<Apply assignment rules> not working

[tgregory3G7FA]

I have assignment rules setup to assign categories upon check-in of new files and they work correctly.

But from within Vault, I'm attempting to apply them to existing files. 

When I do the "Select new category" and <Apply assignment rules>, I get the error "No changes were detected. Please select a new category using the pull-down, or select any object in the list and specify a new category per object."

What am I missing that would follow the rules on check-in but not on existing files?

[ihayesjr]

You need to look at the order in which the rules appear in the Assignment Rules list.

They go top down, so the first rule that matches wins.

[tgregory3G7FA]

Thanks.  I thought I read that somewhere.  And that's how I have them ordered. 

But it doesn't work on Apply assignment rules.

[ihayesjr]

Try putting in a test file. Let it automatically assign to a category based on your rules.

Then manually change it to a different category.

Then change the category again and use the Apply Assignment Rules option.

What happens?

[tgregory3G7FA]

I put in a test file.  It properly assigned the correct category.

I manually changed the category to 'Base'. Then, I <Apply assignment rule> and got the same error "No changes were detected. Please select a new category using the pull-down, or select any object in the list and specify a new category per object."

I manually changed the category to 'Office'. Then, I <Apply assignment rule> and it changed the category to 'Base' 🤔

It seems any category I manually put it to, then <Apply assignment rule> puts it in Base

Doesn't make sense that it works properly on first check in

[ihayesjr]

Interesting.

What version of Vault are you using?

[ihayesjr]

Also,

What are you using in the rule builder to determine what category the file is assigned to when it gets checked in the first time? Is the rule where the Base category assigned, the last rule in the list?

[tgregory3G7FA]

Using Vault 2024

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@ihayesjr wrote:

Also,

Is the rule where the Base category assigned, the last rule in the list?

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Yes.  The last rule is Default. And Base category.  I changed it to Standard and Office category.

Ever time I <Apply assignment rules> it jumps to the Default category.  So that seems to be the issue. It jumps all the rules to the end.

[ihayesjr]

If you have access to your Vault Server, can you export out the configuration and send it to me?

Vault 2024 Help | Import and Export Vault Configurations | Autodesk

[tgregory3G7FA]

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@ihayesjr wrote:

If you have access to your Vault Server, can you export out the configuration and send it to me?

Vault 2024 Help | Import and Export Vault Configurations | Autodesk

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Sure. 

[tgregory3G7FA]

@ihayesjr any luck figuring out what's going on?

[ihayesjr]

@tgregory3G7FA 

Sorry, I missed that you provided the file. I will take a look at it today.

[ihayesjr]

@tgregory3G7FA 

The problem is caused by not having the "Is CC Part" and "Frame - T&P Length" properties not being assigned to the "Content Center", "Frame - T&P", and "Engineering" categories. 

[tgregory3G7FA]

@ihayesjr thanks for looking into it.  I added the properties to the categories but it still doesn't work.

It still works properly upon check-in of new files.

But from within Vault, <Apply assignment rules> doesn't work properly.  It assigns the Engineering category correctly, but not "Content Center" or "Frame - T&P"

(updated cfg attached)

[ihayesjr]

@tgregory3G7FA 

Sorry but using your latest configuration file, it is working fine for me with a Content Center part. 

I don't have a Frame part to test with.

My test is the following.

1. Check in a standard Content Center part. 
2. This part gets assigned to the Content Center Category.
3. Change the permissions on the part so I can change the Category to Engineering
4. Change the Category to Engineering.
5. Change the Category again using "Apply assignment rules" option
6. The part's Category gets changed back to the Content Center Category.

[ihayesjr]

@tgregory3G7FA 

I created a file for the Frame rule and it worked fine also.

[tgregory3G7FA]

@ihayesjr thanks for the procedure.  That works for me too. But wasn't the issue. Sorry I wasn't explaining the problem correctly.  I'm migrating from Vault Basic to Pro.  So the existing files I was referring to are all Base files existing in the Vault.  All the Base files are missing the "Is CC Part" and "Frame - T&P Length" properties.  So they weren't being recognized.  Once they're given a category, they have the properties and  "Apply assignment rules" work.  Thanks for helping me troubleshoot.

It was skipping these because they didn't have the properties.

[smilinger]

I think the problem is still caused by that the "Is CC Part" and "Frame - T&P Length" properties were not assigned to the category at first, not to the categories you want to change to, but to the Base category.

Even if you now have them assigned to the category, the old files that are already in Vault still don't have these properties.

What you need is to select all these files in Vault, then select "Action -> Add or Remove Property" from the menu, to add these properties manually. Another method is to check out these files and then check them back in, so Vault will add these properties to them.

About why it is working when the file is first checked in, that is some magic Vault is playing, because on first check in the file have no categories at all, so Vault is leverage all available file properties desperately trying to determine the category of the file, but after the category is decided, these properties are only retained according to the category, so the properties that are not assigned to category are lost.

[tgregory3G7FA]

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@smilinger wrote:

I think the problem is still caused by that the "Is CC Part" and "Frame - T&P Length" properties were not assigned to the category at first, not to the categories you want to change to, but to the Base category.

What you need is to select all these files in Vault, then select "Action -> Add or Remove Property" from the menu, to add these properties manually. Another method is to check out these files and then check them back in, so Vault will add these properties to them.

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Yes this is correct.  That's what I finally figured out.

I'm probably going to go the Check out/in route since we're also going from V.2022 to V.2024.  So kill two birds with one stone.

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@smilinger wrote:

Even if you now have them assigned to the category, the old files that are already in Vault still don't have these properties.

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Actually, changing them to a category (that has the properties) inserts the properties into the file. Or I can change all the Base to 'Engineering'.  Then "Apply assignment rules" and it'll re-categorize them properly.  

Before:

After: (Changing category adds the properties)

Thanks.