Integration with Other Applications > Managing CAD Data > Using the Workspace to Manage Work-in-Progress > Introduction to the Workspace > Workspace Frames Overview
  
Workspace Frames Overview
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Frames functionality is only available in Windchill PDMLink, Windchill ProjectLink, or Pro/INTRALINK, and only in interaction with Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire 4.0 or Creo Parametric with the embedded browser with access to cache. By default this functionality is turned off. It can be enabled by setting the preference Workgroup Manager Client > Workspace Frame Stack Size to a positive integer that represents the number of recorded frames to be retained in cache (the applicable client is Creo Parametric only.)
A frame is a snapshot of the existing design configuration in a given workspace at a given point in time. Actions that can be triggered from the workspace and that affect the workspace cache state for a given object (modified or new) are recorded as frames. Actions that add, remove, or modify the pointer to a specific version of an object are also recorded as frames.
Once recorded, frames of non-current states of the workspace can be accessed via the Event Management utility. In the Event Management utility, you can select a frame (the available frames are a subset of the listed events). You can then use the Apply this event action to restore the workspace to the state of the selected frame (event).
Some of the important properties of frames are as follows:
Because frames are a subset of server events, each frame contains:
Action name (provided by system such as Creo ParametricSave or CAD Document Edit Attributes)
Date/time of recording
Details (affected object names)
Frames are invalidated and removed automatically only when the number of frames reaches the maximum number limit.
You are able to lock a given frame to prevent it from being accidentally purged.
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You can lock the current workspace frame (the current state of the workspace) only from the workspace actions menu on the workspace listing page.
When the number of frames you specify reaches the limit, old frames (beginning with the oldest), are removed to accommodate new frames. A locked frame is never automatically removed.
You are able to purge frames. Locally cached objects associated with those purged frames are subject to cache limit management.
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Auto cache cleanup never removes frames. A frame can be removed either explicitly by the user or implicitly by the frame number limit.
Restoring frames may prompt you to replace objects in Creo Parametric session as necessary.
Certain operations that occur in the server-side workspace but affect local cache, such as Modify Attribute (for non-filebased attribute modification), are also recorded as frames. Usually such an operation is indicated as a Synchronization of cache.
There is no frame support for offline workspaces.
Frames are created only if actions are succeeded and completed. If actions have been interrupted (such as by a conflict), no frames are created.
Frames are preserved across Creo Parametric sessions.
The following actions for frames are available in the workspace actions menu.
Apply previous Frame (not available when the Workspace is locked)—upon confirmation, creates a new frame based on the frame that was recorded before the current frame.
Lock current Frame—places a lock on the current frame
Purge Frames—purges all the (unlocked) past frames associated with this workspace except the most recently recorded frame.
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These menu options do not appear if Workspace Frame Stack Size is set to 0.