Integration with Other Applications > Creo Parametric – Windchill Integration > Preferences, Environment Variables, and Config.pro Options > Configuration Settings in Creo Parametric > Config.pro Options
  
Config.pro Options
The following table lists Creo Parametric config.pro options that are especially relevant to the Creo Parametric integration with Windchill:
Config.pro Option
Values
Description
compress_output_files
yes
no [default]
Controls whether to compress object files to store them. Compressed files are slower to read and write, one-half to one-third the size, and fully compatible across systems. When set to "yes," stores object files in compressed format. When set to "no," object files are not compressed.
* 
The time spent in compression and decompression could be more expensive on CPU than the benefits for disk or network. In some WAN environments, this could be a helpful for some transfers, but is not recommended for general use.
disable_search_path_check
no [default]
yes
Controls whether the search path is checked for name conflicts when creating, renaming, or copying models.
When set to "yes," disables the check of the search path for a naming conflict when a new file is created. This can speed up file creation by postponing the search path check (which includes the entire commonspace) until an upload is performed.
dm_auto_open_zip
yes [default]
no
Defines how Creo Parametric handles zip files.
If set to "yes", then Creo Parametric opens the zip file and attempts to retrieve objects in the zip file. If the zip file contains more than one file (for example, in the case of assemblies), Creo Parametric first attempts to open an object in the zip file that has the same name as the zip file itself. If it finds one, it opens it. If not, it displays the contents of the zip file in the File > Open window.
If set to "No", Creo Parametric treats a zip file like a directory, and displays the contents of the zip file in the File > Open window, allowing the user to pick the file from the zip that he or she wants to retrieve into session.
dm_background_operations
yes
no [default]
If set to "yes," allows user to take advantage of the backgrounding operations (for example, during checkins of large data set).
* 
Most situations can benefit from a yes setting, which allows working in the foreground while lengthy operations are run in the background.
dm_cache_limit
Integer [default = 0]
Sets the size (in MB) of the cache allocated to the combination of all registered severs and their workspaces on the client hard disk.
Recommendation: If possible, set the cache size large enough to accommodate the largest anticipated data set (the downloaded content and the locally modified content prior to upload should be counted separately). A good rule of thumb is 80% of the remaining free space on the disk where Wildfire cache is located.
* 
A value of “0” (no limit) tends to fill up the client disk, but could boost performance by eliminating checks on cache size and purges.
dm_checkout_on_the_fly
checkout [default]
continue
If set to the default value "checkout," the default action for the Conflicts("checkout-on-the-fly") window is “Check Out Now.”
If set to "continue," the default action for the Conflicts window is “Continue.”
dm_hide_virtual_default_ws
No (default)
Yes
Controls whether to display or hide virtual workspaces in the Server Management utility.
dm_http_compression_level
Integer, from 0 (no compression) to 9 (maximum compression)
[default = 0]
Sets the level of compression for data upload and download.
Although compression speeds up transfer over the network, it uses server CPU and client CPU to perform the compress and decompress operations. In a local area network, where network transfers are rapid, compressing and decompressing data can result in lesser throughput. On a wide area network with lower bandwidth compression can lead to higher throughput. Since this is set per client, PTC recommends that clients in a LAN use a value of 0 (the default) and clients in a WAN use a value of 2 or 3.
For older Creo Parametric versions, the following approximate guidelines apply:
If client download bandwidth < 3 Mbps, enable dm_http_compression_level (at a value of 3).
If client download bandwidth > 3 Mbps, unset dm_http_compression_level as uncompressed response read times are faster.
As of Wildfire 2.0 M260 and Wildfire 3.0 M090, the following approximate guidelines apply:
If client download bandwidth < 20 Mbps, enable dm_http_compression_level (at a value of 3).
If client download bandwidth > 20 Mbps, set dm_http_compression_level to 0 (uncompressed), so that response read times are faster.
dm_network_request_size
integer >0
[default = 100000]
Determines the maximum size, in bytes, of an HTTP upload request when uploading content files to Windchill.
The default of 100000 is likely to ensure that each file is uploaded through a separate http request with minimal process memory consumption overhead.
