Menu

The Clear menu provides options for clearing the display selections made with the

View menu. The following table briefly explains the operations you can perform with the Clear menu.

Table 4-7 Clear Menu Options

To Create this Display Condition:

Deselect all selected components.

Choose this Command:

All Selected

Turn off linking to common parent components.

Turn off highlighting (colored outline) from all components.

Redisplay all hidden components.

Reset component text color coded by a compare operation to default black text on blue background.

Reset access indicator colors to the default.

All Links

All Highlight

All Hidden

All Compare

All Access

Apply all reset options in one operation. All access indicators and selected, highlighted, linked, and hidden components are reset to the default display state.

All Flags

Remove the highlighting only from those components that are both selected and highlighted.

Selected Highlight

Redisplay components that are selected and also hidden. Selected Hide

Please note: If more than one Product Structure window with a product structure tree is open, you can use the clear menu options only on the active product structure.

4-30 EPD.Connect User Guide

Chapter 5

Using the 3D Viewer

This chapter explains how to use the 3DViewer. The 3D Viewer provides basic visualization of simple tessellated files that you create from any 3D CAD system.

• About 3D Viewer

• Setting the Viewer Session

• Setting the View

• Setting the Camera

• Measuring Distance

• Rendering

• Moving the Camera

• Setting the Working Units

• Selecting and Scrolling

• Selecting Application Objects

• Display Menu

• Exiting the 3D Viewer

EPD.Connect User Guide 5-1

Using the 3D Viewer

About 3D Viewer

The 3D Viewer allows you to perform tasks upon the graphical depiction of the product.

To start the 3D Viewer:

Choose

Tools > 3D Viewer from the EPD.Connect menu bar. The 3D Viewer window opens, displaying a main graphics window with a row of icons beneath it.

The icons are shown in the following figure.

Choose an operation by clicking the corresponding icon.

Mouse Behavior

The mouse operations that you can perform in the 3D Viewer are as follows:

Operation

Turn

Your Action

Tools selection Point to the item you want to select and click the left mouse button.

Rotation Drag with the right mouse button.

Zoom

Drag with the right mouse button while pressing the Shift key.

Drag with the right mouse button while pressing the

Control

key.

5-2 EPD.Connect User Guide

3D Viewer Operations

The following list of icons and their associated operations refers you to sections in this guide that contains detailed information about each operation.

Icon Action

Create a new session

Using the 3D Viewer

About 3D Viewer

See:

“Creating a New Session” on page 5-5

Open a graphics file

Reset the primary view

“Opening a Graphics File from the 3D Viewer” on page 5-5

“Resetting the Primary View” on page 5-7

Set the primary view “Setting a New Primary View” on page 5-7

View all components in the scene “Viewing All Components” on page 5-7

Zoom the view

Set the camera position

Set the camera target

“Zooming” on page 5-7

“Setting the Camera Position” on page 5-8

“Setting the Camera Target” on page 5-8

Set the camera position and target “Setting the Camera Position and Target” on page 5-8

Measure the distance from the camera to a point

“Measuring Distance from Camera to Point” on page 5-9

Measure the distance between two points

“Measuring Distance Between Two Points” on page 5-9

Set the rendering controls “Rendering” on page 5-11

Move the camera in an angular and linear direction

“Moving the Camera” on page 5-13

Set the working units “Setting the Working Units” on page 5-16

EPD.Connect User Guide 5-3

Using the 3D Viewer

About 3D Viewer

Icon Action

Select a graphic in the 3D Viewer window to scroll to and select the associated items in the product structure tree

Select a CADDS component or an application object in the 3D viewer window.

See:

“Selecting and Scrolling” on page 5-18

“Selecting Application Objects” on page 5-19

5-4 EPD.Connect User Guide

Using the 3D Viewer

Setting the Viewer Session

To use the 3D Viewer, create a session and add geometry to it.

Creating a New Session

To create the initial and additional sessions, click the icon for creating a new session.

When you create a new session, all data from the current session and the 3D

Viewer window is cleared.

Opening a Graphics File from the 3D Viewer

To add geometry to your session, open one or more graphics files. To open a graphics file:

Click the icon for opening a graphics file. The Graphics File Selection dialog box opens.

EPD.Connect User Guide 5-5

Using the 3D Viewer

Setting the Viewer Session

Specify the name, location, and format of the graphics file you want to open:

Field/Option

Name

Description

The name of the graphics file

Directory The location of the graphics file

File Mode MF

Metafile

GAF Textual graphic file

GBF

_TD

Binary graphic file

Tessellated file

Opening a Graphics File from the Product Structure

Window

The Product Structure window and the 3D Viewer are linked dynamically. To display the graphics file of a part:

Select the part in the Product Structure window.

Choose

Display > Load

from the EPD.Connect menu bar. The geometry is displayed in the 3D Viewer.

Please note: You cannot open a MEDUSA model in the 3D Viewer. A

MEDUSA model is a MEDUSA- generated object and not a

.gbf

file that can be opened in the 3D Viewer.

For a discussion of manipulating other MEDUSA-generated objects in

EPD.Connect, see Chapter 10, “Using the EPD Interface for MEDUSA.”

5-6 EPD.Connect User Guide

Using the 3D Viewer

Setting the View

You can control the view of the 3D scene. You can:

• Reset the primary view.

• Set a new primary view.

• Set the view so that you see all components in the scene.

• Zoom into an area of the scene to have a close-up view.

Resetting the Primary View

The primary view is the initial view displayed when you add your first graphics file. It is a fixed view and you can return to it as you manipulate the 3D scene.

Click the icon to reset the current view of the 3D scene to the primary view.

Setting a New Primary View

To set a new primary view, display the scene that you want as your primary view.

Then click the icon for setting the primary view.

Viewing All Components

To view all the components in the scene, click this icon. The components are centered and placed within the limits of the graphics window.

Zooming

You can define a rectangular area to be a close-up view of the 3D scene. This allows you to enlarge an area to work on it. To zoom a selected area:

Click the zooming icon.

Move the pointer into the graphics window.

Digitize two boundary points.

EPD.Connect User Guide 5-7

Using the 3D Viewer

Setting the Camera

The camera lens encompasses all that you see in the 3D scene. The camera position is your eye point. The camera target point is located at the center of the

3D Viewer window at a depth that you specify.

You can set the camera position, camera target, or both.

Setting the Camera Position

To set a new position for the camera:

Click the icon for setting the camera target.

Move the pointer into the graphics window.

Digitize a point.

The camera moves to that new point.

Setting the Camera Target

To set a point around which the orbit tools will operate:

Click the icon for setting the camera target.

Move the pointer into the graphics window.

Digitize a point.

The 3D scene conforms to the new camera target.

Setting the Camera Position and Target

To set a new camera position and camera target:

Click the icon for setting the camera position and target.

Move the pointer into the graphics window.

Digitize the camera position point and target point.

5-8 EPD.Connect User Guide

Using the 3D Viewer

Measuring Distance

You can measure the distance from the camera position to a selected point in the

3D scene and measure the distance between two points in the 3D scene.

The distance between two points is measured by:

• The straight line distance (calculated from vertex to vertex)

• The delta xyz distances (expressed as the xyz component parts of the straight line distance).

Measuring Distance from Camera to Point

To measure the distance between the camera and a point:

Click the icon.

Move the pointer into the graphics window. The 3D viewer prompts you:

Measure Distance From Camera To Item:

Digitize a vertex point...

Digitize a point.

A digitize marker snaps to the nearest vertex. The following message is displayed:

Distance to selected item = distance

The distance displays in working units (such as inches, feet, or miles). See

Setting the Working Units for information about setting working units.

Measuring Distance Between Two Points

To measure the distance between two points:

Click the icon.

Move the pointer into the graphics window. The 3D Viewer prompts you with the following:

Measure Distance Between Items:

Digitize first vertex point...

Digitize the first point.

EPD.Connect User Guide 5-9

Using the 3D Viewer

Measuring Distance

A digitize marker snaps to the nearest vertex. The 3D Viewer prompts you with the following:

Measure Distance Between Items:

Digitize second vertex point...

Digitize the second point. The following message appears:

Distance between items = distance

dx = distance, dy = distance, dz = distance

The distance between the points is the straight line distance and is calculated in working units (such as feet, miles, or meters).

The dx, dy, and dz distance is the delta xyz distance.

5-10 EPD.Connect User Guide

Using the 3D Viewer

Rendering

You can control the rendering of the 3D scene using the Render Controls window.

Click the Render icon. The Render Controls dialog box opens.

Rendering Methods

The following rendering methods are available to enable you to generate a realistic

3D scene:

•

Wire Frame

— Displays all surface edges of the 3D scene as lines, regardless of the visibility of the lines.

•

Hidden Line

— Displays a solid view of the 3D scene, with black polygon edges.

•

Flat Shading

— Displays a shaded solid view of the 3D scene, with the edges between the polygons visible.

•

Smooth Shading

— Displays a smooth shaded solid view of the 3D scene.

Polygons that are defined as shells in the graphic files are displayed so that you do not see the edges between them.

EPD.Connect User Guide 5-11

Using the 3D Viewer

Rendering

Back Facing Polygons

Specify the display or removal of back facing polygons:

•

Display

— Includes the polygons facing the back in the display.

•

Remove

— Removes, from the display, polygons facing the back that you normally cannot see.

Please note: The removal of back facing polygons works well when the objects are completely closed. However, if objects contain holes or openings, the back facing polygons that you ordinarily see through the openings are invisible.

Display Buffering

Set the display buffering to single or double, as follows:

•

Single

— Displays each item as it is rendered.

•

Double

— Displays items only after they are all completely rendered. This provides a more realistic view during such operations as camera or item traversal and any walk-through operations.

Please note: For a more realistic view, use double buffering when performing such operations as camera or item traversal and any walk-through operations.

5-12 EPD.Connect User Guide

Using the 3D Viewer

Moving the Camera

You can move the camera in an angular or linear direction. Set the direction of the camera by selecting tools from the Tools palette. Click the Tools icon to open the

Tools palette.

Moving the Camera in an Angular Direction

The orbit tools enable you to move the camera position in an angular direction.

What you see when you use the orbit angle tools is relative to the camera target. To change the camera target:

Click the icon for setting the camera target.

Select a new target point in the 3D Viewer window.

Please note: You cannot orbit upside-down.

Set the number of degrees that the camera position orbits using the Orbit Angle slider scale. For more details on setting units, see “Setting the Working Units” on page 5-16.

EPD.Connect User Guide 5-13

Using the 3D Viewer

Moving the Camera

The orbit tools are:

Orbit Left

enables you to orbit the camera position to the left around the vertical axis of the 3D scene.

Orbit Right

enables you to orbit the camera position to the right around the vertical axis of the 3D scene.

Orbit Over enables you to orbit the camera position over the vertical axis of the

3D scene.

Orbit Under

enables you to orbit the camera position under the vertical axis of the 3D scene.

Moving the Camera in a Linear Direction

The move tools enable you to move the camera position in a linear direction. Set the number of units that the camera position moves using the Move Distance slider scale. For more details on setting units, see “Setting the Working Units” on page 5-16.

The move tools are:

Move Up enables you to move the 3D scene up relative to the coordinate system of the graphics window.

Move Down

enables you to move the 3D scene down relative to the coordinate system of the graphics window.

Move Left

enables you to move the 3D scene left relative to the coordinate system of the graphics window.

Move Right

enables you to move the 3D scene right relative to the coordinate system of the graphics window.

5-14 EPD.Connect User Guide

Using the 3D Viewer

Moving the Camera

Move Forward

enables you to move the 3D scene forward relative to the coordinate system of the graphics window. If you move beyond the camera target, a new camera target is automatically set.

Move Back

enables you to move the 3D scene back relative to the coordinate system of the graphics window. Each time you click the button, you move away from the 3D scene and more of the scene comes into view.

EPD.Connect User Guide 5-15

Using the 3D Viewer

Setting the Working Units

Click the icon for setting the work units. The Preference Controls dialog box opens.

5-16

Select the required

Working Units

. You can work in different units by setting the working units (inches, feet, or miles).

When you perform 3D Viewer operations, all calculations are displayed in the selected working units. Set your working units in the Preference Controls window.

EPD.Connect User Guide

Using the 3D Viewer

Setting the Working Units

In the lower half of the Preference Controls window are two slider scales for

Move Distance

and

Orbit Angle

• Use the

Move Distance

slider scale to set the number of units you want to move the camera position in a linear direction. For more information see

“Moving the Camera in a Linear Direction” on page 5-14.

• Use the

Orbit Angle

slider scale to set the number of degrees you want to move the camera position in an angular direction. For more information, see

“Moving the Camera in an Angular Direction” on page 5-13.

EPD.Connect User Guide 5-17

Using the 3D Viewer

Selecting and Scrolling

You can scroll to items in the product structure tree that are associated with a particular graphic component displayed in the 3D Viewer window. To do so:

Click the icon for selecting and scrolling in the 3D Viewer window.

Select a graphic component.

In the Product Structure window, the product structure tree scrolls to and selects the items associated with the graphic component you selected.

Running Custom Reports

You can select, scroll, and run a custom report for a component displayed in the

3D Viewer. To do so:

Specify the value

to the variable

PVS_SELECT_SCROLL_REP

in the explorer.ini

file.

Set the variable

CA_ENV_REPORT to one of the following to specify the type of the custom report that you want to run:

•

CA_ENV_REPORT

=’

LOOKUP

:< number

>’

The report is fetched from the lookup.rep

file. < number

> is the number of the report to be run.

•

CA_ENV_REPORT

=’

ACTION

[Report type]\t[Tree data wanted]\t[Program]

’

The report is fetched based on the action that you specify. For details of

[

Report type

], [

Tree data wanted

], and [

Program

] see the details of

Action Number 6500 in Customizing EPD.Connect.

Start EPD.Connect and open the required product structure in the 3D Viewer.

Click the icon for selecting and scrolling in the 3D Viewer.

Click on the component in the 3D Viewer. A custom report appears as per the

CA_ENV_REPORT

variable settings that you have defined.

5-18 EPD.Connect User Guide

Using the 3D Viewer

Selecting Application Objects

You can select a CADDS component or an application object in the 3D Viewer window. To do so:

Click the icon for selecting masks in the 3D Viewer window. The Selection

Masks dialog box opens.

Use the

Graphics File

option to select a CADDS component in the 3D Viewer.

This is the default option.

Use the

Item

option to select a required application object in the 3D Viewer.

EPD.Connect User Guide 5-19

Using the 3D Viewer

Display Menu

The EPD.Connect Display menu allows you to perform the following tasks:

• Load components from the product structure tree into the 3D Viewer

• Delete components from the 3D Viewer

• Convert CADDS parts to graphic files

• Manipulate the view of an object by removing and hiding components

• Apply highlighting, transparency, and colors to components displayed in the

3D Viewer

• Setting display methods for polygons

The Display menu lists the following options:

Display Menu Option

Load

Delete

Convert

Show

Hide

Select

Deselect

Highlight

Transparency

Color

Options

Action

Loads components in the product structure tree into the 3D Viewer.

Deletes components from the 3D Viewer.

Converts parts to graphic files.

Displays components selected or highlighted in the product structure tree.

Hides components selected or highlighted in the product structure tree.

Selects components selected in the product structure tree.

Deselects components selected in the product structure tree.

Highlights components highlighted in the product structure tree.

Shows components selected or highlighted in the product structure tree as transparent.

Resets the colors of components selected or highlighted in the product structure tree to their original colors. Also, shows components in indicator colors or sets the color of all components to white.

Instructs the 3D Viewer to display polygons as shell or flat polygons.

5-20 EPD.Connect User Guide

Using the 3D Viewer

Display Menu

Loading Tree Components into the 3D Viewer (Load)

You can load components shown in the product structure tree into the 3D Viewer.

The

Load

menu commands are as follows:

Load Menu Option

All

Selected

Highlighted

Only Selected

Only Highlighted

Action

Load all components in the product structure tree into the 3D Viewer.

Load components selected in the product structure tree into the 3D

Viewer.

Load components highlighted in the product structure tree into the 3D

Viewer.

Load components currently selected in the product structure tree and remove previously loaded components.

Load components currently highlighted in the product structure tree and remove previously loaded components.

Deleting Components from the 3D Viewer (Delete)

You can delete the components in the product structure tree from the 3D Viewer.

The

Delete

menu commands are:

Delete Menu Option Action

All

Delete all displayed components from the 3D Viewer. This provides a fresh display window into which components can be loaded.

Selected

Delete all components that correspond to the selected components in the product structure tree.

Highlighted

Delete all components that correspond to the highlighted components in the product structure tree.

Converting CADDS Parts to Graphic Files (Convert)

You can convert CADDS parts to graphic ASCII (

) or graphic binary (

.gbf

) files and then perform operations on them in the 3D Viewer. The

Conversion

menu commands for converting CADDS parts to graphic files are:

Convert Menu Option Action

All

Selected

Convert all parts to graphic files.

Convert selected parts to graphic files.

Highlighted

Convert highlighted parts to graphic files.

EPD.Connect User Guide 5-21

Using the 3D Viewer

Display Menu

Showing Components (Show)

The options for displaying components affect only the 3D Viewer and its data state. The

Show

menu options are:

Show Menu Option Action

All Displays all components in the 3D Viewer, regardless of their current state.

Selected

Displays components currently selected in the product structure tree while retaining previously displayed components.

Highlighted

Displays components currently highlighted in the product structure tree while retaining previously displayed components.

Only Selected

Displays components currently selected in the product structure tree and removes previously displayed components.

Only Highlighted Displays components currently highlighted in the product structure tree and removes previously displayed components.

Hiding Components (Hide)

Most of the options for hiding components displayed in the 3D Viewer operate on components that are selected or highlighted in the product structure tree. The

Hide options are:

Hide Menu Option Action

All

Selected

Highlighted

Hides all components displayed in the 3D Viewer. This is used with other options, as described in Using the Display Options — Examples

Hides components currently selected in the product structure tree while previously hidden components remain hidden.

Hides components currently highlighted in the product structure tree while previously hidden components remain hidden.

Only Selected

Hides components currently selected in the product structure tree.

Only Highlighted Hides components currently highlighted in the product structure tree.

5-22 EPD.Connect User Guide

Using the 3D Viewer

Display Menu

Selecting Components (Select)

You can select components, incrementally and non-incrementally, in the 3D

Viewer. The

Select

menu options are:

Select Menu Command Action

Selected Selects components currently selected in the product structure tree while retaining components already selected.

Only Selected

Selects components currently selected in the product structure tree and deselects previously selected components.

Incrementally Selecting Components in the 3D Viewer

You can incrementally select the components in the 3D Viewer. To do so, perform these steps:

In the product structure tree, select components you want selected in the 3D

Viewer.

Choose

Display> Select > Selected

The components you have selected in the product structure tree are selected in the 3D Viewer. Components already selected in the 3D Viewer remain selected.

Selecting Components in the 3D Viewer

To select specific components in the 3D Viewer:

In the product structure tree, select the components you want selected in the 3D

Viewer.

Choose

Display > Select > Only Selected

The components you have selected in the product structure tree are selected in the 3D Viewer. The components previously selected in the 3D Viewer are deselected.

The following figure shows the handle and seat components selected in the product structure tree and the wheel component selected in the 3D Viewer.

EPD.Connect User Guide 5-23

Using the 3D Viewer

Display Menu

Figure 5-1 Starting State

If you apply

Select >Only Selected to this example, the handle and seat components are selected in the 3D Viewer and the wheel is deselected. The result is shown in the following figure.

Figure 5-2 Ending State

5-24

Deselecting Components (Deselect)

You can incrementally deselect components and deselect all components in the 3D

Viewer. The Deselect menu options are:

•

All

— Deselects all components currently selected in the 3D Viewer.

•

Selected —

Deselects components selected in the product structure tree.

Choose

Display > Deselect > All

to deselect all components selected in the 3D

Viewer.

EPD.Connect User Guide

Using the 3D Viewer

Display Menu

Incrementally Deselecting Components in the 3D Viewer

To incrementally deselect components in the 3D Viewer:

Select, in the product structure tree, components you want deselected in the 3D

Viewer.

Choose

Display > Deselect > Selected

The components you have selected in the product structure tree are deselected in the 3D Viewer. Components already selected in the 3D Viewer that are not selected in the structure tree remain selected.

Highlighting Components (Highlight)

You can apply highlighting to the components in the 3D Viewer. The Highlight menu options are:

Menu Command

Selected

Highlighted

Only Selected

Action

Highlights, in red in the 3D Viewer, components selected in the product structure tree and leaves the color of other components unchanged.

Highlights, in red in the 3D Viewer, components highlighted in the product structure tree and leaves the color of other components unchanged.

Resets all components in the 3D Viewer to their original color and highlights in red the components selected in the product structure tree.

Only Highlighted Resets all components in the 3D Viewer to their original color and highlights in red the components highlighted in the product structure tree.

Highlighting the Selected Components

To highlight in red all components selected in the product structure tree, while leaving the color of other components unchanged, choose

Display > Highlight >

Selected.

Please note: Select

Color All White

before using this option. You will easily see the highlighted (red) components in the 3D Viewer.

Highlighting the Components Incrementally

You can highlight all components in red in the 3D Viewer that are highlighted in the product structure tree and leave the color of other components unchanged. To do this, choose

Display > Highlight > Highlighted. Color All White is useful when used with this option.

EPD.Connect User Guide 5-25

Using the 3D Viewer

Display Menu

Highlighting Only Selected Components

To reset all components displayed in the 3D Viewer to their original color and highlight in red the components selected in the product structure tree:

In the product structure tree, select only the components you want to see highlighted in the 3D Viewer.

Choose

Display > Highlight

Only Selected

The selected components are highlighted in the 3D Viewer.

Highlighting Only Highlighted Components

You can reset all components displayed in the 3D Viewer to their original color and highlight in red only the components highlighted in the product structure tree.

To do this, choose

Display > Highlight > Only Highlighted.

Applying Transparency (Transparency)

To apply transparency to the components in the 3D Viewer, select from the following commands:

Menu Command Action

Selected

Highlighted

Shows components selected in the product structure tree as transparent in the 3D Viewer but leaves the appearance of other components unchanged.

Shows components highlighted in the product structure tree as transparent in the 3D Viewer but leaves the appearance of other components unchanged.

Only Selected

Resets all components in the 3D Viewer to their original color and applies transparency to the components selected in the product structure tree.

Only Highlighted

Resets all components in the 3D Viewer to their original color and applies transparency to the components highlighted in the product structure tree.

5-26 EPD.Connect User Guide

Using the 3D Viewer

Display Menu

Resetting Colors (Color)

To reset the colors of the components in the 3D Viewer, choose one of the following

Reset Color

commands:

Menu Command

Reset All

Action

Resets the colors of all components in the 3D Viewer to their original colors.

Reset Selected

Reset Highlighted

Resets the colors of all components highlighted in the product structure tree to their original colors in the 3D Viewer.

From Indicators

Shows components in the 3D Viewer in indicator colors.

To activate indicator colors, you must choose

View > Access

from the product structure menu and adjust the selections on the Access dialog box. See the Product Structure User Guide for instructions on how to set up the Access dialog box.

All White

Resets the colors of all components selected in the product structure tree to their original colors in the 3D Viewer.

Sets the color of all components in the 3D Viewer to white before using

Highlight

and

Transparency

options to make highlighted and transparent components easier to see.

Please note: If you choose

Color > All White

before using the highlight and transparency options, you will more easily see the highlighted (red) components in the 3D Viewer.

Displaying Polygons (Options)

You can display polygons as either shell or flat polygons in the 3D Viewer. A shell polygon is a network of interconnected polygons that share common points and result in a unit typically called a polyhedron. Shell polygons can be smooth shaded by the 3D Viewer. However, flat polygons cannot. A flat polygon requires a minimum of three points to define a plane.

To display polygons, use one of the following two options:

Menu Command

Load Shell

Polygons

Load Flat

Polygons

Action

Instructs the 3D Viewer to display polygons as shell polygons. Shell treatment improves rendering but system performance is slower than with flat. This setting remains in effect until reset.

Instructs the 3D Viewer to display polygons as flat polygons.

Flat treatment gives better system performance but poorer rendering.

This default setting remains in effect until reset. This option is reversed by

Load Shell Polygons

EPD.Connect User Guide 5-27

Using the 3D Viewer

Display Menu

Using the Display Options — Examples

By selectively viewing and hiding components, you can focus on specific areas of an object. Many of the options for displaying components in the 3D Viewer are used with other options. Examples of the ways you can use these options follow.

Displaying Selected Components

The

Show > Selected

option is often used with the

Hide > All

option to display only selected components, as follows:

In the product structure tree, select the components you want selected in the 3D

Viewer.

Choose

Display > Select > Selected

Choose

Display > Hide > All

All components displayed in the 3D Viewer will now disappear.

Choose

Display > Show > Selected

Only the selected components appear.

Displaying Highlighted Components

The

Show > Highlighted

option is often used with

Hide > All

to display only highlighted components, as follows:

In the product structure tree, select the components you want selected in the 3D

Viewer.

Choose

Display > Select > Selected

Choose

Display > Hide > All

All components displayed in the 3D Viewer will now disappear.

Choose

Display > Show > Highlighted

Only the highlighted components appear.

5-28 EPD.Connect User Guide

Hiding Only Selected Components

The

Hide > Only Selected

option is often used with

Hide > All

to hide only selected components, as follows:

In the product structure tree, select the components you want to hide in the 3D

Viewer.

Choose

Display > Select > Selected

Choose

Display > Hide > Only Selected

Only the components not selected appear.

Using the 3D Viewer

Exiting the 3D Viewer

To exit the 3D Viewer, click

Exit

in the lower right corner of the 3D Viewer window.

EPD.Connect User Guide 5-29

Chapter 6

Clash Detection and Zoning

This chapter tells you how to use the EPD.Connect clash detection and zoning capabilities. The following topics are discussed:

• Detecting Clashes

• Zoning

EPD.Connect User Guide 6-1

Clash Detection and Zoning

Detecting Clashes

Clash detection allows you to compute in batch mode, the components from a selection made in the product structure that clash each other.

The input data is as follows:

• Tessellation data associated to a model.

• Component orientation from the product structure. The symmetry flag of each instance if defined, is used to mirror the tessellation data.

Clash detection routine transforms the tessellation data according to the specified orientation data associated to the selected components.

You can interrogate the system on the proximity of parts and components by performing clash detection on them. There are two types of clash detections.

• Hard clash — It calculates the physical clashes between selected components.

• Soft clash — It detects the clearance between components and is particularly useful for determining clearance fits between components.

To perform clash detection do the following:

Select the components in the product structure tree on which you want to perform a clash detection.

Choose

Tools

Clash Detection. T he Interference Detection window opens.

