Unicode Secondary Language Options

The support is controlled by a set of options in the General Options tab:

See options in details:

Enable Unicode Secondary Language

It is the main option to enable the Secondary Language Support; it loads specific dictionaries on memory.

Language

DBWorks/DBInventor will look for specific files into the sub-folder LANG\UNICODE.
These files are:

<Secondary Language Identifier>.UMSG

Specific messages file name are of the format <Secondary Language Identifier>.UMSG
Messages files are Unicode Text files, containing the dictionary of each User Interface element of DBWorks/DBInventor.

Example

CHINESE.UMSG

<Secondary Language Identifier>.UDBWUI

It is a Unicode Text file, containing the list of the UI_<field name> fields, exactly like the DBWUI.MSG file, used for the User Interface localization.

CHINESE.UDBWUI

Display both Primary and Secondary languages

When checked, DBWorks/DBInventor will display both the Primary Language string and the Secondary Language string for each user interface element.

Checked	Unchecked

Manage only Variant Notes and File Properties mapping

When checked, DBWorks/DBInventor will use the Secondary Language support only for creating/updating the Variant Notes and File Properties; the User Interface elements will not be altered

Database structures needed

A new table named DBW_UNICODE_MAPPING_TABLE is necessary for mapping generic strings in the Primary Language to generic strings in the Secondary Language.
The structure of the table is the following. Please note the NVARCHAR type of the SECONDARY_STRING, needed since it is a UNICODE string.

 

Variant notes support

The special macro $SECONDARY() is supported by the variant notes, as wrapper of a standard variant note.
A mapping is then applied with the result of the query as executed with the Primary Language interface.

Example

Suppose that the mapping table contains the three records:

Suppose now that you are inserting/updating a document in the database, with DESCRIPTION="Description number one". Insert into your drawing a variant note as follows:

The variant note will be resolved against the Unicode Mapping table and displayed as:

File Properties support through the SCHEMA\BOMTITLE.TXT file

The special tag "UnicodeSecondaryLanguage@" is intercepted for mapping the content of the current property into its Unicode mapping found in the DBW_UNICODE_MAPPING_TABLE.

Example

To understand the behavior, look at the following example of BOMTITLE.TXT:

;===================================================================
; DBWorks (C)MechWorks BOM titles file
; Language: ENGLISH
;===================================================================
ID				"Id"
DESCRIPTION			"UnicodeSecondaryLanguage@DescrChinese"
…

Every time the Property DESCRIPTION will be written into the File Properties, DBWorks will look for a matching record in the DBW_UNICODE_MAPPING_TABLE, and, if found, it will create a new Property, whose name is assigned after the @ character, with the Unicode content.

With the above BOMTITLE.TXT example, suppose that the mapping table contains the three records:

Suppose now that you are inserting/updating a document in the database, with DESCRIPTION="Description number one". Since DESCRIPTION is declared in the BOMTITLE.TXT, a mapping will be created.

DBWorks will look into the DBW_UNICODE_MAPPING_TABLE for a record where PRIMARY_STRING='Description number one' and SECONDARY_LANGUAGE='CHINESE', and it will find

The Property name, after the @, is 'DescrChinese', so the following File Property will be created:

Remarks: due to problems with the current SolidWorks 2006 version ( SPR 282302 ), this feature it is still not working

Automatic updates

In the About … dialog, insert a new button Check for Updates checks if any update of DBWorks/DBInventor is available for downloading

Parameters for the current Variant Note

It is now possible to define parameters for a single Variant Note. The list of the parameters must be delimited by the @ character, like @DBW=@<list of parameters>@<variant note definition>

The available parameters are:

maxlen <number>

Wraps the text of the Variant Note to a maximum number of characters on a single line.

Example:

Suppose you have inserted the following variant note:

@DBW=DRAWING.NOTES

Suppose now that the field NOTES contains the following string:

This is a single line of text that has been added
to the notes field within DBWorks and it is an example of a long block of text that 
will be displayed within the Drawings titleblock on multiple lines of text.