A small value (say 8000) would mean many small HTTP requests to the method server containing the model files which may add overhead, but because the local Wildfire file buffers are filled quickly, the upload starts sooner.
A much larger value (say 800000000) may allow the uploading of the entire data set in a single HTTP request, but it could take a while for the client to write the files from local disk to its internal buffer before streaming the content to the server. In addition, because of apparent size limitations of the Microsoft HTTP API you may experience random upload failures with very large file size data sets in Windows. In addition, working with large datasets has been known to cause Internet Explorer to run out of memory.
dm_network_retries
integer >0
[default = 10]
Sets the number of times Creo Parametric attempts to connect to a Windchill server before the connection is considered broken.
Recommended setting: default
* 
If the http connection is unstable, a setting less than the default could increase failures, while a setting greater than the default causes delays if a failure occurs.
dm_network_threads
integer >0
[default = 3]
Sets the number of concurrent threads Creo Parametric uses for uploading and downloading data to and from a Windchill server.
The recommended setting depends on the network bandwidth. It is suggested to keep at 3 for a WAN and can be increased to 6 for a fast LAN. However, in most cases, increasing the number of threads in a LAN environment does not improve performance, as the disk then becomes the bottleneck. Even in a WAN environment, settings greater than the default are unlikely to improve throughput significantly.
dm_offline_after_event
yes [default]
no
Allows you to choose to work offline after a loss of the server connection. Staying online ("no") continues to retry server operations.
dm_offline_options_activated
yes [default]
no
If set to yes, the options to synchronize, download, and upload workspace data are checked in the Synchronize Workspaces window.
If set to no, download and upload check boxes are unchecked by default for going online.
dm_overwrite_contents_on_ update
no [default]
yes
Specifies behavior during Update action.
If set to "no," does not overwrite the locally modified contents for out-of-date objects, but updates their metadata only
If set to "yes," overwrites the locally modified or out-of-date objects with the ones on the server in addition to updating their metadata.
* 
If you want to abandon the local cache modifications, you can perform an explicit download (Add to Workspace) of the model from the server-side workspace, thus overwriting the version of the model in the cache. Alternatively, after the Update to the latest iteration, you can check it out and upload the modifications from the local cache. The non-default value of "yes" should be used if you make only temporary modifications in the cache and never intends to keep them after the Update.
dm_remember_server
yes [default]
no
If this option is set to "yes," the last primary server/workspace of a Creo Parametric session is set automatically for the next Creo Parametric session.
dm_save_as_attachment
yes [default]
no
Controls the default option for Creo Parametric Save a Copy when models are saved as in non-Creo Parametric format.
If set to "yes," the model is by default saved as a secondary content attachment to the original CAD document.
If set to "no," the model is by default saved as a (primary) CAD document.
dm_search_primary_server
yes [default]
no
If this option is set to "yes," during retrieval, the system searches the primary server for dependencies not found in the workspace
dm_secondary_upload 
automatic [default] explicit
Defines the behavior of saving to an additional server (See also dm_upload_objects).
If this option is set to "explicit," the Creo ParametricFile > Backup command writes data to the cache. The user must then explicitly send that data to the server (using either using either the Upload or Check In commands invoked from the corresponding workspace). If this option is set to "automatic," File > Backup in Creo Parametric also uploads the Creo Parametric files to the server.
dm_upload_objects
explicit [default]
automatic
Defines the behavior of the Save command in Creo Parametric.
If this option is set to "explicit," the Creo ParametricFile > Save command writes data to the cache. The user must then explicitly send that data to the server (using either File > Save and Upload or File > Checkin. If this option is set to "automatic," File > Save in Creo Parametric also uploads the Creo Parametric files to the server.
enable_configurable_assembly
Yes
No [default]
If set to yes, this option enables the creation of configurable assemblies.
enable_show_changes
no [default]
yes
If set to Yes, enables the View Changes window, to allow a user to accept or reject the Windchill editing instructions when attempting to open an annotated CAD structure into Creo Parametric session.
let_proe_rename_pdm_ objects
no [default]
yes
Determines whether an object retrieved from a PDM database can be renamed in a Creo Parametric session
An object rename in Creo Parametric is seen only by parents in session. The object is seen as a new object when saved to the workspace.
