Protect my Templates 3

[adicm]

Hi everybody! I have a question about Drawings... Is there a way to avoid that people can access to "edit Sheet Format"? Some of my coworkers use a template that I create, but for some reason, the think that is a better idea to override my links with "hard" data (I mean, Instead "$PRPSHEET:{DESCRIPTION}" the wrote in the label "First Gear") Then, when somebody else try to run some macros that I create to change some of the model properties, the drawings are not update (Of course! they have not links!) So, I would like to avoid that those "My way is better than your" coworkers change the sheets in wich they make they drawings. I'm Not talking of the template! the template is password protected and can not be change directly, but the "copy" that they get when start a new drawing. I hope that you understand my problem.

Thanks in Advance!

Adi Corrales Magallanes
Centro de Ingenieria y Desarrollo Industrial
Queretaro, Mexico

 

[Theophilus]

It sounds like you want the user not to have access to the Edit Sheet Format feature within the context of a drawing, correct? I don't know if you can do that--I don't think so. Perhaps someone else here knows a way to build in such protection with API of some sort (I don't know any of that stuff).

Queretaro, eh? I have a friend who grew up there who is here in the Phoenix area now. (Small world.)



Jeff Mowry

http://www.industrialdesignhaus.com

Reason trumps all. And awe transcends reason.

 

[PDMAdmin]

I am not aware of a way to do that. I have had similar frustrations with some of my coworkers, though.

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

I think you may be able to remove the Edit Sheet Format option from the RMB list on each machine.

RMB click on an unused area of the toolbars then select Customize > Menus > Edit > Sheet Format > Remove

I have not tried this because I'm not sure how or if I can bring it back.

 

[ctopher]

My last company, it was a big deal to make users leave the templates alone. Engineers were never happy with them and wanted to have their own. My current company, standard template were thrown out. No control of them.
I hope CBL's suggestion works. I think it is a good idea.
This would be a great enhancement request.

Chris
SolidWorks 06 5.1/PDMWorks 06
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 10-27-06)

 

[MadMango]

The only way to get this done is through training, training, and more training. Hammer into their heads that "standards" have a place and purpose.

We allow users to Edit Sheet, because we want the general notes locked down when they insert annotation blocks.

[green]"Art without engineering is dreaming; Engineering without art is calculating."[/green]

Have you read faq731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

As MadMango stated education would be the best for the long term. As part of that training their supervisor should issue a written document listing acceptable and non-acceptable practices, and the consequences of ignoring those practices. The consequences will vary according to local laws, but the ultimate one should be dismissal.

There was a recent thread about using an automatically-run macro which forced users to apply standard properties to a part before it could be saved. Maybe that macro could be modified to account for the OPs problem.

 

[TateJ]

Every 2 weeks... bring bagels or doughnuts to work & share them with everybody... except them SOBs that screw up their sheet formats...!

Windows XP / Microsoft Wireless Optical Mouse 5000
SolidWorks 2007 SP1.0 / SpaceBall 5000
Lava Lamp
www.Tate3d.com​

 

[automationbabe]

CorBlimey - Do you know where that thread is? I've been wanting a macro that forces users to populate fields as well.

I would love to be able to not allow users to edit sheet format either.

 

[fcsuper]

Adicm,

I recommend a combination of a custom property editor and robust description field on your template.

First, I have a custom property editor that only has the template fields and I set up everyone’s systems to call this macro with the letter P. It is a lot easier to type P then to manual edit anything. So, out of pure laziness, I was able to get and keep everyone on aboard with this. I have a sample of this macro on my website called “Rigid Custom Properties” (see link in my signature), if you are interested.

Second, I set up a text field for the description on the template that is automatically top-centered and wordwrapped (works correctly for up to three lines of description without any manual work to it). This means, no matter how short or long the desc entered into the above macro, the template’s annotation note automatically centers it at the top of the description field and sizes it properly for up to three lines of text.

Also, I have default values assigned for each field so it becomes instinctual to replace the default info the custom property editor. Especially with the desc field, if they try to manual edit it, it becomes a formatting mess, so anyone that does try this will likely not try it past the first time (or have to go through the trouble of deleting it and entering theirs in from scratch, which is a pain, so once again, they will likely begin to depend on your macro).


Matt
CAD Engineer/ECN Analyst
Silicon Valley, CA

http://sw.fcsuper.com/index.php

 

[Standing]

The method I use is to make it easier to enter Title block information, than editing the sheet format. Create a macro that:
1. Put the description in model. Controls BOM and Drawing.
2. Reads users name so they do not have to type it in.
3. Knows date so they do not have to type it in.
4. Pick engineers name so they do not have to type it in.
5. Pick material so they do not have to type it in.
6. Macro picks standard finish so they do not have to type it in. Can over ride with click.
7. Macro picks standard tolerance so they do not have to type it in. Can over ride with click.
8. All text entered lower or upper case, macro changes case to upper case.

