PDM 9000 – Solid Edge Interface
Technical description
This description covers PDM 9000 extension regarding cooperation with SolidEdge
CAD system. Development based on SolidEdge versions 3.5, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10. PDM
extension is included from version 3.51 A0.
Actual version for this documentation is PDM 5.7.
OVERVIEW ............................................................................................................ 2
1.
STANDARD OPERATIONS .............................................................................. 3
Placing parts on Assembly ............................................................................................ 7
Placing parts on Draft ................................................................................................... 7
Creating factory drawing............................................................................................... 7
Part-Replace ................................................................................................................ 8
Part Copy..................................................................................................................... 8
Materials table ............................................................................................................. 9
3D Partlist .................................................................................................................. 10
2.
LOCAL RENT-AND-RETURN ......................................................................... 12
3.
3D CONNECTION MANAGER ....................................................................... 15
4.
PDM SOLID EDGE ADDIN ............................................................................ 16
AddIn Configuration ................................................................................................... 17
IMPORTANT CONFIGURATION SETTINGS .......................................................... 18
PaperToModelScaleConstants Constant Set .................................................................. 21
PaperUnitConstants Constant Set ................................................................................ 23
PaperSizeConstants Constant Set ................................................................................ 23
5.
SOLIDEDGE VIEWER ................................................................................... 25
6.
PDM SOLID EDGE IMPORT CENTER ............................................................ 26
7.
NEW FUNCTIONS ........................................................................................ 28
PDM9000 Solid Edge Interface – technical description
LOGOTEC Engineering S.A.
1
Overview
PDM 9000 can handle different kinds of drawings, also SolidEdge files can be
created and fully operated by our system. Whole interface bases on OLE Automation
technology available for SolidEdge. New interface allows creating, opening and saving
drawings. For 3D assemblies, PDM can extract a list of subassemblies and used parts. 2D
drafts can be automatically connected to their parents. PDM was tested for handling long
file names used by SolidEdge.
Software requirements.
Solid Edge supports OLE automation only in Solid Edge Classic Bundle. Separate
modules, which can be available do not support any programatic interface. Before
purchesing Solid Edge, please consult with your local dealer, future may vary.
Hardware requirements.
For Solid Edge version 8.0 to work with PDM, it is recommended min 256MB RAM
installed on workstation.
PDM9000 Solid Edge Interface – technical description
LOGOTEC Engineering S.A.
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1. Standard operations
PDM Standard configuration contains special types of file for every kind of drawings
accepted by Solid Edge. This list is presented on the form for Project’s drawings:
Type of the drawing.
3D Model or 2D Draft
File type.
SolidEdge Assembly, Part or Draft
By creating a new drawing it is important to choose 3 options properly:
Drawing’s art:
Drawing’s type:
File’s type:
assembly/detail/view/draft or other logical type
This field is only for filtering proposes
3D model or 2D draft
Choosing value for this field will automatically set FileType filed to
predefined values.
Assembly/Part/Draft or Sheet Metal
Value of this field will choose a proper template file during opening
new drawing.
When drawing is properly registered, we can open it using standard Open operation
available from the toolbar. PDM 9000 will activate SolidEdge application, open a new
window and load an empty drawing. Doesn’t matter of the chosen file type, drawing
properties will be set to the values from database:
PDM9000 Solid Edge Interface – technical description
LOGOTEC Engineering S.A.
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Pictures above present standard properties for the drawing, they are set at every opening.
Each drawing window becomes a caption, which is build from a drawing, revision,
page number and description.
Drawing’s caption set by PDM.
PDM9000 Solid Edge Interface – technical description
LOGOTEC Engineering S.A.
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Custom properties
User may define set of custom properties, which will be activated follow database
information. Such properties may by use later for automatically generated SolidEdge
partlists.
During opening a Part drawing, PDM set the density of the drawing’s material and
then recalculate physical properties of the part. For recalculation, default accuracy is
0.001. Setting a variable SEACCURACY can change this value.
Desired density is set in the PDM configuration.
PDM9000 Solid Edge Interface – technical description
LOGOTEC Engineering S.A.