6-2 EPD.Connect User Guide

Clash Detection and Zoning

Detecting Clashes

The

Hard clash

option is selected by default.

Select the type of

Clash

detection you want to apply to the components:

Table 6-1 Clash Detection Options

Clash options

Hard Clash

Show as Clash

Show as Contacts

Exclude Contacts

Contact Tolerance

Units (CM, MM, IN)

Soft Clash

Soft Clash Tolerance

Units (CM, MM, IN)

Description

Calculates the actual (physical) clashes between the components you have selected.

Detects hard clashes between the components you have selected. The contact tolerance

(see below) has no effect on this type of clash. Components that are physically interfering with other components (clash), as well as those components that are touching (contact), are reported as a hard clash regardless of the contact tolerance you have set. No distinction is made between clashes and contacts. Both are reported as clashes. This is the default.

Calculates contacts within the contact tolerance. A distinction is made between clashes and contacts. Components that are touching are reported as contacts. Components that are physically interfering are reported as clashes.

Calculates contacts occurring within the contact tolerance but does not report them. Use this option when you do not want contacts reported.

Sets the allowable deviation. You can specify a tolerance for each application of clash detection.

Specifies the tolerance units as centimeters (CM), millimeters (MM), or inches (IN). The default is centimeters.

Checks for proximity between components based on the soft clash tolerance you have set.

Sets the allowable deviation. Any distance smaller than this value is considered proximate but not necessarily a clash.

Specifies the proximity tolerance units as centimeters (CM), millimeters (MM), or inches

(IN). The default is centimeters.

Select the

Select

options.

Table 6-2 Select Options

Select Option

Clash:All vs. All, Sel vs.

Sel, Sel vs. Hig, Sel vs

All

Type: CADDS Parts

GBF Files

, or

GAF Files

Using: Geometry

Extents Attr

, or

Extents

Description

All vs All

performs clash detection on all the components, checking each component against all the other components, without any components needing to be selected.

Sel vs Sel

checks for clashes between the selected components.

Sel vs High

checks for clashes between the selected components and the highlighted components.

Sel vs All checks for clashes between the selected components and all the other components.

Type of file upon which you want clash detection performed: CADDS part, .

gbf file, or

gaf

file.

Geometry uses the tessellation data for the CADDS parts to calculate the clashes. This method is the most accurate but gives the worst system performance.

Extents Attr

uses the part extents for all components having an attribute added. This method provides both good accuracy and good system performance.

Extents

always uses the part extents. This method provides the best system performance but the poorest accuracy.

EPD.Connect User Guide 6-3

Clash Detection and Zoning

Detecting Clashes

Table 6-2 Select Options (Continued)

Select Option

Report: First Clash

All Clashes

Description

First Clash

reports only the first calculated clash for a given component.

All Clashes

reports all clashes for a given component.

Click

Apply

to perform the clash detection based on your selections.

Click

Cancel

to cancel and exit from clash detection.

Please note: If more than one Product Structure window with the product structure tree is open, clash detection is performed on the components of the product structure that was active before opening the Interference Detection window.

Viewing Clash Detection Results

The results of clash detection are indicated by the indicator color of a component in the product structure tree and by the color applied to the corresponding component. Descriptions of the colors used for hard clash and soft clash are described in the following section.

Hard Clash Detection

The colors used for showing the results of hard clash detection are as follows:

• Gold — A contact has occurred.

• Red — An actual clash has occurred.

• Green — No clashes have occurred.

Soft Clash Detection

The color used for showing the results of soft clash detection is as follows:

• Yellow — A clash has occurred.

• Green — No clashes have occurred.

6-4 EPD.Connect User Guide

Clash Detection and Zoning

Detecting Clashes

Reporting Clash Detection Results

A Report Viewer window displays the clash detection results. The window opens after the clash detection is completed.

For more information on the Report Viewer window, see “Printing and Displaying

Reports” on page 2-39.

You can print the report or save it to a file.

EPD.Connect User Guide 6-5

Clash Detection and Zoning

Zoning

A zone is an encapsulated region of an assembly used to detect clash areas. Zones are created as boxes or cylinders. You can select previously created zones and activate them. Zones are shown in red.

Zoning identifies the component that belongs to a selected zone by detecting which components clash in the selected zone (represented as a nonoriented component, for example, component positioned in global space).

Please note: There is no plane to apply a symmetry to a zone.

The environment variable

CVDPA_ZONES_DIR

in the

.explorer

file points to the directory where the zones are stored. If the directory does not exist, or if the environment variable is not set,

CVDPA_ZONES_DIR is set to

$HOME/zones and a subdirectory called

$user_name/_bcd is created. The newly created zones are stored in this subdirectory.

Activating Zones

To select and activate previously created zones and to use them to perform interference checking, do the following:

Select

Tools > Zoning.

The Highlight Components By Zone Dialog box opens.

6-6

It lists all the zones that have been created.

EPD.Connect User Guide

Clash Detection and Zoning

Zoning

In the

Available Zones

area, select a zone by clicking on it.

Click one of the following

•

Add

— Adds the selected zone to the list in the

Selected Zones

area.

•

Remove

— Removes selected zones from the

Selected Zones

list.

•

Remove All

— Removes all zones from the

Selected Zones

list.

•

Visualize —

Displays the selected zone, allowing you to examine the zone.

•

Clear —

Removes all zones.

EPD.Connect User Guide 6-7

Clash Detection and Zoning

Zoning

In the

Highlight Components

area, select one of the following options:

Table 6-3 Highlight Components Options

Option

Models

All

Description

Selected

Highlights all the nodes in the product structure tree that clash with the selected zones.

Highlights only those nodes selected in the product structure tree that clash with the selected zones.

Type

CADDS Parts

GBF Files

Using

Geometry

Type of file used for clash detection.

Extents Attr

Extents

Uses polygon (box or cylinder) zones when checking for interference. This method is the most accurate but system performance is the slowest.

Uses the part extents for all components in the product structure tree that have an attribute added. This method provides better system performance than

Geometry

and better accuracy than

Extents

Draws boxes around components and performs interference checking using these boxes. This provides less accuracy, but better system performance.

Zones

Merged

Separate

Creates one zone from all activated zones.

Creates separate zones.

Transparency

Enabled

Disabled

Creates transparent zones.

Creates solid zones.

Click

Apply

to start the clash detection process.

6-8 EPD.Connect User Guide

Chapter 7

Working with Vault Data

This chapter tells you how to use the Data Browser window to query the Vault for listings of data. It also describes how to transfer data between the local disk and the

Vault. The following topics are discussed:

• The Data Browser Window

• Using the Database Menu Options

• Using the Vault Menu Options

• Obtaining Information from the Vault

• Working with Vault Data Using the Information Browser

EPD.Connect User Guide 7-1

Working with Vault Data

The Data Browser Window

EPD.Connect provides a comprehensive facility for searching and listing information about data stored locally and in the Vault. It also allows you to access and update this information. This option is contained within the Data Browser window.

Using the Data Browser, you can do the following:

• Transfer data between your local disk and the Vault.

• Search and list information without opening a configuration tree in the Product

Structure window.

• Save and export the results of a search. Refer to “Saving the Query Results” on page 7-46 for more information.

• Work interactively with the files and the tree structure, along with the Product

Structure window.

To open the Data Browser, choose

Window > Data Browser from the

EPD.Connect menu bar, or click the Data Browser icon.

To customize the field headings in the Data Browser, set appropriate values to the following variables in the epdconn.ini

file:

•

CA_DESCR_LABEL=<description>

•

CA_UTYPE_LABEL=<user type>

•

CA_STYPE_LABEL=<system type>

•

CA_GTCODE_LABEL=<GT code>

•

CA_PARTNO_LABEL=<part number>

7-2 EPD.Connect User Guide

Figure 7-1 Data Browser Window

Working with Vault Data

The Data Browser Window

Accessing the Vault

You can gain access to the Vault by performing the signon procedure. The

Vault tab appears in the Data Browser after a successful signon to the Vault. Choose

Database > Signon

and specify the appropriate information in the signon dialog box.

EPD.Connect User Guide 7-3

Working with Vault Data

Using the Database Menu Options

This section explains how you can work with Vault data using the options available in the

Database

menu. The

Database

menu allows you to interrogate the Vault for information about data stored there. This data includes the product structures, component parts, assemblies, and other product-related data. You can also read and process review procedures for Vault data.

You can perform the following actions with the Database menu options

Table 7-1 Database Menu Options

Menu Option

Signon

Queries

Where Used

Action

Allows you to sign on to the Vault database.

See page 7-5.

Application Defaults

Lists default directories by application. See page 7-6.

Database Defaults Sets default behaviors for database transfers. See page 7-7.

Vault

Deferred Status

Accesses the Vault menu, that provides the options to interact with the Vault. See page 7-3.

Reports on the status of deferred Vault transfer requests. See page 7-9.

Allows you to query the Vault database for information.

Finds where a component is used. Select only from the product structure window. See page 7-10.

Shows messages received. See page 7-13.

Read Messages

Send Messages

Change Password

Refresh DOD

Signoff

Sends messages to other users. See page 7-11.

Changes Optegra user password. See page 7-14.

Refreshes the Distributed Object Directory. See page 7-14.

Signs off from the Optegra database. See page 7-5.

Please note: If more than one Product Structure window is open, you can use the Database menu options only on the active product structure.

7-4 EPD.Connect User Guide

Working with Vault Data

Using the Database Menu Options

Vault Signon and Signoff Procedures

To sign on to Vault, follow the steps given below:

Choose

Database > Signon.

The Signon to the Vault dialog box opens.

Enter your

User Name

Password

, and

Vault Server

name. If multiple vaults are configured, choose one from the drop-down list.

To revert to your default system user name, password, and Vault server, click

Reset

Click

Signon

to sign on to Vault.

A message indicating the status of the sign on procedure is displayed in the

EPD.Connect message field.

To sign off from the Vault, choose

Database > Signoff

. On signoff, the Data

Browser window switches to Local mode, and a successful signoff message is displayed in the EPD.Connect message field.

EPD.Connect User Guide 7-5

Working with Vault Data

Using the Database Menu Options

Viewing Application Directories

To identify the default Create and Read directories set for you by your system administrator, do the following:

Choose

Database > Application Defaults

. The Application Defaults information window opens.

Select an application from the drop-down list. The default Create and Read directories are displayed.

Please note: You can view this information without signing on to the Vault.

7-6 EPD.Connect User Guide

Working with Vault Data

Using the Database Menu Options

Setting Vault Access Defaults

To set defaults for Vault access, follow these steps:

Choose

Database > Database Defaults

. The Database Defaults dialog box opens. It displays the default information specified for the user in the

EDM.DEFAULTS

file.

Enter the

User Name

and select appropriate options.

EPD.Connect User Guide 7-7

Working with Vault Data

Using the Database Menu Options

Customize your interactions with the Vault using the

Yes and

options:

•

Deferred Transfer

—

Yes

allows you to specify a delayed time for commands to be processed by the Vault. This is required for submitting many commands in batch mode.

To report on the status of deferred transaction requests, choose

Database

> Deferred Status

causes commands to be processed immediately.

•

Overwrite on GET

— Determines whether or not to overwrite the current version of a file by the same name on the local disk when you use the

Get command.

•

Overwrite on READ

— Determines whether or not to overwrite the current version of a file by the same name on the local disk when you use the

Read command.

Invoking Database Transfer Actions

When you select a data item from the list displayed in the Data Browser window

(or when you select a component in the product structure tree) and then select a database transfer action (such as

Read Specific Rev

), the Vault Transfer Requests window opens.

7-8

You can stack several items into this window, then click

Apply

to invoke the transfer requests all at one time. This action loads the transfer requests into a batch processor.

Please note: This window can also be opened by choosing

Window >

Transfer Requests

EPD.Connect User Guide

Working with Vault Data

Using the Database Menu Options

Transferring Data and Starting Applications

When you transfer a file from the Vault, you can immediately start the application to display or edit the component being transferred by Setting

Launch App.

Yes

You can also launch applications associated with a component from the Product

Structure window. For a description of how to do so, and of how to set up component or the application associations, see “Launching Applications” on page 2-51.

Deferred Vault Transactions

To obtain a report on the status of any deferred Vault transaction, choose

Database > Deferred Status

to open the

Deferred Status

dialog box.

Any pending transactions are listed here.

EPD.Connect User Guide 7-9

Working with Vault Data

Using the Database Menu Options

Searching for a Component

You can determine which configuration trees contain a particular item, such as an assembly, a part, or a file. For example, after finding a defective part, you could select it in the current tree, then search all trees stored in the Vault for the item. To search, follow these steps:

If you know where a component on a displayed tree is used, select it and proceed to step 3. If you do not know, proceed to step 2.

Choose

Database > Where Used

to open the Where Used dialog box.

7-10

If you selected a component on a displayed tree, its name and revision are displayed in the

Item Name

and

Revision

fields. Otherwise, enter the information in the appropriate fields.

Please note: In addition to the components selected from the Product

Structure window, the

Item Name field also displays the name of any application object selected from the Data Browser. However, if a Product Structure window with an active configuration is open, preference is given to that product structure selection. In such cases, close the active configuration in the Product Structure window to reflect the item name of the application object selected from the Data

Browser.

EPD.Connect User Guide

Working with Vault Data

Using the Database Menu Options

In the

Expand Levels

field, select the search level.

Table 7-2 Expand Levels Options

Option

All

Level

Description

Searches the tree with all child components fully expanded.

Specifies the number of levels of referenced assemblies to search. The default is 1.

In the

Query Attributes Data

field, specify whether to retrieve attribute data from the local disk, from the Vault, or from both.

Click

Where Used

to start the search. If no revision is specified, the search looks for all occurrences of the item.

The currently displayed tree structure is stored in local memory and replaced in the Product Structure window by a routing tree.

The routing tree structure shows the component as the root component. An attribute, quantity

, is associated with the components in the routing tree. This holds a value that defines the number of times the specified item appears in that assembly. The new tree shows the component routing from the queried item in reverse. Thus, each configuration using the item is identified as the lowest subcomponent level on each leg of the new tree structure. The original tree can subsequently be retrieved from local memory by choosing

File > Memory

Sending and Responding to Messages

This section explains how to perform the following tasks:

• Send messages to other Vault users.

• Read messages sent to you.

• Respond to messages requiring your response.

EPD.Connect User Guide 7-11

Working with Vault Data

Using the Database Menu Options

Sending Messages to Other Users

To send messages of a general nature to other users, follow these steps:

Choose

Database > Send Messages to open the Send Message dialog box.

Specify the recipients of your message using one of the following methods:

• Click

User

and type the user’s name, or choose the name from the drop-down list.

• Click

List and type the name of a previously created list, or choose one from the drop-down list.

Type your message in the message box. You can type any message up to 240 characters.

Click

Apply

to send the message to the designated users.

7-12 EPD.Connect User Guide

Working with Vault Data

Using the Database Menu Options

Reading Messages

When you read messages, you respond to them by voting your approval or disapproval of a request for a review or a release.

Choose

Database > Read Messages

to open the Read Messages window.

Enter the number of a message in the

Go To

field.

Click

Go To

to read the message.

Use the

and

buttons to access the messages that are displayed in the message area.

Responding to Messages: follows:

Use the buttons on the right to act on a message, as

•

— Opens the Reply Message dialog box, which lets you reply to the displayed message by typing in a message area.

•

Respond

— Opens the Respond Review dialog box. Use this option only to respond to a Request Review message with an approval or rejection. See

“Responding to Reviews” on page 7-30 for more information.

•

Delete

— Deletes the displayed message.

•

Send

— Opens the Send Message dialog box (same as choosing

Database >

Send Messages

•

Refresh

— Checks to see if more messages have arrived since you opened the

Read Messages dialog box.

EPD.Connect User Guide 7-13

Working with Vault Data

Using the Database Menu Options

Changing the Vault User Password

Authorized EPD.Connect users can change their Vault signon password as follows:

Choose

Database > Change Password

. The Change Password dialog box opens.

7-14

Enter your old and new passwords into the appropriate fields. Repeat the new password in the

Confirm Password

field.

Click

Change

to change your password. If an error message appears in the

EPD.Connect message line, click

Reset to clear the input fields and repeat the operation.

Refreshing the DOD

During an EPD.Connect session, if a Distributed Object Directory goes offline, your system administrator can switch to an alternate online DOD. For more information see “Switching the DOD” on page B-9 .

Please note: Switching a DOD affects your session only if in the

Database

Database Defaults

, the

Remote

option in the

Vaults to Query

field is selected. For more information on the Database Defaults dialog box, refer to

“Setting Vault Access Defaults” on page 7-7.

EPD.Connect User Guide

Working with Vault Data

Using the Database Menu Options

Refreshing the DOD Manually

To check for a DOD switch, select

Database

Refresh DOD

. If a switch has been made, the DOD settings for the active session are refreshed.

Refreshing the DOD Automatically

To detect a switch automatically, set the value of the

DOD_SWITCH_TIME variable to one of the following settings in epdconn.ini

•

DOD_SWITCH_TIME=0

A check for a DOD switch is carried out for every query to a remote Vault in the

Data Browser.

•

DOD_SWITCH_TIME= value_in_seconds

A check for a DOD switch occurs when the value_in_seconds is greater than or equal to the difference in time since the last check and the time of the current query to a remote Vault. For example, if 900 is the specified value_in_seconds

, then a check is carried out when you query a remote Vault only if 15 or more minutes have elapsed since the last check for a DOD switch.

•

DOD_SWITCH_TIME=-1

The check for a DOD switch is disabled.

EPD.Connect User Guide 7-15

Working with Vault Data

Using the Vault Menu Options

The

Vault menu allows you to use Vault commands to manipulate Vault data in the

Data Browser window. You can perform the following actions using the following

Vault menu options

Table 7-3 Vault Menu Options

Menu Option

Get Latest Rev

Signout

Read Specific Rev

Update

Replace

Reset

Store

Copy

Change Attributes

Edit Attributes

Refresh Attributes

Change Revision

Change Status

Request Review

Respond to Review

Mark for Archive

Mark for Delete

Unmark

Unregister

Unsubscribe

Distribute

Info

Action

Copy the latest revision of a Vault item to a local directory.

Lock a Vault item to prevent modification by others. See page 7-17.

Copy a specific revision of the Vault item to a local directory without locking it in Vault. See page 7-17.

Copy the current version of an item to the Vault but leave it locked for your use only. See page 7-17.

Move an item back to the Vault and unlock it. See page 7-18.

Unlock a Vault item that is signed out without signing it back in. See page 7-18.

Store a local item in the Vault as a new item. See page 7-18.

Create a copy of a Vault item. See page 7-22.

Change the attributes of a Vault item. See page 7-23.

Edit the attributes of a Vault item. See page 7-24.

Refresh the attributes of a Vault item.

Change the revision of a Vault item. See page 7-25.

Change the status of a Vault item. See page 7-25.

Request a review (an R type Vault message) for a Vault item. See page 7-26.

Respond to a review (an N Type Vault message) for a Vault item. See page 7-30.

Mark a Vault item to archive. This leaves the object in place until an operation performs a delete

Vault command.

Mark a Vault item to delete. This leaves the object in place until an operation performs an archive Vault command.

Remove archive or delete file markers.

Make an object accessible to users on other Vaults. See page 7-34.

Remove a Vault registration. See page 7-35.

Associate an object with an event and a notification action. See page 7-36.

Delete a subscription. See page 7-39.

Distribute an object to remote Vaults. See page 7-39.

Display information about a Vault item. See page 7-40.

7-16 EPD.Connect User Guide

Working with Vault Data

Using the Vault Menu Options

Signing Out Vault Items

To lock a Vault item to prevent other users from accessing it,

Select the item that you want to lock.

Choose

Database

Vault

Signout

. The request is transferred to the Vault

Transfer Requests dialog box.

Select the item to be locked and click

Apply

. If the item cannot be locked, the

Audit/Transaction Log window opens with the error message.

Copying Vault Items to the Local Directory

To copy a specific revision of the Vault item to a local directory without locking it in Vault,

Select the item of the specific revision that you want to copy to the local directory.

Choose

Database

Vault

Read Specific Rev

. The request is transferred to the Vault Transfer Requests dialog box.

Select the Vault item to copy and click

Apply

. If the item cannot be copied, the

Audit/Transaction Log window opens with an error message.

Updating Vault Items

To copy an item of the current revision to Vault and update it,

Select the item that you want to update.

Choose

Database

Vault

Update

. The request is transferred to the Vault

Transfer Requests dialog box.

Select the Vault item to update and click

Apply

. If the item cannot be updated, the Audit/Transaction Log window opens with an error message.

EPD.Connect User Guide 7-17

Working with Vault Data

Using the Vault Menu Options

Replacing Vault Items

To move a Vault item back to the Vault database and unlock it,

Select the item that you want to move back and unlock.

Choose

Database

Vault

Replace

. The request is transferred to the Vault

Transfer Requests dialog box.

Select the Vault item that you want to move and click

Apply

. If the item cannot be moved back, the Audit/Transaction Log window opens with the error message.

Unlocking Vault Items

To unlock a Vault item that is signed out,

Select the item that you want to unlock.

Choose

Database

Vault

Reset

. The request is transferred to the Vault

Transfer Requests dialog box.

Select the Vault item that you want to unlock and click

Apply

Storing Items in Vault

Using the

Store

options on the

Database

Vault

menu, you can store single or multiple items in the Vault at one time.

Storing a Single Item

To store a single item in the Vault,

Click

Refresh

in the Data Browser to update the item list.

Select the item you want to store in the Vault.

7-18 EPD.Connect User Guide

Working with Vault Data

Using the Vault Menu Options

Choose

Database

Vault

Store

. The Store dialog box opens.

Click

to store the item.

Storing Multiple Items

To store multiple items in Vault at a time,

Click

Refresh

in the Data Browser to update the directory listing.

Select the items you want to store in the Vault. For information on the types of items that cannot be stored in a multiple store operation, see the section

“Constraints” on page 7-21.

EPD.Connect User Guide 7-19

Working with Vault Data

Using the Vault Menu Options

Choose

Database

Vault

Store

. The Store dialog box opens.

7-20

Please note: When storing multiple items, you cannot edit the

EDM/Local

Name

field.

Click

to store the items.

After the store operation has been processed, an Audit/Transaction Log window opens if any items were not stored during the store operation.

EPD.Connect User Guide

Working with Vault Data

Using the Vault Menu Options

Constraints: Storing multiple items has the following constraints:

• Items with user-defined, noneditable attributes will not be stored during a multiple store operation.

• If an item with editable attributes is selected, the Edit Attributes window opens.

You can edit these attributes. These editable attributes are applied to all selected objects.

• If a revision is not specified, all items are stored with revision 1. However, the store operation for an item fails if it is already present in the Vault with the same revision.

• If a revision is specified, all items are stored only when the following conditions are satisfied:

• The item is not already present with the given revision in Vault.

• All previous revisions of the items are in the released status.

• There are no higher revisions of any one item in Vault.

• The values of the following attributes are applied to all selected items:

• The Application, Class, Status, and System Code values.

• The values of the system attributes. The system attributes are: System Type,

Description, Group Technology Code, User-defined Type, and Part Number.

EPD.Connect User Guide 7-21

Working with Vault Data

Using the Vault Menu Options

Copying Vault Items

To copy a Vault item,

Select the item that you want to copy.

Choose

Database

Vault

Copy

. The Copy dialog box opens.

7-22

The

Application

, the

From Name

and the

From Revision

fields are filled in automatically.

Specify the name that you want to assign to the copied object in the

To Name field.

Specify the revision for the copied item in the

To Revision

field.

Click one of the following class options:

Option

Public

Private

Project

Description

The item has no designated owner.

The item is owned by a Vault user.

The item is owned by a defined project.

Specify the status of the item in the

Status

field.

Click

to copy the Vault item. If the item cannot be copied, the

Audit/Transaction Log window opens with an error message.

EPD.Connect User Guide

Working with Vault Data

Using the Vault Menu Options

Changing the Attributes of a Vault Item

To change the attributes of a Vault item,

Select a record from the Data Browser.

Select

Database > Vault > Change Attributes

. The Change File Attributes dialog box opens.

Change the existing values and click

EPD.Connect User Guide 7-23

Working with Vault Data

Using the Vault Menu Options

Editing Vault Attributes

To edit the attributes of a Vault item,

Select a Vault item from the Data Browser panel whose attributes need to be edited.

Select

Database > Vault > Edit Attributes.

The Edit Vault Attributes dialog box opens.

7-24

The

Name

Revision

, and

Application fields in the Edit Vault Attributes panel are filled in automatically.

Specify whether you want to add, change, or delete the attributes using the

Add

Change

, or the

Delete

options.

Select the required attribute from the drop-down list.

EPD.Connect User Guide

Working with Vault Data

Using the Vault Menu Options

Specify the instance of the Vault object in the

Instance

field.

The

Data type

field is a read-only field that displays the data type of the attribute selected for the Vault object.

Specify a value for the attribute you want to query in the

Value

field.

Click

Apply

to edit the attributes of the Vault item.

Click

Reset

to clear the attribute list.

Please note: You can control the behavior of the Reset button by setting a value to the variable

CA_RESET_VAULT_ATTR_FROM_RULE

while storing attributes. If you specify the value

, the attribute list is cleared when you click

Reset

. This is the default. If you specify the value

, the attributes are fetched based on the attribute rules. All the mandatory attributes are retained and the optional attributes are deleted.

Changing the Status or Revision of a Vault Item

To change the status of an item, do the following:

Select the status in the Vault Transfer window.

Choose

Database > Vault > Change Status

. The Change Status Dialog box opens.

Select a status from the

New Status

drop-down list.

EPD.Connect User Guide 7-25

Working with Vault Data

Using the Vault Menu Options

Type any comment and then click

Apply

to implement the change. The

Comment field is optional.

To change the revision of a Vault item, do the following:

Select the revision in the Vault Transfer window.

Choose

Database > Vault > Change Revision

. The Change Revision dialog box is displayed.

7-26

Enter the appropriate information.

Click

Apply

Reviewing Vault Items

During a project, the work in progress must be reviewed by the project team. A project must be approved before its release. The two stages of the review process are as follows:

• Requesting the review of a Vault item.

• Responding to the review request. At this stage, the reviewers can either approve or reject a Vault item.

Requesting Reviews

You can request the review of single or multiple Vault items at a time.

EPD.Connect User Guide

Working with Vault Data

Using the Vault Menu Options

Requesting a Review of a Single Vault Item

Request a review of a Vault item as follows:

To select a Vault item, perform one of the following actions:

• In the Data Browser, select a Vault item.

• In the Product Structure window, select a node.