Our clerks in document control just loves to type up cover sheets for our purchased parts. Our custom built macro enters 12 lines of data after the model is done without typing. Engineering does the same thing by entering the ECN number and our initials only. Document control types in the 12 lines of data by hand.

One advantage that we had over other companies is that we changed our company name 3 times in three years. We had to change the template’s logo and company name each time. Any prints that went outside the company had to have the new name and logo. That really fixes editing the templates. For that reason we do not put notes on the template anymore. What a headache that was.


Bradley
SolidWorks 2007 SP2.2
NVIDIA Quadro FX 3400

 

[fcsuper]

If my world was simplier, I would follow your lead about 90%, Bradley. I do have most of what you are suggesting in some way or another thru other macros, but always initiated by user action. For example, material and finish (and other note items) are pulled from a list via Lenny's CommonNotes macro. As for desc on the model, I don't think there would be any way for me to get the engieers to dependably enter that info at that point. Nor do we maintain BOM's in SolidWorks.

adicm, find what works for you. There's a lot of resources in this thread to help you on your journey.



Matt
CAD Engineer/ECN Analyst
Silicon Valley, CA

http://sw.fcsuper.com/index.php

 

[Standing]

Matt,
Bummer

The idea is a good one, so I put in an enhancement request stating:

Administrator only has ability to change template. Can be locked in PDM somehow.


Bradley
SolidWorks 2007 SP2.2
NVIDIA Quadro FX 3400

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

automationbabe ... I have been looking for it but cannot find it. Hopefully someone else will have archived or bookmarked it and will post here.

 

[rockguy]

You guys might want to check out Custom Works. It's a nice SolidWorks add-in that allows you to have full control over custom props in a nice interface and its fully compatiable with PDMWorks. It also has other nice feature like batch printing(giving you full control over the document), batch PDF and DWG/DXF creation and the ability to copy and rename assemblies including the parts and drawings (SW 2007 can do this now). It's an add-in SolidWorks should incorporate into the core software.

http://www.cadworkssoftware.com

Rob Rodriguez CSWP

http://www.axiscadsolutions.com

http://www.robrodriguez.com

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President:

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SW 2007 SP 2.0

 

[adicm]

Well, thank you all for the advices. As the properties: I have a macro that open a window to fill all the custom properties every time a new part is saved for the first time. properties as Material (from the solidworks database) Finishing, heat treatments, hardness, etc. The problem is that if people still want to modify the sheet, they can do it. The problem is not with the parts. I have a small macro that change our internal reference in the drawing for anything our clients want as a reference number, But If somebody delete and add new labels, their internal ID changes too, so the macro can not find it and it will change nothing... So I have a lot of complains of the kind "Your macro does not works!" And I have to explain (Again!) waht the did and Why does not work...

Adi Corrales Magallanes
Centro de Ingenieria y Desarrollo Industrial
Queretaro, Mexico

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

adcim ...
Is that mcaro called "CheckPropsb4save.swp"?
Are you the author?
I believe I downloaded it from the thread I mentioned earlier. Does anyone remember the thread or know of the macros author? The macro could be useful for the OP.

 

[adicm]

CorBlimey: Nop, I'm not the author. My macro is still under a debuging process and I'm not realeasing it to download yet. Anyway, it is not so configurable and maybe usefull only to my company. If somebody is interested in the source, I could email a copy to you, but you'll have to do an extensive work in adapt it to your specific needs.

Adi Corrales Magallanes
Centro de Ingenieria y Desarrollo Industrial
Queretaro, Mexico

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Found it via a Google search. Could not find it using the Eng-Tips search ... go figure!

Properties thread559-166303

 

[fcsuper]

The problem is that I don't think you'll be able to get the engineers to do anything more than what they feel is necessary for them to do. I would appeal to their laziness, and make the process do dumb and easy that they will be compelled to do it your way and not mess with the template. There's a lot more steps involved with messing with the template than with an automatic or initiate macro. Once this fact starts hitting home, they will stop trying to mess with the template.

An idea that may work is to make your macro more comprehensive. Don't put in any annotation notes with prop links on the template. Have the macro insert those notes when it is run. So, if an engineer tries to go in to the template to edit it, there's nothing there to edit until the macro is run. There's macro functions in SW that allows you to insert an annotation note at a specific location with a specific value. I forget where I found it, but if you like, I'll upload the sample code to my site for download.


Matt
CAD Engineer/ECN Analyst
Silicon Valley, CA

http://sw.fcsuper.com/index.php