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For the Draft drawing, PDM sets the proper paper size, scale and titleblock.
Description fields are filled automatically follow the database information. Before using this
interface, user should prepare a titleblocks for the company. Set of used titleblocks is
defined in the configuration of PDM system.
After designing a drawing, user may save his work by using standard “Save”
operation under PDM 9000. It is recommended to save the drawings by PDM 9000 toolbar
options, in this case, PDM has a chance to analyze this drawing before saving.
Saving the Draft will automatically connect him to the master Part or Assembly
drawing which was placed on. Such connection is registered with positions code “2D
View”. PDM can handle many flat drawings connected to one part or assembly. Important
is so during generating a new revision from a master-part, connections to view drawings
are not duplicated. Good example may be explanation of new revision generating for an
assembly. After designing, assembly drawing has a connection to 2 parts and one view
drawing. Operation of new revision will duplicate a record in the database with a new
revision code and copy a physical assembly drawing. Also information about connections
will be duplicated in the database, but only concerning parts (which is physically true) but
not about a view, which belongs to the original assembly.
Opening in ReadOnly mode.
In actual SolidEdge API interface it is not possible to open a drawing in read-only mode.
PDM9000 Solid Edge Interface – technical description
LOGOTEC Engineering S.A.
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Placing parts on Assembly
To place a part on assembly, user needs to find desired part in PDM and use
function from menu. System will switch into SolidEdge and activate part placing operation
with choosen drawing selected. To use this function, PDMsolidEdgeAddIn must be active.
Placing parts on Draft
To place a part/assembly on draft, user should use a function from menu or
application toolbar. At first, open a desired draft. Then search for a part to be placed.
Running placing function will open a control panel for setting parameters.
Creating factory drawing
At first, search for desired part or assembly. Call a function from menu, which will
duplicate drawing data in the database. Draft’s drawing number will consist from original
number and suffix defined in system variable WZDWGNR_SUFFIX. Draft will be loaded
into SolidEdge, selected Part will be placed on the draft. This operation automatically
connects new created draft to his master part like a 2D View.
It is possible to create more then one draft for one part. During creation of second
draft, system will ask about overwriting existing one or creating a new.
PDM9000 Solid Edge Interface – technical description
LOGOTEC Engineering S.A.
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If you decide to make anext draft, stystem will generate following number.
Part-Replace
Operation Part-Replace can be made from PDM’s menu. At first, in the Solid Edge
Assembly environment, user should select part to replace. Next, switch to PDM and
search for a drawing, which should replace selected part. Function from menu “Replace
part in SE by actual drawing” traverses assembly for selected parts and then, after user
confirmation, replaces links to new part.
User may select more then one part in the assembly, all selected parts will be replaced to
the new part. If in the assembly there is more then one part same type, all occurrences
should be selected.
Part Copy
To insert a Part Copy into Part or SheetMetal element you need to use the same function
like for placing part on assembly. At first, please load an empty part into SolidEdge, then
switch to PDM and search for existing part drawing, which need to be inserted into actual
one. Now use menu function “Place Part On Assembly”. This function will recognize so
actual drawing is a part and will insert an existing drawing like a Part Copy.
PDM9000 Solid Edge Interface – technical description
LOGOTEC Engineering S.A.
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Materials table
PDM has a special table with materials. This table contains materials used on
drawings and articles forms. Every material has also special parameters for color and
density, which are sent to SolidEdge.
Material color, set in Part’s property is used latter in Assembly where Part is used.
PDM9000 Solid Edge Interface – technical description
LOGOTEC Engineering S.A.
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3D Partlist
Partslist analyze regards to assemblies. During saving the drawing, PDM extracts a
3D bill of materials. Bellow you will find an example of the positions extracted by PDM from
an assembly:
Position’s list contains a link to the draft(s), where assembly was placed, 3D
connections to the subassemblies and parts and standard partlist positions.
Assembly analyze may discover following elements:
-
-
-
Drawings, which are already registered in PDM
o Such parts must have property DocumentNumber
Norm elements
o Such elements must be stored on specific directory, which is set in system
variable SENORMDIRECTORY. IDNR is recognized from property
registered in system variable SENORMCUSTPROP_IDNR. If this variable is
set to DocumentNumber, PDM reads data from DocumentNumber property.