Choose

Database

Vault

Request Review

The Request Review dialog box opens where the

Application

Name, and

Revision

fields are filled automatically.

Figure 7-2 The Request Review Dialog Box for a Single Vault Item

Type your comments in the

Comment

field.

Click

to send the request.

EPD.Connect User Guide 7-27

Working with Vault Data

Using the Vault Menu Options

Requesting a Review of Multiple Vault Items

Request the review of multiple Vault items as follows:

To select a set of Vault items, perform one of the following actions:

• In the Data Browser, select the Vault items.

• In the Product Structure window, select the nodes.

Please note:

• You cannot select a combination of Data Browser items and Product Structure nodes when requesting a review. From this combination, only the Product

Structure nodes are selected.

• You can select CAMU ADRAWS as part of the set of items to be sent for review. However, to disable this option, set the

CA_ADD_ADRAWS_IN_CAMU variable to

in the epdconn.ini

file.

Choose

Database

Vault

Request Review

The Request Review dialog box opens. The name, revision, and application of the items selected are listed in the top panel.

7-28 EPD.Connect User Guide

Working with Vault Data

Using the Vault Menu Options

Figure 7-3 The Request Review Dialog Box for Multiple Vault Items

Type your comments in the

Comment

field.

Click

to send the request. This creates a fileset in Vault, containing the selected items, that is sent for review.

Please note:

• Set a value to the

CA_REQRV_PREFIX

variable in epdconn.ini

to define the prefix of the name of the fileset.

• To implement a common prefix for all EPD.Connect clients, the

CA_REQRV_PREFIX variable is set on the server by default. Administrators can change the default by choosing

Admin

GUI Preferences in the EPD.Connect

toolbar. This setting takes a precedence over the epdconn.ini

setting.

For more information, refer to “Setting Interface Preferences for Users” on page B-11 .

• After a review is complete and if the fileset is no longer required, you can identify these filesets by the prefix and delete them using the Vault user interface.

EPD.Connect User Guide 7-29

Working with Vault Data

Using the Vault Menu Options

• The restrictions on items that are a part of Vault filesets apply to those created for review as well. Refer to the Vault documentation for more information on

Vault filesets.

Responding to Reviews

You can respond to the review of single or multiple Vault items at one time.

Responding to a Review of a Single Vault Item

Respond to the review of a Vault item as follows:

You can respond to the review request in one of the following ways:

Select a Vault item. Perform one of the following actions:

In the Data Browser, select a Vault item that is in the In Review state.

In the Product Structure window, select a node that is in the In Review state.

Choose

Database

Vault

Respond to Review

Choose

Database

Read Messages

Click

Respond

The Respond to a Review dialog box opens.

7-30 EPD.Connect User Guide

Working with Vault Data

Using the Vault Menu Options

Figure 7-4 Respond to a Review Dialog Box for a Single Vault Item

Select a

Response

option:

•

Approve

— Approve the item.

•

Reject

— Reject the item.

Type your comments in the

Comment

field. If the response is

Reject

typing a comment in the

Comment

field is mandatory.

Click

to send your response.

EPD.Connect User Guide 7-31

Working with Vault Data

Using the Vault Menu Options

Responding to a Review of Multiple Vault Items

Respond to the review of multiple Vault items, that is, a set of files, as follows:

You can respond to the review request in one of the following ways:

Select the Vault items. Perform one of the following actions:

In the Data Browser, select the Vault items that are in the In Review state.

In the Product Structure window, select the nodes that are in the In Review state.

Choose

Database

Vault

Respond to Review

Please note: If you select Vault items that belong to different review filesets, you can approve or reject all the items from the different filesets together as shown in Figure 7-5.

Choose

Database

Read Messages

Click

Respond

The Respond to a Review dialog box opens.

• The name, revision, and the application of the filesets are displayed in the left panel.

• The name, revision, and the application of the items in each fileset are displayed in the right panel.

7-32 EPD.Connect User Guide

Working with Vault Data

Using the Vault Menu Options

Figure 7-5 Respond to Review Dialog Box for Multiple Vault Items

Select a

Response

option:

•

Approve

— Approve the filesets.

•

Reject

— Reject the filesets.

Please note: Approval or rejection is applied to entire filesets. You cannot approve or reject individual items of a fileset separately.

Type your comments in the

Comment

field.

Click

to send your response.

EPD.Connect User Guide 7-33

Working with Vault Data

Using the Vault Menu Options

Working with Distributed Vaults

An EPD.Connect environment may be connected with Distributed Vaults (more than one Vault installed in different locations). You can perform the following specific operations on objects used in a Distributed Vault environment:

•

— Make an object accessible to users on other Vaults.

•

Unregister

— Remove a Vault registration.

•

— Associate an object with an event and a notification action.

•

Unsubscribe

— Delete a subscription.

•

Distribute

— Distribute an object to remote Vaults.

You can configure the Data Browser in the distributed Vault setup to query either the Local or the Remote Vault or both. You can do this by setting a value to the variable

CA_VAULTS_TO_QUERY

. Assign one of the following values to this variable:

Query Local Vault only

Query Remote Vault only

Query both (Local & Remote)

Any value other than 1, 2, or 3 is automatically reset to 1. The setting of this environment variable is valid for a full session of EPD.Connect.

Please note: This setting is applicable only when signing on to the database.

After signing on, you can reconfigure the Data Browser.

Registering Objects

Registering an object makes it is accessible to users on other Vaults.

To register an object, do the following:

Select the object in the Data Browser window.

Choose Database > Vault > Register . The Register Objects dialog box opens.

7-34 EPD.Connect User Guide

Type

Query

Read

Write

Ownership

Working with Vault Data

Using the Vault Menu Options

The

DOD field displays the name of the Distributed Object Directory (DOD) for the distributed Vault environment. The DOD also indicates where objects are registered.

In the

Type

field, select one of the following types of registration:

Description

The object is represented in the Distributed Object Directory (DOD), but cannot be accessed by users.

The object can be accessed for read-only operations.

The object can be accessed for read-write operations.

The object can be accessed for read-write operations. In addition, it is authorization for an export-move operation. Use this special privilege only to move an object from one Vault to another Vault in a Distributed Vault environment.

Click

Apply

. A registration request is transferred to the Vault Transfer requests dialog box.

Select the object in the Vault Transfer window and click

Apply

to register the object.

Unregistering Objects

To unregister an object, you must first remove it from the Distributed Vault environment.

EPD.Connect User Guide 7-35

Working with Vault Data

Using the Vault Menu Options

To remove and unregister an object, do the following:

Select the registered object in the Data Browser window.

Choose

Database > Vault > Unregister

A request is transferred to the Vault Transfer Requests dialog box.

7-36

Select the object and click

Apply

to unregister it.

Subscribing Objects

To subscribe an object, specify that if a certain event (for example, a change in revision level, format, or status) occurs to that object it will trigger one of the following actions:

• A message will inform a user or a list of users that the event occurred on a selected file or part.

• An export action will be invoked to export a read-only replica of a file to a list of Vaults.

• An export action will be invoked to refresh (update) the original of a previously write-replicated file.

EPD.Connect User Guide

Working with Vault Data

Using the Vault Menu Options

To subscribe an object:

Select the object in the Data Browser window.

Choose

Database > Vault > Subscribe

. The Add Object Subscription dialog box opens.

In the DOD field, the Distributed Object Directory where objects are registered is displayed.

In the Subscription field, enter a name of up to 24 alphanumeric characters that uniquely identifies the subscription.

In the Event field, select the subscription event that will trigger the Action :

• CHANGE_OBJECT_BINARY — The format of the object has been changed to binary.

• CHANGE_OBJECT_METADATA — The format of the object has been changed to metadata.

• CHANGE_OBJECT_REVISION — The revision level of the object has been changed.

• CHANGE_OBJECT_STATUS — The status of the object has been changed.

EPD.Connect User Guide 7-37

Working with Vault Data

Using the Vault Menu Options

In the

Action

field, select the appropriate action:

•

SENDMSGU

— A message is sent to a user.

•

SENDMSGL

— A message is sent to a list of users.

•

EXPORT_READ_REPLICA

— An export action exports a read-only replica of a file to a list of Vaults.

•

SYNC_REPLICA_SOURCE

— An export action refreshes (updates) the source of previously write-replicated file.

In the

Expire Date field

, enter a date.

Use mm/dd/yy

format for USA and dd.mm.yy

format for Europe.

Enter the

Time

the subscription expires in the 24-hour clock format hh:mm:ss.

For example, 23:59:59.

In the

Count field enter the number of uses for a subscription before it expires.

Enter up to three numbers.

In the

Notify

row, select the outcome that determines whether to send a message after initiating the action:

•

Success

— Successful completion only

•

Failure

— Failed completion only

•

Both

— Either a successful or a failed completion

•

None

— No message

10.

In the

Notify User

field, choose the user who is to receive the notification.

11.

Click

Apply

. The Add Subscription Action Attributes dialog box opens.

7-38

12.

Select an attribute in the upper window and then modify the Attribute name and

Value in the Attribute and Value fields.

EPD.Connect User Guide

Working with Vault Data

Using the Vault Menu Options

13.

Click

Apply

to make the modification.

14.

Click

Commit

when all attributes displayed are correct for this subscription.

15.

Click

Cancel

to return to the Add Object Subscription window.

Unsubscribing Objects

To delete a subscription, do the following:

Select the subscribed object in the Data Browser window.

Select the associated subscription that you want to delete.

Choose

Database > Vault > Unsubscribe

. The request is transferred to the

Vault Transfer Requests dialog box.

Select the object and click

Apply

Distributing Objects

To distribute an object, place it in the specified remote Vault and do the following:

Select the object in the Data Browser window.

Choose

Database > Vault > Distribute

. The Distribute Vault Items dialog box opens.

EPD.Connect User Guide 7-39

Working with Vault Data

Using the Vault Menu Options

Option

Write

Read

Update

Replace

Copy

Move

Specify mode of distribution of the object by choosing the appropriate options:

Description

The object is distributed to only one Vault with write authorization.

The object is distributed to a list of Vaults with read-only authorization.

The object is to be updated in the Vault or Vaults specified.

The object is to replaced in the Vault or Vaults specified.

Copy an object into a remote Vault list. The Vault list may contain multiple Vaults.

Move an object into a remote Vault list. Only one Vault name is allowed.

Click

Apply

to transfer the request to the Vault Transfer Requests dialog box.

Select the object. Click

Apply

to distribute it.

Listing Information about a Vault Item

You can obtain information about a Vault item, including its file attributes, that is present in the Vault. You can also obtain details of files residing on the local workstation. Follow these steps:

Select the item from the Data Browser window or its component in the product structure tree.

Choose

Database >Vault > Info

from the window in which you made the selection. The List Database dialog box opens.

7-40

Select the report options you want to generate.

EPD.Connect User Guide

Click

. The report is displayed.

Working with Vault Data

Using the Vault Menu Options

You can save the report to a file or print it. You can also append the report to previous reports to incrementally build a report on a set of items.

EPD.Connect User Guide 7-41

Working with Vault Data

Obtaining Information from the Vault

This section tells you how to do the following:

• Use the database Query Options to view attribute information from the Vault.

• Access product structure trees in the Vault and display them in the Product

Structure window.

• Obtain status information about deferred Vault transactions.

Querying Vault Data

You can obtain information about components (files or parts), attributes, history, projects, users, or audits stored in the Vault. To do this,

Choose

Window > Data Browser

. The Data Browser window opens. You can also open the Data Browser window by clicking on the Data Browser icon.

Choose the

Vault tab.

Click on the

Options

button at the bottom of the window. The Query Options dialog box opens.

7-42

Choose the

General

tab to specify the query information such as the

Application

type, the

Name

of the component, and the

Revision

level of the component.

Use an asterisk (*) as a wildcard in the

Name

field to query all component names or a subset of component names in the Vault.

EPD.Connect User Guide

Working with Vault Data

Obtaining Information from the Vault

Choose the

Database

tab to specify Vault-specific query options. The Query

Options dialog box opens.

Choose and click one of the

Classes

. The following table defines each of the class options:

Table 7-4 Class Options

Options

Any

Public

Private

Project

Description

The class is irrelevant.

The object has no designated owner.

The object is owned by a Vault user.

The object is owned by a defined project.

Select from the

Status list the components you want to query.

Enter the User Name, User Type, Node, System Type, Part Number and, GT code in the appropriate fields.

In the

Sys Code

field, select one of the system codes attached to the components.

10.

In the

Review-Msg

field, select one of the following:

•

Yes

— Displays the comments of review requests and comments of the responses to those requests for Vault items that are in review.

•

— Does not display review comments for items that are in review.

EPD.Connect User Guide 7-43

Working with Vault Data

Obtaining Information from the Vault

11.

Click

Advanced

. The Advanced Query Options dialog box opens.

7-44

All the settings in this dialog box are optional.

12.

In the

Updated by

field, specify the user by whom the objects were Updated.

You can further limit this query by specifying a time range as well.

13.

In the

Stored by

field, specify the user by whom the objects were Stored. You can further limit this query by specifying a time range as well.

14.

In the Specify

Action by field

, specify the user responsible for any current changes to components (files or parts), attributes, history, or projects.

15.

In the attributes sets (

Attr Set

.) field, select from the pull-down list. The list contains those user-defined attribute sets that can be associated with the object.

16.

In the

Attribute

field, select from the drop-down list. The attributes listed belong to the attribute set specified above.

17.

In the

Value

field, specify a value for the attribute you want to query.

18.

When all necessary fields have been filled in, select

Refresh

in the Data

Browser window to display the requested list of files.

EPD.Connect User Guide

Working with Vault Data

Obtaining Information from the Vault

Customizing Query Results

When you search for information in the Data Browser, you can specify the information you want displayed in the Data Browser as follows:

Choose

Window

Heading Customizer

. The Heading Customizer dialog box opens.

The

Label

field is a list of all the columns available.

Click this icon to see the list of columns available.

The columns available are:

Column Name

NAME

REVISION

STATUS

SYSCODE

OWNER

TYPE

USERID

NODE_NAME

SOURCE_VAULT

CLASS

SYSTEM TYPE

Description

Name of the file

Revision

Status Code

System Code

Owner of the file

Type of Application

User ID

Node Name

Vault from which it was stored

Group Technology Code

System Type

EPD.Connect User Guide 7-45

Working with Vault Data

Obtaining Information from the Vault

Column Name

USER TYPE

PART NO

DESCRIPTION

CLASS_CODE

UPDATE_USER

DATE

TIME

STORE_USER

DATE

TIME

Description

User Type

Part Number

Description

Class Code

Update User

Update Date

Update Time

Store User

Store Date

Store Time

ACTION_USER

DATE

TIME

Action User

Action Date

Action Time

REGISTRATION

Registration

REPLICATION

Replication

TARGET_VAULT

Target Vault

TARGET_USER

Target User

NO_READ

Permissions assigned to the file

REQUEST_RVW_COMMENT

Request Review Comment

RESPOND_RVW_COMMENT

Respond Review Comment

To see the default settings for a column, select it. The default values of the

Visible

Pinned

Width

Description

, and

Edit Default

fields are displayed.

You can customize these settings and make them the default by selecting

Yes in the

Edit Default field.

Click

Apply

Please note: To revert to the default settings for a column, click

Load

Defaults

Saving the Query Results

You can save the results of a query in the Data Browser as a text file that can be exported to any spreadsheet application for further modification.

7-46 EPD.Connect User Guide

Working with Vault Data

Obtaining Information from the Vault

To save the results of a query as a text file, perform the following steps:

Click

Save

in the Data Browser window. The SAVE DATA BROWSER

RESULTS dialog box opens.

In the

Results File

field, specify a name for the file.

In the

Delimiter field, select a delimiter for the columns. You have the following options:

•

Tab

— A tab space between columns.

•

Space

— A single space between columns.

•

Others

— A character you specify. This is the default with the carat (^) as the delimiter.

In the

Overwrite field, choose one of the following options:

•

Yes

— Overwrites a file that has the same name that you specified in the preceding step.

•

— Does not overwrite a file that has the same name.

Click

Save

Opening a Tree Structure from the Vault

To retrieve product structure data from the Vault, you must first signon to it (see

“Vault Signon and Signoff Procedures” on page 7-5). Permission to access a tree depends on the database access privileges set by your system administrator. In addition, EPD.Connect must be configured to store structures in the database in a form that can be queried.

EPD.Connect User Guide 7-47

Working with Vault Data

Obtaining Information from the Vault

To open a tree structure from the Vault, follow these steps:

Query the Vault from the Data Browser window as described in “Querying

Vault Data” on page 7-42. The results of the query you specified are displayed in the Data Browser.

7-48

Select a file to open.

Press the right mouse button, and choose

Open

from the popup menu.

Please note: You can specify the name of a different file by choosing

Open from this menu or by choosing

File > Open

and then entering information in the

Open Configuration window.

The product structure tree for the file you selected is displayed in the Product

Structure window.

EPD.Connect User Guide

Working with Vault Data

Working with Vault Data Using the Information Browser

Working with Vault Data Using the Information

Browser

You can work with Vault data using the Information Browser, that lists Vault folders and files in hierarchy. Use the options available in the File and the Edit menus or in the popup menu that appears when you click the right mouse button on a file or the folder name. See the Information Browser User Guide for details.

Please note: Use the

Open

Vault data command to implicitly execute the

Vault

Get command. Use the

View

Vault data command to execute the Vault

Read command.

EPD.Connect User Guide 7-49

Chapter 8

Using CAMU in EPD.Connect

This chapter describes how to use CADDS/CAMU within EPD.Connect.

• Overview

• EPD.Connect Interface for CADDS

• EPD Interface for CADDS Support

• Opening an Existing Assembly

• Opening a New Assembly

• Working on an Assembly

• Using the Associative Topology Bus

• Exiting CAMU and EPD.Connect

• Using the Information Browser Assembly Tab

• Performing Vault Operations on CADDS

• EPD Interface to CADDS

• Working with EPD.Connect

EPD.Connect User Guide 8-1

Using CAMU in EPD.Connect

Overview

The following sections tell you how to use the CADDS Concurrent Assembly

Mock-up (CAMU) product from within EPD.Connect.

For additional information regarding:

• Using CADDS in an EPD-enabled environment, see Installing CADDS 5i.

• The CAMU applications, see Concurrent Assembly Mock-up User Guide and

Menu Reference.

8-2 EPD.Connect User Guide

Using CAMU in EPD.Connect

EPD.Connect Interface for CADDS

The EPD Interface for CADDS is implemented with the Interface Toolkit. The

EPD Interface for CADDS looks for three repository files:

• cvepd

ini

The environment variable

CVEPD_INIT

specifies the location of the cvepd.ini

. Customize this file to override settings in the epdconn

ini

or caddsrb

ini

. This file is not required. So if cvepd

ini is not customized, set

CVEPD_INIT

to "", to avoid the following warning:

Env variable CVEPD_INIT is not set !!

• epdconn

ini

The environment variable

CVEPD_MAIN_CONFIG

specifies the location of the epdconn.ini

. Set

CVEPD_MAIN_CONFIG

to its default location

$EPD_HOME

/data/reposit

/ epdconn

ini

. If you have a customized version of this file, set

CVEPD_MAIN_CONFIG

accordingly.

• caddsrb

ini

The environment variable

CADDSRB_REPOSIT

specifies the location of the caddsrb.ini

. In the epdconn.ini

, this is set to its default location

$EPD_HOME

/data/reposit/caddsrb.ini

. If you have a customized version of this file, set

CADDSRB_REPOSIT

accordingly.

Please note: If you are using the Vault Command Line Interface along with the EPD.Connect Interfaces for vaulting various application objects, the environment variable

LIBPATH

should contains

$EPD_HOME/lib

directory. This is applicable for IBM-AIX platform only.

epdconn.ini

The following settings in the epdconn

ini

are used by the EPD Interface to

CADDS:

•

DO_REVISION_LINKING

Y/N

Set this to

to use the Command Line Interface. If it is set to

, the rulebase creates the links for the parts created in the local area when you do a

GET/READ from the Vault.

If you do a

GET for a CADDS part called test with revision 1, you get a copy of the part test in your local area and a link is created from test-1 to test.

If you do a

READ

for a CADDS part called test with revision 1, a part called test-1 is created in your local area.

Please note: This applies only to UNIX platforms.

EPD.Connect User Guide 8-3

Using CAMU in EPD.Connect

EPD.Connect Interface for CADDS

•

RB_EXTRACT

$CA_DATA/appl

The location of the directory where the application specific extract scripts reside.The default location is

$CA_DATA/appl

If you have customized extract scripts, set this to the appropriate directory. This should follow the directory structure available in $

EPD_HOME/data/app l.

If you want to use the customized extract scripts for PS, set

RB_EXTRACT

/usr1/custom dir.

The extract script should be placed in

/usr1/custom/PS/scripts

•

RB_EXTRACT_PS_DIR: $RB_EXTRACT/PS

The location of the directory where the extract script for the PS application exists. The default location is $

RB_EXTRACT/PS

If you have customized extract script, set this to appropriate directory. This should follow the directory structure available in

$EPD_HOME/data/appl/PS

If you want to use the customized extract scripts for PS, set the

RB_EXTRACT_PS_DIR

/usr1/custom/PS

directory. The extract script should be placed in

/usr1/custom/PS/scripts.

RB_EXTRACT_PS_DIR setting has precedence over

RB_EXTRACT setting. This is applicable only for ps.

•

RB_EXTRACT_ASSY_DIR: $RB_EXTRACT/CAMU

The location of the directory where the extract script for CAMU application exists. The default location is $

RB_EXTRACT/CAMU

If you have customized the extract script, set this to appropriate directory. This should follow the directory structure same as available in

$EPD_HOME/data/appl/CAMU.

RB_EXTRACT_ASSY_DIR

setting has precedence over

RB_EXTRACT

setting.

This is applicable only for CAMU.

•

REMOVE_STORED_FILES

Y/N

Set this to

to use the Command Line Interface. If it is set to

, the rulebase removes the parts from your local area that are transferred to the Vault.

•

CREATE_PVS

Set this to

to use the Command Line Interface.

•

TOOLKIT_TRACE

OFF

Set this to

OFF

to use the Command Line Interface.

8-4 EPD.Connect User Guide

Using CAMU in EPD.Connect

EPD.Connect Interface for CADDS

• CA_STORE_ADRAWS:

Y/N

Set this to

to configure EPD.Connect to perform certain Vault operations on all the ADRAWS associated with the CAMU assembly. If it is set to

EPD.Connect is configured to perform Vaulting only on the DEFAULT and the

ROOT ADRAWS associated with the assembly. A list of the applicable Vault operations is given in “Vault Operations on CAMU Objects” on page 8-40.

Please note: This is a site specific variable. It cannot be used when executing the Vault commands through the Vault Command Line Interface.

•

CAMU_EXPAND_REF_ENABLE:

Set this variable to 1 to enable the nested reference assemblies of CAMU in the

Assembly mode.

Please note: This feature is supported only for CADDS 5i Release 11 and above.

•

CAMU_COMPNAMELEN_LIMIT

If the length of the component name in the product structure file exceeds the value set by this variable, you cannot save the product structure as a CAMU assembly in EPD.Connect.

•

EXTRACT_PSATTRS

Y/N

Set this to

to use the Command Line Interface. This is used for enabling the extraction of Product structure attributes.

•

CA_READPREFIX: $HOME /part/read

The location of the read directory. The parts are created in this directory for the

READ

command.

•

CA_AUDIT_LOG_SIZE:

Set an appropriate value for this variable to improve performance while adding new assemblies or opening existing assemblies. This variable is also defined in the file

$EPD_HOME/data/reposit/epdconn.ini

The default value of 0 logs all the messages. If you assign any positive integer value, the audit log file is purged when the message count exceeds this value.

•

EPD_HOME: /opt/epd/dm/v60

The location of the Optegra directory.

•

AWLANG

: C

The setting for the language.

•

CA_BINDIR

: $

EPD_HOME /bin

The bin

directory for the Optegra software.

EPD.Connect User Guide 8-5

Using CAMU in EPD.Connect

EPD.Connect Interface for CADDS

•

CA_NODE_OVERVIEW_COLOR

•

CA_NODE_SEL_OVERVIEW_COLOR

The node colors of the overview windows can be changed by setting the appropriate values. Set this variable in

EPD_HOME/data/reposit/epdconn.ini

•

EDM_DM_USER

User ID for accessing the Vault tables.

•

EDM_DM_PASSWD

User password for accessing the Vault tables.

•

EDM_DM_PASSWD

Encrypted user password for accessing the Vault tables.

•

ALLOW_ALPHANUMERIC_INST

Set this variable to 1 to change the numeric instances of a component to alphanumeric instances. The default value is 0, which does not allow the above operation.

This variable does not affect the adding of a component in any way.

Components that are modified to have alphanumeric instances do not participate in calculating the next instance that is to be added, or the highest instance of the class, and other calculations in the copy-paste operations.

•

EPDEXIT_CADDSEXIT

Set this variable to 1 to exit the CADDS session gracefully when you quit the

EPD.Connect session in the Assembly mode. This is the default setting. If you want to work with CADDS even after you exit the EPD.Connect session, set this variable to zero.

8-6 EPD.Connect User Guide

Using CAMU in EPD.Connect

EPD.Connect Interface for CADDS

caddsrb.ini

•

Setup

Before using the CADDS Interface using the Command Line Interface, set the

CVEPD_INIT

to "" and

CVEPD_MAIN_CONFIG

EPD_HOME /data/reposit/epdconn.ini

in your environment.

•

Store

You can configure for the type of CADDS files that will go as a CADDS part in the Vault.

The part to be stored will be searched in the current directory if the fully qualified path is not specified in the filename. The selection name for the part in the Vault is in uppercase characters.

•

Get

The part is created in the local directory specified in the environment variable

CVCREATEDIR

. If it is not set, the part is created in the current directory.

•

Read

The part is created in the local directory specified in the environment variable

CA_READPREFIX

. This setting is available in epdconn

ini

EPD.Connect User Guide 8-7

Using CAMU in EPD.Connect

EPD Interface for CADDS Support

The following table gives information on how the CADDS objects are stored in the Vault.

CADDS Object

CADDS Part

CAMU Assemblies

Product Structures

ADRAW

Stored in Vault as

PART with env=CADDS

FILE with env=CADDS

PART with env=ADRAW

The EPD Interface for CADDS does not support the CATALOG object with the

Vault transfer commands.