Since it is a very long string, when displayed in a drawing, it will appear as:

Now, let’s modify the Variant Note as follows:

@DBW=@maxlen=20@DRAWING.NOTES

The text will be wrapped with a limit of 20 characters per single line, and it will appear as follows:

Move of ProjectÛUsers and ProjectÛDocuments in the Administration Control Panel

The Projects Users Assignment interface has been redesigned for DBWorks 2006 to simplify the views and the interactions

Full Preview support for the Autodesk DWG TrueView

The proprietary Autodesk DWG TrueView viewer is now supported in the Full Preview Tree Page’s tab:

Assignment of the next revision value in the Multiple Checkout dialog

It is now possible to assign the next revision value directly from the Multiple Checkout dialog.
A new column Next Rev. can be filled with the next revision value by clicking it.
Dependently from the option Revisions®Use ONNEWREV.LST script for assigning a new revision name, DBWorks/DBInventor will invoke the script or will propose the default list box for assigning the next revision.
When invoked on the initial load of the form, the OnNewRev.LST script will receive the DBWInput("@MODELESS") set to 1, to indicate to the script that no message boxes or dialogs should be displayed, so proposing a default next value for the current revision. When clicking on the next revision value proposed, DBWorks/DBInventor will invoke again the script with the parameter DBWInput("@MODELESS") set to 0, to indicate to the script that now a full interaction is allowed.

Example

Please note the Next Rev. value of B. Please also note that for the unchecked components, no automatic calculation is performed, until they will be selected.

Now, without any script, when clicking on the Next Rev. B of the first row, DBWorks will propose the default list for the next revisions:

If the OnNewRev.LST is activated, it will lauch it when clicking on the Next Rev. value:

Please note that the revisions manually assigned are marked with a RED color.

Automatic uncheckout/uncheckin of unmodified checked-out components

A new option is available: Revisions®Approval® Undo the checkout when no changes in the documents on a recursive approve When checked ( default is not checked ), DBWorks/DBInventor will automatically uncheckout-uncheckin the assembly components that have not been modified while editing the assembly.

In this way, it is possible to checkout the whole assembly ( by creating a new revision for each component ), and to avoid unnecessary revisions for unmodified components to be approved.

The approval dialog shows the components that have not been modified with a darker color, and with the revision value displayed in a green color, to indicate that no revision increment will be applied.

Example

In the picture, the component 27380ref7 has been modified, and since it belongs to the sub-assembly 27380, that in turns belongs to the assembly 27511, only three documents will be approved in the next revision; all the others, displayed with a darker color, will be rolled back to the original revision, since of no changes.

Better component’s naming in Restore Revision functionality

Each component’s label shows now the correct revision

Always use Excel_BOM for the Buy List

A new option is available: General®More® Always use Excel_BOM for the Buy List

When checked, the standard BuyList procedure will always be replaced by the Excel_BOM procedure.
This happens:

• when pressing the $ button in the Tree Page
• when building the BOM of a previous Revision, from the Revisions Input Form
• when invoking the DBWShell(“BuyList”) command

"Create a New Bom Item" command available also for Generic Documents

The RMB®Create a New BOM Item command is now available also for Generic Documents, allowing the creation of child Generic Documents for BOM purposes.

Please note: by default, any new BOM Item of type Generic is marked with MAKE_BUY='MAKE', unless the MAKE_BUY attribute is explicitly changed by the user.