Any other value will describe a custom property. IDNR read out from a part
will be searched in PDM’s article database (U_ART) in the field
NORMIDNR_SW (type "varchar", length ~50 characters).
Drawing not registered in PDM but stored on PDM Logical drive.
o Such drawings during analyze will give a chance to register into PDM.
System will display a registration window where user must confirm new
drawing number and description.
Drawing not registered in PDM stored on unknown drive
o Such drawings will be registered with native file name and remark in INFO
field so it is an undefined element.
Assembly analize will check out special, SolidEdge parameters like “Include in Bill of
Material” and user defined quantity.
PDM9000 Solid Edge Interface – technical description
LOGOTEC Engineering S.A.
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After successful analyze, user may reload existing 3D connections to the Partslist
connections. This operation may be done by using a function from menu:
This option erases existing Partslist positions and replicates 3D connections with Partslist
code. Such prepared Partslist may be used to print Partslist reports or Orderlist reports.
Structure analyze is made by saving the drawing. There is also a possibility to use the
standard function “SaveAndWork”. Using this function will analyze the drawing, save the
file to the hard disk but will not close the file.
There are some standard PDM functions, which may interfere with SolidEdge drawing’s
philosophy. One of these functions is “Creating New Revision”. If this function will be used
against Part or Assembly which have some drafts connected, they will be also upgraded to
new versions.
At every operation, which may have effect in SolidEdge structures, users will be warned or
notified.
PDM9000 Solid Edge Interface – technical description
LOGOTEC Engineering S.A.
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2. Local Rent-and-Return
PDM version 5.01 was equipped with a new functionality, which allows rent a drawing
from central server to local drive. This operation is intended for users, which has a slow
speed connection to the central server.
Typical style of work with PDM bases on the files stored on the central server. This
mean so user always works on “original” files. SolidEdge files are relative big; especially
assemblies may become extremely large when activates all subassemblies and parts.
Users, which are connected with a slow speed connection, may feel uncomfortable. Rent
operation allows downloading central file into user’s local hard disk, work as long as
needed and then return file into central storage. During renting phase, drawing is locked by
the system, and other users may view central copy. Every access to such file warns other
user about rent situation. Renting parts is relative simply; part is copied locally, locked on
the server and during return operation, copied back to the server. Situation is more
complex, when user wants to rent an assembly. Rent operation, analyzes assembly
structure and downloads all related files into local drive. All links in the main assembly and
subassemblies are redirected to local copies. Local copy is free for any modifications. Rent
operation “remembers” every file, which was additionally downloaded, but only main file is
locked. This may produce situation when other users on the central server change files
downloaded locally. Such “conflicts” need to be solved during return operation. System
detects every conflict and allows making a new version of the file, which is returned with
conflict. There is only one problem with returning modified assemblies to the server, after
this operation, users needs to open a central copy and close it with save. This allows PDM
to make a final structure analyze which based on the actual, central data.
Rent operation downloads a file into local directory described by LocalFilesDirectry
system parameter. In this directory, system creates a subdirectory by drawing number and
revision. This allows rent more then one drawing in a time. After downloading drawing user
has two choices, next openings of the file may be done completely outside PDM (PDM do
not trace file operations on local copies) by normal SolidEdge menu or file can be open
with normal PDM open operation. Second solution is discovered by PDM, which displays a
warning message about downloaded file and opens local copy. Closing and saving locally
rented files should be done by standard SolidEdge menu function.
