Parameter configuration files (Integration for PTC Windchill)
Parameter Configuration files provides a controlled way of setting parameter values for the items that are created in Windchill through Windchill Exporter.
You can set the parameter values through the Configurations page of Windchill Exporter, but we strongly recommend that you use a Parameter Configuration file to set parameter values.
The provided parameter configuration file
Windchill Exporter creates a Parameter Configuration file the first time it is started. The file is named WCExporterConfig.xml.
If you have installed Modeler to the default location, the WCExporterConfig.xml file resides in the following folder:
C:\ProgramData\PTC Integrity Modeler\ModelerATF.
You can create your own Parameter Configuration files and reference them from any folder.
The importance of setting the parameter values correctly
It is important to set the value of each parameter correctly for the target Product or Library in Windchill. If a parameter is incorrectly set, then that parameter value will have to be corrected in Windchill for each item that is imported with the wrong value.
We recommend that a Windchill user (such as an Administrator, Product Manager or Product Architect) should set the required values of the parameters through a Parameter Configuration file. That Parameter Configuration file can then be referenced from Windchill Exporter to set the parameter values as required.
Back up your parameter configuration files
It is important to back up your Parameter Configuration files.
When Windchill Exporter uses a Parameter Configuration file, it updates that Parameter Configuration file with any changes that are made to the parameters values on the Configurations page. In addition, Windchill Exporter updates the value of the last number parameter each time an export is performed.
Changing the parameters in a parameter configuration file
The Parameter Configuration file is an XML file that can be edited using a text editor such as Notepad.
It is easy to see the values that are set for each parameter. For example, the following entry sets the value of the lifecycleState parameter to INWORK.
<lifecycleState ID="INWORK"/>
Parameter values can be set for the following Windchill item types: WTPart, Option, Choice, OptionSet and WTPartUsageLink.
The user that is responsible for the target product or library in Windchill should be familiar with the parameters and how they should be set for the items that are created by the import.
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If a parameter is set to an invalid value, the import to Windchill will fail.
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Testing and validating a parameter configuration file
After creating a Parameter Configuration file, it is important that it is fully tested and validated:
• Perform an export from Windchill Exporter using the Parameter Configuration file you created.
Check the log file to confirm that there are not problems that relate to the Parameter Configuration file.
Review some of the generated XML files to confirm that the parameter values are correct. If parameter values need changing, you can modify the Parameter Configuration file you are using and perform the export again.
• Import the Windchill import file to a test Product or Library in Windchill.
Confirm that the import is successful and the parameters are set up as required.
Parameters that can be set in the parameter configuration file
The following parameter must be set for the version of Windchill you are using:
• DOCTYPE
This parameter specifies the version of Windchill that is being used.
For Windchill version 11.0 or later, use standardX26.dtd.
For Windchill version 10.2, use standardX24.dtd.
• authoringLanguage
This parameter specifies the locale used for data that is imported into Windchill. If left blank in the parameter configuration file, the user's current locale is used. This value is referenced when using Windchill Service Information Manager. Locales that are used when importing must be defined as one of the Available Languages within Windchill Service Information Manager.
The following parameters must be set according to your site specific polices:
• externalTypeId
This parameter specifies the external type for new items. The default value is as follows:
◦ For Parts, the default is WCTYPE|wt.part.WTPart.
◦ For Options, the default is WCTYPE|com.ptc.windchill.option.model.Option|com.ptc.windchill.option.DesignChoice$com_ptc_windchill_option_model_Option
◦ For Choices, the default is WCTYPE|com.ptc.windchill.option.model.Choice|com.ptc.windchill.option.DesignChoice$com_ptc_windchill_option_model_Choice
◦ For Option Sets, the default is WCTYPE|wt.part.WTPartUsageLink
◦ For Part Usage Links, the default is WCTYPE|wt.part.WTPartUsageLink
You can set up values for sub-types of the preceding base types.
• iteration
This parameter specifies the iteration for new items. The default value is 1.
• iterationSeries
This parameter specifies the iteration series for new items. The default value is wt.series.
• lifecycleTemplateName
This parameter specifies the lifecycle template that will be used for the imported items. The default value is Basic.