Administrative tool for managing Group/User specific DBWAPP.PARs

If the currently logged in user is a DBWArm Administrator, a EDIT... button is available in the options page if the option
Environment®DBWArm Use DBWArm Group Specific Parameters is checked:

The system shows the list of directories available for each DBWArm Group; the DBWArm Admin can then access the proper directory for which he intends to edit options, and open the specific DBWAPP.PAR for that Group; a new Options editing dialog is then displayed, with the title showing the particular group options being edited:

	DWG MI IDW

Differentiate commonly named fields between the DOCUMENT and REVISIONS tables

It is now possible to differentiate the .LST files and the DBWUI.MSG strings for any field name in common between the DOCUMENT and the REVISIONS table

.LST files specific for the REVISIONS table

DBWorks/DBInventor looks now for a file named REVISIONS.<field name>.LST, and if existing, it loads it for populating the combo box of a field in the database Input Form.
The table name REVISIONS is localized for each supported language.

Example

language	file name
english	REVISIONS.DESCRIPTION.LST
german	VERSION.BENENNUNG.LST
italian	REVISIONI.DESCRIZIONE.LST

DBWUI.MSG strings specific for the REVISIONS table

DBWorks/DBInventor applies to the REVISIONS table any entry of the DBWUI.MSG that has the following format:

UI_REVISIONS.NAME_FIELD_<field name>

If it does not exist, it applies the default rules.

Example

DBWUI.MSG

…
UI_NAME_FIELD_ID			"Cod"
UI_NAME_FIELD_DESCRIPTION		"Desc."
UI_REVISIONS.NAME_FIELD_DESCRIPTION	"EC Desc."
UI_NAME_FIELD_FILE_NAME			"File N."
…

Multiple sub-classes of Data Input Forms

It is now possible to define more than one level of Sub-classes for the Data Input Form.

Example

Suppose you need to have different forms like in the following example:

DATAENTR2.TXT
	DATAENTR2_P.TXT
		DATAENTR2_P_BEARINGS.TXT
			DATAENTR2_P_BEARINGS_INTERNAL.TXT
			DATAENTR2_P_BEARINGS_EXTERNAL.TXT

This will be possible with the following Dataentr2.txt extensions ( CATEGORY1 contains the main family BEARINGS, while CATEGORY2 contains the sub-family INTERNAL or EXTERNAL ) :

Level 1)

@SUBCLASSFIELD CATEGORY1 
@SUBCLASS_BEARINGS BEARING 

File being processed:
DataEntr2_<type>_BEARINGS.TXT

Level 2)

@SUBCLASSFIELD CATEGORY2 
@SUBCLASS_BEARINGS_INTERNAL INTERNAL 
@SUBCLASS_BEARINGS_EXTERNAL EXTERNAL 

Files being processed:
DataEntr2_<type>_BEARINGS_INTERNAL.TXT
DataEntr2_<type>_BEARINGS_EXTERNAL.TXT

Assumptions and rules

1. Every level must refer to a different database field ( ex: level 1 Û CATEGORY1 , level 2 Û CATEGORY 2, ... )
2. The @SUBCLASS must explicitily contain all the hierarchy ( that is like @SUBCLASS_BEARINGS_INTERNAL, not correct would be @SUBCLASS_INTERNAL )

Sub-classes allowed in the Revisions Data Input Form

It is now possible to define more than one level of Sub-classes for the Revision Data Input Form.

Example

REVDENTR2.TXT
	REVDENTR2_P.TXT
		REVDENTR2_P_MAJOR.TXT
		REVDENTR2_P_MINOR.TXT

The rules and syntax are the same as for the DataEntr2.TXT case.

Link mode on attached Generic Documents

New options for managing also the attachments of Generic Documents ( descendants to the main documents ):
Environment®Link Mode® Manage Child Generic Documents
SQL filter condition:

Filter with the SQL syntax for discarding/accepting relations with descendent generic documents

Example

FILE_NAME LIKE '%.DOC' OR FILE_NAME LIKE '%.XLS' AND NOT ID LIKE '123*'

New option for Saving As any linked Drawing

Environment®Link Mode® Always 'Save As' all the linked Drawings
At every 'Save As' of a Part/Assembly, DBWorks/DBInventor will look if any linked Drawing is existing, and if so, it will Save As the drawing as well, replacing the references in the new drawing with the new document just saved.

