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Projects Templates verse Document Template

Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2018 7:04 am
by michelle
Hi there,

I have 7.11.300.173 installed and it is slightly out of sink with the CAD documentation in section "Overview of PDM commands - 8. Templates". I have tried my best to understand the documentation but I remain thoroughly confused. Does anyone perhaps know a tutorial (somewhere) which illustrates the functionality and usefulness of each type of template? Otherwise, if you have a few minutes please could you answer the below for 7.11.300.173 :

Q1: If I setup a company project template, will the template be able to define the following for all users who use that project template to create a project:
-references to specific Libraries to be set in the template
-various Options (eg Colours or CAM settings) to be set in the template
-settings in Tools>customise to be set in the template
-add each of our machines (with only their table showing). When a user creates a new project from this template, they can just remove the machine they are not using

Q2: Now that I read the below in the CAD help file, it seems I should not be using a company template to do any of the above. Am I correct?
It is not recommended to add materials, user properties, environments in the "My templates" (or company templates) projects.

In this case, if a template part uses a material saved in "My templates", the created part by using this template will be linked to this material. By exporting this new part as a package, and importing it in another pdm, it will create a duplicated "My templates" project in this other Pdm.

These types of documents have to be created in a library.
Q3. What is the purpose of a PROJECT template then, what types of things would I want to setup in a Project template

Q4. What is the purpose of a DOCUMENT template in contrast to a company template? When would I want to use it, or at least for what?

Re: Projects Templates verse Document Template

Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2018 3:17 pm
by Billetgrip
Q1: If I setup a company project template, will the template be able to define the following for all users who use that project template to create a project:
-references to specific Libraries to be set in the template yes
-various Options (eg Colours or CAM settings) to be set in the template no, these are specific to the work station
-settings in Tools>customise to be set in the template no, these are specific to the work station
-add each of our machines (with only their table showing). When a user creates a new project from this template, they can just remove the machine they are not using yes, if the template has a CAM document for each machine created in it. The CAM document will open in the same state is was saved at. EX: If it was saved with just the table showing, that's how it will open.



Q2: Now that I read the below in the CAD help file, it seems I should not be using a company template to do any of the above. Am I correct?
My CAM templates have all these included in them. But if i'm about to cut Aluminum I choose a template with an Aluminum part in it.


Q3. What is the purpose of a PROJECT template then, what types of things would I want to setup in a Project template So you can have all your projects formatted the same way with predefined folders or only certain libraries referenced or pretty much anything.


Q4. What is the purpose of a DOCUMENT template in contrast to a company template? When would I want to use it, or at least for what?
A document template is used once a project has been created. We mostly use TopSolid for CAM. My project template only references certain libraries and has folders created to import parts into(NR, Rev A etc). So I use a project template to create a project and give it the same name as my part. After that I use CAM document templates which have my machines, fixtures and tools preloaded to program my part.
Then I use drafting document templates to create my setup sheets. Basically templates keep you from having to do the same thing over and over again.

Re: Projects Templates verse Document Template

Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2018 4:51 pm
by michelle
Hi Billetgrip,

Thank-you very much for taking the time to write such a useful reply to my questions. I just made a minor typing error in Q2, I'm going to re-write it below. I think I will be able to guess what your (new) answer would be reading your other remarks, nevertheless if you would not mind could you please re-answer Q2 for me?

Q2: Now that I read the below in the CAD help file, it seems I should *not* be using a PROJECT template to do any of what I have listed above. Am I correct?

Thank-you once again, Michelle

Re: Projects Templates verse Document Template

Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2018 5:19 pm
by Billetgrip
I would use a project template to reference the libraries that you want(if you dont want to use all of them). I wouldn't load your "blank" project template with CAM documents etc. Use your project template to format what you want all projects to look like.

The only time I create a project template with CAM & draft documents included is if it contains a part that is similar to other parts that I may program later. That way I just have to replace the shape, ctrl+R each CAM document, rename the programs and i'm done.

Re: Projects Templates verse Document Template

Posted: Sun Jan 07, 2018 8:01 pm
by michelle
Hi Bill, absolute last question -
Billetgrip wrote: Fri Jan 05, 2018 5:19 pmUse your project template to format what you want all projects to look like.
Could you give a few examples of what you yourself set when it comes to this? The only "format settings" which come to mind are various Options like colours etc. but as you have already mentioned above these are workstation specific.

Re: Projects Templates verse Document Template

Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2018 12:22 pm
by Billetgrip
Mine is pretty basic. I just added a folder named NR(No rev) and referenced the libraries that I wanted.

Bill has a few videos on the TopSolid blog where he has folders setup for parts, assemblies, customer docs and so on.