The EPD.Connect interface for the CADDS Vault File Transfer commands supports the following:

• The

only in the CGOS format

• The < selection name>

same as before in CGOS format

• The < local directory name>

in the Operating System level format

For example:

• If you want to store a CAMU assembly named camuassy

, use the following command: cistore env=cadds selscope=f selname='CAMUASSY.&DB' lfname='=HOME.PARTS.CAMUASSY.&DB'

• If you want to get the above assembly, use the following command: ciget selscope=f selname='CAMUASSY.&DB' ldirname='/home/parts'

OR ciget selscope=f selname='CAMUASSY.&DB' lfname='=HOME.PARTS.CAMUASSY.&DB'

To add a text file from a directory in the local area to a CADDS part or a file available in Vault, use the following command: cistore env=cadds lfname=myparts.dir.abc@txt selscope=f selname=cdpart.abc@txt pfname=cdpart

After you have installed the latest Optegra Vault, with Distributed Vault and

Distributed Object Directory, run the navinstall

script.

8-8 EPD.Connect User Guide

Using CAMU in EPD.Connect

EPD Interface for CADDS Support

If you have refreshed Optegra Vault of an earlier release, with Distributed Vault and Distributed Object Directory, run the navrefresh

script.

Please note: For navinstall

and navrefresh

scripts, make sure you install the CADDS Application Environment.

If you have already run one of them, but did not complete the installation, run the following as Vault administrator:

$EPD_HOME

/install/cadinst

*****************************************************************

* Installation Utility *

* *

*****************************************************************

OK to add CADDS Application Environment to Optegra Vault [yes] :

Enter the Vault Oracle database manager userid [pdmdm] :

Enter the Vault Oracle database manager password [pdmdm] :

Checking New Tables in ORACLE Database .....

Enter the Vault Oracle database manager userid [pdmdm] :

Enter the Vault Oracle database manager password [pdmdm] :

Checking New Tables in ORACLE Database .....

Enter the Vault Oracle IQF userid [pdmqf] :

Enter the Vault Oracle IQF password [pdmqf] :

Creating New Tables and Views in ORACLE Database .....

Toolkit Table creation Complete.

Enter the Vault Oracle database manager userid [pdmdm] :

Enter the Vault Oracle database manager password [pdmdm] :

Adding CADDS Application to Optegra Vault.

Addition of CADDS Application to optegra Vault

OK to install the CADDS Vault Attributes [yes] :

Enter the EDMADMIN user password [edmadmin] :

Signing on to the Vault as edmadmin..

CDMSON016I Sign on to EDM server SARASWATI completed successfully.

You have 0 EDM message(s).

EPD.Connect User Guide 8-9

Using CAMU in EPD.Connect

EPD Interface for CADDS Support

Adding CADDS attributes.

CAMARL100I CONFIG_RULE_DB1 has been added.

CAMARL100I CONFIG_RULE_PS1 has been added.

CAMARL100I CONFIG_OPT_RULE_DB1 has been added.

CAMARL100I CONFIG_OPT_RULE_PS1 has been added.

CDMSOF017I Sign off from EDM completed successfully.

CADDS attributes added.

Optegra Interface for CADDS Installation Complete.

The EPD Interface for CADDS does not support the Catalog object with Vault transfer commands.

8-10 EPD.Connect User Guide

Using CAMU in EPD.Connect

EPD Interface for CADDS Support

General Process Flow

The general process flow is as described in the following sections.

Tree Structure and CAMU

The order of operation for jointly using EPD.Connect and an existing

CADDS/CAMU assembly is as follows:

Start EPD.Connect.

Select the

Assembly

folder in the Information Browser.

Choose

Tools

CADDS/CAMU

to invoke CAMU. By default, this opens

CAMU in the Explicit Assembly mode.

Open a new or an existing assembly. For more information, see “Opening a

New Assembly” on page 8-17 and “Opening an Existing Assembly” on page 8-14.

Please note: A CAMU assembly is a

_db

file.

Tree Structure Only

If you want to work only on the CAMU assembly tree structure and not view and manipulate CADDS geometry, open only the product structure.

Start EPD.Connect.

Select the

Structure

folder in the Information Browser.

EPD.Connect User Guide 8-11

Using CAMU in EPD.Connect

EPD Interface for CADDS Support

Choose

File > Open

from the top bar. The Open Configuration dialog box opens.

8-12

Specify the assembly name in the

Name

field. A CAMU assembly is an

_db file.

Specify the CAMU file type in the

Application

field.

EPD.Connect User Guide

Using CAMU in EPD.Connect

EPD Interface for CADDS Support

Specify the

Create

Read

Other

, or the

CVPATH

directory options.

Please note:

• You can specify the

CVPATH

option along with the

Create

Read

, or

Other directory options for opening a CAMU file. In such cases if the file does not exist in the create, read, or the user directories, the system opens the first occurrence of the file in the

CVPATH

• In case of a reference assembly, you can specify the directory for opening the file by setting a value to the

CA_SEARCH_REF_DIR in the epdconn

ini file. If you specify a value

to the

CA_SEARCH_REF_DIR

variable, the system searches for the reference assembly in the directory from which the root assembly is opened and opens it in case it exists there. If the reference assembly does not exist in that directory the system opens the first occurrence of the file from the

CVPATH

directory. If the value of the

CA_SEARCH_REF_DIR

variable is set to

the reference assembly is opened directly from the

CVPATH

Specify other required settings.

Click

. The product structure tree opens and the Open Configuration dialog box closes. To keep the Open Configuration dialog box open, click

Apply

. This opens a

_db

file from within EPD.Connect but does not activate CADDS.

EPD.Connect User Guide 8-13

Using CAMU in EPD.Connect

Opening an Existing Assembly

To open an existing assembly in CAMU:

Start EPD.Connect.

Select the

Assembly

folder in the Information Browser.

Choose

Tools

CADDS/CAMU

to invoke CAMU. The CADDS windows appear. Assembly Explicit mode is the default mode.

Choose

File > Activate Old Assembly

. The Open Assembly dialog box opens.

8-14

Please note: The variable

CAMU_EXPAND_REF_ENABLE

is set to 1 in this case.

In the

Name field, specify the assembly name or query the system for

_db files using the asterisk wildcard.

EPD.Connect User Guide

Using CAMU in EPD.Connect

Opening an Existing Assembly

If you query using a wildcard in the

Name

field, select the desired assembly name from the Data Browser window.

To activate an assembly, choose the required Adrawing in the

Adraw

field.

Specify additional options on the Open Assembly property sheet and click

Open

to open the assembly.

Specify the following options for displaying the levels of the reference assemblies:

Option

All

Level

Description

Opens the assembly with all the reference assemblies fully expanded.

Opens the assembly with reference assemblies expanded to the number of levels that you specify. The default level is 1.

The assembly structure appears in the Product Structure window. Viewed CADDS models appear in the CADDS Graphics window.

EPD.Connect User Guide 8-15

Using CAMU in EPD.Connect

Opening an Existing Assembly

Opening an Assembly Using the Data Browser Menu

You can quickly open an assembly using the Data Browser pop-up menu.

Select the required assembly name from within the Data Browser menu.

8-16

Position the cursor in the Data Browser window and press and hold the right mouse button.

Choose

Open

from the pulldown menu.

Opening an Assembly Using the Information Browser

Display the Data Browser menu by selecting the

List All Assemblies

option in the

Information Browser window. Because the Assembly folder is selected, only

CAMU-type assemblies appear in the Data Browser window.

Please note: The

Open

menu option opens the Open Assembly property sheet.

Opening a TIM Assembly

You can open TIM assemblies in the same way that you open CAMU assemblies.

If the associated components of the assembly nodes are also TIM objects, the TIM nodes are displayed in a color that is specified by the variable

CA_TIM_NODE_COLOR

. The TIM assemblies are marked by the letter ‘T’.

If you open CAMU assemblies that have TIM assemblies as reference assemblies, the TIM reference assemblies remain closed. However, if you open the TIM reference assemblies using the

Open/Close Reference option that appears in the

File

menu when you set the variable

CAMU_REF_EXPAND_ENABLE

to 1 in the epdconn.ini

file, the TIM flag ‘T’ appears for these assemblies.

EPD.Connect User Guide

Using CAMU in EPD.Connect

Opening a New Assembly

To open a new assembly:

Start EPD.Connect.

Select the

Assembly

folder in the Information Browser.

Choose

Tools

CADDS/CAMU

to invoke CAMU. The CADDS windows appear. Assembly Explicit mode is the default mode.

Choose

File > Activate New Assembly.

The Open Assembly dialog box opens.

Specify a new assembly name in the

Name

field. The new assembly will be created in the Product Structure window.

Specify additional options.

Click

Open

to apply the Open Assembly property sheet.

The assembly structure appears in the Product Structure window. Associated and viewed CADDS models appear in the CADDS Graphics window.

Opening Another Assembly from CAMU

Once you have activated CAMU from within EPD.Connect, you can close the active assembly and activate another.

Please note: Only one assembly can be active at any given time.

EPD.Connect User Guide 8-17

Using CAMU in EPD.Connect

Opening a New Assembly

To open another assembly from CAMU:

File or quit the active assembly using options available on the File menu.

Open a new or existing assembly using the File menu.

Opening an Assembly Using the Product Structure Menu

You can open an assembly quickly using the Popup menu in the Product Structure window.

Please note: This method is available only if no assembly is active (Product

Structure window is empty).

Position the cursor in the Product Structure window.

Press and hold the right mouse button.

Choose either

Activate New Assembly or

Activate Old Assembly

from the pop-up menu.

Please note: See also “Opening a New Assembly” on page 8-17.

Activating an Assembly From the CADDS LDM

If you are in CAMU but no assembly is active, you can activate a new or existing assembly using the CADDS Local Data Manager (LDM).

Select

File > Enter LDM

. The LDM screen appears.

Select an existing assembly to activate or create a new one.

Please note: See the Concurrent Assembly Mock-up User Guide and Menu

Reference to learn how to activate an assembly using the LDM.

8-18 EPD.Connect User Guide

Using CAMU in EPD.Connect

Working on an Assembly

When the Assembly mode is active (select the

Assembly folder in the Information

Browser window), the top menu bar and icons pertain to CAMU. Most of the options on the

File and

Edit menus opens a CAMU property sheet. This is also true of the icons.

There are four means of launching a CAMU property sheet from within a CAMU session that you have activated within EPD.Connect:

• Menu commands, such as

File > File Assembly With Options.

• Context-sensitive menus available while your cursor is in the Product Structure window

• CAMU icons across the top and side bars of the CADDS screen

Please note:

Please see the Concurrent Assembly Mock-up User Guide and Menu reference to learn about CAMU functionality, menus, property sheets, and so forth.

The popup menu may vary depending on the mode used to select the active node selection mode.

Using Attributes

EPD.Connect and CAMU use different attribute manipulation tools. When you launch CAMU from within EPD.Connect, only EPD.Connect-type attribute manipulation tools are available. However, if you activate CAMU from outside of

EPD.Connect, only the CAMU-specific attribute tools are available. It is strongly recommended that you use the EPD.Connect attribute tools and ignore those available within standalone CAMU. There is no migration path for

CAMU-specific attributes to EPD.Connect. In addition, the EPD.Connect attribute tools are far superior to those available in stand-alone CAMU.

To create or revise attributes:

Select the desired component from within the Product Structure Window.

Select

Edit > Edit Attributes from the menu bar.

EPD.Connect User Guide 8-19

Using CAMU in EPD.Connect

Working on an Assembly

Symmetry

CAMU stores the same type of information in db

file as EPD.Connect in ps

file format. The interaction between CAMU and EPD.Connect is done by

OpenNavigator commands.

The procedure followed to store symmetry in CAMU and PS are different. So symmetry in CAMU should be converted to X-mirror or Y-mirror and an additional rotation should be applied.

When a conversion occurs from

_DB

_PS

or from

_PS

_DB

, the seven attributes values for orientation data will be saved. Conversion from db to ps does not lose any Symmetry information. Symmetry commands are supported in

Assembly mode.

Please note: Error messages will be generated when converting a

_PS

with symmetrical components into a

_DB

file in a version not supporting symmetry.

8-20 EPD.Connect User Guide

Using CAMU in EPD.Connect

Using the Associative Topology Bus

Use the Associative Topology Bus (ATB) in the Assembly mode of EPD.Connect

to import, export, verify, and update Translated Image Model (TIM) files created from Pro/ENGINEER and CADDS parts and assemblies. For information on how

EPD.Connect handles TIM files, see “EPD.Connect Support for Topology Bus” on page 1-17.

To use ATB in EPD.Connect,

• Set the

CADDS_ATB_ENABLED

variable to

YES

in the epdconn.ini

file.

• Have e/ENGINEER installed and running on a server.

• Have CADDS 5 e/ENGINEER client installed and running on the client.

For information on other restrictions that apply to ATB, see Using Associative

Topology Bus Enabled CADDS 5i and Installing CADDS 5i.

Importing Pro/ENGINEER Parts and Assemblies

To import a Pro/ENGINEER part into CADDS as a TIM, choose

File

Topology

Bus

Import

. The Import File CADDS dialog box opens where you can select the part or assembly to import. For more information, see Using Associative Topology

Bus Enabled CADDS 5i.

Exporting CADDS 5 Parts and Assemblies

To export a CADDS part or assembly from the root or reference assembly into

Pro/ENGINEER as a TIM, perform any one of the following actions:

• Choose

File > Topology Bus > Export.

The Export File CADDS dialog box opens where you can select the part or assembly to export.

• Select a TIM node in the CAMU Product Structure window and right-click to choose

Export TIM

from the context-sensitive menu.

For additional information on the Export File dialog box, see Using Associative

Topology Bus Enabled CADDS 5i.

EPD.Connect User Guide 8-21

Using CAMU in EPD.Connect

Using the Associative Topology Bus

Verifying TIM Parts and Assemblies

To verify that existing TIM parts or assemblies from the root or reference assembly are up to date with the original CADDS or Pro/ENGINEER parts or assemblies, perform one of the following tasks:

• Choose

File > Topology Bus > Verify.

The Verify TIM CADDS dialog box opens so that you can select the part or assembly to verify.

• Select a TIM node in the CAMU Product Structure window and right-click to choose

Verify TIM

from the context-sensitive menu.

After the verification, a report of the operation is displayed and the transaction is logged in the EPD.Connect Audit Log. For more information, see Using

Associative Topology Bus Enabled CADDS 5i.

The verification has the following effect on the TIM nodes in the CAMU Product

Structure window:

• The color of the outdated TIM part changes. The default is green.

• A prefix is given to outdated assemblies. The default is

For information on how to customize the colors and the prefixes, see “Setting

Variables for TIM Parts and Assemblies” on page 8-23.

Updating TIM Parts and Assemblies

To update TIM parts or assemblies from the root or reference assembly so that they are in sync with the original CADDS or Pro/ENGINEER parts or assemblies, perform one of the following actions:

• Choose

File > Topology Bus > Update.

The Update TIM CADDS dialog box opens so that you can select the part or assembly to verify.

• Select a TIM node in the CAMU Product Structure window and right-click to choose

Update TIM

from the context-sensitive menu.

8-22 EPD.Connect User Guide

Using CAMU in EPD.Connect

Using the Associative Topology Bus

After the update, a report of the operation appears and the transaction is logged in the EPD.Connect Audit Log. The update has the following effects:

• If the selected node is a part, it is verified and if found outdated, it is updated.

• If the selected node is a root assembly, a subassembly, or a reference assembly, all TIM nodes in the assembly are verified and if found outdated, they are updated.

• The color of outdated part nodes is reset to the original color.

• The prefix of outdated assemblies is removed.

For information on how to customize the colors and the prefixes, see “Setting

Variables for TIM Parts and Assemblies” on page 8-23.

Setting Variables for TIM Parts and Assemblies

Set the following variables in the epdconn.ini

file:

•

CA_TIM_NODE_COLOR

Use this variable to define the color of TIM nodes in the Product Structure window. The default is

(red). You can change the color by referring to the palettes in the

$EPD_HOME/data/palettes

directory.

•

CA_TIM_NODE_OUTOFDATE

Use this variable to define the color of TIM nodes in the Product Structure window that were verified and found outdated. The default is

(green).

•

CA_TIM_ASSY_PREFIX

Use this variable to define the letter that prefixes TIM assemblies in the Product

Structure window. The default is

•

CA_TIM_ASSY_PREFIX_OUTOFDATE

Use this variable to define the letter that prefixes TIM assemblies, in the Product

Structure window, that were verified and found outdated. The default is

EPD.Connect User Guide 8-23

Using CAMU in EPD.Connect

Exiting CAMU and EPD.Connect

To exit CAMU and EPD.Connect:

Set an appropriate value to the variable

EPDEXIT_CADDSEXIT

in the epdconn.ini

file. see “EPDEXIT_CADDSEXIT:” on page 8-6 for details.

Close any active assembly.

Please note: Any active assembly must be closed before you attempt to exit

CAMU.

Exit the CAMU application by positioning the cursor in the Product Structure window and selecting

Exit

from the popup menu.

Exit EPD.Connect by choosing

File > Exit

8-24 EPD.Connect User Guide

Using CAMU in EPD.Connect

Using the Information Browser Assembly Tab

When you select an assembly from the Information Browser and select

File >

Open As > Assembly

, the EPD.Connect toolbar changes to the assembly mode.

The following sections describe the available menu options for the Assembly mode.

Information Browser Options

The following table shows the default Information Browser commands are available when the

Assembly

tab is active.

Table 8-1 Information Browser Options

Browser Commands

Vault

List All Assemblies

Vault

List in work

Assemblies

Vault

All CADDS parts

Description

Lists all CAMU assemblies to which you have access that reside in the Vault

Lists all CAMU assemblies that have been checked out of the

Vault and are currently being worked on

Lists all CADDS parts that reside in the Vault

Local

List all Assemblies Lists all CAMU assemblies to which you have access that reside on your local system

Local > Read Only

Assemblies

Lists all CAMU assemblies resident on your local system that you have checked out of the Vault with Read Only access

Local

All my CADDS parts

Lists all CADDS parts that reside on your local system

Query Fields

When you select one of the options in the preceding table, applicable information appears in the following fields:

• Name

• Revision

• Status

• Syscode

• Project

• Type (CAMU)

• Userid

• Node_name

• Vault

EPD.Connect User Guide 8-25

Using CAMU in EPD.Connect

Using the Information Browser Assembly Tab

File Menu

When you select the

Assembly tab from the Information Browser, the contents of the File menu change. The options are as follows:

Commands

Activate New Assembly

Activate Old Assembly

Description

Creates a new CAMU assembly in the Product Structure window.

Opens an existing CAMU assembly in the Product Structure window.

Open/Close Reference Opens all the reference assemblies within a given assembly.

This option appears only when you set the variable

CAMU_EXPAND_REF_ENABLE to 1 in the epdconn.ini

file.

File Assembly Files the assembly using its active name

Displays a CAMU alert window when you file a TIM assembly.

File Assembly with Options Files the assembly using options such as a different name.

Select CVPATH Selects all the variables with the prefix CVPATH and applies them to the current EPD.Connect session.

Plot

Save Adrawing

Restore Adrawing

Quit Suspended

Quit and Exit Assembly

Enter LDM

Session Summary

Prints the assembly.

Creates a binary CGM file format of the assembly and plots it.

Saves the Adrawing.

Restores the Adrawing.

Closes, without filing, all suspended parts.

Closes, without filing, all suspended parts as well as the active assembly database.

Displays the CADDS Local Data Manager.

Explore Object

Close Object

Topology Bus > Import

Topology Bus > Export

Topology Bus > Verify

Topology Bus > Update

Exit

Reports the general and the structure information related to the assembly.

Explores the CADDS model and displays the hierarchy and the attributes of the application objects.

Closes the explored CADDS model.

Imports a Pro/ENGINEER part or assembly and creates a

CADDS5 TIM. See “Importing Pro/ENGINEER Parts and

Assemblies” on page 8-21.

Exports a CADDS 5 part or assembly and creates a

Pro/ENGINEER TIM. See “Exporting CADDS 5 Parts and

Assemblies” on page 8-21.

Verifies a CADDS 5 or Pro/ENGINEER TIM. See “Verifying TIM

Parts and Assemblies” on page 8-22.

Updates a CADDS 5 or Pro/ENGINEER TIM. See “Updating

TIM Parts and Assemblies” on page 8-22.

Closes the EPD.Connect session.

8-26 EPD.Connect User Guide

Using CAMU in EPD.Connect

Using the Information Browser Assembly Tab

Filing an Assembly

You can file the active assembly file by choosing

File > Assembly

For information on how this applies to CADDS/CAMU, see Concurrent Assembly

Mockup User Guide and Menu Reference.

Filing an Assembly with Options

You can file the active assembly file, using options such as new name and application type, by choosing

File > Assembly with Options

For information on how this applies to CADDS/CAMU, see Concurrent Assembly

Mock-up User Guide and Menu Reference.

Quitting Suspended Parts

You can quit, without filing, all parts (such as CADDS models and Adrawings) activated during the current EPD.Connect session by choosing

File > Quit

Suspended Parts

For information on how this applies to CADDS/CAMU, see Concurrent Assembly

Mock-up User Guide and Menu Reference.

Quitting and Exiting the Active Assembly

You can quit, without filing, the active assembly and all parts (such as CADDS models and Adrawings) activated during the current EPD.Connect session by choosing

File > Quit and Exit Assembly

For information on how this applies to CADDS/CAMU, see Concurrent Assembly

Mock-up User Guide and Menu Reference.

Entering the CADDS Local Data Manager

You can display the CADDS Local Data Manager by selecting

File > Enter LDM

For information on how this applies to CADDS/CAMU, see Concurrent Assembly

Mock-up User Guide and Menu Reference.

Closing the Current EPD.Connect Session

You can exit EPD.Connect by selecting

File > Exit

. This quits the active assembly file and all suspended parts, without filing.

EPD.Connect User Guide 8-27

Using CAMU in EPD.Connect

Using the Information Browser Assembly Tab

Edit Menu

When you select the

Assembly tab from the Information Browser, the contents of the

Edit

menu change. The options are as follows:

Please note: To edit an existing component within the Product Structure tree you must first lock that component.

Option

Add Component

Change Component

Remove Component

Edit Attributes

Add Assembly

Description

Enables you to add a child component to the selected component within the active assembly. The CAMU Add Component property sheet is launched.

When you add a component that has a TIM object associated with it, CAMU stores the TIM data of the associated object along with the rest of the component information in a PS file that is used for loading in EPD.Connect.

Enables you to change some aspect of the selected component

(such as its name) within the active assembly. This launches the

CAMU Change Component property sheet.

If the component that is being changed has any associated TIM components, CAMU sends a message to EPD.Connect to display the node as a TIM node.

Enables you to remove the selected component within the active assembly. This launches the CAMU Remove Component property sheet. This action removes the associated model geometry from the assembly graphic within the 3D Viewer.

Enables you to create or change nongraphic properties (such as cost, vendor, material type, and weight) of the selected component within the active assembly. See “Using Attributes” on page 8-19.

Enables you to add an existing assembly as a child component of the selected component within the active assembly. This launches the CAMU Add Assembly property sheet.

Change Assembly

Remove Assembly

Lock Component

Copy Component

Paste

Assemblies/Components

Enables you to change some aspect of the selected assembly component within the active assembly. This launches the CAMU

Change Assembly property sheet.

If the selected assembly that is being changed has any associated

TIM assemblies, CAMU sends a message to EPD.Connect to display the nodes of the assembly as a TIM node.

Enables you to remove the selected assembly component within the active assembly. This launches the CAMU Remove Assembly property sheet.

Locks the selected component, and optionally all of its child components, within the active assembly. This launches the CAMU

Lock Component property sheet. You must first lock a component in order to manipulate it, add child components, and so on.

Enables you to create a duplicate of the selected component and its children. This launches the CAMU Copy Component property sheet.

Enables you to paste the copied components present from the clipboard to the CAMU assembly that is open.

8-28 EPD.Connect User Guide

Using CAMU in EPD.Connect

Using the Information Browser Assembly Tab

Option

Reorder Component

Description

Enables you to rearrange the appearance, but not the parent/child relationships, of the active assembly by relocating the selected component. This launches the CAMU Reorder Component property sheet.

CAMU Application Toolbar

The CAMU toolbar contains icons that launch standard CADDS/CAMU property sheets or direct actions. It also contains several EPD.Connect-specific CAMU actions. The toolbar icons are as follows:

Exit the Application:

Closes EPD.Connect and all applications launched from within the active

EPD.Connect session. It also quits active and suspended files.

Quit and Exit CAMU Assembly:

Exits the assembly without filing. See the Concurrent Assembly Mock-up User

Guide for details on quitting the active and suspended models, Adrawings, and assemblies.

File CAMU Assembly:

Files the assembly while keeping it active. See the Concurrent Assembly Mock-up

User Guide for details on filing the active assembly.

CAMU View Component:

Opens the View Component property sheet. See the Concurrent Assembly

Mock-up User Guide for details on viewing components.

CAMU Activate Model:

Opens the Activate Model property sheet. See the Concurrent Assembly Mock-up

User Guide for details on activating the model associated to the selected component class.

EPD.Connect User Guide 8-29

Using CAMU in EPD.Connect

Using the Information Browser Assembly Tab

CAMU Verify Object:

Opens the Verify Object property sheet. See the Concurrent Assembly Mock-up

User Guide for detail on querying the selected component or viewing the orientations for a reference node.

CAMU Move Component:

Opens the Move Component property sheet. See the Concurrent Assembly

Mock-up User Guide for details on moving associated models within the active assembly.

CAMU Lock Component:

Opens the Add Component property sheet. See the Concurrent Assembly Mock-up

User Guide for details on locking components.

CAMU Add Component:

Opens the Add Component property sheet. See the Concurrent Assembly Mock-up

User Guide for details on adding components.

CAMU Change Component:

Opens the Move Component property sheet. See the Concurrent Assembly

Mock-up User Guide for details on changing aspects of the selected component class.

CAMU Delete Component:

Opens the Delete Component property sheet. See the Concurrent Assembly

Mock-up User Guide for detail on deleting components.

Single Node Selection:

Enables you to select one specific component only. If you select a second component, the first is automatically deselected.

Multiple Node Selection:

Enables you to select multiple, individual components.

8-30 EPD.Connect User Guide

Using CAMU in EPD.Connect

Using the Information Browser Assembly Tab

Subassembly Selection:

Enables you to select an entire subassembly. When you select a component, all its child components are selected.

Angled Tree Style:

Dynamically changes the product structure tree style to 90-degree-angle connect lines.

Fan Tree Style:

Dynamically changes the product structure tree style to fan connect lines. This is the default tree style.

File Manager Tree Style:

Dynamically changes the Product Structure tree style to that of a standard File

Manager.

Highlight Selected Components:

Displays a red border around all structure components that you have selected.

Selected components are yellow by default.

Highlight Not Selected Components:

Displays a red border around all structure components that you have not selected.

Non-selected components are aqua blue by default.

