Is there a way to have PDMWorks populate a SolidWorks custom property

[Olid]

I have created a new custom property in SolidWorks that I wish to have in all of our SolidWorks files. The property is called LastCheckedInBy and I would like to have PDMWorks write the value for that custom property after a check in operation has been performed on the file. The value would obviously be the user name of the person who last checked in the file.

Same as when PDMWorks writes the new revision value at check in.



Regards,
Dan Olid
SW2007 SP2.2
PDMW 2007 SP2.2
Cad Designer/PDMW Admin

 

[PDMAdmin]

You don't need to create a custom property for that. In each SW file that is checked into PDMWorks, the read-only property "Author" provides the username of who checked the file into the vault most recently.

 

[Olid]

Thank you PDMAdmin,
I have seen the "Author" property in our Solidworks files but did not know it updated every time a file was checked in. I was under the impression that it was written once by the person who originally checked in the file.

If it does update every time I could certainly use it, however there is no way for me to search by "Author" in PDMW. I have checked both the simplified and advanced search options and "Author" in not listed in either one. I have tried adding it in the "Properties" tab of the vault admin tools in PDMW but it does not take hold and keeps disappearing. Am I missing something? Any ideas on what I am doing wrong?

Again, thank for your help.



Regards,
Dan Olid
SW2007 SP2.2
PDMW 2007 SP2.2
Cad Designer/PDMW Admin

 

[pdybeck]

Dan,

Using the new search functionality in SolidWorks Explorer, I am able to to search through "Author" meta data in the vault. I have the Windows search implemented on our vault, meaning metadata and properties of documents are indexed. The search is very fast through the new SolidWorks Explorer with the PDM add-in.

Pete

 

[Olid]

pdybeck,
Thanks for the tip. I had not thought of using SW Explorer.
I tried it and it does work. Unfortunately, it is too vague. It returns back way too many files, every file a particular user has checked in. I guess what I am actually looking for is a way to search for files that were last checked in by a particular user (Author) and with a specific date range, for example within the last 2 weeks.

I did not have a need to run a search using such specific criteria until now and am disappointed that PDMW is weak in that regard.

I never thought I would miss Smarteam, which is what we switched over from, but I know that was possible in that program.




Regards,
Dan Olid
SW2007 SP2.2
PDMW 2007 SP2.2
Cad Designer/PDMW Admin

 

[pdybeck]

Dan,

You can do combinational searches in SolidWorks Explorer. Not sure if date range is one of them. Read the Help.

Pete