Add revision to part files based on drawing revision (bulk)

[macatc123]

Hi all, I am transferring many Solidworks files into our Workgroup PDM vault. We will be using the LifeCycle feature which will update the revision level of the document depending on what the status is (In Work, Released, etc.). Since I am checking in many documents that already have revisions, I am going to check them in and set the revisions to "Read from File" so that PDM will set the revisions to drawings current revision.

The problem, is that while all the drawings have revisions, the part files do not. I need a method of changing all of the revisions of the part files to match the revisions of their drawing file.

Perhaps there is a way in Task Scheduler?

Thanks for the help!

 

[JMirisola]

I don't see a way of automating this. How are you going to know what rev a part file is at?
I'm curious, why don't you put the rev in custom properties data of the part and have it propagate to the drawing?

Jeff Mirisola, CSWP
Design Manager/Senior Designer
M9 Defense
My Blog

 

[SnowCrash]

Isn't the conflict here that you can have a drawing revision without a revision (change) of the part?

--
Hardie "Crashj" Johnson
SW 2011 SP 2.0
HP Pavillion Elite HPE
W7 Pro, Nvidia Quaddro FX580

 

[ctopher]

I also wish this can be done, but there isn't.
IMO, the part rev should always match the dwg rev.
For those that argue against them being the same, in the "old days" of manual drawing, the part was the drawing...no separate revs.

Chris
SolidWorks 10 SP4.0
ctopher's home
SolidWorks Legion

 

[macatc123]

Thanks for the responses. Ok, so our database basically consists of drawings, and the corresponding part/assembly files. When we rev up a document, we only rev up the drawing since that is the file with the title block. The drawing files already have the custom property for revision filled out and that is linked to the title block.
I need a way of added the revision custom property to the part files, and have them match their drawing revisions.

For future reference...is there a way to always have the drawing and part file revisions linked to each other?
Thanks!

-Mac

 

[macatc123]

Thanks ctopher, looks like I'll be submitting a feature request to SW.

 

[dedevo]

Just to add fuel to the fire:
What if you have a drawing with multiple parts, assemblies, or construction details?
One part on the drawing might change, but not all of them. Your drawing and that one part will increment, but the rest have remained the same.

So your parts may change, but the drawing doesn't. ie. if you change the height of a box, the existing dimensions auto-update, but you are not adding a new dimension call-out...
Or if you change a weld-detail. The drawing will change, but the part remains the same.

Ultimately I guess your drawing rev will change all the time, but your part rev might never increment after it's been made.

Devon Murray, EIT [Mechanical]
Solidworks 2011 SP 2.0

 

[ctopher]

Devon,
I think that would be an assy. Use a BOM or PL with revs.
If you need to show separate parts on one drawing, indicate the individual revs somewhere on the drawing. Although more difficult to track.

Chris
SolidWorks 10 SP4.0
ctopher's home
SolidWorks Legion

 

[jassco]

Hi, macatc123:

Your item (assembly or part) is described by your drawing document (*.slddrw). 3D models are for reference only. They do not have revisions. If you really want to, you can consider revision of parts carry revision of the drawing document.

Best regards,

 

[JMirisola]

I disagree completely with jassco. Your part document can, and should, have revisions. Rev the part or assembly, update the 'Revision' property in the custom properties dialog and it can auto propagate to the drawing.
At previous companies, we'd create PDF's of the drawings. When a new revision was coming out, we'd archive the previous drawing pdf to have a constant record, then update the SolidWorks drawing.

Jeff Mirisola, CSWP
Design Manager/Senior Designer
M9 Defense
My Blog

 

[ctopher]

I agree with Jeff.

Chris
SolidWorks 10 SP4.0
ctopher's home
SolidWorks Legion