Managing Incomplete Dependent Objects (CATIA V5)
An incomplete dependent is a CAD document based on incomplete information known about a missing CATIA V5 file. For example, if you import or save an assembly file to the workspace, the saved file can have name references to a file that cannot be saved to the workspace (likely because the document is missing). Therefore, a complete set of required information to complete the object does not exist. CAD documents with required incomplete dependent objects cannot be uploaded or checked in. In order to check in these CAD documents, these incomplete dependent objects must be resolved.
If your administrator has configured your site’s preferences to show missing and incomplete dependent objects, these objects appear in Windchill when you save a CATIA V5 file that references an incomplete dependent object to the workspace. The object is listed with the 
icon to represent its object type. Incomplete dependents are also listed appropriately in information page listings. For example, Where Used reports.
icon to represent its object type. Incomplete dependents are also listed appropriately in information page listings. For example, Where Used reports.To ignore missing and incomplete dependent objects, set the ignore.missing.dependents preference in the wgmclient.ini file to Yes. Ignore Missing Dependents can also be set through the Preference Management table in Windchill at the site and organization level.
 | In previous releases of Windchill Workgroup Manager for CATIA V5, incomplete dependent objects were ignored in Windchill. |
Typically, the known information includes:
• The model name
• The CAD document type (inferred by the model name extension)
Missing information about the object that is typically defined by CATIA V5 includes:
• CAD document subtype
• Children or dependents of the object
• File-based attributes
• Whether the incomplete object is a member of a family table
Good PDM practice does not allow incomplete data sets to be checked into the Windchill database. Windchill Workgroup Manager for CATIA V5 utilizes the following strategies to help identify and resolve incomplete objects.
• Make users aware of incomplete objects in the workspace.
• Provide tools for users to resolve incomplete objects by either removing the CATIA V5 reference or converting them to fully defined CAD documents.
For more information, see Resolving Incomplete Dependents
• Provide tools for administrators to prohibit or manage the creation of incomplete objects.