Return operation at first displays a list of all rented files by actual user. This window is
similar to OpenDrawings registry. User may choose which file wants to return or may
cancel renting operation. Second option just releases a server lock and deletes all local
files and subdirectories. If user selects return, system analyzes downloaded local files and
detects every modifications made after renting time. List of all modified files is displayed in
special control panel, which consist of drawing number, revision and additional description,
which informs about return status. This information present any possible conflict with
server files or detects files, which was created like a new in local structure. This is a
special situation when user creates some additional files (for example by InPlace Part SE
function). Important is so such files needs to be created in the same directory, where main
drawing was downloaded. Otherwise, PDM has no chance to detect such file and, in worst
scenario, file may be lost. Modified files registry allows user to select, which files should be
uploaded to the server. Files with version conflict (modified by other users on the server)
will automatically generate a new revision on the server. Files, which become new, will be
uploaded to the server into logical drive operated by SolidEdge. In this moment such files
will not be registered in PDM yet. Successful return operation releases server lock to the
rented file and refreshes dates and names for all uploaded files. If rented file was an
assembly it is necessary to open a central copy and save it with PDM function. During this
save, assembly structure is analyzed, compares to actual PDM data and stored in the
PDM registry. Every new drawing becomes registered (if not made manually before).
PDM9000 Solid Edge Interface – technical description
LOGOTEC Engineering S.A.
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As mentioned above, during rent operation all subfiles are downloaded locally, this is
true with one exception. System doesn’t download files, which are defined like “Norm
Parts”. Which files are defined like a norm is detected by system variable
SENORMDIRECTORY. This variable contains a directory name where norm package is
installed. This directory may be stored on central server or every user may have his own
copy. Such files, from definition are no editable, so local download has any sense.
Rent phase may be as long as necessary, this mean days or weeks. PDM do not force
to upload rented file, this is user’s decision. Of course, we advice to monitor such rented
files by system administrator, which should control some “forgotten” documentation.
Below you will found some screen-shots of key operation from rent-and-return module.
Rent operation warns user with information about drawing number and local directory
name, where downloaded file will be stored.
Standard open operation (in PDM) on locally rented file detects such situation and
propose to open a local copy.
Assembly, stored locally has all links, redirected to files downloaded locally.
PDM9000 Solid Edge Interface – technical description
LOGOTEC Engineering S.A.
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Rented files registry present all files actually rented by user and allows to return file or
cancel renting.
After local files analyze, system displays list of modified files, which needs to be
uploaded. Potential collisions are remarked in the list. User has to mark files which need to
be uploaded to the server. Files, which are not marked, will remain in their originals on the
server. Local copies will be lost. User has a chance to view a file, but view operation
concerns to local copy!
PDM9000 Solid Edge Interface – technical description
LOGOTEC Engineering S.A.
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3. 3D Connection Manager
Because Solid Edge stores physical links between assembly drawings and parts,
PDM is equipped with an additional tool to help manage such connections follow database
information. Connection manager is a PDM shell for original Solid Edge Revision Manager.
Access to this tool is available via dedicated Solid Edge menu.
Manager contains a list of subdrawings which are know to the system. System
present a drawing number, revision, description and status. Checkbox on the left side set
on, informs so subdrawing is in the last revision. When check box if off, means so
subdrawing is in some older revision.
Revision list boxes contain information about all available revision (number and
actual status). When proper revision will be selected, system will physically reconnect
assembly with a new subdrawing. Reconnection is made without any consistency checking
so user is responsible for eventual construction problems.
Revision Manager is called every time when assembly drawing is loaded into Solid
Edge and PDM recognizes so there is a connection to any not actual drawing.
If Connection Manager will be invoked, PDM will abort loading operation. If user will
decide to work with existing revision this will be just warning information.
PDM9000 Solid Edge Interface – technical description
LOGOTEC Engineering S.A.
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4. PDM Solid Edge AddIn
Standard way to open a SolidEdge drawing is as follow:
 Start PDM9000
 Find Your drawing
 Use Open button on PDM’s toolbar
System will activate SolidEdge and load desired drawing.
When user is in SolidEdge environment, he can use standard buttons for file
operations. These buttons should be blocked by PDM’s AddIn. AddIn is an additional
library, which is responsible for all PDM cooperation tasks from Solid Edge.
When Addin is active, it appears in the Parts environment, menu Tools -> Add-Ins > Solid Edge PDM9000 Addin.
Standard window for file opening looks as follow:
AddIn presents a list of drawings in alphabetic order. Drawings may be filtered by basic
criteria like Project or Drawing number, Drawing name and Drawing Type. CheckBox On
PDM9000 Solid Edge Interface – technical description
LOGOTEC Engineering S.A.