Clear Highlighted Components:

Removes the red border around all structure components.

Show the Structure Window:

Opens the Product Structure window and displays the entire product structure.

EPD.Connect User Guide 8-31

Using CAMU in EPD.Connect

Using the Information Browser Assembly Tab

Show an Overview of Tree Display:

Opens a new window illustrating the entire Product Structure and containing a box that contains the structure area currently visible in the Product Structure window.

Show the Vault transfer panel:

Opens the Vault Data Browser window. See “Query Fields” on page 8-25 to see a list of information fields.

Copying and Pasting from the Data Browser

You can copy CAMU and product structure assembly nodes as well as CADDS parts from the Data Browser to the clipboard and paste them in a CAMU assembly in the Product Structure. To do this,

Open a CAMU assembly in the Product Structure window in Assembly mode.

Select the components from the Data Browser, right-click and choose

Copy from the popup menu.

Choose the components on the clipboard that you want to paste.

Select the assembly component in the Product Structure and right-click.

Choose the

Paste Assy/Comp option to paste the selected component from the clipboard.

8-32 EPD.Connect User Guide

Using CAMU in EPD.Connect

Using the Information Browser Assembly Tab

You can also choose

Edit

Paste Assy

Comp

to paste the selected component from the clipboard.

Limitations

• Assemblies other than PS and CAMU, and components other than the CADDS parts will be ignored during the paste operation.

• The ADRAWs associated with the CAMU files will not be copied or pasted along with the CAMU files.

• Application objects of type LOCAL, PTCPRT, PTCDRW, PTCLAY,

CATMODEL, MEDSHT, MEDSHT, MEDMOD, MEDSYM, and STEPPART will not be copied or pasted.

EPD.Connect User Guide 8-33

Using CAMU in EPD.Connect

Performing Vault Operations on CADDS

The EPD Interface to CADDS enables you to perform Vault operations on

CADDS generated objects and associated objects.

This section discusses the following topics:

• Overview

• Features

• Limitations

• Creating Preprocessing and Postprocessing Routines

• Understanding EPD Interface to CADDS

• Working with EPD.Connect

• Creating Preprocessing and Postprocessing Routines

Overview

You can perform Vault operations on following objects using the CADDS

Interface:

• CADDS Parts

• CAMU Assemblies

• Product Structures

• ADRAWS

You can perform the following Vault operations:

• Store

• Get

• Read

• Update

• Replace

8-34 EPD.Connect User Guide

Using CAMU in EPD.Connect

Performing Vault Operations on CADDS

Features

The EPD Interface to CADDS provides:

• The availability of Vault operations for CADDS Parts.

• The capability of storing CAMU assemblies and Product structures in the vault as

FILE

• The ability to store ADRAWS automatically as

PART

while storing CAMU assemblies.

• The capability of storing ADRAWS independently, using the Data Browser.

• The capability of populating Vault with the product structure attributes whenever a Product structure or a CAMU assembly is stored.

EPD.Connect User Guide 8-35

Using CAMU in EPD.Connect

EPD Interface to CADDS

The EPD Interface to CADDS collects an object along with related files if any when you execute a Vault command. This section describe the steps for executing a Vault command.

You can perform Vault transactions on CADDS Parts, CAMU Assemblies,

Product Structures and ADRAWs. You can use the Vault commands store

, replace

, update

, get

, and read

on these objects.You can also customize preprocessing and postprocessing during the execution of Vault Commands.

Store, Update, and Replace Commands

When you execute a store

command for a CADDS Interface supported object, the interface:

Searches for the existence of a CADDS object if a fully qualified path is supplied.

Searches for the object in the directories specified in the variable

$CVPATH

. If the object is not found, the object is searched in the current directory. if located the object is stored. Also associated files are stored in the Vault as MEMBER files to the object.

If the object is a CAMU assembly or Product Structure, the product structure information is stored in the Vault as attributes. If the object is a CAMU

Assembly, then its associated ADRAWS are stored automatically as PART if they are not already available in the Vault.

Notes

Operations like store

, update,

and replace

fail on a CAMU assembly when the

ODB_DAEMON is not running or when the

DB_DAEMON_HOST variable is not set properly. The following error message is displayed:

Unable to extract product structure information

If you have defined attribute rules that are specific to a project, the associated

Adrawings do not satisfy the defined attribute rules. Therefore, they are not processed when the CAMU assembly is stored, updated, or replaced. The following error message appears in such cases:

Processing not done - did not supply required attributes.

8-36 EPD.Connect User Guide

Using CAMU in EPD.Connect

EPD Interface to CADDS

However, the CAMU assembly gets stored correctly.

To resolve this:

Set the variables:

STORE_ADRAWS

(in caddsrb.ini

file)

CA_STORE_ADRAWS=NO

(in epdconn.ini

file)

Store, update, or replace the ADRAWs separately from EPD.Connect so that you can set the required attributes in the attribute panel in

EPD.Connect.

GET Command

When you execute a get

command on a CADDS object, the interface:

Retrieves the object from the Vault and places in the directory in case a fully qualified path is supplied.

Retrieves the object from the Vault and places in the directory specified by the variable

$CVCREATEDIR

if the object is a CADDS Part. If this variable is not defined, then the object is placed in the current directory.

Retrieves the object from the Vault and places in the directory specified by the variable

$CA_ASSYPREFIX

if the object is a CAMU Assembly or Product structure. If this variable is not defined, then the object is placed in the current directory.

READ Command

Retrieves the object from the Vault and places it in the directory if a fully qualified path is supplied.

Retrieves the object from the Vault and places in the directory specified by the variable

$CA_READPREFIX

if the object is a CADDS Part. If this variable is not defined, then the object is placed in the current directory.

Retrieves the object from the Vault and places in the directory specified by the variable

$CA_READPREFIX

if the object is a CAMU assembly or product structure. If this variable is not defined, then the object is placed in the current directory.

EPD.Connect User Guide 8-37

Using CAMU in EPD.Connect

Working with EPD.Connect

Using EPD.Connect you can apply Vault commands on CADDS objects such as

CADDS Parts, Product Structures, CAMU Assemblies, and ADRAWs.

EPD.Connect does the following:

• Lists CADDS objects located on the local disk and in the Vault

• Allows you to transfer data between the local disk and the Vault

• Provides creation of new Product structures and CAMU structures

• Provides editing/saving of the existing Product structures and CAMU structures

• Provides database management for structuring and accessing information

Working with the Product Structure Window

To open a PS structure or a CAMU structure:

Click

Query

for the list of available structures. The Query Option dialog box opens.

Select the required application

CAMU

. Its location can be either Local

Disk or Database.

Right-click. The Data Browser menu opens.

Click

Open to load the structure in the product structure window. See Chapters

3- 5 for additional information on working with product structures.

Choose

File

Open

. The Open Configuration dialog box opens.

Click

Refresh

to refresh the Data Browser Window.

Working with the Data Browser

To open the DataBrowser:

Choose

Window > Data Browser

Choose the

Vault

tab to list objects located in the Vault database or choose the

Local

tab to list objects located on the local disk.

Click the

Options

button. The Query Options dialog box opens.

Choose one of the following applications to select a CADDS object: CADDS,

PS, CAMU, ADRAW.

8-38 EPD.Connect User Guide

Using CAMU in EPD.Connect

Working with EPD.Connect

Click

Apply

Select an object from the list and choose a Vault operation from

Database

Vault

Creating Preprocessing and Postprocessing Routines

You can add a preprocessing or postprocessing shell script or other routine to run before your store

, replace

, update

, get

, or read

command.

For example, if you want to ensure that a file naming convention is maintained, you can create a preprocessing routine to check file names before a store command is executed. This capability allows easy correspondence between the interface and third party applications. Define preprocessing and postprocessing routines by setting the corresponding environment variables, as follows:

COMMAND_[PRE][POST]PROCESS=[executable file name] where

COMMAND

is store

, replace

, update

, get

, or read

The environment variables used by the interface are available in the caddsrb.ini

file. You can customize this file. If you set these variables, source this file before starting the Connect session. For more details, see Installing

EPD.Connect, EPD Roles, and EPD.Visualizer.

You must set the environment variables for preprocessing and postprocessing in the user environment or the caddsrb.ini

file before you start the EPD.Connect

session. The interface checks for the variables before executing the command. If a variable is found, the interface tries to execute it. The Vault passes the names of the input and output files to the executable file.

The following table lists and describes the preprocessing and postprocessing variables:

Variable Description

COMMAND_PREPROCESS When the value is the name of an executable file, the interface tries to run it before executing rulebase initialization.

COMMAND_POSTPROCESS When the value is the name of an executable file, the interface tries to run it after executing the rulebase initialization.

where

COMMAND

is store

, replace

, update

, get

, or read

EPD.Connect User Guide 8-39

Using CAMU in EPD.Connect

Working with EPD.Connect

Vault Operations on CAMU Objects

The EPD interface behaves uniquely with the CAMU assemblies when executing the following Vault operations:

• Signout

• Reset

• Copy

• Change Status

• Request Review

• Respond Review

• Mark for Archive

• Mark for Delete

• Unmark

While working on a CAMU assembly, EPD.Connect performs the preceding operations on all the ADRAWS associated with the assembly, as well. However, you can change this behavior by configuring the

CA_STORE_ADRAWS

located in

$EPD_HOME/data/reposit/epdconn.ini

. For details on

CA_STORE_ADRAWS

, see “epdconn.ini” on page 8-3.

While executing the Request for Review operation on CAMU assemblies,

EPD.Connect creates file sets consisting of the assembly and the default

ADRAWS. These file sets are stored in the format assembly name.&DB

. For example, if the assembly name is ABC, the associated file set is stored as

ABC.&DB

. Also, these file sets get deleted once the Respond to Review operation is completed.

8-40 EPD.Connect User Guide

Chapter 9

Pro/FLY-THROUGH Integration with EPD.Connect

This chapter briefly describes Pro/FLY-THROUGH integrated with EPD.Connect

as a switchable product viewer.

This chapter discusses the following topics:

• Overview

• Setting the Pro/FLY-THROUGH Environment

• System Requirements

• Accessing Pro/FLY-THROUGH

EPD.Connect User Guide 9-1

Pro/FLY-THROUGH Integration with EPD.Connect

Overview

Pro/FLY-THROUGH is a product viewer. It is similar to 3D Viewer and

Visualizer. A typical Pro/FLY-THROUGH process is as follows:

• Install the software.

• Use Pro/ENGINEER to export files to VRML or to access native files.

• Use Pro/FLY-THROUGH to view the model (assembly or part).

• Select objects to create a simplified representation for retrieval into

Pro/ENGINEER.

• Retrieve the simplified representation into the active Pro/ENGINEER session.

• Review the design to do markups, measurements, and interference checking to test the integrity of the design.

• Modify selected components in the Pro/ENGINEER session.

• Update the modifications made to the active Pro/FLY-THROUGH session in

Pro/ENGINEER.

• Use packaging tools to combine components to create new assemblies.

• Use the other visualization features to prepare for demonstrations and documentation.

Features

With Pro/FLY-THROUGH you can:

• Conduct design reviews

• Create product presentations

• Explode the assembly dynamically

• Quickly retrieve large assemblies

• Quickly browse the 3D graphics of large assemblies, which would otherwise require more powerful hardware

• Perform real-time visual model inspection

• Quickly manipulate the model orientation and viewpoint

• Access product structure and parameters

• Quickly investigate a design by providing alternative visual navigation modes.

Please note: It is not possible to have other 3D Viewer running in the same environment because Pro/FLY-THROUGH is a switchable viewer.

9-2 EPD.Connect User Guide

Pro/FLY-THROUGH Integration with EPD.Connect

Overview

Advantages

The advantages of Pro/FLY-THROUGH are:

• Simple and intuitive user interface

• Fast retrieval of models

• Fast and interactive view manipulation

• Easy and quick model investigation

• Better performance relative to hardware

• Ability to save markup, subset, and view files created during a

Pro/FLY-THROUGH session

• Ability to create and read Pro/FLY-THROUGH package files

Limitations

The limitations of Pro/FLY-THROUGH are as follows:

• Pro/FLY-THROUGH does not read

For IBM AIX Platform

To set the Pro/FLY-THROUGH interface on the IBM AIX platform, rename the following library file names under

$EPD_HOME/lib

directory:

Rename the following static libraries:

libcvawtools.a

to libcvawtools.a.static

libcvoptmsg.a

to libcvoptmsg.a.static

Please note: Backup the existing static libraries before renaming them. They are not required for the Pro/FLY-THROUGH interface on the IBM AIX platform.

Rename the following shared (dynamic) libraries:

libcvawtools.a.shared

to libcvawtools.a

libcvoptmsg.a.shared

to libcvoptmsg.a

Pro/FLY-THROUGH interface now works from EPD Connect.

Install the Open GL software for Pro/FLY-THROUGH.

EPD.Connect User Guide 9-5

Pro/FLY-THROUGH Integration with EPD.Connect

System Requirements

Pro/FLY-THROUGH has a number of system requirements.

Hardware and Operating Systems

Pro/FLY-THROUGH runs on all the hardware/operating system platforms recommended for the current product revision of EPD.Connect.

Memory and Disk Space Requirements

As this is an add-on functionality, the memory and disk space requirements are the same as EPD.Connect. They are determined by Pro/FLY-THROUGH product guidelines.

Licenses

No additional licenses are required.

9-6 EPD.Connect User Guide

Pro/FLY-THROUGH Integration with EPD.Connect

Accessing Pro/FLY-THROUGH

To start Pro/FLY-THROUGH from EPD.Connect, choose

Tools -> 3D Viewer from the menu bar.

Display Menu Options

The Display menu options is applicable when the structure is loaded in

EPD.Connect.

With Pro/FLY-THROUGH you can perform the following actions using the

Display menu options:

•

Load

•

Delete

•

Convert

•

Show

•

Hide

•

Select

•

Deselect

•

Highlight

•

Transparency

•

Color

Please note: The menu options are not applicable to the Pro/FLY-THROUGH viewer.

EPD.Connect User Guide 9-7

Pro/FLY-THROUGH Integration with EPD.Connect

Accessing Pro/FLY-THROUGH

The following table will help you to find more information regarding the options.

Display Menu Options Refer to

Load

Delete

Convert

“Loading Tree Components into the 3D Viewer (Load)” on page 5-21

“Deleting Components from the 3D Viewer (Delete)” on page 5-21

“Converting CADDS Parts to Graphic Files (Convert)” on page 5-21

“Showing Components (Show)” on page 5-22 Show

Hide

“Hiding Components (Hide)” on page 5-22

“Selecting Components (Select)” on page 5-23 Select

Deselect

Highlight

“Deselecting Components (Deselect)” on page 5-24

“Highlighting Components (Highlight)” on page 5-25

Transparency

Color

“Applying Transparency (Transparency)” on page 5-26

“Resetting Colors (Color)” on page 5-27

9-8 EPD.Connect User Guide

Chapter 10

Using the EPD Interface for

MEDUSA

This chapter discusses the following topics:

• Overview

• Setting up MEDUSA Support on the Vault

• Creating Preprocessing and Postprocessing Routines

• Sequence of Actions for MEDUSA Objects

• Working in EPD.Connect

EPD.Connect User Guide 10-1

Using the EPD Interface for MEDUSA

Overview

The EPD Interface for MEDUSA enables you to perform Vault operations on certain MEDUSA generated objects. The EPD Interface for MEDUSA supports three types of MEDUSA objects:

• SHEET

• MODEL

• SYMBOL

The environment from which you can issue a command depends on the object you are working on, as follows:

• SHEET — Vault commands can be issued on a SHEET from either MEDUSA or EPD.Connect.

• MODEL — Vault commands can be issued on a MODEL only from

EPD.Connect, because the 2D Drafting menu for MEDUSA can be used only for a SHEET.

• SYMBOL — Vault commands can be issued on a SYMBOL only from

EPD.Connect, because the 2D Drafting menu for MEDUSA can be used only for a SHEET.

You can execute the store

, replace

, update

, get

, and read

commands on these objects. You can run preprocessing and postprocessing shell scripts or other software routines before you invoke these commands. See “Features” on page 12-3.

File-Naming Conventions

The following file naming conventions govern MEDUSA objects. The interface follows this convention while executing Vault commands on these objects:

Class of MEDUSA Object Object Type Convention and Meaning

Sheet

Model

SHEET

MODEL s.XXX, where XXX = SHEET name m.XXX, where XXX = MODEL name

Symbol SYMBOL y.XXX, where XXX = SYMBOL name

10-2 EPD.Connect User Guide

Using the EPD Interface for MEDUSA

Overview

Features

The EPD Interface for MEDUSA provides for the following:

• Interacting with Vault using EPD.Connect

• Using environment variables to add a software routine that runs immediately before a Vault command is executed

• Supporting up to the latest MEDUSA release

• Storing referenced SHEET, when a SHEET is stored

Limitations

The limitations of the EPD Interface for MEDUSA are as follows:

• You cannot launch a MEDUSA application from the product structure.

To view a MEDUSA object, start a MEDUSA session outside EPD.Connect

and open the MEDUSA object.

• You cannot open a MEDUSA application in the 3D Viewer.

The MEDUSA MODEL is an object generated by MEDUSA and can be viewed only from within the MEDUSA application. It is not a

.gbf

file and hence cannot be opened in the 3D Viewer.

• To use the EPD interface for MEDUSA with EPD.Connect locally, you must disable the existing Vault support. If you want EPD.Connect to list and recognize the application interface types, but have not disabled Vault support, then the first entry in the pm

config must identify a vault that is configured for the installed interfaces. For more information, see Installing EPD.Connect,

EPD Roles, and EPD.Visualizer.

EPD.Connect User Guide 10-3

Using the EPD Interface for MEDUSA

Setting up MEDUSA Support on the Vault

To set up MEDUSA support on the Vault, run the following as Vault administrator only after you have run either navinstall

or navrefresh

$EPD_HOME

/install/medinst

*****************************************************************

Installation Utility *

*****************************************************************

Enter the user id of your Vault Administration account. name:

OK to add MEDUSA Application Environment to Optegra Vault [yes] :

Enter the Vault Oracle database manager userid [pdmdm] :

Enter the Vault Oracle database manager password [pdmdm] :

Checking New Tables in ORACLE Database .....

New tables already exist.

Enter the Vault Oracle database manager userid [pdmdm] :

Enter the Vault Oracle database manager password [pdmdm] :

Adding MEDUSA Application to Optegra Vault.

OK to install the MEDUSA Vault Attributes [yes] :

Enter the EDMADMIN user password [edmadmin] :

Signing on to the Vault as edmadmin..

CDMSON000I Optegra

CDMSON016I Sign on to EDM server ADBHUT completed successfully.

You have 0 EDM message(s).

Adding MEDUSA attributes.

CAMARL100I MEDUSA_SET has been added.

CAMARL100I MEDUSA-DEPENDENT has been added.

CAMARL100I MEDUSA_RULE_1 has been added.

CAMARL100I MEDUSA_RULE_2 has been added.

CAMARL100I MEDUSA_RULE_3 has been added.

CAMARL100I MEDUSA_RULE_4 has been added.

CDMSOF017I Sign off from EDM completed successfully.

MEDUSA attributes added.

Optegra Interface for MEDUSA Installation Complete.

10-4 EPD.Connect User Guide

Using the EPD Interface for MEDUSA

Creating Preprocessing and Postprocessing Routines

Creating Preprocessing and Postprocessing

Routines

You can add a preprocessing or postprocessing shell script or other routine to run before running the store

, replace

, update

, get

, or read

commands.

For example, if you want to ensure that a file-naming convention is maintained, create a preprocessing routine to check file names before a store

command is executed. This capability allows easy correspondence between the interface and third-party applications.

Define preprocessing and postprocessing routines by setting the corresponding environment variables:

COMMAND

_[PRE][POST]PROCESS=[ executable file name] where

COMMAND

is store

, replace

, update

, get

, or read

The environment variables used by the interface are available in the medusarb.ini

file. Customize this file. If you set these variables, source this file before starting the EPD.Connect session. For more details, see Installing

EPD.Connect, EPD Roles, and EPD.Visualizer.

You must set the environment variables for preprocessing and postprocessing in the user environment or the

medusarb.ini

file before you start the

EPD.Connect session.

The interface checks for the variables before executing the command. If a variable is found, the interface tries to execute it. The Vault passes the names of the input and output files to the executable file. The following table lists and describes the preprocessing and postprocessing variables:

Variable Description

COMMAND_PREPROCESS When the value is the name of an executable file, the interface tries to run it before executing rulebase initialization.

COMMAND_POSTPROCESS When the value is the name of an executable file, the interface tries to run it after executing the rulebase initialization.

where

COMMAND

is store

, replace

, update

, get

, or read

EPD.Connect User Guide 10-5

Using the EPD Interface for MEDUSA

Sequence of Actions for MEDUSA Objects

This information in this section is provided for programmers who are customizing the interface.

The following pseudocode shows the sequence of actions followed by the

MEDUSA Interface when a user issues a Vault command. The actions vary slightly according to the object processed, SHEET, SYMBOL, or MODEL.

Differences are noted.

Initial phase:

Checks if variable “<command>_PREPROCESS” is set or not

If set, executes it with “$<command>_PREPROCESS inputfile

outputfile” as arguments.

In case of error, exit.

Proceed to rulebase processing for initial phase.

Complete the rulebase processing. Output file is created.

Checks if variable “<command>_POSTPROCESS” is set or not

If set, executes it with “$<command>_POSTPROCESS

inputfile outputfile” as arguments.

In case of error, exit.

Command processing is over.

Execution phase:

Execute Vault command. For the selected object, transaction

with the Vault takes place by actual movement of object

and dependent files between the Vault and Client.

Cleanup phase:

Proceed to rulebase processing for Cleanup phase.

Complete the rulebase processing. Output file is created.

Command processing is over.

10-6 EPD.Connect User Guide

Object

SHEET

MODEL

SYMBOL

Using the EPD Interface for MEDUSA

Sequence of Actions for MEDUSA Objects

The following table describes MEDUSA objects and their treatment by the interface rulebase commands:

Special treatment

By the store command:

1. All objects listed either as dependent files or referenced master objects are submitted to be stored in the Vault.

2. The interface extracts the information about the reference SHEETs that are used in the stored SHEET. The reference SHEETs are stored in the Vault if they are available on disk and are not available in the Vault. The reference sheets are stored as separate sheets.

By the replace

and update

commands:

The interface extracts the information about the reference SHEETs that are used in the stored SHEET. The reference SHEETs are stored in the Vault if they are available on disk and are not available in the Vault. The reference sheets are stored as separate sheets

By the get and read commands:

The interface extracts the information about the reference SHEETs used in the main

SHEET. If found, a copy of these reference SHEETS is retrieved from the Vault. The get

command retrieves the reference SHEETS from the vault without signing them out.

By all interface commands:

1. The master file for this object is defined by the prefix m ., and its associated dependent file is defined by the prefix s

2. The master file and its dependent file move to and from the VAULT as a single entity.

3. The MODEL’s associated SHEET is stored in the Vault as a member of the

MODEL.

By all interface commands:

The master file for this object is defined by the prefix y

(

The SYMBOL does not have dependent members.)

Please note: The interface rulebase removes the local copy of each object that is successfully transferred to the Vault.

The interface rulebase determines the location of the object files by checking:

• The

$CA_ASSYPREFIX or

$CA_READPREFIX

, which can be set to the

MEDUSA project directory (

MEDPROJ_PATH

), where the objects are stored or placed

• The current working directory from which the store

command was issued

• The user’s home directory

EPD.Connect User Guide 10-7

Using the EPD Interface for MEDUSA

Working in EPD.Connect

Using EPD.Connect, you can apply Vault commands on MEDUSA objects such as sheets, models, and symbols.

EPD.Connect allows you to:

• Add MEDUSA objects to product structures. Refer to Chapters 4 through 6 for information on working with product structures.

• List MEDUSA objects located on the local disk and in the Vault.

• To list MEDUSA objects:

Choose

Window

Data Browser

Choose the

Vault

tab to list objects located in the Vault database or choose the

Local

tab to list objects located on the local disk.

Click the

Options button

The Query Options dialog box opens.

Choose

Application to select a MEDUSA object:

MEDUSA

Click

Apply

Select an object from the list and choose a Vault transfer operation from

Database

Vault

10-8 EPD.Connect User Guide

Chapter 11

Using the EPD Interface for

Pro/ENGINEER

This chapter briefly describes how to access Pro/ENGINEER in EPD.Connect.

This chapter discusses the following topics:

• Overview

• Features

• Limitations

• EPD Interface for Pro/ENGINEER Support

• Understanding the EPD Interface for Pro/ENGINEER

• Preprocessing and Postprocessing

• Working in EPD.Connect

EPD.Connect User Guide 11-1

Using the EPD Interface for Pro/ENGINEER

Overview

The EPD Interface for Pro/ENGINEER allows you to perform Vault operations on

Pro/ENGINEER objects. Pro/ENGINEER objects on which you can perform

Vault operations are as follows:

• Assemblies

• Parts

• Layouts

• Formats

• Drawings

The Vault commands that you can use are as follows:

• store

• get

• read

• update

• replace

Please note: Product structures opened in the EPD.Connect browser for

Pro/ENGINEER assembly are intended only for purposes of viewing. Do not attempt to modify displayed structures by adding or deleting nodes.

The

File > Save

function for the Pro/ENGINEER assembly is not supported by

EPD.Connect interface. If you execute a

File > Save

command, no data will actually be written to disk. The following message will be displayed:

Successfully saved 1 of 1

11-2 EPD.Connect User Guide

Using the EPD Interface for Pro/ENGINEER

Features

The EPD Interface for Pro/ENGINEER allows you to:

• Interact with Vault using EPD.Connect

• Use environment variables to add a software routine that runs immediately before and/or after a Vault command is executed

• Support Releases 11 through 21 and 2000i of Pro/ENGINEER

• Store product structure attributes with the assembly file when a

Pro/ENGINEER assembly is stored in the Vault

• Store an assembly’s or part’s associated drawing file as a member file when an assembly or part is stored

• Support the instances of Pro/ENGINEER references in the product structure.

For additional information regarding:

• Process flow, refer to Appendix C, “Process Flow of EPD Interface

Commands”.

• Working with the product structure window, refer to Chapter 2, “Using the

Product Structure Window” and Chapter 4, “Customizing the Product Structure

Tree Window.”

EPD.Connect User Guide 11-3

Using the EPD Interface for Pro/ENGINEER

Limitations

The limitations of the EPD Interface for Pro/ENGINEER are:

• When Pro/ENGINEER assemblies are stored, their associated parts are not stored during the transaction and must be stored separately.

• Pro/MANUFACTURING process sheets are not supported.