Improved Link Mode consistency

Environment®Link Mode® Include linked documents when deleting
This option will automatically include any linked document in the Selection Dialog of the Delete functionality

Environment®Link Mode® Include linked documents when assigning/changing the Project
This option will automatically include any linked document when a document is moved under a different project, or included into a new one; in particular:

1. RMB®Projects®Add To/Remove From Project: any linked drawing, configured brother or derived part is added/removed as well
2. Drag&Drop on a Project: any linked drawing, configured brother or derived part is added to the target project, detaching it from the old project if the CTRL key is kept pressed while dragging
3. ProjectsÛDocuments Management: any linked drawing, configured brother or derived part is managed as well
4. Save of a document when the Option Projects® Avoid automatic parent document project assignment is unchecked: any linked drawing of the child components is inserted in the current project as well

Script for managing the file transfers between the remote and the local site

The new script OnRemoteAccessFileTransfer.LST can now be executed whenever a remote file transfer is needed.
It can be enabled through the option Environment®Remote Access® Use OnRemoteAccessFileTransfer.LST script

The script is executed every time a file transfer from the remote site to the local site is needed by DBWorks/DBInventor.
Not only the main document files, but also the .GZ or .JPG files must be managed by this script.

Improved synchronization of foreign local copies of documents

A new option is now available for maintaning updated any downloaded foreign document that will be opened by the designer:
Environment®Remote Access® Always Refresh Documents Local Copies on Open
The refresh operation applies to the currently opened document and to all its children documents.

Tree-type commands available also from the Grid’s RMB popup menu

The following commands are now available also from any Grid’s RMB popup menu:

• RMB®Download the Remote Component and all the children
• RMB®Refresh Remote Components for the node and all the children
• RMB®Delete the Local Copy of the Remote Component and all the children
• RMB®Take Ownership of the node and all the children

Working on Local Drives by using the Remote Access support

Introduction

This feature permits to work locally on large assemblies; local means that files will be downloaded/uploaded via the LAN from/to a main central server.

The main global option for enabling this modality is
Environment®Remote Access® Enable Local Mode

Please note it is a sub-option of
Environment®Remote Access® Use Multiple Network Drives
because the Local Mode needs to know the name of the Network Drives currently used for accessing the files in the shared archive.

Limitations

As a consequence of the above statements, Local Mode has some limitations:

1. The Local Mode does NOT support databases where the FILE_DIRECTORY field is populated with a UNC path
2. The Local Mode must have the file archive’s Network Drives different from the Network Drives used for the GlobalParametersPath shared installation files; if this limitation may cause problems for the IT Administrators, as a workaround, the GlobalParametersPath and any directory parameter in the DBWAPP.PAR itself ( like the LST_DIR, PAR_DIR, SCHEMA_DIR, SQL_DIR, USERS_DIR, XLS_DIR ) may be set with an UNC path ( like \\MyServer\MyShare )

Other options:

Environment®Remote Access®Local Root Directory
Contains the Local Drive directory, there DBWorks/DBInventor will rebuild the file structure of the main shared archive.

Environment®Remote Access® Release Local Ownership on Checkin
When checked, it forces the release of the Local Ownership at Checkin time.
The Local Ownership is always released at Approve time.

User Options®Remote Access® Work Locally
Since it is a User option, it is ALWAYS exposed to each user, no matter about the DBWArm permissions on the full options editing.

How it works

DBWorks/DBInventor switches dynamically the Network Drives declared in the DBW_COMPANY_INFO table, assigning them to Local Drives or to Network Shares depending from the state of the Local Mode user option.
The designer will normally work in the Shared environment, until he will need, for performance reasons, to work locally on his workstation.

The local files are synchronized with the shared files:

1. whenever a reference document is opened; if it is an assembly, the whole child structure is checked and synchronized if necessary
2. whenever a RELOAD message is received from any other workstation

The user can always force a manual synchronization with the RMB®Remote Access®Refresh local copies command.

