File Loading Timeouts 2

[drawoh]

I have a serious problem with our computer network, SmarTeam and SolidWorks. We have configured SmarTeam to link to fastener files from a central directory. I am working on an old project that was done before we moved the fasteners to a new file server.

SolidWorks is looking for these files in the local directory, then looking for the server, which is no longer there. The time-outs are wasting serious time.

I realize I sound like the guy who complains to the doctor that it hurts when I hit myself over the head with a baseball bat, but I am not allowed to do the obvious, intelligent solution.

Is there a way to reset the file loading timeouts in Solidworks?

JHG

 

[Standing]

Drawoh,
You did not say what the obvious is. We had the same problem with out link to the PDM server and IT reset the timeouts.
Do you think it is possible to reset the search path within SolidWorks options?


Bradley
SolidWorks Pro 2008 x64 SP3.0
PDMWorks Workgroup, Dell XPS Intel(R) Pentium(R) D CPU
3.00 GHz, 5 GB RAM, Virtual memory 12577 MB, nVidia 3400
e-mail is Lotus Notes

 

[drawoh]

Bradley,

The obvious solution is for PDM to copy the fastener files into my working directory.

My understanding is that SolidWorks searches the local directory for files, then it looks at the file path embedded in the assembly or drawing. When that fails, it hands the problem over to the PDM software, and when that fails, SolidWorks prompts the user.

My problem is that the file server called up in the file path, no longer exists. SolidWorks waits for the server to respond, wasting much of my time in the process.

The SolidWorks options only control prototypes and blocks and such, right?

JHG

 

[Standing]

drawoh,
I think I would manually copy the all fasteners to my local directory. I know this will take a lot of memory.

Now I see what you are up against. The same thing happens when we change the location of our drawing templates. We changed our server name 3 times and our company name 4 times. This causes us to reload the template.
On very old drawings this takes several minutes. What I did this last time was to copy our templates to everyone’s local drive, “C:\SolidWorks_Stuff\templates. Now SolidWorks will never, ever use that location and name. The SolidWorks program will always find the location quickly.


Bradley
SolidWorks Pro 2008 x64 SP3.0
PDMWorks Workgroup, Dell XPS Intel(R) Pentium(R) D CPU
3.00 GHz, 5 GB RAM, Virtual memory 12577 MB, nVidia 3400
e-mail is Lotus Notes

 

[fcsuper]

It's bad practice to have assemblies looking all over the place (even in "central locations") for files because of this issue. If you are at the point where you have the need to share files in this way, I believe you need a PDM to manage this from a vault.

Matt Lorono
CAD Engineer/ECN Analyst
Silicon Valley, CA
Lorono's SolidWorks Resources
Co-moderator of Solidworks Yahoo! Group
and Mechnical.Engineering Yahoo! Group

 

[drawoh]

fcsuper,

We have PDM. Our PDM people have decided that it is a good idea to move standard parts to a central directory where we must link to them. Our system administrators have since, moved the directory.

JHG

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

I don't use PDM but I thought the recommended norm was to NOT include purchased components in the vault.

 

[Standing]

Yes we heard the same thing,

“Do not put hardware in the Vault”

We put all our Screws, Nuts and Washers in the Vault. I do not think we take too much of a performance hit by doing this. It is easier to say and maintain, “Everything is in the vault”.

Bradley
SolidWorks Pro 2008 x64 SP3.0
PDMWorks Workgroup, Dell XPS Intel(R) Pentium(R) D CPU
3.00 GHz, 5 GB RAM, Virtual memory 12577 MB, nVidia 3400
e-mail is Lotus Notes

 

[fcsuper]

Everything should go into the vault. There are file linking issues if they aren't maintained by the vault, regardless of whether it is hardware or custom components.

I haven't seen any reason not to do this. Someone else have a reason? I am curious.



Matt Lorono
CAD Engineer/ECN Analyst
Silicon Valley, CA
Lorono's SolidWorks Resources
Co-moderator of Solidworks Yahoo! Group
and Mechnical.Engineering Yahoo! Group

 

[Standing]

How about the templates, the drawing and modeling templates?
Should they be placed in the vault? Then I suppose the BOM Templates should be in the Vault also.

Bradley
SolidWorks Pro 2008 x64 SP3.0
PDMWorks Workgroup, Dell XPS Intel(R) Pentium(R) D CPU
3.00 GHz, 5 GB RAM, Virtual memory 12577 MB, nVidia 3400
e-mail is Lotus Notes

 

[drawoh]

All the CAD models you will attach to your assemblies should go into the vault. That way, they get copied out into your working directory, and you do not have to deal with the external link problems like mine.

One of my assumptions about SolidWorks is that I should be able to copy and paste out of the drawing parts lists, into requisition forms. This requires all profile cards that control BOM entries, to be kept correct. If there is a problem, they should be accessible to ECRs.

The drawing templates are less critical, I think.

JHG

 

[fcsuper]

Actually, Bradley, yeah, anything you want to control can go into the vault. It is understood that use of templates from within the vault is not supported, that that is actually a great idea. Time for an ER.



Matt Lorono
CAD Engineer/ECN Analyst
Silicon Valley, CA
Lorono's SolidWorks Resources
Co-moderator of Solidworks Yahoo! Group
and Mechnical.Engineering Yahoo! Group

 

[Standing]

Thanks Matt for the Enhancement Requests idea, a star for you. Here is what I said if any others are interested in put in an Enhancement Requests.

Specify Area of Software PDMWorks, PDMWorks Workgroup, Vault

Brief description:
Template supported from Vault

Problem Description:
Would you make drawing, part and assembly template’s updateable from the PDM Vault? Every time we change our network server name we have to re-link our old drawing templates when we update our templates.


Bradley
SolidWorks Pro 2008 x64 SP3.0
PDMWorks Workgroup, Dell XPS Intel(R) Pentium(R) D CPU
3.00 GHz, 5 GB RAM, Virtual memory 12577 MB, nVidia 3400
e-mail is Lotus Notes

 

[fcsuper]

I'll support that.

Matt Lorono
CAD Engineer/ECN Analyst
Silicon Valley, CA
Lorono's SolidWorks Resources
Co-moderator of Solidworks Yahoo! Group
and Mechnical.Engineering Yahoo! Group

 

[EEnd]

You can insulate yourselves from server name changes by mapping the network share to a drive letter. Everyone will need to map it to the same letter to have it work, but the next time IT changes the server name, all you will need to do is remap the letter to the new share location.

Eric

 

[drawoh]

EEnd,

Mapping to the drive letter is an excellent idea, especially since our systadmin set our network up that way. Unfortunately, SmarTeam maps to the server name.

Oh well.

JHG

 

[Standing]

Eric,
That is how we started finding our file locations years ago. We mapped to the file locations using M:\ drive. Then our parent company wanted in on the action. I told the engineers to map to M: drive. Oh, we cannot do that, the drive letter is already in use, by everyone in the company. They are currently mapped using X:\ drive.


Bradley
SolidWorks Pro 2008 x64 SP3.0
PDMWorks Workgroup, Dell XPS Intel(R) Pentium(R) D CPU
3.00 GHz, 5 GB RAM, Virtual memory 12577 MB, nVidia 3400
e-mail is Lotus Notes