Project: HELiOS PDM for AutoCAD

HELiOS Workspace

To transfer the CAD model structure to the HELiOS database you use the New in HELiOS function (in the Input function group). When you call the function, the following dialogue window will be displayed:

In the structure tree beneath Create you can see the model structure with the AutoCAD file names and designations.

At the top of the window you can find some additional options :

Click and to expand and collapse all levels of the entire structure.

Select all marks all elements of the structure for derivation, Deselect all removes the marking again.

Click on Do not automatically (de)select complete substructure upon (de)selection, if you want to select or deselect only one particular element of the structure, and not its entire sub-structure together with it. Click once more if you also want to select or deselect the sub-structure of the selected element.

Click on if you do not want superordinate models of the selected element to be checkmarked automatically. Please note that in some cases this dependency cannot be broken up; for instance, superordinate levels of released models must always be selected, too (this selection will happen automatically). Clicking on resets the option to the mode that automatically selects superordinate models when selecting an element in the structure.

Beneath General settings you can choose between the following three options for number assignment:

• Standard: The assigning of article and document numbers takes place according to the standard principle of HELiOS, or the settings applied with genummer.exe, respectively.
• Uppermost model (Top): Subordinate articles and parts continue the naming of the top part.
• Superordinate model: Subordinate articles and parts continue the naming of the (immediate) superordinate assembly. Example: If an assembly has the Article number "SN-025877" and the Document number "DN-000425", the subordinate articles and parts will be consecutively numbered as "SN-025878", "SN-025879", "SN-025880", and "DN-000426", "DN-000427", "DN-000428" etc.provided that these designations do not already exist (in such cases the next free number will be applied).

When marking the documents and articles for derivation, the generation of the designations will in all three cases be carried out in the order in which the individual elements were clicked (and not, for instance, according to their hierarchical position).

If a manually entered number already exists, this will be indicated by a message when you click OK.

The option When selecting a referenced model also select superordinate model ensures that the complete model structure of referenced models will be transferred.

If the When selecting a model also select all occurrences in the model structure checkbox has been activated when you select a specific part or assembly with a mouse-click, each individual occurrence of that part or assembly will also be selected for derivation in the model structure. If the checkbox is deactivated, multiple occurrences can also be derived individually.

If the When selecting a model, deselect all occurrences in the model structure checkbox has been deactivated, the option will only affect the selection but not the deselection, that is, you can use the option to select all occurrences with one click and, after this, you have the option to deselect individual occurrences of your choice.

In the process, one distinguishes between dependent models (=referenced or derived in Inventor) and "directly built-in" models. In all cases, all occurrences of a part will be selected.

The When deselecting a model, deselect all occurrences in the model structure checkbox applies the same principle to the deselection of elements in the model structure.

The When selecting/deselecting a model, automatically select/deselect drawings and presentations checkbox allows you to determine with one mouse click whether drawings and/or presentations which are linked to a model are to be selected or deselected together with the model. Default: Checkbox active.

The Allow pure document selection checkbox allows you to derive documents without their linked articles (i.e. if only the document is selected for derivation, the newly derived document will not be linked to any article master).

Beneath Input settings you can select an Import configuration for attribute mapping of the database transfer from a pull-down menu (if several configurations have been created), and determine a Project, Folder, Article Workflow and Document Workflow.

If you activate the Take over original file name checkbox, the file name of the CAD model drawing will be taken over to the HELiOS database.

This only makes sense if file names are consistent and unique throughout. In case of multiple occurrences of file names the searching through the database on the basis of file names makes no sense.

Further down in the dialogue window you can find several options for the Recognition of already transferred documents:

• If Recognition has been switched Off, part will always be transferred to HELiOS as new parts, i.e. you can enter the same assembly multiple times. If you do not want this, you can choose between the two following options:
• By file name: Each document to be transferred will be searched in HELiOS first. If a HELiOS document with the same file name is found, the document will not be taken over, but the one that already exists in the database will be used instead.

In this context the Take over original file name checkbox (s.a.) is important, since it ensures that HELiOS will not generate a "cryptic" file name. Only then can documents be recognized by the file name with the help of this option.

• By original path: When taking over data, HiCAD saves the original (complete) file path of documents. If this option has been activated, the documents for which this original file path has been set will be searched in HELiOS.

A recognition By file name can be useful if you want to take over (old) data located on a local directory, for instance, because they have been locally saved there by an engineer before their transfer. For a successive data transfer from a central directory (e.g. on a Server), in contrast, you would use the By original path option instead.

In the Input masks area on the top right you can see the corresponding master data details for the active Article or Document.

In the Graphic preview at the bottom right, the document that is currently marked in the model structure is displayed. If the top part is active, you will see a graphic of the entire model drawing or HELiOS assembly; if you click on one of the subordinate assemblies or parts, only the currently active assembly/part will be shown in the Graphic window.
After clicking onto the Graphic area, you can also enlarge or downsize the graphic with the Zoom bar.

Click on the Check button at the bottom left of the dialogue window before saving, to check whether all entries are correct and complete, or if there are any inconsistencies. If any mandatory entries are missing, an error message referring to the affected documents and/or articles will be displayed (also when you click on OK).

After saving the model structure to HELiOS the original model drawing will be closed. You can then continue working in the HELiOS document.

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