• lifecycleState
This parameter specifies the lifecycle state that will be set for the imported items. The default value is INWORK.
• series
This parameter specifies the versioning series for new items. The default value is wt.series.HarvardSeries.
• versionId
This parameter specifies the version for the imported items. The default value is A.
• partType
This parameter specifies the type of the imported Parts.
The following parameters apply only to Parts:
• folderPath
This parameter specifies the folder in which to create new Parts. The default value is /Default. This value is overridden when the generated items are imported to a specific PDMLink folder.
• defaultTraceCode
This parameter specifies the trace code to be used for new Parts. The default value is 0.
• partSource
This parameter specifies the source for new Parts. The default value is make.
• partType
This parameter specifies whether new Parts are separable or inseparable. The default value is separable.
• organizationName
This parameter specifies the Organization context in Windchill that will own the Part. The default value is OEM, but you should modify this value unless you are using an Organization named OEM.
The following parameters apply only to Part Usage links:
• customName
This parameter specifies the name of the Windchill soft attribute that is used to store the Modeler Block Property Name when data is imported into Windchill.
The default attribute name is Role_Name. The attribute is defined when setting up Windchill for use with the Windchill Exporter. For information about setting up Windchill for use with Windchill Exporter, see Setting up Windchill for use with Windchill Exporter (Integration for PTC Windchill).
If a different name is used in Windchill for this attribute, set the customName parameter to match the Windchill attribute name.
The following parameters apply only to Option Sets:
• Support_Effectivity
The default value is true.
• Support_Item_Choice_Filtering
The default value is true.
• Use_Explicit_Rule_Membership
The default value is true.
• Manage_Local_Rule_Changes_Independently
The default value is true.
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The Name parameter for the Option Set can be specified only through the Windchill Exporter user interface. If no name is specified, the name of the Modeler model is used.
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The following entries in a Parameter Configuration file are not Windchill parameters. They are used to determine the value of the Number parameter.
• nextNr
This is not a Windchill parameter.
NextNr specifies the value that will be used for setting the Number parameter of the next exported item. The actual number that is used for the Number parameter is determined by numberformat.
If you want the numbers set for the imported items to start at a specific number, set the nextNR value to that number.
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when an export is complete, Windchill Exporter writes the final value of nextNr back to the Parameter Configuration file. This means that if you perform another export using the same Parameter Configuration file, the item numbers will continue from where the last export left off.
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• numberFormat
This is not a Windchill parameter.
NumberFormat specifies how the value of the Number parameter is derived.
Unlike other parameters and entries, Windchill Exporter adds the numberFormat entry only when the default value is changed through the Windchill Exporter user interface. By default, the value is as follows:
◦ For Parts: <numberFormat ID="%.5nextNr"/>
This creates the Number from the nextNr value using five digits.
◦ For Options and Choices: <numberFormat ID="M%.5nextNr"/>
This creates the Number from the nextNr value using five digits, prefixed by M.
If you want to change how the Number parameter is derived, you must add a numberFormat entry to the Parameter Configuration file. Add the numberFormat entry to the end of the WTPart, Option or Choice section as appropriate.
For example, <numberFormat ID="M%.8nextNr"/> would be interpreted as follows:
◦ M prefixes the number with M.
◦ .8 specifies that eight digits are used for the number.
◦ nextNR specifies that the value of the number is set to the value of the nextNR parameter.
• number
This is not a Windchill parameter.
Number shows how the value of the number parameter is derived, without showing the number of digits that will be used.
• numberInc
This is not a Windchill parameter.
NumberInc specifies the value by which the nextNR value is incremented for each exported item. The default value is 1.
Other entries and parameters:
• EXPFOLDER
This is not a Windchill parameter.
EXPFOLDER specifies the folder to which the Windchill import file is generated. This would typically be set on the Destination Selection page of Windchill Exporter.
• uniqueName
This is not a Windchill parameter.
uniqueName specifies whether the GUID for a Variation Point or Variant is included in the Name of the corresponding Windchill Option or Choice. The default value is 0, which denotes that the GUID is not included in the Option or Choice Name. Set the value to 1 to include the GUID, which can be used to provide an additional level of uniqueness for the items created in Windchill.