revision control suggestions? 1

[aafuni]

I am looking for a software solution to track revisions for Pro/E, AutoCAD, and KeyCreator CAD models, as well as for Microsoft Office specification documents.

Ideally I would like all of these files to be stored in a centralized location. When a document needs to be revised, you would check out the file and make the needed changes, then check the new revision into the system when you are done.

I have experience using Tortoise SVN for projects back in school, but with that it seemed like you really need to keep a local repository on every computer. With a company with thousands of models and specifications I would ideally like something that could easily browse to and check out a single file at a time.

I have briefly looked into Windchill. Would it do what I am looking for? I see they say the support many MCAD programs, but KeyCreator is not among them (neither are doc files). Are the listed programs all it supports, or are they the only ones that WIndchill can directly interface with?

Thank you for any help you can provide me,
-AAFuni

 

[robertib]

Windchill was originally designed for 2 types of files - Pro/E CAD files, and non-CAD files. PTC have added other CAD files (don't know which or how effective they are), and there is also a Microsoft Office addin, which integrates with Windchill.

The non-CAD documents can be anything - zip files, CAD files, txt files, pictures, etc.

Putting unsupported CAD data into Windchill will still give revision control, but it won't be as user-friendly as supported CAD files - ie Pro/E files can be opened directly from Windchill, an unsupported CAD needs to be downloaded first.

 

[looslib]

Windchill does integrate directly into MS Office apps.
As for CAD packaages that have Work Group Managers in Windchill, these are what I know of: AutoCAD, AutoCAD Mechanical, AutoCAD Electrical, Inventor, SolidWorks, CATIA, Siemens PLM NX, CADDS, I-DEAS, Cadence Allegro, Mentor Graphics, RSD, ECAD Neutral format and Microstation. Version limitations do exist, so be careful when planning upgrades.

Other docuemnts can be imported into Windchill for revision control, just not directly integrated with a Windchill app installed in the product's menus.



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