• When Pro/ENGINEER objects are stored, associated export files, like neutral files, are not stored.

• Interaction with the Vault from the Pro/ENGINEER Application Environment is not supported.

• The interface lists, in upper case, the names of objects located in the Vault database and on the local disk. To issue Vault commands from the command-line interface, specify the

SELNAME

in upper case. This ensures that objects are listed in EPD.Connect for Vault operations.

• To use the EPD interface for Pro/ENGINEER with EPD.Connect locally, you must disable the existing Vault support. If you want EPD.Connect to list and recognize the application interface types, but have not disabled Vault support, then the first entry in the pm

config must identify a Vault that is configured for the installed interfaces.

11-4 EPD.Connect User Guide

Using the EPD Interface for Pro/ENGINEER

EPD Interface for Pro/ENGINEER Support

To set up Pro/ENGINEER support on the Vault, run the following as Vault administrator only after you have run either navinstall

or navrefresh

$EPD_HOME

/install/proeinst

******************************************************************

* Installation Utility *

* *

*****************************************************************

Enter the user id of your Vault Administration account. name:

OK to add Pro/E Application Environment to Optegra Vault [yes] :

Enter the Vault Oracle database manager userid [pdmdm] :

Enter the Vault Oracle database manager password [pdmdm] :

Checking New Tables in ORACLE Database .....

New tables already exist.

Enter the Vault Oracle database manager userid [pdmdm] :

Enter the Vault Oracle database manager password [pdmdm] :

Adding Pro/E Application to Optegra Vault.

Addition of Pro/E Application to optegra Vault Complete.

OK to install the Pro/E Vault Attributes [yes] :

Enter the EDMADMIN user password [edmadmin] :

Signing on to the Vault as edmadmin..

CDMSON000I Optegra

CDMSON016I Sign on to EDM server ADBHUT completed successfully.

You have 0 EDM message(s).

Adding Pro/E attributes.

CAMARL100I CONFIG_RULE_ASM has been added.

CAMARL100I CONFIG_OPT_RULE_ASM has been added.

CDMSOF017I Sign off from EDM completed successfully.

Pro/E attributes added.

Optegra Interface for Pro/E Installation Complete.

EPD.Connect User Guide 11-5

Using the EPD Interface for Pro/ENGINEER

Understanding the EPD Interface for Pro/ENGINEER

Understanding the EPD Interface for

Pro/ENGINEER

The EPD Interface for Pro/ENGINEER collects an object and any related files from Pro/ENGINEER when you execute a Vault command. “The store, update, and replace Commands” on page 11-7 and “The get and read Commands” on page 11-7 describe the steps for executing a Vault command.

You can:

• Perform Vault transactions on Pro/ENGINEER assemblies, parts, drawings, layouts, and formats.

• Use the Vault commands store

, replace

, update

, get

, and read

Pro/ENGINEER objects.

• Customize the procedures. The procedures performed by the EPD Interface for each command and type of object vary slightly.

Supported Objects and Optegra Commands

The following table lists the classes of Pro/ENGINEER objects that are supported by this interface:

Classes of Pro/ENGINEER Objects

Assembly

Part

Drawing

Format

Layout

Object Types Object Extensions

PTCASM

asm

PTCPRT

PTCDRW

PTCFRM

PTCLAY

prt drw frm lay

Please note: A drawing file with the same root name as an assembly or a part is considered a member of that assembly or part. A drawing file that is not associated with a part or assembly file can be stored separately with an object type of PTCDRW.

11-6 EPD.Connect User Guide

Using the EPD Interface for Pro/ENGINEER

Understanding the EPD Interface for Pro/ENGINEER

The interface consists of four components:

• Interface binary file, ptcarb

— This component, the rulebase executable file, gets executed when a Vault command is executed.

• Support binary file, asm2ps

— This component converts the Pro/ENGINEER assembly file to the Product Structure format.

• Support binary file, ps2attr

— This component converts the product structure information into the Vault attribute bag.

• Support binary file, extract

— This component extracts the attribute information from the Vault.

The store, update, and replace Commands

When you execute a store

update

, or

replace

command on a

Pro/ENGINEER-generated object, the interface:

• Searches the path specified in the environment variable

PROE_PATH, if the complete Pro/ENGINEER object path is not specified. If not found, it then searches the current working directory.

• Stores the object, if it exists. If the object is an assembly or part and a member drawing file exists, the drawing file is stored in the object.

• Stores the parent/child relationship information is stored in the Vault as attributes defining the product structure, if the object is an assembly.

Please note: The child objects for the Pro/ENGINEER assembly are not managed with the assembly. The child objects must be stored individually.

The update and replace

commands follow a procedure similar to that of the store

command.

The get and read Commands

When you execute a get

or read

command on a Pro/ENGINEER-generated object, the interface:

• Retrieves the Pro/ENGINEER object from the Vault and places the object in the directory specified by

$CA_ASSY_PREFIX for GET command or in the directory specified by

$CA_READ_PREFIX for READ command. In case these variables are not defined, the objects are copied into the current working directory.

• If the object is an assembly or part and there is a member drawing file, the drawing file is retrieved and placed along with the object.

EPD.Connect User Guide 11-7

Using the EPD Interface for Pro/ENGINEER

Preprocessing and Postprocessing

The EPD Interface for Pro/ENGINEER allows you to perform preprocessing and postprocessing during the initial and cleanup phases of the rulebase execution.

The preprocessing and postprocessing routines are executed when the

$PREPROCESS

and

$POSTPROCESS

environment variables are set and the executable files exist. If these processes fail, the rulebase exits.

The rulebase is executed in three phases, as follows:

Initial Processing

Execution

Cleanup

For more information on the processing phases, refer to “Processing Phases” on page C-3 .

11-8 EPD.Connect User Guide

Using the EPD Interface for Pro/ENGINEER

Working in EPD.Connect

Using EPD.Connect, you can execute Vault commands on Pro/ENGINEER objects such as assemblies, parts, drawings and layouts.

EPD.Connect does the following:

• Lists Pro/ENGINEER objects located on the local disk and in the Vault

• Allows you to transfer data between the local disk and the Vault

• Provides product structure browsing for assemblies

• Provides database management for structuring and accessing information

• Lets you add Pro/ENGINEER objects to product structures

Working with the Information Browser

To work with the Information Browser and the Product Structure window:

Choose the

Structure

tab of the Information Browser.

To open a Pro/ENGINEER assembly in a product structure, choose

File

Open

. The Open Configuration dialog box opens.

To open an existing Pro/ENGINEER assembly, in the

Application

field, specify

PTCASM

. Its location can be either Local Disk or Database.

Click

Query

for the list of available assemblies.

Click

Open

to load the assembly.

To perform Vault operations on selected components, choose a Vault transfer command by choosing

Database > Vault

Please note: Modifications made to the product structure using EPD.Connect

are not stored in the Pro/ENGINEER assembly. EPD.Connect is used only for viewing the product structure of the Pro/ENGINEER assembly.

EPD.Connect User Guide 11-9

Using the EPD Interface for Pro/ENGINEER

Working in EPD.Connect

Working with the Data Browser

To work with the Data Browser:

Choose

Window

Data Browser

Choose the

Vault

folder to list objects located in the Vault database, or choose the Local folder to list objects located on the local disk.

Click

Options.

The Query Options dialog box opens.

Choose

Application to select a Pro/ENGINEER object:

PTCASM

PTCPRT

PTCDRW

PTCFRM

, or

PTCLAY

Click

Apply

Select an object from the list and choose a Vault operation from

Database

Vault

11-10 EPD.Connect User Guide

Chapter 12

Using the EPD Interface for

CATIA

The EPD Interface for CATIA allows you to work on CATIA-generated objects within EPD.Connect.

This chapter discusses the following topics:

• Overview

• Features

• Limitations

• Working with CATIA Data in the Vault

• Working in EPD.Connect

Please note: CATIA functions are not available in the Windows environment.

EPD.Connect User Guide 12-1

Using the EPD Interface for CATIA

Overview

The EPD Interface for CATIA allows you to:

• Perform Vault operations on CATIA model files.

• View the product structure of CATIA assemblies in EPD.Connect.

• Display the CATIA model in the EPD.Connect 3D Viewer or Visualizer.

Please note: Product structures opened in the EPD.Connect browser for

CATIA are intended for viewing purposes only. Do not attempt to modify displayed structures by adding or deleting nodes.

The

File > Save

function for CATIA is not supported by the EPD.Connect

interface. If you execute a

File > Save

command, no data is written to disk. The following message is displayed:

Successfully saved 1 of 1

For additional information regarding:

• Process flow, refer to Appendix C, “Process Flow of EPD Interface

Commands”.

• Working with product structure refer to:

• Chapter 2, “Using the Product Structure Window.”

• Chapter 3, “Creating and Editing a Product Structure Tree.”

• Chapter 4, “Customizing the Product Structure Tree Window.”

• Querying Vault data, refer to Chapter 7, “Working with Vault Data.”

• Transferring Vault data, refer to Chapter 8, “Using CAMU in EPD.Connect.”

12-2 EPD.Connect User Guide

Using the EPD Interface for CATIA

Features

The EPD Interface for CATIA allows you to:

• Interact with Vault using EPD.Connect

• Query the Vault for CATIA items according to where stored or last changed

• Read Skins (SKI) and Dynamic Skins (SKD) from CATIA

• Improve color processing by providing a better RGB match

• Work with CATIA model files and assemblies, reading them without regard to the size of the models

• View CATIA assembly product structure in EPD.Connect

• Display CATIA models in the EPD.Connect 3D Viewer or Visualizer

EPD.Connect User Guide 12-3

Using the EPD Interface for CATIA

Limitations

The EPD interface for CATIA has the following limitations:

• Existing CATIA assemblies can be opened in EPD.Connect and stored to the

Vault. CATIA assemblies stored in the Vault cannot be directly opened from the database. You must first retrieve ( get

) the CATIA files from the Vault to the local disk.

• Similarly, if you have a product structure (

_ps

) file that includes CATIA data, that CATIA data must exist on the local disk.

• Redundant surfaces are read and converted as independent faces.

• To use the EPD.connect interface for CATIA with EPD.Connect locally, you must disable the existing Vault support. If you want EPD.Connect to list and recognize the application interface types, but have not disabled Vault support, then the first entry in the pm

config must identify a Vault that is configured for the installed interfaces.

12-4 EPD.Connect User Guide

Using the EPD Interface for CATIA

Working with CATIA Data in the Vault

Setting Up CATIA Support on Vault

To set up CATIA support on the Vault, run the following as Vault administrator only after you have run either navinstall

or navrefresh

$EPD_HOME

/install/catinst

******************************************************************

* Installation Utility *

* *

*****************************************************************

Enter the user id of your Vault Administration account. name:

OK to add CATIA Application Environment to Optegra Vault [yes] :

Enter the Vault Oracle database manager userid [pdmdm] :

Enter the Vault Oracle database manager password [pdmdm] :

Checking New Tables in ORACLE Database .....

New tables already exist.

Enter the Vault Oracle database manager userid [pdmdm] :

Enter the Vault Oracle database manager password [pdmdm] :

Adding CATIA Application to Optegra Vault.

OK to install the CATIA Vault Attributes [yes] :

Enter the EDMADMIN user password [edmadmin] :

Signing on to the Vault as edmadmin..

CDMSON000I Optegra

CDMSON016I Sign on to EDM server ADBHUT completed successfully.

You have 0 EDM message(s).

Adding CATIA attributes.

CAMARL100I CONFIG_RULE_CATASSY has been added.

CAMARL100I CONFIG_OPT_RULE_CATASSY has been added.

CDMSOF017I Sign off from EDM completed successfully.

CATIA attributes added.

Optegra Interface for CATIA Installation Complete.

EPD.Connect User Guide 12-5

Using the EPD Interface for CATIA

Working with CATIA Data in the Vault

Querying Vault for CATIA Data

You can query Vault for CATIA data and transfer it between the local disk and the

Vault. CATIA data is transferred based on its application type. The EPD.Connect

Interface for CATIA and the Vault support two types of CATIA application, including:

Application Type Data File Extension Description

CATASSY

CATMODEL

.model

CATIA Assembly

CATIA Model

The application type of a CATIA file is set in the Vault the first time you transfer

CATIA data to the Vault using the store

command. When you work with the

Data Browser, specify the application type in the Options dialog box by changing the contents of the

Application type

field. When you work with a product structure tree, the component you select to transfer determines the application type.

12-6 EPD.Connect User Guide

Using the EPD Interface for CATIA

Working in EPD.Connect

Using EPD.Connect you can execute Vault commands, view the product structure of CATIA assemblies, and display a CATIA assembly or model in the

EPD.Connect 3D Viewer or Visualizer.

EPD.Connect:

• Lists CATIA objects residing on the local disk or in the Vault

• Allows you to transfer data between the local disk and Vault

• Provides product structure browsing for assemblies

• Adds CATIA objects to product structures

Working with the Information Browser

To open a CATIA assembly in a product structure:

Choose the

Structure

folder in the Information Browser.

Choose

File > Open

. The Open Configuration dialog box opens.

Specify the Application as

CATASSY

. The

Location

must be a local disk.

Click

Query

for a list of available assemblies.

Click

Open

to load the assembly.

To perform Vault operations on selected objects (components), choose a Vault transfer command by choosing

Database > Vault

Please note: To view the product structure of a stored CATIA model, you must first retrieve the CATIA model file from the Vault and then open the assembly on your local disk into a product structure.

Working with the Data Browser

To use the Data Browser:

Choose

Window > Data Browser

Choose the Vault folder to list the objects in the Vault database.

Choose the Local folder to list the objects on the local disk.

Choose

Options

. The Query Options dialog box opens.

EPD.Connect User Guide 12-7

Using the EPD Interface for CATIA

Working in EPD.Connect

Choose

Application

to select one of the CATIA objects:

CATASSY

CATMODEL

Click

Apply

Select any object from the list and choose a Vault operation by choosing

Database > Vault

Working with 3D Viewer and EPD.Visualizer

To load CATIA objects into the 3D Viewer or Visualizer:

With a CATIA assembly active in the product structure window, select the objects (components) you want to view.

Choose

Display > Load > Selected

. The selected objects’ corresponding .

gbf or

.gaf

files are created and read into 3D Viewer or Visualizer.

For more information on the 3D viewer, refer to Chapter 5, “Using the 3D

Viewer.”

Working with CATIA Assemblies or Models

To convert CATIA assemblies or models into

.gbf

.gaf

files:

Select the objects (components) in the structure you want to convert.

Select

CATASSY

files in the Data Browser.

Choose

Display > Convert.

The selected objects (components) are converted into

.gbf

.gaf

files, according to your specification in the cvepd.ini

file.

12-8 EPD.Connect User Guide

Chapter 13

Using the EPD Interface for STEP

AP203

The EPD Interface for STEP AP203 allows you to present STEP data in

EPD.Connect. STEP is the acronym of the Standard for the Exchange of Product

Model Data, an industry-standard representation of product information. The interface for STEP AP203 currently supports STEP application level 203 (AP203).

This chapter includes the following sections:

• Overview

• Features

• Creating STEP Output

• Limitations

EPD.Connect User Guide 13-1

Using the EPD Interface for STEP AP203

Overview

The formal designation of STEP is the ISO 10303 Product Data Representation and Exchange. Vendors, suppliers, contractors, and customers can share product information across applications and platforms for the full engineering and manufacturing life cycle when they use STEP.

STEP stores files in the following standard formats:

• ISO 1030-21 — Clear Text Encoding of the Physical Exchange Structure

• ISO 10303-203 — Configuration Controlled Design, an ISO standard for transferring mechanical part data, including assembly definitions and configuration attributes

The EPD Interface for STEP AP203 reads and writes these formats. The remainder of this chapter refers to files coded in both formats as STEP files.

13-2 EPD.Connect User Guide

Using the EPD Interface for STEP AP203

Features

The EPD Interface for STEP AP203 allows you to:

• Display STEP folders and files.

• Open product structures that originate as STEP files.

• View a STEP file’s geometry.

• Work with STEP product structures.

• Create STEP output.

• Convert STEP files to and from CADDS format.

• Perform EPD.Connect actions on STEP files.

• Work with STEP data in the Vault.

Please note: Product structures opened in the EPD.Connect browser for

STEP assemblies are intended for viewing purposes only. Do not attempt to modify displayed structures by adding or deleting nodes.

The

File > Save

function for STEP assemblies is not supported by the

EPD.Connect interface. If you execute a

File > Save

command, no data will be written to disk. The following error message will be displayed:

Successfully saved 1 of 1

The following sections discuss the features of the EPD Interface for STEP AP203.

For additional information regarding:

• Process flow, refer to Appendix C, “Process Flow of EPD Interface

Commands”.

• Working with product structure see:

• Chapter 2, “Using the Product Structure Window.”

• Chapter 3, “Creating and Editing a Product Structure Tree.”

• Chapter 4, “Customizing the Product Structure Tree Window.”

• Querying Vault data, see Chapter 7, “Working with Vault Data.”

• Transferring Vault data, see Chapter 8, “Using CAMU in EPD.Connect.”

EPD.Connect User Guide 13-3

Using the EPD Interface for STEP AP203

Features

Displaying STEP Folders and Files

The Information Browser displays STEP folders as it does any other folders that reside on the local system. The following figure shows the STEP folders listed in the Information Browser.

STEP files may also be stored in the Vault nodes. If they are, you must first use the get command to place them in the local hierarchy before you open them. (To save them as Vault files nodes, use the appropriate Vault functionality.)

To display the contents of a STEP folder, click it. The Data Browser opens and displays the names of the STEP files that are in the folder, as shown in the following illustration.

13-4 EPD.Connect User Guide

Using the EPD Interface for STEP AP203

Features

Opening Product Structures That Originate as STEP

Files

From the Data Browser, you can display a STEP file as a product structure in the

Product Structure window.

To display a STEP file’s product structure:

In the Data browser, click the file.

Press the right mouse button. The menu that is displayed lists the actions you can perform on the selected STEP file. The following table lists and describes these actions.

Table 13-1 Data Browser File Options

Command

Open

Open...

Refresh

Options...

Action

Displays the STEP file’s product structure.

Displays the Open Configuration dialog box. You can query for a specific file and then display its product structure.

Updates the Data Browser if its contents have changed.

Opens the Query Options dialog box.

Choose either

Open...

Open.

You can also choose

File > Open to load the selected file’s product structure.

The STEP file’s product structure is displayed, as shown next.

EPD.Connect User Guide 13-5

Using the EPD Interface for STEP AP203

Features

Viewing a STEP File’s Geometry

From the 3D Viewer or EPD.Visualizer, you can display the three-dimensional geometry of a STEP file. With the file’s product structure active:

Launch the 3D Viewer by choosing

Tools > 3D Viewer

or launch the

EPD.Visualizer by choosing

Tools > EPD.Visualizer

Choose

Display > Load> All

Working with STEP Product Structures

You can combine STEP file product structures and components as you would any other product structures and components.

13-6 EPD.Connect User Guide

Using the EPD Interface for STEP AP203

Creating STEP Output

To save all or part of a STEP product structure as another STEP file and with the product structure active:

Choose

File > Export.

The Export Structure dialog box opens.

In the

Name

field, enter the name of the exported file.

In the

Export to

field, choose STEP.

For

Directory

, click

Create

and enter the directory.

For

Overwrite

, click

Yes

For

Nodes

, click

All

Selected

. To save the entire tree, click

All.

Otherwise

, select the components you want to save and click

Selected

For

Options

, click the type of data to export:

•

Structure and CM-Attributes on ly — A STEP file is created containing only product structure and attributes, compliant with Conformance Class 1 of STEP AP203.

•

All AP 203 da ta — A STEP file is created containing product structure, attributes, and geometry.

Saving all AP 203 data can be time-consuming if the structure’s geometry is complex.

EPD.Connect User Guide 13-7

Using the EPD Interface for STEP AP203

Creating STEP Output

•

Include Geometry for highlighted nodes only —

A STEP file is created that contains product structure, attributes, and the geometry of highlighted components.

This option may save time if the structure’s geometry is complex and you want to convert only certain nodes.

You cannot save multiple, independent components or subassemblies to one STEP file. The following methods are useful when you save a product structure:

• Add the corresponding trace links by choosing

View > Link > Selected to automatically select the required trace links.

• Copy the chosen components to a new structure and save it as a STEP file.

Converting STEP Files to and from CADDS

If the EPD.Connect CADDS translator is installed you can convert STEP files to and from CADDS files.

Please note: The CADDS/STEP translator is sold and installed separately.

Converting STEP Files to CADDS Files

To convert a STEP file to a CADDS file, with the STEP file’s product structure active:

Choose

File > Export.

The Export Structure dialog box opens.

In the

Name

field, enter the name of the exported file.

13-8 EPD.Connect User Guide

Using the EPD Interface for STEP AP203

Creating STEP Output

In the

Export to

field, choose

CADDS

For

Directory

, click

Create

and enter the name of the directory.

For

Overwrite

, click

Yes

For

Nodes

, click

All

Selected

. To save the entire tree, click

All

Otherwise, select the components you want to save and click

Selected

For

Options

, click the type of data to export:

•

Structure and CM-Attributes only

— Only the product structure file is created. Component nodes are converted to the item type “CADDS.” No geometry is converted.

•

All AP 203 data

— Geometry information in STEP is processed into

CADDS native format. A product structure file is created, whose component nodes are of the item type “CADDS.” Each node is associated with a newly created CADDS file.

Saving all AP 203 data can be time-consuming if the structure’s geometry is complex.

•

CADDS Conversion for highlighted nodes only —

The selected product structure is processed, but geometry is converted to CADDS native format only for highlighted nodes.

This option may save time if the structure’s geometry is complex and you want to convert only certain nodes.

You cannot save multiple, independent components or subassemblies to one

CADDS file. The following methods are useful when you save a product structure:

• Add the corresponding trace links by choosing

View > Link > Selected

to automatically select the required trace links.

• Copy the chosen components to a new structure and save it as a STEP file.

EPD.Connect User Guide 13-9

Using the EPD Interface for STEP AP203

Creating STEP Output

Converting CADDS Files to STEP Files

To convert a CADDS file to a STEP file with the CADDS file’s product structure active:

Choose

File > Export.

The Export Structure dialog box opens.

13-10

In the

Name

field, enter the name of the exported file.

In the

Export to

field, choose STEP.

For

Directory

, click

Create

For

Overwrite

, click

Yes

For

Nodes

, click

All

Selected

. To save the entire tree, click

All.

Otherwise

, select the components you want to save and click

Selected

EPD.Connect User Guide

Using the EPD Interface for STEP AP203

Creating STEP Output

For

Options

, click the type of data to export:

•

Structure and CM-Attributes only

— A STEP file is created containing only product structure and attributes, compliant with Conformance Class 1 of STEP AP203.

•

All AP 203 data

— A STEP file is created containing product structure, attributes, and geometry.

Saving all AP 203 data can be time-consuming if the structure’s geometry is complex.

•

Include Geometry for highlighted nodes only

— A STEP file is created that contains product structure, attributes, and the geometry of highlighted components.

This option may save time if the structure’s geometry is complex and you want to convert only certain nodes.

You cannot save multiple, independent components or subassemblies to one STEP file. The following methods are useful when you save a product structure:

• Add the corresponding trace links by choosing

View > Link > Selected

to automatically select the required trace links.

• Copy the chosen components to a new structure and save it as a STEP file.

Converting STEP Files to CAMU Assemblies

To convert a STEP file displayed in the Product Structure window into a CAMU assembly:

Export the product structure to CADDS format, as described in Converting

STEP Files to CADDS Files.

Close the active STEP configuration.

Open the file specified in step 1 by choosing

File > Open

or by using the Data

Browser to locate the structure file.

Choose

File > Save as > CAMU

A CAMU file results from the above operation.

EPD.Connect User Guide 13-11

Using the EPD Interface for STEP AP203

Creating STEP Output

Performing EPD.Connect Actions on STEP Files

Once a STEP file is read into EPD.Connect, normal EPD.Connect functions such as zoning and clash detection, apply. The following sections briefly describe some available functions.

Reviewing STEP File Attributes and Component Status

To review a STEP file’s attributes:

With the STEP file’s product structure active, in the toolbar at the bottom of the

Product Structure window, click the icon.

Choose

File > Properties

The Item Properties dialog box opens. For more information of this dialog box, refer to “Using the Product Structure Window” on page 2-3.

Generating Reports

You can generate reports about STEP files displayed in the Product Structure

Window as you would generate reports about any product structure file. For more information on reports, refer to “Printing and Displaying Reports” on page 2-39.

For a status report on any selected component or set of components of a STEP file:

With its product structure active, select the component.

Choose

Window > Component Status.

The Component Status Report dialog box opens. For more information, refer to

“Component Status” on page 2-31.

Working with STEP Data in the Vault

You can query STEP data stored in the Vault and transfer it between your local disk and the Vault. STEP files are stored as application type STEP in the Vault.

For details about querying and transferring Vault data, refer to Chapter 7,

“Working with Vault Data.”

13-12 EPD.Connect User Guide

Using the EPD Interface for STEP AP203

Limitations

To use the EPD interface for STEP AP203 with EPD.Connect locally, you must disable the existing Vault support. If you want EPD.Connect to list and recognize the application interface types, but have not disabled Vault support, then the first entry in the pm

config

must identify a Vault that is configured for the installed interfaces.

EPD.Connect User Guide 13-13

Chapter 14

Working with AEC Application

Objects in EPD.Connect

The EPD interface for the AEC applications, allows you to work with AEC application objects in EPD.Connect.

This chapter discusses the following topics:

• Overview

• Features

• Limitations

• Working with Application Objects in the Product Structure Window

• Working with 3D Viewer

• Working with EPD.Visualizer

• Setting up AEC Support for EPD.Connect

• Correlating AEC Objects with Visualization Applications

• Generating Reference Nodes for Application Objects

• Using aec2ps on a CADDS Model

EPD.Connect User Guide 14-1

Working with AEC Application Objects in EPD.Connect

Overview

The EPD.Connect interface for the AEC applications allows you to:

• Explore and view the CADDS application objects in the Product Structure window of EPD.Connect.

• Extract the hierarchy and attributes of the explored model from the AEC external database.

• Display the hierarchy of the application objects in EPD.Connect.

• Execute the EPD.Connect commands on the explored structure in the READ

ONLY mode.

• Create reports based on the extracted product structure.

• Interact with Visualization applications at the application object level. This process is bidirectional.

14-2 EPD.Connect User Guide

Working with AEC Application Objects in EPD.Connect

Features

The EPD.Connect interface for accessing the AEC applications enables you to:

• Construct the hierarchy information for the application objects within a given

CADDS model by interacting with the AEC database.