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means so only actual versions will be displayed. From drawing’s list user have three
operations:
OPEN – load a drawing into SolidEdge environment
PLACE – places part on actual assembly or draft
VIEW – activates view of a drawing in separate window
On the top of the screen are additional buttons for activating filter, scrolling drawing’s list,
closing a window and calling native Window’s dialog box for opening some private drafts.
There is a different between closing AddIn window by “BlackX” and “BlueX”. BlackX is
realy closing window with releasing handler to the database; all filter definition will be lost.
Using a BlueX, will only hide AddIn window. Next opening will keep all settings and
drawing’s list.
PDM SolidEdge AddIn do not allow to create a new drawings. For sure, there is no
database modification operation possible. These operations must be still processed in full
PDM. AddIn is just a quick searching tool.
AddIn Configuration
AddIn is written in HTML technology and consists of few HTM pages. These pages
need to be configured (or even redesigned) during customer activation. Every page has a
script section, which directly access database. If this database is an SQL server, script
need to have proper connection string. For modifications, please use just Notepad or
InterDev. In the script is a following line:
SQLConnectStr = "DSN=DDM9000_32;uid=sa;pwd="
Please write there your actual SQL server user name and password.
PDM9000 Solid Edge Interface – technical description
LOGOTEC Engineering S.A.
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Important configuration settings
For SolidEdge there are 5 application number reserved:
Picture: Table ARCHIV_PROGRAMS_...
SmartView program is registered under position 93.
Physical path to the SolidEdge program is not necessary to fill properly, SolidEdge
is called like an OLE Automation Server and should be registered in the Windows
environment. To separate SolidEdge files from other drawings, we recommend setting a
destination drive to f.x. “W:”, which could be set like a separate subdirectory in the
network.
Picture: Table ARCHIV_DRIVES_...
SolidEdge file types are registered with the same numbers:
Picture: Table ARCHIV_DICT
File types and applications are connected by a table ARCHIV_DOC_PROGRAMS like in
all standard applications. In templates configuration, there is a definition of used templates
for new created drawings:
Picture: Table ARCHIV_PROGRAMS_TEMP_...
PDM9000 Solid Edge Interface – technical description
LOGOTEC Engineering S.A.
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The system administrator should prepare such templates by for actually used SolidEdge
version. Dictionary code responsible for matching 3D/2D drawings is ZEITYPE. Filter code
filed should contains a file type code for proper application, for SolidEdge installation it
should be 2D – 140, 3D – 141.
Custom properties are defined in table ARCHIV_PROGRAMS_TEMP_…, in Macro
field there is a section with proper definition. Below is a sample definition presented:
[Custom Properties Conversions]
ZEICHNR=%F ZEICHNR%
ANDR=%F ANDR%
BLATTNR=%F BLATTNR%
BENENNUNG1=%F BENENNUNG1%
BENENNUNG2=%F BENENNUNG2%
ENAME=%F ENAME%
EDATUM=Format$(%F EDATUM%,"dd.mm.yyyy")
MATERIAL=%F MATERIAL%
There is also a new definition for used titleblocks, you will find it near by the
standard titleblocks:
Picture: Table ARCHIV_LOGO_FORMATS
Description of used columns:
SESheetSizeOption:
predefined, physical paper sizes used by SolidEdge (used
constants described are bellow)
SESheetBackGroundName:
physical, background sheet name used by actual
drawing
Values for field SESeetSizeOption are taken from SolidEdge API description. Such
description is delivered with standard SolidEdge installation. You can see appropriate
values in the Sheet Properties window:
SESeetSizeOption = 29
A4 Horizontal
PDM9000 Solid Edge Interface – technical description
LOGOTEC Engineering S.A.
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Values for SESeetBackGroundName are defined in the list of background sheets used by
the company's standard draft drawing. . You can see appropriate values in the Sheet
Properties window:
Set of Variables sent to the Draft drawing is defined in separate table
ARCHIV_SE_NBVARIABLES. Bellow, you will find a sample printing from this table.
