How to Open Two Versions of The Same Part in the Same Product Structure

This task will show you how Attribute mapping on Part Number can be used to open two Versions of the same Part in the same Product Structure.

With default CATIA V5 settings it is not possible to load two Versions, belonging to the same Part, under the same Assembly. Opening two versions of the same ENOVIA Part Master in different CATIA Editor windows (for example, two Product Structure workbench editors for a CATProduct, or two Part Design workbench editors for a CATPart) is already supported by CATIA V5.
But now the user can also open two versions of the same CATPart in the same Product Structure, only if:

  • (Step1) CATIA V5 has been started in View Product Structure only mode,
  • (Step2) and Attribute Mapping has been set upon the Part.

Step1: CATIA V5 Has Been Started in View Product Structure only mode
  You can set the View Product Structure only mode thanks to a setting that can be accessed through the ENOVIA V5 tab in the Tools > Options > General > Compatibility:
When you check this option, a message appears: "Restart the application to put in effect the change made".

View Product Structure only mode means: partial loading mode in which no applicative data is loaded (constraints, connectors, publications, contextual design, applicative extensions and specialized products of products saved as "Structured Exposed"). In case of inherited products, only the standard product is loaded (for instance, standard product instead of Electrical Harness). Edition of design data is authorized but saving it is forbidden.
Only Technological Packages (TP) can be created and saved in this mode. Technological Package links created in View Product Structure only mode will not be broken in standard mode, but TP links created in View Product Structure only mode on modified and unsaved design will be broken in standard mode.
 

Step2: Attribute Mapping has been set upon the Part
 

The CATIA Part Number Attributes managed by CATIA Product Structure (in CATPart or CATProduct documents) can be mapped into an ENOVIA attribute using the PartNumber keyword in the XML Attribute Mapping file. For this, use the following declaration in the Attribute mapping XML file (see the VPM Navigator User's Guide for more information on how to activate Attribute Mapping):

<AttributesMapping EntityType="Part" DomainName="PRODUCT">

      <Attribute Name="XXXPartNumber" Type="STRING">

       <CATIAInfo Name="PartNumber" Editable="No" Visible="Yes" />

       <DBInfo Name="XXX" LCASubEntity="PM" Editable="Yes" Visible="Yes" />

      </Attribute>

The Editable field of the CATIAInfo declaration is set to "Yes", so that the CATIA Part Number is copied into the corresponding ENOVIA attribute XXX during the Save operation.
The value of the ENOVIA attribute XXX is copied into the CATIA Part Number when opening the Part in CATIA V5. When the View Product Structure only mode is not activated, Attribute Mapping corresponding to the Part Number keyword now has a restricted effect: the value of the ENOVIA attribute is no longer copied into the CATIA Part Number during Open.

  1. Create a Part with a CATPart document attached to it in ENOVIA V5 VPM.

  2. Create a new Version of the Part and a new Revision of the attached CATPart document.

  3. Open the Part in CATIA V5, create a CATProduct and paste the Part under the CATProduct, save it as "Publication Exposed" in ENOVIA V5 VPM.

  4. Open the previous version of the Part out of context.

  5. Finally, instantiate the previous version of the part under the CATProduct so that we have two different versions of the same Part in the same tree.