How PDM Data Card Tabs work with SOLIDWORKS Configurations
SOLIDWORKS PDM Data Card tabs have a bit of a learning curve for new users. When SOLIDWORKS files are used in PDM, SOLIDWORKS PDM data cards display multiple tabs with fields displaying PDM Variables mapped to SOLIDWORKS Custom Properties. This guide will help users understand which SOLIDWORKS configuration custom property is being mapped to and displayed on which PDM data card tab.
Key Points Covered In This Guide
To help users better understand PDM data card variables and SOLIDWORKS custom properties and how they interact with each other:
- Know the differences between SOLIDWORKS model files (parts and assemblies) and SOLIDWORKS drawing files.
– SOLIDWORKS part and assembly files have configurations, which contain configuration specific properties in SOLIDWORKS, which correspond to configurations specific PDM data card tabs.
– SOLIDWORKS Drawing files have sheets, which do not have their own properties in SOLIDWORKS but can on PDM data cards. - The different methods of updating/changing the values of data card variables.
– Updating values in the data card.
– Updating custom properties in SOLIDWORKS that are linked to PDM data card variables.
– Updating via a workflow transition action. - Relevant options available for data card fields.
– ‘Updates all configurations’ can be set in each data card.
- Know the differences between SOLIDWORKS model files (parts and assemblies) and SOLIDWORKS drawing files.
SOLIDWORKS Custom Property vs PDM Variable
The first step to understanding how SOLIDWORKS custom properties map to PDM variables is to define each type.
SOLIDWORKS Custom Properties are properties stored within the SOLIDWORKS file. Parts and Assemblies have Custom Properties and Configuration Specific Properties. Drawings have Custom Properties only as they have multiple sheets, which do not have configurations in SOLIDWORKS.
PDM Variables are the equivalent to properties in SOLIDWORKS but are stored in the PDM database and displayed on PDM data cards.
SOLIDWORKS Custom Properties are mapped to PDM Variables and vice versa. If a value changes in PDM, it is updated the next time the SOLIDWORKS file is opened. Alternatively, if a value is changed in SOLIDWORKS and then saved and checked into PDM, the PDM variable is updated and displayed in the data card to reflect the SOLIDWORKS Custom Property.
SOLIDWORKS Files: Model vs Drawing
The next step to understanding how SOLIDWORKS custom properties are mapped to variables in PDM Data cards is to define the differences between SOLIDWORKS models and drawings.
SOLIDWORKS models (parts and assemblies), as mentioned in the section above, have one or more configurations. Each of the configurations can have its own configuration specific properties. There are also custom properties which apply to the file in general. These SOLIDWORKS file properties are stored within the file.
On the PDM data card, the @ tab displays the general ‘Custom Properties’. The configuration specific tabs, which are labeled as the configuration names, display the properties specific to the individual configuration. There will always be at least one configuration in a SOLIDWORKS model, which is named ‘Default’ by default. This configuration can be renamed, and other configurations can be added. The PDM data card tabs will be updated automatically as the configuration names are changed in SOLIDWORKS.
SOLIDWORKS Part Example in PDM:
- The @ tab displays Custom Properties which apply to the SOLIDWORKS file in general.
- The ‘Default’ and other configuration specific tabs display properties which apply to that specific configuration. The example below has three configurations: Default, LONG, and SHORT.
SOLIDWORKS Part Example in SOLIDWORKS:
- The @ tab in PDM displays properties from the ‘Custom’ tab in SOLIDWORKS.
- The ‘Default’ and other configuration specific tabs in PDM display properties from the ‘Configuration Specific’ tab in SOLIDWORKS. Each configuration has its own properties.
SOLIDWORKS drawings do not have configurations in SOLIDWORKS. Instead, SOLIDWORKS drawings contain one or more Sheets, which do not have their own properties in SOLIDWORKS but can have their own variables in PDM. This means all Custom Properties entered into a SOLIDWORKS drawing will be displayed only on the @ tab of the SOLIDWORKS drawing card. This is an important difference which affects how users interact with the files and data cards.
SOLIDWORKS Drawing Example in PDM:
- The @ tab in PDM displays properties from the ‘Custom’ tab in SOLIDWORKS drawings.
- The ‘Sheet1’ and other sheet tabs in PDM display only variable values entered in PDM, since drawing sheets do not have custom properties in SOLIDWORKS. Each sheet can, however, have its own properties in PDM.
SOLIDWORKS Drawing Example in SOLIDWORKS:
- The @ tab in PDM displays properties from the ‘Custom’ tab in SOLIDWORKS drawings only. Note there is not a Configuration Specifc tab in SOLIDWORKS drawings.
Ways to Change Data Card Values
There are three main methods to change variables in PDM data cards.
- Data is entered manually by a user into the data card of a checked out file.
- Data is entered manually by a user into custom properties of a checked out file and then mapped to the PD data card on save and check in.
- Variable values are changed by PDM workflow transition actions.
It’s important to note that not all variables are mapped to custom properties. Some variables are for PDM only and do not contain any mapping to SOLIDWORKS files. Ask your PDM admin about any file mappings which may exist in your PDM system.
In addition, when the data is entered into SOLIDWORKS custom properties that have been mapped to a PDM variable, it is saved to and displayed only on the tab which corresponds to where the data was placed; for models, it will either be sent to the @ tab (Custom properties) or a configuration tab (Configuration specific properties), and for drawings, it will always be sent to the @ tab.
Updating Configurations Using Workflow Transition Actions
When variable values are changed by a workflow transition, the data can be saved to all configurations or to only a specific configuration. Note, the Transition Action dialog labels this field as Configuration, it also applies to Sheets when a drawing is being transitioned.
- Leaving the ‘Configuration’ field blank = write the value to all configurations.
- Entering a specific ‘Configuration’ = write the value to a specific configuration. There is a caveat to this behavior. See the next section defining ‘Updates all configurations’ for clarification.
Updates All Configurations
By default, when data is entered into a data card manually, the value is saved and displayed only on the tab where the user entered the value. A user can update the values in each tab separately or request their PDM admin or a user with permission to update data cards to update the data card to update all configurations with the same value.
Turning on the option ‘Updates all configurations’, as shown below for a specific data card, links the value of the data card tabs together. When one value is updated on the data card, then all values for that variable are updated across all tabs of that file.
Revisiting the previously mentioned methods to change data card values, the Updates All Configurations option has slightly different results.
- Data is entered manually by a user into the data card of a checked out file.
a. ‘Updates All Configurations’ will copy the same value automatically to the other data card tabs. - Data is entered manually by a user into custom properties of a checked out file and then mapped to the PD data card on save and check in.
a. ‘Updates All Configurations’ will not have an effect. The value will still be copied to the tab which corresponds to the configuration which was updated only. - Variable values are changed by PDM workflow transition actions.
a. ‘Updates All Configurations’ will copy the value to every tab, even if the transition action specifies the configuration to be changed. This is because while the workflow has been set to update only one specific configuration, the data card has been set to copy that changed value to all other tabs.
Taking the information above into consideration, since SOLIDWORKS file properties are mapped to PDM data card variables, those variables don’t act in the standard way when you manually change them in the SOLIDWORKS file. The best practice is to have users always change or update these values by changing the PDM data card fields instead of changing them in the SOLIDWORKS custom properties. Since modifying mapped file properties directly interferes with the processes of SOLIDWORKS PDM.
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