• Extract relevant attributes from the AEC database. This is presented in

EPD.Connect in a customized manner.

• Identify the application objects in EPD.Connect as well as the Visualization applications like Visualizer and 3D Viewer.

• Bidirectionally interact with the application objects.

EPD.Connect User Guide 14-3

Working with AEC Application Objects in EPD.Connect

Limitations

The EPD interface for accessing the AEC applications has the following limitations:

• Any changes made to the hierarchy and attributes of the application objects within EPD.Connect are not reflected in the AEC RDBMS.

• Visualization applications such as Pro/FLY-THROUGH and dVise are not supported.

• The explored model displayed in EPD.Connect is static. Any subsequent changes made to the AEC database are not dynamically reflected in

EPD.Connect. You must explore the database again to reflect the changes.

• The hierarchy must originate from a CADDS model.

14-4 EPD.Connect User Guide

Working with AEC Application Objects in EPD.Connect

Working with Application Objects in the Product Structure Window

Working with Application Objects in the Product

Structure Window

To explore a model and display the hierarchy of its application objects:

Start EPD.Connect.

Open the product structure of the selected CADDS model.

Click on the required nodes of the CADDS model in the Product Structure window.

Click the right mouse button and choose

Explore Object from the pop-up menu to explore the model and display the hierarchy and attributes of the application objects.

Choose

File > Explore Object to explore the model. The explored model appears with a different color. Refer to “CA_AEC_CUSTOM_COLOR=2” on page 14-16 for details.

Click the right mouse button and choose

Close Object

to remove the explored model from the Product Structure window.

Choose

File > Close Object to close the explored model

EPD.Connect User Guide 14-5

Working with AEC Application Objects in EPD.Connect

Working with Application Objects in the Product Structure Window

Figure 14-1 Explored Model in the Product Structure window

14-6

Notes

• If more than one Product Structure window with the product structure components is open, the Exploring and Closing operations work only on the active product structure.

• The

File > Save

option for the explored nodes is blocked in EPD.Connect. If you execute the

File > Save

command, no data about the explored objects is written to the disk. Use the

File > Save as

command to save the PS tree along with the application objects.

• After exploring the product structure, all the relevant AEC application objects are listed. These include some entities that are not a part of the visualization database. The Display menu operations on such objects will have no effect on the visualization applications.

Please note: The display menu options can be used for objects that are present both in the AEC as well as the visualization database.

EPD.Connect User Guide

Working with AEC Application Objects in EPD.Connect

Working with 3D Viewer

To display the hierarchy of the application objects using a 3D Viewer:

Start EPD.Connect.

Select the CADDS model in the Product Structure window and explore it as explained in “Working with Application Objects in the Product Structure

Window” on page 14-5.

Choose

Tools>3D Viewer

from the EPD.Connect menu bar.

View the model in the 3D Viewer.

Click the icon for selecting masks, in the 3D Viewer window.

Choose the

Graphics File

option to select the required CADDS component in the 3D Viewer. The associated CADDS component can be selected and scrolled in the product structure window.

Choose the

Item option to select a required application object in the 3D Viewer.

The associated application objects can be selected and scrolled in the product structure window.

EPD.Connect User Guide 14-7

Working with AEC Application Objects in EPD.Connect

Working with EPD.Visualizer

To display the hierarchy of the application objects using Visualizer:

Start EPD.Connect.

Select the CADDS model in the Product Structure window and explore it as explained in “Working with Application Objects in the Product Structure

Window” on page 14-5.

Choose

Tools > 3D Viewer

from the EPD.Connect menu bar.

View the model in the Visualizer.

Choose

Select > Selection Masks

. The following menu appears:

14-8

• Choose the

Graphics File

option to select the required CADDS component in the Visualizer window. This is the default option. You can perform the following Visualization operations on the associated CADDS component:

• Select

• Scroll to

• Select and Scroll to

• Deselect

• Deselect all

• Select Selected

• Highlight Selected

• Highlight Interferencing

For details of the above options refer to the EPD.Visualizer User Guide.

• Choose the

Item

option to select the required application object in the

Visualizer window. The operations mentioned above can be performed on the associated application objects.

EPD.Connect User Guide

Working with AEC Application Objects in EPD.Connect

Working with EPD.Visualizer

Detecting Clashes

To detect clashes of the application objects using the Visualizer:

Select the CADDS model in the Product Structure window and explore the application objects.

Choose

Interference > Control

from the EPD.Visualizer window to set up the interference checking session. The Interference Checking Control window opens.

Choose the

Highlight in Navigator

option to highlight the application objects that are clashing in EPD.Connect.

Please note: When you set the environment variable

PVS_SHOW_ZONE

$EPD_HOME/data/reposit/explorer.ini

and choose the

Highlight in

Navigator

option, all of the application objects that are not completely within the boundaries of the zone and that do not clash with the zone boundaries are hidden.

EPD.Connect User Guide 14-9

Working with AEC Application Objects in EPD.Connect

Setting up AEC Support for EPD.Connect

To extract the AEC attributes to EPD.Connect, a specific setup is required on the

AEC servers that are connected to EPD.Connect.

The setup involves running the inst_prop_filt.pl

script on the AEC server.

This script uses the aec2ps_propdef.ini

file as the input file. The data in this file is added to the AEC_PROPERTY_DICTIONARY_TBL or any other equivalent AEC table that is used. The entries in the

AEC_PROPERTY_DICTIONARY_TBL or the selected AEC table are used to filter the attributes extracted to EPD.Connect globally.

You can use any file as an input file that matches the format listed in the aec2ps_propdef.ini

file. The default file will export all the attributes for the

Piping application objects.

14-10 EPD.Connect User Guide

Working with AEC Application Objects in EPD.Connect

Correlating AEC Objects with Visualization Applications

Correlating AEC Objects with Visualization

Applications

The EPD interface for the AEC application objects uses the both the partid of the

CADDS part and the CADDSUID of the objects within the CADDS part to uniquely identify the application objects in EPD.Connect, Visualizer, and 3D

Viewer.

The partid of the CADDS part is set using the SELECT and LINK ADBMS commands of CADDS. In case you want to keep the CADDS session alive while working with this interface, use the FILE PART command after running the LINK

ADBMS command. This ensures that the partid matches for the AEC database and the Visualization database.

EPD.Connect User Guide 14-11

Working with AEC Application Objects in EPD.Connect

Generating Reference Nodes for Application Objects

Generating Reference Nodes for Application

Objects

You can use reference nodes to display relationships between the various application objects that are not a part of the hierarchical model being used for generating the product structure tree. For example, consider a weld that refers to two plates. These two plates can be treated as reference nodes of the weld. These plates will also be a part of the product structure tree under the generic name

‘plate’.

Working with ASM Objects

You can display reference relationships between the ASM application objects in the product structure hierarchy using the AEC_LINK_TBL. You can see the reference nodes as child nodes along with the object type based hierarchy. The reference nodes will be displayed twice on the tree. These nodes are distinguished from the main nodes by a suffix that can be customized.

Working with AEC Cable Objects

You can generate references for AEC cable objects that are related to each other beyond the hierarchical relationships that are displayed. The principle of classifying the reference nodes is the same as the principle used for ASM.

Generating Reports for Reference Nodes

You can generate reports for the selected application object by using the report

“List AEC References.”

To activate this report, copy the file ca_menu1.men

, located in

$EPD_HOME/data/aec2ps/custmenu/$LANG

, to

$EPD_HOME/data/custmenu/$LANG before invoking EPD.Connect. Explore the AEC part as discussed in the earlier sections. Select the required application object and choose

Reports > List AEC References

to generate the report.

Please note: Currently, the above feature is available only for AEC cable objects.

14-12 EPD.Connect User Guide

Working with AEC Application Objects in EPD.Connect

Using aec2ps on a CADDS Model

When you explore a CADDS model in EPD.Connect, the hierarchy and attributes of the application objects are extracted from the AEC database. This is done using the program aec2ps

aec2ps.ini

The following settings in the aec2ps.ini

are used by the EPD Interface to the

AEC applications:

•

AEC2PS_ATTR_FILT =

$EPD_HOME/data/aec2ps/reposit/aecattr.ini

The location of the file where the attribute filter settings are made. You can control the attribute visibility and the attribute name using this file. This file determines the following:

• The column name selected in the AEC table is equivalent to the attribute name that is displayed in EPD.Connect. For example,

UID_3D = Element ID

• The usage of # in the first column of any entry identifies it as a comment.

• The application filters any column that does not appear in this file.

•

DBMS_HOST = xxxx dbmsnetd = xxxxx

ORACLE_SID = xxxx

The settings used by aec2ps

for connecting to the external database.

DBMS_HOST

specifies the name of the host running the DBMS process. The setting of the variable

DBMS_HOST

depends on the following:

• If the

.caddsrc-local

file is present in the directory from which

EPD.Connect is started, or is present in your home directory, and the

DBMS_HOST

variable is set in this file, the

DBMS_HOST

setting is used.

• If you have installed CADDS on the system running EPD.Connect, the script located in

/usr/apl/cadds/scripts/templates/.caddsrc

has a hardcoded

DBMS_HOST setting to the local system. In case you want to use the DBMS process running on another system, remove the existing setting or set it to the system running the DBMS process.

The setting in 1 will always override this setting.

• The current working environment may have a variable set, which will be used in the absence of the preceding two settings.

EPD.Connect User Guide 14-13

Working with AEC Application Objects in EPD.Connect

Using aec2ps on a CADDS Model

• This variable can also be set in

EPD_HOME/data/aec2ps/reposit/aec2ps.ini

. This setting is used in the absence of any of the preceding settings.

The value specified for dbmsnetd

is the port number used by the DBMS for communication purposes. This value can be extracted from the

/etc/rpc file located on the host running the DBMS process.

ORACLE_SID

specifies the instance of Oracle on the host running the DBMS application that will be connected to.

•

AEC2PS_USER = xxxx

User ID for accessing the AEC database.

•

AEC2PS_PASSWORD = xxxx

The scrambled user password for accessing the AEC database. Can be generated using the executable scramexe

located in

$EPD_HOME/bin directory.

•

AEC2PS_ATTRNAME_MODE = x

The settings made to customize the exported attribute names. The following values can be assigned to this variable:

This is the default value. It uses the column names in the AEC database as attribute names.

This setting extracts the attribute name from the

AEC2PS_ATTR_FILT

file.

3 This uses a concatenated value of the fields

AEC_PROP_PROPNAME and AEC_PROP_SEQUENCE, of the

AEC property dictionary table. This setting results in the uniformity of attribute names across all the installations.

Any other value other than the above mentioned values is assigned the default value 1.

•

AEC2PS_PIPING_ELEM_TEXT = ‘$ELT_NAME’

AEC2PS_HVAC_ELEM_TEXT = ‘$ELT_NAME’

AEC2PS_CABLE-TEXT =

AEC2PS_SEG_TEXT =

AEC2PS_NODE_TEXT =

AEC2PS_DEVICE_TEXT =

AEC2PS_SUPPORT_TEXT =

AEC2PS_PLATE_TEXT =

AEC2PS_STIFFNER_TEXT =

AEC2PS_WELD_TEXT =

AEC2PS_FLANGE_TEXT =

14-14 EPD.Connect User Guide

Working with AEC Application Objects in EPD.Connect

Using aec2ps on a CADDS Model

AEC2PS_GENERIC_TEXT

AEC2PS_BRACKET_TEXT

AEC2PS_COLLAR_TEXT =

AEC2PS_FLANGED_PLATE_TEXT =

AEC2PS_FOLDED_FLANGE_TEXT =

AEC2PS_WELDED_FLANGE_TEXT =

The settings that determine the customized class names for the various classes of nodes. The ‘$’ sign is prefixed to all the attribute names. The attribute values can be separated by a single character of your choice. Use quotes (‘) with the values that are prefixed by the ‘$’ sign.

•

AEC2PS_INDENT_PREFIX = 1

The setting for enabling or disabling the object-name specific prefix for the class names. The default value is 1, which enables the prefix-identifier setting.

The value 0 disables the setting.

•

AEC2PS_REF_SUFFIX = Ref

The setting for choosing the suffix that is to be appended to the class name of the reference nodes.

•

AEC2PS_LOGFILE = $EPD_TEMP/aec2ps.log

The name of the file where the log messages are written, when

AEC2PS_DEBUG is set to ON.

•

AEC2PS2NAV = $EPD_TEMP/aec2ps2nav

The name of the file that communicates with EPD.Connect and displays error messages.

•

AEC2PS_SIGNAL_ENABLED = 0

The setting for extracting the signal attribute for cables. The default value is 0 which disables this setting.

•

AEC2PS_SEG_CLASS_ENABLED = 0

The setting for extracting the segment class for segments. The default value is 0, which disables this setting.

•

AEC2PS_DISPLAY_SUPPORTS = 0

The setting for displaying support as a part of the main tree. The default value is

0, which disables this setting.

•

AEC2PS_ASM_ADD_REF = 0

AEC2PS_CABLING_ADD_REF = 0

The setting for adding duplicate reference nodes to the trees for ASM and

Cabling objects. Set the value to 1 to add duplicate nodes. The default value is

0, which disables the above setting.

EPD.Connect User Guide 14-15

Working with AEC Application Objects in EPD.Connect

Using aec2ps on a CADDS Model

• AEC2PS_REV_SEPERATOR = -

The setting that determines the separator character for the name and the revision. A single character must be given as a separator.

•

CA_NODE_EXP_COLOR = 5

The indicator color on the explored nodes can be changed by setting appropriate values. The default value is 5.

•

AEC2PS_DEBUG = OFF

The setting for displaying the log messages in the DEBUG mode. The default value is

OFF

•

AEC2PS_EXPLORE_OTHERNODES = 1

The setting for displaying the phantom nodes of the application objects that have no database support under the parent node. The GBF files for such nodes should be generated prior to exploring the nodes of the product structure. If the

GBF file is absent, the system displays a warning message and all the objects with database support are displayed.

Apart from the above variables, set appropriate values to the following variables in the epdconn.ini

file.

•

CA_AEC_CUSTOM_COLOR=2

The color of the AEC nodes can be changed by setting the appropriate values.

The default value is 2.

•

CA_AEC_OBJECTID=objectid

The reserved objectid

can be customized by setting appropriate values to this variable. The default value is “ objectid

”.

14-16 EPD.Connect User Guide

Appendix A

Interacting with CAMU from

EPD.Connect - An Alternate

Approach

This appendix explains the single tree feature that is available in EPD.Connect.

• Overview

• Features

• Generating and Activating a Single DB

• Reading Orientations from CAMU

• Limitations and Restrictions

EPD.Connect User Guide A-1

Interacting with CAMU from EPD.Connect - An Alternate Approach

Overview

The single tree approach allows an organization to manage its product information in single sets of structured trees based on PS files, rather than maintaining a separate subset specifically for working with CAMU.

The DB file format used in the NAV/CAMU mode does not allow you to store non-CADDS data. However, you can use the PS file format to store both the

CADDS as well as the non-CADDS data. Hence, in cases where you have to store data both in the PS file format as well as the DB file format, the synchronization of data becomes difficult. The single tree feature resolves this problem to a certain extent by allowing you to store data only in the PS file format, which enables you to modify only the orientations in CAMU.

The working process in the CAMU environment becomes much simpler and easier because the CAMU session uses a single DB that is generated from a product structure having multiple subassemblies (PS files).

The following table compares the existing NAV/CAMU features to the single tree features.

Single Tree

Allows only a limited interaction between EPD.Connect and CAMU.

Does not allow multiple users to work on the single CAMU database

Allows you to work on the single-DB temporarily.

Recommended only for mature and stable product structures that would not be subjected to many changes.

NAV/CAMU

Allows complete interoperability between EPD.Connect

and CAMU

Supports concurrency

Allows you to save the changes permanently

Can be used from the conceptual phase until the design phase

Notes

• Do not use this feature unless the existing NAV/CAMU options cannot fulfill your requirements.

• You cannot use the CADDS session that is started for the single tree generation for the NAV/CAMU operations.

A-2 EPD.Connect User Guide

Interacting with CAMU from EPD.Connect - An Alternate Approach

Features

The single tree generation for the product data has the following features:

• The currently active product structure in EPD.Connect is used for generating the single DB in CAMU.

• All visible nodes of the product structure are considered for the single-DB generation.

• Hidden nodes are ignored during the single-DB generation.

• Components in the single DB are displayed in the same order as they are displayed in the Product Structure window.

• The revision of the model remains the same in both the PS tree and the single

DB.

• The single-DB that is activated in CADDS/CAMU is closed automatically when the corresponding tree is closed in the Product Structure window.

• If the product structure is not active in EPD.Connect or the single DB is not active in CAMU, the orientation changes are not reflected in EPD.Connect.

• The orientation changes are reflected only for those nodes that are present in the active product structure while generating the single DB.

• The orientation changes are not reflected for those nodes that are added or deleted from the active product structure after generating the single DB.

EPD.Connect User Guide A-3

Interacting with CAMU from EPD.Connect - An Alternate Approach

Generating and Activating a Single DB

To generate and activate a single DB file:

Set the

ENABLE_SINGLE_TREE

variable in the epdconn

ini

file to 1.

Start EPD.Connect.

Open or create the required product structure.

A-4 EPD.Connect User Guide

Interacting with CAMU from EPD.Connect - An Alternate Approach

Generating and Activating a Single DB

Choose

Tools > Generate and Activate Single DB

from the EPD.Connect

menu bar to activate the single DB file in the CADDS/CAMU structure mode.

For example, if you create or open a product structure with the reference nodes of the parent assembly expanded, as shown in the following figure, all of the nodes of the assembly are considered for generating the single DB file in CAMU. This is shown in Figure A-1.

EPD.Connect User Guide A-5

Interacting with CAMU from EPD.Connect - An Alternate Approach

Generating and Activating a Single DB

Figure A-1 Single DB Activated in CAMU

A-6 EPD.Connect User Guide

Interacting with CAMU from EPD.Connect - An Alternate Approach

Reading Orientations from CAMU

To read the orientations from CAMU and reflect them in EPD.Connect:

Activate the single DB as explained in the previous section.

Change the orientations of the components in the assembly as required in

CADDS/CAMU.

Choose

Tools > Read Orientations from CAMU

to display the product structure in EPD.Connect. The nodes that have changed orientations are highlighted in the window.

Please note: To save the active DB file automatically in CAMU, assign the value 1 to the

AUTO_FILE_ASSY

variable in the epdconn

ini

file. The default value is 0, where the orientation changes made in CAMU must be saved manually before you read the orientation in the Product Structure window.

The Report Viewer window displays the information for the nodes for which the orientations have changed.

EPD.Connect User Guide A-7

Interacting with CAMU from EPD.Connect - An Alternate Approach

Reading Orientations from CAMU

Choose

File > Save

to save the orientation changes made to the product structure in the local disk.

Please note: If you have changed the product structure after generating the single-DB while working in the CAMU environment, EPD.Connect displays a message before reflecting the orientation in the active product structure. If you choose to continue, the orientation of all the nodes that existed previously is overwritten.

A-8 EPD.Connect User Guide

Interacting with CAMU from EPD.Connect - An Alternate Approach

Limitations and Restrictions

The single-tree generation and activation has the following limitations:

• This feature is valid only for the structure mode.

• An appropriate variable setting is required before starting the EPD.Connect

session to enable this feature.

• If you start CADDS/CAMU in any other mode and then switch to the structure mode, this feature is disabled.

• The single-tree feature is available only in the Explicit mode of CAMU and not in the Parametric mode.

• The single DB that is generated is created temporarily in CAMU and cannot be saved permanently.

• An assembly is activated only if CADDS/CAMU is running and is started from

EPD.Connect.

• Only the orientation changes of the components are reflected in the Product

Structure window of EPD.Connect.

• Only a single user is allowed to work on the single DB that is currently active in

CAMU.

EPD.Connect User Guide A-9

Appendix B

Options for System

Administrators

This appendix explains options available to administer aspects of the system when

EPD.Connect is linked to a Vault. These options are only available when you are signed on to the Vault.

• Creating Environments for Applications

• Defining Applications

• Setting Application Project Relationships

• Switching the DOD

• Setting Interface Preferences for Users

Please note: For more information on customizing the EPD.Connect

environment, see Customizing EPD.Connect.

EPD.Connect User Guide B-1

Options for System Administrators

Creating Environments for Applications

You can create application-specific environments or change or delete existing ones. Application environments are used to specify where files are transferred to when accessed from the Vault for read or write access. For the standard product structure, CAMU and CADDS applications, the CADDS rulebase is utilized. All these applications are, therefore, defined with the

Rulebase

toggle set to

Yes

When a node is displayed in the Product Structure window, if its associated document has an application type that is defined as 'structural', the node will appear as a reference. EPD.Connect will then allow this node to be opened to display its structure. When the name of an associated document is requested by

EPD.Connect, the

Case

of the document name is also controlled by this

Application Environment window. Setting

Case

Upper

, in fact, performs

UNIX to CGOS translation.

You also use the Application Environment window to specify the name of the

Oracle tables to be queried to obtain information about these files. Typically, these should be

CA_FILE_DIRECTORY

and

CA_FILE ATTRIBUTES

for files. If the application is collection of a number of files to form a part within the Vault, then the

CA_PART_DIRECTORY

and

CA_PARTATTRIBUTES

must be queried. If other

Oracle tables are used, these must have the same structure as the standard tables.

Select

Admin > Appl Environment to open the Application Environment window.

B-2 EPD.Connect User Guide

Options for System Administrators

Creating Environments for Applications

To create a new application environment, follow these steps:

Since most application parameters are similar to those of other applications, it is suggested that you populate the fields on the screen with values specified for another application. Select one whose characteristics are similar to the one you are creating (or the application you are updating) from the list.

Application

, specify the type of application or select one from the list.

Description

, enter a descriptive phrase for the application.

Create Directory

, specify the path where files are to be transferred for modification. This may be either the exact directory path or an environment variable setting. The first character of environment variable is always $. Paths and variables cannot be mixed.

Read Directory

, specify the location where files will be located when retrieved for read operations. This may be either the exact directory path or an environment variable setting. The first character of environment variable is always

. Paths and variables cannot be mixed.

ViewName

, specify either

CA_FILE_DIRECTORY

CA_PART_DIRECTORY or the name of an Oracle table with a similar definition.

AM ViewName

, specify either

CA_FILEATTRIBUTES

CA_PARTATTRIBUTES

or the name of an Oracle table with a similar definition.

For

Rulebase

select an option:

Option

Yes

Condition for Selecting Option

If EPD.Connect must resort to an external rulebase (binary file) to interpret the application data. This is the case for all new applications. EPD.Connect only recognizes rulebases for PS, CADDS and CAMU files.

If EPD.Connect recognizes the rulebase used to interpret application data. This is the case for PS, CADDS and CAMU.

For

Structure

select an option:

Option

Yes

Condition for Selecting Option

If the application files are linked in a hierarchical structure. If they are, you must provide a binary file that defines the structure. For example, CAMU parts are structures.

If the application files are not linked in a hierarchical structure. For example, CADDS files are not structures.

10.

For Part select an option:

Option

Yes

Condition for Selecting Option

If the application files are to be stored as a part in the Vault.

If only a single file is to be stored.

EPD.Connect User Guide B-3

Options for System Administrators

Creating Environments for Applications

11.

Case

file names are specified in:

•

Upper

— Uppercase characters.

•

Mixed

— Both uppercase and lowercase characters.

•

Lower

— Lowercase characters.

12.

Click

Apply

to apply the application environment modifications.

B-4 EPD.Connect User Guide

Options for System Administrators

Defining Applications

In the Vault, each file or part has five standard attributes associated with it. They are:

•

DESCRIPTION

•

GT_CODE

•

PART_NUMBER

•

SYSTEM_TYPE

•

USER_TYPE

Please note: The above attributes are not case-sensitive. For example,

Description

attribute is the same as

DESCRIPTION

attribute.

It may also have additional customized attributes. The Application Definition window lets you specify different presentations and behaviors for these attributes for each application type. You can use these attributes to control the following behaviors:

• The label used to prompt for the attribute

• The size of the text field

• The default value required

• The case of the text field

• Whether the attribute value can be changed or not

• Whether the attribute is displayed

These behaviors are applied to all the windows that display the attributes or allow for their modification, such as the Data Browser, Component Status, Store, and so forth.

EPD.Connect User Guide B-5

Options for System Administrators

Defining Applications

Perform the following steps to edit application definition attributes:

Select

Admin > Appl Definition

B-6

Select an

Option to

Add, Change or Delete

standard Vault attributes for an application.

Select one of the

Applications

from the list.

Select one of the five standard

Attributes

from the list.

Specify a

Label

for the attribute.

Specify the

Size

of the attribute. The maximum size for each attribute is:

Attribute

User Type

System Type

Part Number

Description

GT Code

Maximum Size

EPD.Connect User Guide

Options for System Administrators

Defining Applications

Specify a

Default Value

. The default is no default value.

Specify whether the

Case

Upper

Mixed

. The default is

Mixed

Specify whether the attribute is

Read-only

or not. The default is

10.

Visible

, specify whether the attribute is to be displayed or not. The Default is

Yes

11.

Click

Apply

to add, change or delete the attribute definition.

EPD.Connect User Guide B-7

Options for System Administrators

Setting Application Project Relationships

Select

Admin > Appl Project to control the Vault in which an application’s data is stored in and the Vault displayed by default. This control is only enforced in the

Store and Copy windows.

Select

Admin > Appl Project

to add, change or delete Application or Project relationships.

Select

Option

to add, change or delete an Application/Project relationship. If you select

Change

Delete

, select an existing association from the list.

Select one of the

Applications

from the list.

Select a

Project to associate to the

Application

. If no relationships exist for the application, the

Project

list will contain all the Vaults that the user has write access to.

Default

, specify whether the project is to be the default project for the application.

Click

Apply

to add, change or delete the attribute definition.

B-8 EPD.Connect User Guide

Options for System Administrators

Switching the DOD

In a Distributed Vault environment, where multiple Distributed Object Directories

(DOD) are configured for a particular Vault, you can dynamically switch to another DOD when the designated primary DOD is inaccessible.

A DOD switch is checked for and executed only on the Vaults specified in the

ANSPATH

variable for the current EPD.Connect session.

Please note: Make sure that the file specified by the

ANSPATH

variable contains:

• A list of all the primary and secondary DODs for a given Vault for each

EPD.Connect client before you start EPD.Connect.

• A list of all the Vaults in the Optegra network that use the same DOD configuration.

When EPD.Connect starts, it checks whether the Vaults specified in the

ANSPATH are online. Therefore, many entries in the

ANSPATH

variable would delay the

EPD.Connect startup.

Switch a DOD when:

• The Vault is from an Optegra Network.