This option can be used to replace a standard sub-assembly with a copy of itself with a unique name.
open_simplified_rep_by_ default
no (default)
yes
<name_of_ simplified_rep>
Specifies whether to prompt user to select a simplified representation when opening a Creo Parametric file.
If set to "yes," user is prompted to open a simplified representation when opening a Creo Parametric file.
If set to the name of a simplified representation, the system opens the simplified representation without prompting the user.
This option can be useful for using internal simplified reps on small to medium-sized datasets. If set to "yes," the user sees a pop-up listing the simplified reps available in an assembly, for example, when clicking its hyperlink in the embedded browser. Choosing one of the simplified reps allows the user to add to the workspace and download only the models required for the corresponding simplified reps.
regenerate_read_only_ objects
yes (default)
no
Specifies whether read-only objects (objects not checked out) are regenerated.
Set to "yes," it specifies that read-only parts with relationships to an explicitly modified assembly are modified implicitly upon regeneration of the assembly. (Explicit changes to a checked-in object cause the Conflicts window to appear).
By setting to "no," you may avoid having read-only workspace objects marked as modified. This, in turn, can reduce the number of files required for the checkout of an associated assembly
retrieve_data_sharing_ref_ parts
yes
no [default]
Controls automatic reference parts retrieval for dependent data sharing features.
When set to "no," prevents download/opening of components that are not immediately needed
save_model_display
wireframe
shading_low
shading_high
shading_lod
Sets the quality of graphics that are shown on the Windchill information page.
Setting this option to shading_lod creates the best images, but requires larger Creo Parametric file sizes to store the additional graphical information.
* 
Saving the shaded display increases the model file size by 100 or more percent. Setting this option to shading_lod creates the best images, but requires larger Creo Parametric file sizes to store the additional graphical information. Setting to wireframe is the most lightweight format.
save_objects
changed_and_ specified [default]
all
changed
changed_and_ updated
Determines when an object and its dependent objects (such as a part used in an assembly) are stored.
The recommended value in a PDM environment is "changed" (to avoid unnecessarily iterating the top-level object if it was not modified in session).
search_path
<directory paths by full path name>
Specifies list of directories to search (in order) for object/file retrieval. These directories, the working directory, and directories in search.pro file (refer to search_path_file) are Creo Parametric's search path. Use full path name to avoid problems. It is best to use the minimum number of search paths to a minimum because a large number of search paths increases retrieval time.
* 
In Creo Parametric, it is not necessary to set the config.pro option, optionsearch_path. By default, when a Windchill server is your primary server, the entire primary server with active workspace is in the Creo Parametric search path.
topobus_enable
no [default]
yes
Allows direct import of certain non-native files into Creo Parametric session.
web_browser_homepage
string value
Sets the location of Creo Parametric browser homepage.
* 
In Creo Parametric, it is not necessary to set the config.pro option search_path. By default, when a Windchill server is your primary server, the entire primary server with active workspace is in the Creo Parametric search path.
The config.pro options that specify storage and retrieval directories, including such options as the following:
• start_model_dir
• pro_library_dir
• pro_format_dir
• pro_materials_dir
• pro_group_dir
• pro_symbols_dir
• pro_catalog_dir
can be set to point to Windchill cabinets. For example, the value of start_model_dir is set to point to a Windchill library cabinet using the following syntax (<server alias> is the name you assign to the server in the Server Management utility):
start_model_dir wtpub://<server alias>/Libraries/<library _name>
Similarly, the value of pro_group_dir is set to point to a Windchill product cabinet using the following syntax:
pro_group_dir wtpub://<server alias>/Products/<product_name>>
* 
If you retrieve an object from any location other than the primary server, it is treated as if it were newly created in the Creo Parametric session. This means that actions on the object (for example, save or requesting checkout) are done in the context of the primary server, not the location from which the object was retrieved.
Config.pro options that point to a specific file, including such options as:
• intf_in_use_template_models
• template_designasm
• template_mold_layout
• template_ecadprt
• template_solidpart
can be set to point to Windchill file locations using a string of the proper syntax and the name of the CAD document that manages the file, as in the following example:
template_solidpart
wtpub://<server alias>//libraries/Templates/template_solid_inlb
s.prt