With SolidWorks and SolidWorks Composer in our design office, it could be interesting to use EPDM to facilitate collaborative work and the management of our product ranges.
I was then wondering about the management of Composer files.
Does EPDM handle the links of Composer files (smgproj, smgsce...) as it does for Solidworks files (sldprt, sldasm, slddrw)?
Also, is the link between Solidworks geometry and Solidworks Composer preserved in EPDM despite changes in the EDPM folder tree?
Thank you in advance for any information on this subject.
Unless I'm mistaken, there is no "external reference" from the Composer file to the SolidWorks file.
When you have an smg, smgprj or other file, you load the CAD at a given time. Subsequently, if the CAD changes, you must reload your model (manual action, not automatic as in SolidWorks) for the smg to update. (unless you have found a more efficient setting of Composer and then I'm interested in it:) ).
In any case, in EPDM, there are no references to Composer files: nothing appears in the "Contents" tab. The files are therefore managed as simple .doc or .xls :/
With composer, we will be able to manipulate a model at a given time. EPDM will, according to what I have just read, allow us to visualize an element of 3DVIA/Solidworks Composer.
In 3DVIA/Solidworks Composer, there is a configuration that allows you to update a part when opening and I think even keeping a link with the CAD. Geometry editing is set in the document settings. It only concerns SMG & SMGXML files.
The SMGPROJ file is a project file that allows the upload/unloading of SMGXL (assembly file)/SMGXL-SMGGEOM (part file) files.
If you want to synchronize CAD and Composer, the ideal is to use a tool like 3DVIA Sync. It is a batch tool that allows you to process CAD files and convert them to 3DVIA/Solidworks Composer.
In order to clarify my research on the question, the links I was talking about are of two kinds:
- the links between the SolidWorks Composer file and the source 3D geometry file (SolidWorks, CATIA, etc...)
- Links between the SolidWorks Composer project file (.smgProj) and its subcomponents (.smgGeom, .smgSce, .smgView, .smgXml and all images and other elements that make up the SolidWorks Composer publication)
For the first link, the synchronization is done manually (except in the case where using 3DVIA Sync) so the process would remain the same with EPDM. We go to find the link of the top-level node of the SolidWorks assembly and we click on "Update".
For the latter, internal to Composer, there is still doubt about the management by EPDM.
My fear is that when a file for example foo.smgGeom, common to several projects (titi.smgProj and tata.smgProj), is moved, it will break all the links of the .smgProj file.
Since the EPDM SQL database can handle this relationship between SolidWorks files (.sldasm, .sldprt and .slddrw) even if it moves in the architecture, I thought it could be the same with Composer but I couldn't find any formal answer to the question.
I therefore remain open to any answer on this EPDM subject with Composer...