NXcustom with Windchill 2

[Dave K]

New job, and they use Windchill, along with Siemens NX. I'd like to setup Rob Cohon/Gerritt Koelewijn's NXcustom, so all users are using common standards, part templates, etc. I've done it in native, and with Teamcenter, but Windshill is a new one.

Has anyone done this? I'm assuming Windchill has something like Teamcenters 'start_nxmanager.bat' file, which has to be adjusted to point to the NXcustom folder to load those options?

Thanks.

-Dave

NX, Teamcenter 11.6

 

[looslib]

There is no 'start' to Windchill, it is fully a web app. Just click the URL to open.
I would guess that the NXCustom is started from NX and has little to do with the PDM (TeamCenter or Windchill).
I have not played with Rob's custom code since UG2 V18.


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

Ben Loosli

 

[Dave K]

NX is tied to Windchill somehow, in that if I click the "Open in NX" button, it will start NX to open the file. My assumption then, if there is no start script equivalent to 'start_nxmanager.bat' is that ugraf.exe is launched, since the NX .prt files are associated to that in Windows.

Since NXcustom is a .bat file, that sets a number of env variables, THEN runs ugraf.exe, you would have to associate the .prt file type, to open with the .bat file...not sure if that will work, since it's not an .exe.

-Dave

NX 12, Windchill 11

 

[NutAce]

The "start in NX" button most probably has some registry entry. something like
"[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\ugmportalfile\Shell\Open\Command]"
You can search the registry for a value containing a URL.

I would guess that the NXCustom is started from NX and has little to do with the PDM (TeamCenter or Windchill)

It is not started from NX. It is the the tool that starts NX. Either in Native or in Managed mode, depending on which bat file you are activating.
You can configure NX-Manager start-up scripts for your teamcenter connection (Which is actually also a URL).
The power of the NXCustom tool is ,that you can start it from any (mapped) drive location and it will find NX on it's own. It will load all your company settings for you.
We are also using it in our company (I am the one configuring it) and I am pretty pleased with it.

What I am guessing (no clue about Windchill) is, that the start in NX button is generating some PLMXML file from the database for which the Browser knows that it should send this (open with) to NX.
This is how Siemens is doing it for Active Workspace (HTML5 based interface to Teamcenter)

I would suggest to look into the WindChill helpfiles. There must be a section on how to configure the Managed mode for NX.


Ronald van den Broek
Senior Application Engineer
Winterthur Gas & Diesel Ltd
NX9 / TC10.1.2

Building new PLM environment from Scratch using NX12 / TC11

 

[kscnoname]

Hello Dave,

we have all major cad systems integrated in Windchill.
And you have to install the workgroup manager (WGM) on all clients to integrate NX (and Catia).
Creo has the WGM integrated so you don’t need to install it separately.

You can copy the CAD adapters so the users don’t have to integrate all NX versions manually (for the first start).

Then you start NX as usual (from Network or local) with a batch file but you have to add the following variables (that what we have defined):

PRO_DIRECTORY
PRO_UPDATEDIR
PTC_ROOT
PTC_WF_ROOT
PTC_WGM_ROOT
PTC_WF_CACHE
PTC_WLD_ROOT
PTC_WFS_ROOT
WWGM_VFS_PTC_PLACES

Most of it is also explained on the below linked PTC support page:

https://support.ptc.com/help/windch...iguringMultipleFileSyncCADWorke-128D8431.html

Good Luck


Unigraphics NX Key user

it all started with V13

 

[Dave K]

@kscnoname

"You can copy the CAD adapters so the users don’t have to integrate all NX versions manually (for the first start)."

by this, you mean take everything from "C:\PTC\.wf\.cadadapters" and put it with the NXcustom stuff (or some other network loc), so all users can see/use the same files? this would be where PTC_WF_ROOT points?

I suspect when you do an NX version update, the NX admin would do the manual integration, letting Windchill create it's stuff, then copy it to the network location?

Also, re-reading your reply, users would have to start NX from the .bat file first, and not rely on Windchill's "open in NX" button, to start NX. Only using that after NX has already been started. Correct?

-Dave

NX 12, Windchill 11

 

[Dave K]

Then you start NX as usual (from Network or local) with a batch file but you have to add the following variables

I haven't started experiment yet, bu looking at NX120custom, and I know 1847+ are similar, do you put the PTC_ROOT, PTC_WF_ROOT, etc., in the NX120.bat, before it calls NX120common.bat? or keep them in NX120common.bat?

I have generally left NX120.bad as OOTB as possible, keeping the tweaks in NX120common.bat, and NX120env.dat

Thanks.