Example

Suppose the designer wants to work locally on the shared Handlebar Complete assembly; for this example, the assembly is considered in the Released state:

The Environment®Remote Access parameters are set as follows:

1. The designer opens the User Options and checks the option
   
   By clicking OK in the Options, DBWorks/DBInventor will re-assign the Network Drives declared in the DBW_COMPANY_INFO to the Local Drive; for this example we will use only ONE Network Drive, named O:
   
   Before hitting OK, the O: drive was assigned to \\server1\E, after the OK the O: drive is now assigned to E:\TEST\LocalMode\, with a SUBST Windows Shell command.

2. The Tree is now displayed as follows:
   
   

   Each item is now displayed with a lighter color, and striked-out. The convention used is:

   1. lighter color: the document is not OWNED by the designer, and it is still shared to everyone
   2. strike-out: the document file is NOT existing on the local Workstation, and needs to be downloaded

3. The designer wants now to work locally on the sub-assembly Throttle Temp, but he needs to have locally the whole main assembly Handle Bar Complete; so, it downloads locally the Handle Bar Complete assembly, by selecting it and using the functionality
   RMB®Remote Access®Download the Remote Component and all the children:
   
   
4. The main assembly is now available locally, under the E:\TEST\LocalDrive\O\ location ( DBWorks creates a sub-directory for each Network Drive declared in the DBW_COMPANY_INFO table ), mapped as O: ; the Tree appearance changes as:
   
   The items are no more striked-out since their files now exist locally.
5. The designer can now CHECK-OUT the sub-assembly on which he wants to work:
   
   
   
   
6. After clicking the OK, the documents are now fully owned by the designer, and the owned items are now displayed normally:
   
   
   In the above picture, please note that for the owned items, the Company_Id has been now internally changed to <designer id>@<main company id>, and that the Owner_company_id in the database has been assigned to <main company id> to indicate that the items are TEMPORARILY owned by a designer, since he is working locally on them.
7. When finished working on the sub-assembly, it can be CHECKED-IN or APPROVED with the Multiple Approval functionality; lets say we will now do a CHECK-IN on it:
   
   
   
   
8. After clicking OK, the documents are no more exclusively owned by the designer: their ownership has been RELEASED:
   
9. The documents in CHECK-IN state are now displayed again with a lighter color, to indicate that any operation on them can now be undertaken on the shared archive
10. Suppose now that the designer has finished to work locally; before switching to the Shared Mode, if he likes and if he needs to clean up some free space on his hard disks, he can delete the Local Copies with the proper Remote Access command:
    
    He is now ready to switch back to shared mode by unchecking the User Option:
    
    
    DBWorks/DBInventor will now re-attach the O: drive to the Share \\Server1\E as declared in the DBW_COMPANY_INFO table; this allows to work back on the shared folders.
11. The appearance of the Tree now has no more light items, since all the items are now shared:
    If the Workflow module is available, the designer can now submit the modified sub-assembly to the workflow, for its definitive approval:
    

<Local Checkout Folder>
<Local Read-Only Folder>
<Shared-Checkin Folder>
<Shared-Released Folder1>
<Shared-Released Folder2>
…
<Shared-Released FolderN>

New option for saving a Drawing always in the Project of the document

By checking the new option
Projects® Save drawings on the Part/Assembly's project when saving a drawing
DBWorks/DBInventor will assign it to the project of the first referenced model in the drawing.

Comparison of Project structures at different revisions

When both the options
Revisions®Approval® Create structure history for all the Document types
and
Projects® Enable revisions for projects are checked, DBWorks/DBinventor creates now a .TREE file representing the Project structure in the shared XLS folder ( assigned in General®Path®Project XLS output directory (.XLS) ).
The presence of the .TREE files allows the comparison of two Project structures at different revisions.