PDF creation

[c2sox]

While creating PDF's from our drawings were finding that part numbers from our BOM tables are dissappeariing. Has anyone run across this?

Another irony is that we'll recreate the PDF, check the PDF file everything looks good then a day later all the part numbers are gone...what the?

Is an Acrobat issue, were using 8.1.2 version

Thanks in advance for any inputs you could share.

SW Office Pro 2007 x64 w/ SP5.0
Dell Precision PWS390
2.40GHz w/ 4 GB of RAM
Quadro FX 4600 w/768 MB

 

[Standing]

Are you using PDMWorkgroups?
Are you using SolidWorks BOM or Excel?

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

 

[c2sox]

We ar using SolidWorks BOM.

 

[Standing]

Are you using PDMWorkgroups?

Bradley
SolidWorks Pro 2008 x64 SP3.0
PDMWorks Workgroup, SolidWorks BOM, 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

 

[c2sox]

Are you using PDMWorkgroups? ....Yes we are..sorry

 

[Standing]

When checking into PDMWorkgroups and the description or number is deleted in the text box that will remove the property information from the model or drawing. When checking into PDMWorkgroups make sure these text boxes are not empty.

Look at one of the offending parts that do not show up in a BOM. Open SolidWorks Explorer and see if the number and description are blank.


Bradley
SolidWorks Pro 2008 x64 SP3.0
PDMWorks Workgroup, SolidWorks BOM, 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

 

[c2sox]

"Open SolidWorks Explorer and see if the number and description are blank. "

That's a good point I will check for that, but with one drawing all the part numbers were gone. Fixed the next day and dissappeared again?

Thanks

 

[ctopher]

How are you creating the PDF's?
"File/Print" or "File/Save As"?
Check each way for different options to get the output you like.

Chris
SolidWorks/PDMWorks 08 2.0
AutoCAD 06/08
ctopher's home (updated 10-07-07)

 

[c2sox]

File/Save As...is the way we've been creating them, checked of the following options....

Export PDF in color
Embed fonts
Use specified printer line weights

Someone from another forum had run across the same issue and suggested using the print PDF method, but reloading the print driver every 6 months.

I understand SW 08 fixes this, can annyone else confirm this.

Thanks

 

[Standing]

I was under the impression that the SolidWorks BOM does not link to pdf’s. The BOM links to the models used in the assembly. We do not save pdf’s most of the time, so I am really not sure SolidWorks BOM can point to pdf.

Bradley
SolidWorks Pro 2008 x64 SP3.0
PDMWorks Workgroup, SolidWorks BOM, 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

 

[c2sox]

My understading was that basically the pdf was just a screen/snap shot of the drawing?

I'm just not sure why the part numbers on the BOM would be gone? I've checked our tech support (GoEngineer) and there are no known issues reported about the problem we're having. The consesus here was because it was a 64 bit issue versus a 32 bit compatability. Our QA uses 32 bit machines, when they recreate the pdf it comes out fine. I recreate the same file, check it and it comes out fine, but heck the next day it's hosed again?

 

[Solidjnke]

I was having the same problem until I started performing a "rebuild all" just before doing my "save as".

 

[Standing]

c2sox,
I have a 64 Bit machine running SolidWorks 2008 sp3.0. You tell me the step you do and I will do the same thing. Check it into the PDM over night. Open the drawing tomorrow and see what happens.
By the way, I just love working with the people at GoEngineer, there great.


Bradley
SolidWorks Pro 2008 x64 SP3.0
PDMWorks Workgroup, SolidWorks BOM, 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

 

[c2sox]

Wish I could send you our files, but I can't...LOL

Ok, basically I just open the file from my local drive, perform a save as pdf into another directory renamed to a filename standard that we have here (ex 33070366-A.02.pdf). Open the pdf to review for completeness and that's it.

Another thing I noticed is that when creating multiple pdf's from different drawings, the first couple would be ok, then the 3rd one would turn out to be a problem pdf. I started restarting my SW session and that seems to have fixed it, but then the next day it was only temporary.

The thought that someone was messing with my files has crossed my mind but it seems like other folks have issues as well...LOL

 

[Standing]

You did not say you checked them into PDM vault, so I will not either.

Bradley
SolidWorks Pro 2008 x64 SP3.0
PDMWorks Workgroup, SolidWorks BOM, 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

 

[ctopher]

I just a File/Print to PDF and the BOM came through very clear. I also have Acrobat Pro on my laptop...I don't know if that made much a difference.

Chris
SolidWorks/PDMWorks 08 2.0
AutoCAD 06/08
ctopher's home (updated 10-07-07)

 

[c2sox]

Seems like most of you guys are using SW 2008?

Sorry but these PDF's were created right after saving and checking them into PDM, once the rev was advanced on the drawing then I created the PDF's.

 

[EEnd]

For clarification, is the BoM text disappearing when the PDF is created or between viewings of the same PDF file?

Eric

 

[Standing]

c2sox,
I saved the drawing as a pdf to a different directory. Opened the assembly drawing and rebuilt the drawing. The three drawings I saved as pdf were OK.

There has to be another issue going on here.
1. Check your properties on the model for Description in the Custom tab. Is the value set to the correct description?
2. Now check your BOM to see if you have property for description PRP:”Description”.



Bradley
SolidWorks Pro 2008 x64 SP3.0
PDMWorks Workgroup, SolidWorks BOM, 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

 

[Standing]

c2sox,
I had some of the descriptions and parts disappear from my BOM today. The only way they would come back in was to reload the parts. They were lightweight parts that did not come in.

Are you parts being loaded lightweight? Is so, try loading resolved.


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