Transitioning to DesignDataManager

[SW]

I'm currently running a trial of
DesignDataManager in the hope that I can use it to incorporate some sort of
part numbering convention, build some extra intelligence into Bills Of
Materials, and control part revisions, and to get ready for future expansion.



We've got a single installation of Wildfire 3 and I have now successfully
installed DesignDataManager. I've already got a directory structure and config
files with my different projects, Pro/E drawing formats and graphic libraries
etc. Now I've installed DesignDataManager it wants to organise things
differently (as I'd expect), and has its own config.pro.



What is the best way to make the transition to from manual file management with
Pro/E to management with DesignDataManager? Should I define my old start
directory as the vault in DesignDataManager, should I move all my old
directories into the default DesignDataManager Vault, or should I just move the
projects directories over as I need them?



DesignDataManager has it own config.pro file, should I append my setting to
this with the appropriate directory path changes?



One of my main reasons for wanting to use data management software is so I use
part numbers as file names, but can still easily find the parts I want through
adding a meaningful name and description. I'm a bit concerned I've opened up a
whole bag of worms.



Any pointers would be appreciated.



Thanks,



Sam

 

[jnoval]

I would contact DDM and ask them for there recomendations.


I have not experineces with DDM, only Intralink. If it was in Intralink I would import all file into workspace(client) and check the files into commenspace(server). For naming I would only use number as I have forpart number. This naming convention will prevent more that one "copy" of the same file. All other information would I add as parameter and make it possible to search by the parameters.

 

[BigD]

Have a quick chat with the CSI guys about the best way of using this tool.


DDM assumes you're putting all your data onthe server (=vault), then youreserve (=check out) the part/assembly/drawing you want to work on into a DDM folder. This folder is still held on the server and allows you to group parts etc by however you like. You canown a whole bunch of folders, one of which is active (working folder).


So when you load something into session, you're loading from the server, notalocal copy. Local copies don't really exist in the DDM world.When you save, you save back to the reserved item in your working folder (=workspace).


So as jnoval says, I suggest you get everything loaded into the database vault. Don't try and reconfigure the DDM vault for your setup, as it is controlled by the application. Yousave something to the database and the app dumps it somewhere in the vault. I recall the files in the vault are encrypted to stop people working with them directly!


We use the autonumbering tool in DDM, so you save one of you existing parts, e.g WIDGET to the database. Autonumbering gives it part number 0000000001 and allows you to fill in description 1, description 2 etc. and any number of custom attributes you care to create. These (custom) attributes appear as parameters in the part.


Backup your old directory and files, load in the data you need and start working within DDM. You can set up DDM folders to mimic your own folder structure and reserve items within these folders. However, I suggest everything that you regard as "approved" goes into the open database (=commonspace) and you reserve (check out) items only when you wish to revise them or are working on them.





I hope this helps.

 

[joemcb1]

Dear SW,


Thank you for installing a trial version of DDM. As far as how to use it the basics are as follows. You load your parts/assemblies and drawings into ProE, you then store your data directly from ProE to DDM. DDM takes care of all the files for you so you no longer need to use the file system. DDM Then allows you to apply release status's to you information such as Work, Approved and released.If you load a part/assy or drawing that is released and modify it, DDM will only give you the options to creatnew or create new version therefore protecting yourreleased data from being overwritten. Once you have imported your data you always load fromDDMunless you are creatingsomething new. These are the very basics and I am sure if you contact one of my teamor partners they will gladly help and your pre sales questions, regards Joe


Joe McBurnie
ManagingDirector
www.DesignDataManager.com
Edited by: joemcb1

 

[verge]

My company is also planning on expanding our number of Pro-E users pretty quickly, and we're considering DDM as an option. We're also implementing a new ERP system (this will probably take about a year), and changing some of our part numbers.


I'm looking for a number of features that we'll need. One importantfeature would be the ability to easily rename a part. Right now, we have to find all the parents of a part (sometimes the part is in many large assemblies), open all of them, and regenerate and save everything. Sometimes this won't even work, because I can't open enough windows to have everything covered. Would DDM make this easier?


I'd like to be able to simply open a part and rename it. Is this possible? If I have one seat of DDM for now, how much functionality will this give me? Will I only be able to control revisions from my own computer then? What about checking out parts? Could that be controlled with only one seat?


We are trying to move slowly into fully implementing a data management system, that's why I'm asking these questions.