• The Vault is configured to its original, default primary DOD.

• The new primary DOD is configured as an alternative DOD for a Vault.

• The Vault database authentication parameters for

EDM_DM_USER

EDM_DM_PASSWD

are the same as the signed on Vault.

EPD.Connect User Guide B-9

Options for System Administrators

Switching the DOD

Making the Switch

To switch the DOD, select

Admin > Switch DOD

. The Switch DOD dialog box opens.

B-10

The name of the Vault that you are signed on to is displayed in the

Vault field. You cannot modify this field.

In the

DOD

field, click the adjacent icon to see the list of DODs available. In the list, along with the name of the DOD, its distance from the site is also displayed to help you choose the DOD closest to you.

To switch to the new DOD, click

Please note: For information on how users are informed of a switch in the

DOD, refer to “Refreshing the DOD” on page 7-14.

EPD.Connect User Guide

Options for System Administrators

Setting Interface Preferences for Users

A number of EPD.Connect options can be controlled by GUI Preferences. These settings may apply to all users, specific users, lists of users in a command list or workstations. An option is controlled by setting parameters that enable, disable or set limits to it.

Select

Admin > GUI Preferences

to add, change or delete graphical interface parameters.

Select

Option

to add, change or delete a parameter. If you select change or delete, select an existing parameter from the list. You can select

Query

to re-query the GUI Preferences list from the database.

EPD.Connect User Guide B-11

Options for System Administrators

Setting Interface Preferences for Users

EDM_PRIVATE

EDM_PROJECT

EDM_PUBLIC

Select one of the

Parameters from the list. The meaning of each parameter and its possible values are:

Parameter

CA_ADRAWS_IN_REVIEW

CA_GUI_REVISION

CA_GUI_VERSION

CA_REQRV_PREFIX

DEFERRED_REQUESTS

BATCH_CONCURRENCY

MIN_NO_WILD_CHARS

MULTI_DOMAIN_EDM

QUERY_ACCESS_ONLY

Description

Specifies that Adrawings can be sent for review along with other Vault items.

By default this parameter is enabled.

The revision of EPD.Connect which is valid to connect to the Vault.

The version of EPD.Connect which is valid to connect to the Vault. This is set when working with the CA

Programmatic Interface.

Specifies the default prefix of a fileset created when multiple objects are sent for review. The prefix should be a maximum of 8 characters. Default value is

MOBJREQRV

.This setting overrides the client setting in the epdconn.ini

file.

Specifies the Deferred File Transfer options available from the Database

Defaults window.

Specifies the maximum number of batch transactions that can be processed simultaneously.

Value

Enabled/Disabled

A regular expression

STANDARD

Alphanumeric

Enabled/Disabled

Integer

Specifies if the ability to store files and query against private Vault data is available.

Specifies if the ability to store files and query against project data in Vault is available.

Specifies if the ability to store files and query against public data in Vault is available.

Enabled/Disabled

Integer Specifies the minimum number of characters that need to be specified when querying the Vault in the Data

Browser.

Specifies if many Vaults can be accessed from EPD.Connect.

If Enabled, will only allow a user to display data in the Data Browser and display Vaulted items in the Product

Structure window. To do so, a user’s data access must be at least Read.

Enabled/Disabled

B-12 EPD.Connect User Guide

Options for System Administrators

Setting Interface Preferences for Users

Parameter

STORE_TO_NEXT_REV

STORE_REV_READONLY

Description

If Enabled, checks whether the item already exists in the Vault when the

Store window opens. If the item exists, the revision number is automatically incremented.

Value

Enabled/Disabled

If Enabled, will ensure that the revision field in the Store window is set to

Read-only.

Enabled/Disabled

Enter a

Value

for the parameter or select

Enabled

Disabled

Select either a

User

, a

Command List

of users or a

Workstation

that the parameters apply to.

Click

Apply

to add, change, or delete the parameters.

EPD.Connect User Guide B-13

Appendix C

Process Flow of EPD Interface

Commands

This appendix explains the process flow of the EPD.Connect interfaces.

• Introduction

• Processing Phases

• Locating Objects for Vault Commands

EPD.Connect User Guide C-1

Process Flow of EPD Interface Commands

Introduction

The process flow information provided in this section applies to the following

EPD.Connect interfaces:

• EPD.Connect interface for CADDS

• EPD.Connect interface for Pro/ENGINEER

• EPD.Connect interface for MEDUSA

• EPD.Connect interface for CATIA

• EPD.Connect interface for STEP

These interfaces support the following Vault commands:

•

STORE

•

GET

•

READ

•

UPDATE

•

REPLACE

C-2 EPD.Connect User Guide

Process Flow of EPD Interface Commands

Processing Phases

The interface commands that manage object transference between EPD.Connect

and Optegra Vault are executed in three phases:

• Initial Processing

• Execution

• Cleanup

Phase I — Initial Processing

The interface checks whether or not the variable

$ command_PREPROCESS

is set.

If the variable has been set, the interface executes the command using

$ command_PREPROCESS inputfile outputfile

as the command arguments. Should an error occur, the interface reports the error and subsequently exits the command process.

Proceed to rulebase processing for the initial phase.

Complete the rulebase processing. An output file will be created.

The interface checks whether or not the variable command_POSTPROCESS

is set.

If the variable is set, the interface executes the command with

$ command_POSTPROCESS inputfile outputfile

as the command arguments. Should an error occur, the interface reports the error and subsequently exits this command process.

Phase II — Execution

The Vault client executes the Vault command. The selected object and any dependent files are transferred between Vault and the client.

Phase III — Cleanup

The interface checks whether or not the variable

$ command_PREPROCESS

is set.

If the variable is set, the interface executes the command using

$ command_PREPROCESS inputfile outputfile

as the command arguments. Should an error occur, the interface reports the error and subsequently exits this command process.

Proceed to rulebase processing for the Cleanup phase.

EPD.Connect User Guide C-3

Process Flow of EPD Interface Commands

Processing Phases

Complete the rulebase processing. An output file is created and the command processing is completed.

If the variable is set, the interface executes the command with

$ command_POSTPROCESS inputfile outputfile

as the command arguments.

Should an error occur, the interface reports the error and subsequently exits this command process.

C-4 EPD.Connect User Guide

Process Flow of EPD Interface Commands

Locating Objects for Vault Commands

This section describes the Vault commands and their functions.

STORE

The local object to be stored is located by the interface as follows:

If the local file name contains a fully qualified path, the interface verifies that the object exists. If the object is identified then no search is required.

If the object is not identified, the interface searches for the object in the directories specified in the PATH variable for the interface. The PATH variables for the interfaces include:

•

CVPATH

— CADDS interface

•

PROE_PATH

— Pro/ENGINEER interface

•

MEDPROJ_PATH

— MEDUSA interface

•

CVPATH

— CATIA interface

•

CVPATH

— STEP interface

If the object is not found in the searchpath, the current directory is searched.

GET

The object to the Vault is copied to the local area using following criteria.

The directory specified by the ldirname

parameter. This is applicable only to command line interface

The Create directory specified by one of the following variables:

•

CVCREATEDIR

— CADDS interface for CADDS Part

•

CA_ASSYPPREFIX

— CADDS interface for PS

•

CA_ASSYPREFIX

— CADDS interface for CAMU

•

CA_ASSYPREFIX

— Pro/ENGINEER interface

•

CA_ASSYPREFIX

— MEDUSA interface

•

CA_ASSYPREFIX

— CATIA interface

•

CVCREATEDIR

— STEP interface

The current directory if the create directory variable is not defined.

EPD.Connect User Guide C-5

Process Flow of EPD Interface Commands

Locating Objects for Vault Commands

READ

The Vault object is copied to users's local area using the following criteria:

The directory specified by the

ldirname

parameter. This is applicable when using the Command Line interface.

The read directory specified by one of the following interface variables:

•

CA_READPREFIX

— CADDS interface

•

CA_READPREFIX

— Pro/ENGINEER interface

•

CA_READPREFIX

— MEDUSA interface

•

CA_READPREFIX

— CATIA interface

•

CA_READPREFIX

— STEP interface

The current directory if the read directory variable is not defined.

C-6 EPD.Connect User Guide

Index

Numerics

3D Viewer

About

5-2

Back facing polygons

5-12

Camera

5-8

Deselecting components

5-24

Display buffering

5-12

Displaying polygons

5-27

Exiting

5-29

Hiding components

5-22

Highlighting components

5-25

Icons

5-3

Introduction

1-13

Measuring distances

5-9

Mouse behavior

5-2

Moving camera

5-13

Opening file

5-5

Operations

5-3

Primary view

5-7

Purpose

5-1

Rendering

5-11

Running custom reports

5-18

Selecting components

5-23

Setting colors

5-27

Setting up session

5-5

Setting view

5-7

Showing components

5-22

Starting

5-2

Transparency

5-26

Working units, setting

5-16

EPD.Connect User Guide

A

About EPD.Connect

1-2

Absolute path name

1-16

Access indicator rules

Creating

4-6

Selecting

4-9

Access rules

4-7

Multiple product structure trees

4-8

Accessing

AEC applications

14-3

EPD.Connect

1-19

Action Number

5-18

Adding components

3-4

Product structure tree

3-4

ADRAW

8-33, 8-36

Sending for review

B-12

Alphanumeric

B-12

ANSPATH

B-9

AP 203

STEP interface

13-1

Application

Objects

14-1

Application Defaults

7-6

Applications

AEC

14-1

Defining

2-51 launching

2-51

Ascending

Sort

3-15

Assembly attributes

Defining

2-17

Assembly mode

Symmetry commands

8-20

TIM components

8-21

Index-1

Index

Using Associative Topology Bus

8-21

Associative Topology Bus

8-21

Assembly mode

8-21

Attachment Window

2-33

Attributes

Changing

7-23 edit global

3-16

Editing

7-24

Editing component

2-15

Mandatory

7-25

Audit Log

2-34

AutoCAD

1-11, 1-15

B

Back facing polygons, in 3D Viewer

5-12

Browse product structure tree

4-25

Browser, View menu

2-32

C

CAD products, supported

1-14

CADDS

Converting files for display

5-21

Converting parts to graphic files

5-21

Exporting parts and assemblies

8-21

Camera, 3D Viewer

5-8

CAMU

Interface to

1-15

CAMU file

Opening using the CVPATH

8-13

Case-sensitivity

System attributes

B-5

CATIA interface

1-15

Vault query

12-6

Vault transfer

12-6

CGM file

2-44

Plotting

2-46

Change Password, Database menu

7-14

Changing attributes

7-23

Changing revision of Vault file

7-26

Changing status of Vault files

7-25

Clash detection

6-2

Reporting results

6-5

Viewing results

6-4

Clear menu

4-30

Multiple product structure trees

4-30

Index-2

Clear, View menu

2-14

Clipboard

2-34

Copying components

3-11

Multiple product structure trees

14-6

Product structure trees

14-5

Close Ref, File menu

2-13

Closing

Hidden reference components

2-13

Closing tree component

2-12

CMOM client

1-20

Colors, Display menu

5-27

Columns

7-45

Comparing multiple trees

2-24

Comparing trees

2-21

Comparison report

2-24

Component attributes

2-15 component text, setting

4-3

Components

Adding

3-4

Applying transparency to

5-26

Basic

1-8

Closing

2-12

Deleting from viewer

5-21

Displaying

5-22

Displaying in viewer

5-28

Editing attributes

2-15

Expanding

Tree component

2-12

Hiding in viewer

5-22, 5-28, 5-29

Highlighting

5-25

Loading into viewer

5-21

Orientation

3-5

Positioning

3-13

Reordering

3-13

Resetting colors

5-27

Sorting

3-14

System

1-8

Viewing

5-28

Configuration browser

2-32

Configuration Compare Rules dialog

2-4

Configuration tree

2-9

Saving a display state

4-20

Constraints

Storing multiple Vault items

7-21

Controlling display in product structure

4-2

Convert, Display menu

5-21

Copy

Components

3-10

Instance attributes

3-17

EPD.Connect User Guide

Index

Vault items

7-17

Copy and paste

Data Browser

3-11

Create Report

11-9

Create, product structure tree

2-8

Customizing

Query results

7-45

Tree font

4-5

Cut, edit command

3-9 cvepd.ini file, editing to launch applications

2-54

CVPATH

2-36

Editing

2-37

Opening a CAMU file

8-13

Selecting

2-36

D

Data Browser window

About

7-2

Copying and Pasting

3-11

Copying and pasting

8-32

Database Defaults

7-7

Database menu

Application Defaults

7-6

Change Password

7-14

Database Defaults

7-7

Deferred Status

7-9

Multiple product structure trees

7-4

Read

7-13

Send Message

7-13

Signoff

7-5

Signon

7-3, 7-5

Where Used

7-10

Databases, interface to

1-14

Defaults, application

7-6

Defaults, database

7-7

Deferred Status

7-9

Defining

Application environments

2-51

Delete, Display menu

5-21

Descending

Sort

3-15

Deselect, Display menu

5-24

Detection

Hard clash

6-4

Soft clash

6-4

Detection, clash

6-2

Display buffering, 3D Viewer

5-12

Display control

4-2

Display graphics file

5-5

Display menu

5-27

About

5-20

Colors

5-27

Convert

5-21

Delete

5-21

Deselect

5-24

Hide

5-22

Highlight

5-25

Load

5-6, 5-21

Purpose

5-20

Select

5-23

Show

5-22

Transparency

5-26

Distributing objects

Vault menu

Distribute

7-39

Documentation, printing from Portable

Document Format (PDF) file xxiii

DOD

Primary

B-9

Refresh automatically

7-15

Refresh manually

7-15

Switch

B-9

E

Edit menu

3-2

Add Component

3-4

Copy

3-10

Cut

3-9

Global Attribute

3-16

Paste

3-10, 3-11

Redo

3-12

Set Revisions

3-18

Swap Components

3-12

Undo

3-12

Unset Revisions

3-18

Editing

Component attributes

2-15

Vault attributes

7-24

EPD Interface for STEP AP203

13-1

STEP interface

13-1

EPD.Connect

Accessing

1-19

EPD.Connect User Guide Index-3

Index

Exiting

1-19

Toolbar functions

2-5

Exiting

EPD.Connect

1-19

Expanding

Reference tree components

2-12

Explore

Multiple product structure trees

14-6

Product structure trees

14-5

Export

CADDS parts and assemblies

8-21

F

Features

10-3, 11-3, 12-3

File menu

2-28

Close Ref

2-13

Compare

2-21

Exit

1-19

Memory

2-19

New

2-8

Open

2-9

Properties

2-4

Save

2-26

Save As

2-26

Saving multiple product structure trees

2-26

Session Summary

2-29

Fileset

7-33

Prefix

B-12

Font, setting for product structure

4-5

G

Global attributes, editing

3-16

H

Hard clash detection

6-4

Help menu

Audit Log

2-34

Hidden component

Components

Hidden

2-14

Hide, Display menu

5-22

Hide, View menu

2-14

Index-4

Highlight, Display menu

5-25

Highlighting

Rules, creating

4-10

I

Icon

3D Viewer

5-3

2-4

Clipboard

2-6

Close Configuration

2-5

Copy

2-5

Cut

2-5

Data Browser window

2-4

Exit application

2-5

Highlight components

2-6

2-4

Node selection

2-5

Open New Configuration

2-5

2-4

Paste

2-5

Redo

2-5

Reorder components

2-5

2-4

Save Configuration

2-5

Selection for nodes

2-5

Structure Overview

2-4

Swap components

2-5

Undo

2-5

Icons, on toolbar

2-5

Import

Pro/ENGINEER parts and assemblies

8-21

Information Browser

Introduction

1-8

Vault data

7-49

Instance attributes

Copying

3-17

Interface

MEDUSA

10-1

Interference checking

6-2

ISO 10303

STEP interface

13-2

Item Properties

2-4

Item Properties dialog

2-4

EPD.Connect User Guide

L

launch.ini file, editing

2-53

Launching applications

From Product Structure window

2-51

Link, View menu

4-29

Load, Display menu

5-6, 5-21

Log, audit

2-34

Logon to database

7-5

M

Measuring distance, 3D Viewer

5-9

MEDUSA

Interface

1-15, 10-1

MEDUSA, preprocess and postprocess routines

10-5

Memory dialog

2-4

Memory, File menu

2-19

Memory, to store tree

2-19

Messages, reading

7-13

Messages, sending

7-13

MockUp

1-8, 1-15

Moving camera, 3D Viewer

5-13

Multiple

CVPATHS

2-35

Product Structure windows

2-2

Vault item, request for review

7-28

Multiple product structure trees

Access rules

4-8

Clear menu

4-30

Closing

14-6

Database menu options

7-4

Edit menu

3-2

Exploring

14-6

Opening

2-10

Restore state

4-21

Save state

4-20

Tree font

4-5

Multiple Vault items

Respond to review

7-32

Storing constraints

7-21

N

Navigator license considerations in

EPD.Connect User Guide

EPD.Connect

1-26

New, File menu

2-8

O

Open Configuration dialog

2-9, 8-13

Open file in 3D Viewer

5-5

Open New Configuration dialog

2-8

Open product structure tree

2-9

CVPATH

2-9

Opening EPD.Connect

1-19

Operators

4-11, 4-14, 4-16

Options

5-27

Options, Display menu

5-27

Orientation, component

3-5

Orientations

Read

A-7

Overview

1-2

P

Password, change for database

7-14

Paste, edit command

3-10, 3-11

Path name, absolute

1-16

Plotting

Variables

2-49

Polygons

Displaying

5-27

Positioning

Components

3-13

Postprocess routines

8-39

Postprocess routines, MEDUSA

10-5

Prefix

Fileset

B-12

Preprocess and postprocess routines

8-39

Preprocess routines

8-39

Preprocess routines, MEDUSA

10-5

Primary

DOD

B-9

Primary view, 3D Viewer

5-7

Print dialog

2-4

Printing

UNIX

2-42

Windows NT

2-42

Printing documentation from Portable

Document Format (PDF) file xxiii

Index

Index-5

Index

Printing report

2-25

Pro/Engineer parts

Importing

8-21

Pro/FLY-THROUGH

Accessing

9-7

Advantages

9-3

Features

9-2

Integration with EPD.Connect

9-1

License requirements

9-6

Limitations

9-3

Setting the environment

9-4

System requirements

9-6

Hardware

9-6

Memory

9-6

Product overview

1-2

Product structure tree

Adding components

3-4

Browse

4-25

Browsing configuration

4-25

Changing component positions

3-12

Clearing display selections

4-30

Closing a tree

2-28

Closing and expanding components

2-12

Comparing

2-21

Controlling display

4-2

Copying components

3-10

Creating new

2-8

Displaying subtree components

2-10

Edit global attributes

3-16

Highlighting

4-10

Opening

2-9

Opening a local tree

2-9

Opening from Vault

7-47

Plotting

2-48

Saving

2-26

Saving a subset of a tree

2-27

Scrolling

2-3

Storing in memory

2-19

Product Structure window

About

2-2

Displaying graphics file

5-6

Displaying reports

2-39

Editing

2-15

Launching applications from

2-51

Multiple

2-2 set component text

4-3

Set text font

4-5

Toolbar

2-4

Working with application objects

14-5

Index-6

Product structure window

Single

2-2

Q

Query results

Customizing

7-45

Saving

7-46

Querying Vault data

7-42

R

Read

Messages

7-13

Orientations

A-7

Redoing an edit

3-12

Reference

A-5

Assembly

8-13

Components

2-13

Components, refreshing

2-12

Components,closing

2-13

Nodes

2-10

Tree components, expanding

2-12

Refresh

DOD

7-14

Expanded reference tree components

2-12

Registering objects

7-34

Rendering, 3D Viewer

5-11

Reorder

Components

3-13

Replace

Vault items

7-18

Report

Comparison

2-24

Displaying in Product Structure window

2-39

Printing

2-25

Scroll

4-3

Report Viewer window

2-40

Reports

Custom

5-18

Request for review

Multiple Vault items

7-28

Single Vault item

7-27

Reset button

7-25

Respond to review

Multiple Vault items

7-32

Single Vault item

7-30

EPD.Connect User Guide

Restore state

4-21

Multiple product structure trees

4-21

Revision, changing for Vault file

7-26

Revisions, unsetting

3-18

Rulebases, Defining

2-51

Rules, access

4-7

S

Save

Multiple product structure trees

2-27

Product structure tree

2-26

Query results

7-46

Save As

2-26

Save state

4-20

Multiple product structure trees

4-20

Scroll

Report

4-3

Scrolling

Product structure tree

2-3

Search Vault for component use

7-10

Select

Attribute

3-16

Display menu

5-23

Value

3-16

Select, View menu

4-29

Selecting

Access indicator rule

4-9

Send Message

7-13

Session Properties dialog

2-4

Setting revisions

3-18

Setting view, 3D Viewer

5-7

Sheets

10-6

Show, Display menu

5-22

Signoff, database

7-5

Signon, database

7-5

Single

A-1

A-3

Product structure window

2-2

Tree

A-1

Single Vault item

Requesting for review

7-27

Responding to review

7-30

Store

7-18

Soft clash detection

6-4

Software operation

10-6

Sorting

EPD.Connect User Guide

Index

Components

3-14

Standard for the Exchange of Product Model

Data

STEP interface

13-1

Status and Report windows

2-29

ADRAW status

2-33

Component Comparison status

2-32

Component Status

2-31

Session Summary

2-29

Status, deferred

7-9

STEP interface

3D Viewer

13-6

CAMU

13-11

Converting to and from CADDS

13-8, 13-9

Creating output

13-7, 13-8

Displaying files and folders

13-4

EPD.Visualizer

13-6

File attributes

13-12

Opening product structures

13-5

Reports

13-12

Vault

13-12

Viewing geometry

13-6

Store

Multiple Vault items

Store

7-19

Single Vault item

7-18

Vault items

7-18

Storing, product structure tree

2-19

Structure Window

2-3

7-36

Subscribing objects

Vault menu

7-36

Summary, Session

2-29

Swap components

3-12

Switch

DOD

B-9

System attributes

7-21

Case-sensitivity

B-5

T

Template

Visibility rules

4-17 text in Product Structure window

4-3

This

1-1

TIM components

2-11

Index-7

Index

Comparing

2-25

Exporting

8-21

Importing

8-21

Opening

2-11

Saving

2-28

Updating

8-22

Verifying

8-22

TIM parts and assemblies

8-23

Update

8-22

Verify

8-22

Tool menu

Class Detection

6-2

Zones

6-6

Toolbar

Default functions

2-5

Product Structure window

2-4

Topology Bus

1-17

Trace Selected, View menu

4-29

Transfer Requests, Window menu

7-8

Translated Image Models

1-17

Transparency, Display menu

5-26

Tree font

Customizing

4-5

Multiple product structure trees

4-5

U

Undoing an edit

3-12

Unlock

Vault items

7-18

Unregistering objects

7-35

Unsetting revisions

3-18

Unsubscribe

7-39

Unsubscribing objects

Vault menu

7-39

Update

TIM parts and assemblies

8-22

Vault items

7-17

V

Vault

Application defaults

7-6

Change password

7-14

Querying data

7-42

Sending and responding to messages

7-12

Signon

7-5

Index-8

Vault data

Changing revision

7-26

Changing status of

7-25

Information about

7-40

Obtaining information about

7-40

Using Information Browser

7-49

Vault menu

Change Revision

7-26

Change Status

7-25

Copy

7-17

Info

7-40

7-34

Replace

7-18

Sign out

7-17

Store

7-18

Unlock

7-18

Unregister

7-35

Update

7-17

Vault query

Searching for a component

7-10

Verify

TIM parts and assemblies

8-22

View menu

Access

4-7

Browser

2-32, 4-25

Clear

2-14, 4-30

Component Text

4-3

Control

4-2

Hide

2-14

Highlight

4-10

Link

4-29

Restore state

4-21

Save State

4-20

Select

4-29

Summary

4-28

Trace Selected

4-29

Tree Font Customizer

4-5

Visibility

4-14

Visibility rules

4-6

Access indicators

4-6

Display or hide

4-14

Highlighting

4-10

Saving to a template

4-17

Visualizer, alternative viewer

1-15

W

Web browser

1-16

EPD.Connect User Guide

Where Used

7-10

Window menu

Attachment Window

2-33

Clipboard

2-34

Component Status

2-31

Memory Status

2-32

Structure Overview

2-4, 4-26

Structure Window

2-3

Transfer Requests

7-8

Windows

Product structure

2-2

Working units, 3D Viewer

5-16

Z

Zones

6-6

Activating

6-6

Creating

6-6

Description

6-6

Storing

6-6

Index

EPD.Connect User Guide Index-9

Reklama

EPD

®

.Connect

User Guide

Table of Contents

Preface

EPD.Connect Overview

Using the Product Structure Window

Creating and Editing a Product Structure Tree

Customizing the Product Structure Tree Window

Using the 3D Viewer

Clash Detection and Zoning

Working with Vault Data

Using CAMU in EPD.Connect

Pro/FLY-THROUGH Integration with EPD.Connect

Using the EPD Interface for MEDUSA

Using the EPD Interface for Pro/ENGINEER

Using the EPD Interface for CATIA

Using the EPD Interface for STEP AP203

Working with AEC Application Objects in EPD.Connect

Interacting with CAMU from EPD.Connect - An

Alternate Approach

Options for System Administrators

Process Flow of EPD Interface Commands

Preface

Related Documents

Book Conventions

Online User Documentation

Printing Documentation

Resources and Services

Documentation Comments

EPD.Connect Overview

About EPD.Connect

An EPD.Connect Scenario

Advantages of EPD.Connect

EPD.Connect Components

Basic Components

Information Browser

Product Structure Window

Data Browser

3-Dimensional Viewer

Optional Components

Database

Dynamic Application Interfaces

EPD.Visualizer

MockUp

Web Browser

EPD.Connect Support for Topology Bus

Limitations and Restrictions

Accessing and Exiting EPD.Connect

Exiting EPD.Connect

Customizing EPD.Connect

Customizing with Perl

Symmetry in EPD.Connect

Symmetry

Mirroring

Components Modified During Mirroring

Features

Limitations and Restrictions

SYMMETRY-FLAG Attribute

Navigator License Considerations in

EPD.Connect

Restrictions

Where to Look for Information

Using the Product Structure

Window

Product Structure Window

Working with Multiple Product Structure Windows

Limitations

Using the Product Structure Window

Product Structure Window Toolbar

EPD.Connect Toolbar for the Product Structure

Window

Mouse Behavior

Creating a New Product Structure Tree

Opening a Product Structure Tree

Opening a Product Structure Tree from a Local Disk

Displaying Subtree Components

Retrieving Associated Attributes

Opening a Product Structure with TIM Components