Policy-Managed Naming and Numbering

These policies are only utilized during the initial creation of parts and dynamic documents. These policies are used during upload of new data (when a new dynamic document can be created based on a model file). If the policy is changed at a later date, existing data is not affected.

These policies can be used together to drive the naming and numbering behavior. For example, auto numbering can be used with Custom to form a numbering policy. The four policies can be described as follows:

◦ The default value for the file name is copied from the current value of the dynamic document name at the time the file is created. If a file extension is present in the dynamic document name, it can be optionally dropped when set in part and is controlled by a preference.

◦ The dynamic document and part name field can be edited using Rename. If parts are automatically created from dynamic documents, then the user does not get the chance to specify a part name. If parts are created manually, the user has the option to specify name during creation.

New dynamic documents must be created in the authoring application. If no attribute mapping exists, then the Windchill name automatically allocated. The user can then use Rename in the workspace to allocate a different value prior to check in.

◦ In the Rename user interface, the number field can not be edited , unless auto-numbering is disabled or the override preference is set by the administrator that allows users to override the auto-numbering sequence and manually enter a value in the number field.

◦ The dynamic document number is copied from the file name (the file extension can be dropped and is controlled by the Upload Drop Number File Extension Windchill preference, found at Utilities > Preference Management > Operation > Upload Operation > Upload > Upload Drop Number File Extension).

◦ If you set the Windchill Name attribute in the workspace for a new document using Rename for a new document, its value is pushed from Windchill to the dynamic document name. If left blank in the authoring application, the default value for the dynamic document name is copied from the authoring application model name (the file extension can be dropped and is controlled by the Upload Drop Name File Extension Windchill preference, described above).

◦ The dynamic document and part number field can be edited using Rename. If parts are auto-created from dynamic documents, then the user does not get the chance to specify a part number. If parts are created manually, the user has the option to specify number during creation (assuming auto-numbering is disabled). If a dynamic document is created in the authoring application, it has no ability to define the Windchill dynamic document number. Even if the PTC_WM_NUMBER attribute is created prior to saving to the workspace, it is overwritten by the Windchill file number. The user must then use Rename in the workspace to allocate a different value prior to check in.

The purpose of the custom policy is to provide users with a way to modify the system behavior.

The Object Initialization Rules Administration preference in the Business Administration section of the Preference Management utility provides a way to specify default values for the attributes and display constraints on attributes of a specific object type. The default values and attribute constraints are then used when Windchill creates objects of that type. These specifications are called rules. Each rule can contain default values and constraints for one object type. The rules only apply on object creation and do not change or set values for existing objects. Rules can be set up to provide auto-number generation as well as to provide custom behavior. Rules are also set per context, allowing this way to have different naming/numbering rules in different contexts.

Regardless of the naming and numbering policy used, when creating a new object, system uniqueness constraints require that the dynamic document attributes Number and File Name must both be unique within a Windchill site, or within each Windchill project.