Coustomising ugii_env.dat 3

[scotty7]

I guess quite a lot of businesses customise their UG installation through the ugii_env.dat file. What is perceived as best practice for this (having just waded through converting an NX4 version to incorporate all the changes we put in at NX2).
1. Put the changes in the file next to the vanilla variable
2.Put the changes all together at the top or bottom of the file
3. Put the variables in a separate file and call this from ugii_env to overwrite settings made in the otherwise untouched UGS-supplied file.
4. Something else I haven't thought of!
Opinions gladly received!

 

[Xwheelguy]

I would make a separate .dat file, saved in a directory structure with any other NX customizations, and call it up via a batch file that launches NX and includes the following line (minus the brackets):

set UGII_ENV_FILE=[YOUR CUSTOM .DAT FILE NAME HERE].dat

This won't do anything other than add your customizations to those already found in ugii_env.dat.

I would make sure both the batch file AND custom .dat file had a revision record at the beginning and anyone who revises the files must date and initial each change in the revision record at the top of the files.

Tim Flater
Senior Designer
Enkei America, Inc.

http://www.enkei.com

Some people are like slinkies....they don't really have a purpose, but they still bring a smile to your face when you push them down the stairs.

 

[looslib]

I used to modify the file by commenting out the defaults and adding my modified lines below the original lines.


"Wildfires are dangerous, hard to control, and economically catastrophic."

Ben Loosli

 

[JohnRBaker]

Since I run several versions of UG/NX on my system (currently this numbers 9 versions, from UG V16.0.4.2 thru NX 6.0.0.12), I use individual .bat files to launch each version. In these .bat files, I set the various Environment Variables (which will overide any variables set in the ugii_env.dat file or in my system's profile) that I use to control and customize these sessions.


John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
NX Product Line
SIEMENS PLM Software Inc.
Cypress, CA

http://www.siemens.com/plm

http://www.plmworld.org/museum/

 

[phillpd]

I have 4 versions of NX running and also use John's approach of using BAT files. Never touch the ugii_env.dat file.

Specialty Engineered Automation (SEA)

http://www.sea4ug.com

a UGS Foundation Partner

 

[Shadowspawn]

Ok.... this thread is begging me to ask the question(s):
1)How does the batch file work?
2)Got a handy batch file I could look at? (I'm currently in the midst of trying to customize my site from an 'out of the box install' into something better suited for our needs...)
3)The approach I was going to take would be to put the customized env.dat file on the server (site dir) for each individual to load on launch. Pros/Cons of this approach?

Of course, all suggetions encouraged and welcomed.

Regards,
SS
CAD should pay for itself, shouldn't it?

 

[jackley]

John, I think you need to install version 9 just to make it a even number of installations.



Justin Ackley
Designer

 

[Vikingbro]

John,

You state that you still have UG v16.0.4.2?

Is there still a big call for v16, or are you really sentimental?


Chris Cooper
Senior CAD Specialist
Cleveland Golf / Never Compromise

http://www.clevelandgolf.com

http://www.nevercompromise.com

 

[Xwheelguy]

SS,

Check my profile and send me an email and I will send you my batch file if you'd like to take a look at it.

Tim Flater
Senior Designer
Enkei America, Inc.

http://www.enkei.com

Some people are like slinkies....they don't really have a purpose, but they still bring a smile to your face when you push them down the stairs.

 

[ewh]

Tim,

I attempted to send you a request for that batch file, but it didn't get through and is in "quarantine". Could you send me a copy? Check profile. Thanks!

Eric

 

[JohnRBaker]

Note that I still have stored on my system some customer files that were last saved in V9.0 (in May 1993 to be exact) just so that when someone in the crowd asks "how far back can we go" in terms of supporting legacy part files, I just go and open one of these files DIRECTLY with no conversion or pre-processing and also without having to first open them in any of the previous versions and then saving them. In fact, I just tired this using the lastest development phase of NX 6.0 and they came up with no problems and everything still looks as good as it ever did.

As for keeping UG V16.0 on my system, it's partly because I can't go back any further ;-)

You see, V16.0 was the first version that was 100% Windows native without any need to emulate anything.

As for the real reason, occasionally we get into some debates (both with customers and sometimes with ourselves) about how long has something worked a certain way or when did we stop doing this or start doing that, etc. And there's nothing like seeing live in front of you to settle arguments like that. Besides, it's just gratifying sometimes to think that these old versions continue to run on the latest update of Windows and they have not been certified in years.

So perhaps I do keep it around, at least partially, for sentimental reasons ;-)


John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
NX Product Line
SIEMENS PLM Software Inc.
Cypress, CA

http://www.siemens.com/plm

http://www.plmworld.org/museum/

 

[Xwheelguy]

ewh,

I got your email. Did you get mine or was mine the one in quarantine?