-Dave

NX 12, Windchill 11

 

[kscnoname]

Hello Dave,

You have to locally install and register your NX versions (also takes local language settings).
Then you can copy the CAD adapters from the folder WGM_Install\wgm\CAD_ADAPTERSThey are named according to the NX version, we have Windchill V11 CPS15 and it only supports NX up to NX12.

Then you can copy NX and the CAD adapters to your network drive.
When the user starts with the batch file (e.g. NX120custom) the below shown variables are set and the CAD adapter s are copied to the folder with the local WGM installation.

The advantage of the batch file is that the users don’t have to register the applications with WGM.
The only thing WGM does is to add a directory to your local custom_dirs.dat file.
You simply have to define the same directory on your network environment settings.

When you start with the batch file WGM will start first and then NX (similar to TC).
With this information you should get you NX & WGM net-install to work.

Good Luck

Variables explanation:

PRO_DIRECTORY local WGM install path\wgmPRO_UPDATEDIR Copy of complete WGM install on network drive (including the cad adapters)
PTC_ROOT local workspace usually in %LocalAppData%\WGM\%NX_VERSION%
PTC_WF_ROOT %PTC_ROOT%\wgm
PTC_WGM_ROOT %PRO_DIRECTORY%\CAD_ADAPTERS\%NX_VERSION%\wgm
PTC_WF_CACHE %PTC_ROOT%\wf
PTC_WLD_ROOT %PTC_ROOT%\wf
PTC_WFS_ROOT %PTC_ROOT%\wfs
WWGM_VFS_PTC_PLACES %LocalAppData%\WGM\%NX_VERSION%\WINDCHILLxxx


Unigraphics NX Key user

it all started with V13

 

[Dave K]

@kscnoname quick question, I just had a few minutes to reread your suggestions, and do some experimenting...I noticed you say "NX & WGM net-install to work". To be clear, we are installing both WC and NX locally, and only putting the NXcustom stuff on the network. Does all of this still apply?

-Dave

NX 12, Windchill 11

 

[Dave K]

This is what I have for my adjusted NX120.bat file so far. Still trying to figure out what should go in for some of the env variables. Does it look like I'm on the right track?

@echo off

:: Launch NXcustom
:: Last Modified: 31Oct2017

:: Edit this line to define NX release number
set NX_NUMBER=NX120

:: Edit this line to show NX package name (nx, view, camexpress, mechatronics, powerdrafting)
set NX_PACKAGE_NAME=NX

:: **** DO NOT EDIT THE FOLLOWING LINES (start) ****
:: Determine location of NXcustom folder and call NXcommon.bat
set NX_CUSTOM_DIR=%~dp0
set NX_CUSTOM_DIR=%NX_CUSTOM_DIR:~0,-1%
set NX_CUSTOM_LIB=%NX_CUSTOM_DIR%\%NX_Number%library
:: Common settings for all NX and PTS sessions
Call "%NX_CUSTOM_LIB%\%NX_NUMBER%common.bat"
:: **** DO NOT EDIT THE PREVIOUS LINES (end) ****

set PTC_WF_CACHE=c:\PTC\.cache
set PTC_WF_ROOT=c:\PTC\.wf
set PTC_WFS_ROOT=c:\PTC\.wfs
set PTC_WLD_ROOT =c:\PTC\.wwgm

set PTC_ROOT=
set PRO_DIRECTORY=C:\Program Files\PTC\wgm
set PRO_UPDATERDIR=
set PTC_WGM_ROOT=c:\PTC\.root
set WWGM_VFS_PTC_PLACES=%LocalAppData%\WGM\%NX_VERSION%\WINDCHILLxxx


:: Set Bundle(s) - Separate 2 bundle names with a space "BUNDLE1" "BUNDLE2"
:: "%UGII_BASE_DIR%\UGFLEXLM\lictool" --setbundle "STUDIO4DS"

:: Unset Bundles
:: "%UGII_BASE_DIR%\UGFLEXLM\lictool" --unsetbundle --all

:: start "" <== Add this to start of command to hide console window
:: Start NX (remove the :: from only one of the NX lines below)

:: Starts individual NX sessions 
:: "%UGII_BASE_DIR%\nxbin\ugraf" -%NX_PACKAGE_NAME% %*

:: Uses one NX session 
start "" "%UGII_BASE_DIR%\nxbin\ugs_router" -message="Starting %NX_PACKAGE_NAME%" -ug -version=%NX_VERSION% %* -opts -%NX_PACKAGE_NAME%

timeout %CMD_PAUSE%
@echo on

-Dave

NX 12, Windchill 11