Pro/Intralink 9.1. Disconnect from server problem. 3

[techky]

Hi guys,

I am using pro/E WF4.0, Intralink 9.1.

I had checked out a large assembly to my workspace, opened in simplified rep & was working continuously.

Suddenly I encountered this pop-up box stating "The server is currently unavailable. Do you want to switch to offline mode". I clicked No but still shifted to offline mode.

I pinged the server & it was very much in Online mode.

What are the chances this pop-up message (workspace to offline mode) might appear? Is it due to over accumulation of Cache files in C:\Pro-engineer folder due to large assembly. Can this be avoided & yet stay in Online mode? Please advice !!

 

[looslib]

Have the Windchill administrator check the serevr(s) for any issues and the system log files.
Also check the size of your cache and network connectivity.


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

Ben Loosli

 

[anyoldname]

We used to experience this problem frequently when we first moved to Windchill V8 from Intralink. I don't think there was ever a single cause indentified, over time the IT team got better at tweaking the server to be more stable but there are also a number of things the user can do that helps, such as:

Set your Windchill Cache to a decent size and also clear it out regularly (every week or 2, more often if you're handling really large amounts of data).

Try not to clutter workspaces with very high numbers of old files, its better to have a several workspaces for different purposes than one large cluttered WS.

Start new workspaces on a regular basis (every few weeks), don't just delete the contents then start re-filling them.

If you're getting persistent trouble you can try deleting the wchill folder on your C drive that holds the workspaces, with my current install this folder is at C:/home/workspaces. If you delete this wchill folder then the next time you boot Wildfire it will create a fresh copy but be aware that this will also delete absolutely everything that was stored in the local side of your workspaces.

 

[Enginerd9]

Yey! File segregation! It's the most effective way to prevent corruption of file / workspace integrity. I've found that by keeping unrelated files out of my current workspace by giving them their own specific workspace far, far away, I'm able to reduce the amount of pollution and file conflicts I experience when I'm attempting to manage broad changes, etc.

It's just really sad that in order to keep the software from getting too confused to operate properly, you have to hold its hand and babysit it through the process of creating and saving files to some location.

wait... what was the question? Oh. Right, server going offline. Yeah, your software got confused. It doesn't know how to interpret a fruit bowl with veggies in it.

 

[looslib]

"Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting the tomato in a fruit salad."

There is a config.pro setting that may help.
Setting: dm_offline_after_event
Description: Allow the user to choose to work offline when there is a loss of server connection. Staying online will continue to retry server operations.
Options: yes, no
Default: yes


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

Ben Loosli

 

[techky]

Looslib, Anyodlname, Enginerrd9,

Thanks a lot !!

@looslib: The Config.pro setting dm_offline_after_event is set before itself. How do check the size of the cache and modify the same ?

@Enginerrd9, The folder and file path are properly set and configured during Intrlink 9.1 installation. This is being followed for about 15 workstations. Just that the cache file gets accumulated with wfcont file with the opening, checkout of Large assemblies.

@Anyodlname .. i kept the deleting of workspace folder in c drive as last option till now. Please suggest me how to adjust the cache file size in windchill.

..

 

[looslib]

Cache size is set by DM_CACHE_SIZE and you can check it from within WF under Tools/Server Manager, then the Cache tab.

I recommend that all workspaces be cleared and deleted once a month at a minimum and then start a new one. This reduces the chance of getting a corrupt workspace. If you deal with a lot of large assemblies, use multiple workspaces. Just be aware if your assemblies use the same components that you will need to update your workspaces when switching between them.


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

Ben Loosli