Late night tonight and won't be in office again until Monday, if all goes as planned.

Tim Flater
Senior Designer
Enkei America, Inc.

http://www.enkei.com

Some people are like slinkies....they don't really have a purpose, but they still bring a smile to your face when you push them down the stairs.

 

[ewh]

Tim,

It was quarantined on my end. Our IT guy is out for several days, so it looks like it is stuck there. Thanks for trying!
Maybe you could change the file extension to .txt and I could change it back once it gets through.

Eric

 

[Vikingbro]

John,

I do remember the v16 switch from Unix to Windows boxes, now that you mention it.

As for the ability to settle arguments, I had never thought of that, but I have witnessed many discussions where someone would be sure that it used to work THIS WAY, way back when and you would come back with, no - it worked THAT WAY and here is the proof!

Now, I know that you are sentimental and I can give you three examples:

1) First and foremost, I have been fortunate enough to have attended a number of your 'What's New in NX' rollout sessions, and I have seen the ever-updated first slide in your presentations.

2) At a couple of these sessions, I have also had the pleasure of viewing the old marketing movies from 1977/1978.

3) Finally, if memory serves, you have framed in your office, more than 2 decades worth of the business cards that you have accumulated (now to be updated with one from Siemens).



Chris Cooper
Senior CAD Specialist
Cleveland Golf / Never Compromise

http://www.clevelandgolf.com

http://www.nevercompromise.com

 

[JohnRBaker]

Chris,

Actually, UG has run on Windows since V11.1, but until V16.0, it required a motif emulator for the UI and graphics since while the basic code was being executed in native Windows, the UI was still using the original motif style developed for UNIX.

As for my presentation, I just updated the picture on my 'product update' slide with one from this past August ;-)

As for the business cards, yes, I'm up to 24 and so far Siemens accounts for TWO of them since we've already had our second name change since the buyout (check out my signature and note that the 'UGS' has been officially dropped). We are now 'Siemens PLM Software Inc.'. Or when we need to be formal (and legal), as on the latest version of our business cards, 'Siemens Product Lifecycle Management Software Inc.'. The use of 'UGS' will now be limited to just our 'UGS Velocity Series' line of products for the mid-range markets.

Ah, the passing of another era ;-)


John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
NX Product Line
SIEMENS PLM Software Inc.
Cypress, CA

http://www.siemens.com/plm

http://www.plmworld.org/museum/

 

[Xwheelguy]

So SPLMS or SPLMSI would be an OK acronym in place of UGS?

Tim Flater
Senior Designer
Enkei America, Inc.

http://www.enkei.com

Some people are like slinkies....they don't really have a purpose, but they still bring a smile to your face when you push them down the stairs.

 

[bdeloria]

> set UGII_ENV_FILE=[YOUR CUSTOM .DAT FILE NAME HERE].dat

Quick question on this, do we simply copy the UGII_ENV file and modify it or do we just put our changes to it and it simply goes:

our custom dat > ug default dat

Where when a variable or path isn't set in the custom one it then looks in the default dat for the information.

Correct me if I am wrong but the maintenance releases and maintenance packs typically overwrite the defaults and would destroy any changes / modifications etc?

Thanks,

Brian

 

[Xwheelguy]

Brian,

You would make a batch file that calls YOUR custom env.dat file (along with the call to launch NX). You can either copy the default NX ugii_env.dat file or make your own with Notepad or any text editor and save it as a .dat file. If it were me, I'd just copy the variables that I wanted to change in ugii_env.dat and paste them into custom.dat.

Using the above method will avoid anything being overwritten during MR or MP installations.

Tim Flater
Senior Designer
Enkei America, Inc.

http://www.enkei.com

Some people are like slinkies....they don't really have a purpose, but they still bring a smile to your face when you push them down the stairs.

 

[bdeloria]

Hello Tim,

I have it set to use a different ugii_env.dat file from another location. I operated under the assumption that it would read the defaults from the UGII directory, and then anything that was specified differently would be overridden by the custom DAT file.

Correct me if I am wrong but if I set UGII_ENV_FILE= to something other than the default location it cannot just have the changes but rather the whole file in a modified state.

If someone wants to chime in on this otherwise...

Thanks,

Brian

 

[Xwheelguy]

Brian,

I believe NX will use both the ugii_env.dat file and the custom env.dat file if you only define the custom env.dat file location (set UGII_ENV_FILE).

My custom env.dat file only defines a few variables, so it must be getting the rest from the default file, ugii_env.dat.

So your assumption was correct according to how it's running on my end.

Tim Flater
Senior Designer
Enkei America, Inc.

http://www.enkei.com

Some people are like slinkies....they don't really have a purpose, but they still bring a smile to your face when you push them down the stairs.