Texts with labels AETXT1, AETXT2,…. Will contain a revision history description defined
in system variable ANDTSTRING.
Because SolidEdge do not support any attributes technic and process of filling titleblock
can not be made more common, user must set the variables by their XY coordinates.
Coordinates may be found in the Properties window for every text used in the background
sheet.
PDM9000 Solid Edge Interface – technical description
LOGOTEC Engineering S.A.
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There are also some special variables dedicated for SolidEdge interface:
Picture: Table ARCHIV_VARIABLES_...
Variable SESTLANALYSE allow switching on or off analyzing an assembly structure
during saving the drawing.
Variable SEACCURACY controls the accuracy for physical property recalculation for part
drawings.
To fill Material and Density is taken from ARCHIV_MATERIALS table described
above.
Table ARCHIV_DICT is used for controlling drafts scale. For the key-code SCALE,
field FILTER should be filled with proper Solid Edge constants in following syntax:
[SE:1] or [SE:2] where the number is a Solid Edge API ScaleOption parameters. When this
field is empty, default scale value (-1 = 1:1) is used.
The same configuration is used for units, the dictionary keycode is UNIT.
Below I present a set of predefined constants from Solid Edge manual:
PaperToModelScaleConstants Constant Set
Constant
Value Description
igArch_1_4thInTo1Ft
38
igArch_1_64thInTo1Ft
34
igArch_1_8thInTo1Ft
36
igArch_1_HalfInTo1Ft
40
igArch_1InTo1Ft
42
igArch_2InTo1Ft
44
igArch_3_16thsInTo1Ft
37
igArch_3_32ndsInTo1Ft 35
igArch_3_4thsInTo1Ft
41
PDM9000 Solid Edge Interface – technical description
LOGOTEC Engineering S.A.
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igArch_3_8thsInTo1Ft
39
igArch_3_HalvesInTo1Ft 43
igArch_3InTo1Ft
45
igCustomScale
0
igDefault1To1
-1
igEng10To1
21
igEng1To1
25
igEng1To10
29
igEng1To100
33
igEng1To2
26
igEng1To20
30
igEng1To4
27
igEng1To40
31
igEng1To8
28
igEng1To80
32
igEng20To1
20
igEng2To1
24
igEng40To1
19
igEng4To1
23
igEng8To1
22
igMetric10To1
3
igMetric1To1
6
igMetric1To10
9
igMetric1To100
12
igMetric1To1000
15
igMetric1To10000
18
igMetric1To2
7
igMetric1To20
10
igMetric1To200
13
igMetric1To2000
16
igMetric1To5
8
igMetric1To50
11
igMetric1To500
14
PDM9000 Solid Edge Interface – technical description
LOGOTEC Engineering S.A.
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igMetric1To5000
17
igMetric20To1
2
igMetric2To1
5
igMetric50To1
1
igMetric5To1
4
PaperUnitConstants Constant Set
Constant
Value Description
igUnitCentimeters
2
Centimeters
igUnitInches
0
Inches
igUnitMillimeters
1
Millimeters
PaperSizeConstants Constant Set
Constant
Value Description
igAnsiArchDTall
22
igAnsiArchDWide
23
igAnsiArchETall
24
igAnsiArchEWide
25
igAnsiATall
12
igAnsiAWide
13
igAnsiBTall
14
igAnsiBWide
15
igAnsiCTall
16
igAnsiCWide
17
igAnsiDTall
18
igAnsiDWide
19
igAnsiETall
20
igAnsiEWide
21
igCustomSheetSize
-2
igEngCom10Tall
8
igEngCom10Wide
9
igEngExecutiveTall
4
igEngExecutiveWide
5
PDM9000 Solid Edge Interface – technical description
LOGOTEC Engineering S.A.
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igEngFolioTall
0
igEngFolioWide
1
igEngLegalTall
2
igEngLegalWide
3
igEngMonarchTall
10
igEngMonarchWide
11
igEngStatementTall
6
igEngStatementWide
7
igIsoA0Tall
36
igIsoA0Wide
37
igIsoA1Tall
34
igIsoA1Wide
35
igIsoA2Tall
32
igIsoA2Wide
33
igIsoA3Tall
30
igIsoA3Wide
31
igIsoA4Tall
28
igIsoA4Wide
29
igIsoA5Tall
26
igIsoA5Wide
27
igIsoB4Tall
40
igIsoB4Wide
41
igIsoB5Tall
38
igIsoB5Wide
39
igIsoC5Tall
42
igIsoC5Wide
43
igIsoDLTall
44
igIsoDLWide
45
igIsoQuatroTall
46
igIsoQuatroWide
47
igSameAsPrintSetup
-1
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LOGOTEC Engineering S.A.
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5. SolidEdge Viewer
Standard installation of the SolidEdge includes a free SmartView viewer, which may
be installed on all places in the company. There are no special settings in PDM. Viewer is
registered like an application 93 and connected to the VIEW operation on all types of
SolidEdge files. SmartView program does not support OLE Automation technology, so it is
necessary to set a proper, physical path to the exe file.
PDM is equipped with a special form, which includes a SmartView ActiveX object.
This form may be used in two ways. Like a standard, internal viewer for all Solid Edge
drawings or like a bounded form on normal drawing form. In first configuration, user still
needs to activate View operation to see a drawing. Second configuration automatically
presents a drawing view when user scrolls throw the drawings. Second configuration is not
adviced because of the speed.
To activate internal viewer, all view operations should point to their native
applications ID instead of stand alone SmartView ID=93.
Solid Edge internal view.
PDM9000 Solid Edge Interface – technical description
LOGOTEC Engineering S.A.
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6. PDM Solid Edge Import Center
There is a common situation when company receives a Solid Edge project from
cooperatives or suppliers. There is no internal PDM function to simply import such 3D
project. Logotec develops an external tool, which is called PDM9000 Solid Edge Import
Center. After receiving SE project, user needs to copy all files into some subdirectory on
standard logical drive. This operation should be done manually, because transport media
may be a CD or e-mail or whatever, we expect finally, so all the files will be on the
destination drive in one subdirectory. Import process consists of four steps, which need to
be done.
Step 1.
User points to the subdirectory, where SE project is stored. Program will analyze
this directory and retrieve all files with extension *.PAR, *.ASM, *.PSM and *.DFT. Files will
be stored in the table. Drawing number will be a filename without extension.
Step 2.
Solid Edge needs to be started in the background. Program will load all the
drawings, one by one, analyzes the parameters and drop them. Following properties of the
drawing are readed out:
File propertie
DocumentNumber
Title
Author
FileTimeStamp
Parts
Assemblies
Drafts
(DFT) PaperUnits
(DFT) ScaleOption
PDM parameter
Zeichnr
Benennung1
Ename
Edatum
ZEICHN_ART = 4 (Detail)
ZEICHN_ART=2 (Assembly)
ZEICHN_ART=5 (Draft)
Einheit
Scale
Files are analyzed in following order: Parts, Sheet Metals, Assemblies and Drafts.
For Assemblies, system retrieves all connected elements (one level only), for drafts,
system connects all parts placed on.
Step 3.
Retrieved data are analyzed for consistency and conflicts with existing data in PDM.
Mostly, system search for the drawing numbers, which may exists in PDM.
Step 4.
Final data import into PDM. Only these drawings will be imported which are marked.
Drawings will be connected to the selected project. Project needs to be created in PDM,
before importing operation.
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LOGOTEC Engineering S.A.
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Parameters and options.
Program exposes some parameters which may be useful.
Drawing number prefix – all drawing numbers will become selected prefix. This
may be useful to recognize so imported documentation is external and will not influence
our own drawing’s numbering system.
Destination drive – logical drive, where files will be copied during final step4.
Logical drives list – this is a list of logical drives, need to be set like in full PDM.
Conversion table – list of fields in drawing’s table which will be set by fixed values
or SE Drawings’s attributes.
View – at any moment we can take a look on the drawing from a list. System will
expose SmartView form with selected drawing.
Errors and problems
Every step of analyze, reports “Step X OK” status to analyzed drawing. When
something is wrong, warning message will be exposed and drawing will be marked out.
User may mark such position again (to be important into PDM) but this is made by own
risk.
User modification
Firing few predefined querys, stored in the database, does importing operation.
These queries has common names:
PDM_SE_IMPORT_QUERY_Z1-9
- queries responsible for importing drawings
and their relations.
PDM_SE_IMPORT_QUERY_P1-5
- queries responsible for attaching drawings
to selected project.
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LOGOTEC Engineering S.A.
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7. New functions
Except the whole set of functions used for this interface, there are some new
functions or experiences, developed for common use.
PDM AddIns
There is a new technology developed for handling forms with embaded ActiveX-es.
When external ActiveX is used on any form inside LTE9000.MDB file, this ActiveX is
required for compiling or even launching Access database. Not every user’s station may
be equipped with such ActiveX installed so there may be a problem using PDM in mixed
environments. For such situations, we’ve modified our standard startup routine to add
references to external libraries. Such libraries may contains any ActiveX which we expect
to be installed and used on particular station, reference is added “on the fly” during startup
procedure. All external libraries should be stored in the same directory where file
LTE9000.MDE is located and should use a common names LTE9000_ADDIN_*.MDE or
LTE9000_ADDIN_*.MDB. Situation with two files with the same name should be avoided
and produce undefined results. During closing procedure, all such references are released
automatically.
For Solid Edge interface, ActiveX viewer used on a view form is stored in addin file
LTE9000_ADDIN_SE.MDB. This file should be copied into PDM application directory.
During first start, system will automatically add a reference to this file. Without this addin,
viewing Solid Edge drawings is possible only by external application Solid Edge
SmartView.
Remark.
This feature is possible only by running LTE9000.MDB file. MDE format do
not allows to change library references on the fly.
Function la_FindZeibyFilename(ByVal FILENAME$, ByVal AdditionalFilter$) As String
This function allows to find a drawing number by given physical filename. Additional
filter is useful if we know some special conditions which may speed up our search f.x. File
Type. Filter should be set like a where condition for SQL statement.
Result of this function is a drawing number, revision and page number in following syntax:
ZEI12345;0;1
Function seReadNormblattTexts()
This function is stored in an open code module Lte_Extern. Function retrieves a text
coordinates from actually loaded draft then place them into ARCHIV_SE_VARIABLES
table. Function should be customized for every titleblock. Very depends of titleblocks used
by customer. This is only a supporting function, which can be used by
administrator/configurator during setup process. No guaranty for results, sorry 
Long File Names
PDM 9000 version 3.50 A3 is the first version tested for operating on long file
names. Such names are commonly used under SolidEdge. Here is an example:
PDM9000 Solid Edge Interface – technical description
LOGOTEC Engineering S.A.
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W:06161\30406Z PLATTE-VERSUCH.PAR
Functions for retrieving filename, path or extension were tested for long file names. Every
file stored on the logical drive W: will be named by the drawing number and description
number one. Next copies of this file will receive additional number suffix (f.x. for new
revisions or pages). Here is an example file naming for this function:
1234 Test Drawing.PAR
1234_1 Test Drawing.PAR
1234_2 Test Drawing.PAR
If you would like to operate on files like that, You should consider following settings in the
table’s configuration:
U_ZEI
field FILENAME
C 255
U_DOC
field FILENAME
C 255
ARCHIV_OPEN_DOCS field IDENTNAMEC 255
field FILENAME
C 255
There is a special PDM configuration which can work in protected file access mode. Such
configuration may be danger for working with SolidEdge Assemblies. During opening
assembly file, PDM grants access only to the main file. But connected files, like
subassemblies or parts will stay protected and SolidEdge will report a missing files. To
avoid such situation we recommend to exclude SolidEdge logical drives from protected
mode. To do that, system variable FILESACCESSGRANTEXC should contain logical
drives list with excluded names, like “W:;C:;”.
Such configuration will protect standard files like Word or Excel which are stored on logical
drives N:, M: or U:.
Mysłowice 18.01.2002
Adam Wieczorek
LOGOTEC Engineering S.A.
PDM9000 Solid Edge Interface – technical description
LOGOTEC Engineering S.A.
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