Thin Client, Quick Access to Drawings from Viewer

[3dEXATT]

I would like an easier way to navigate to drawings from within the Thin Client Forge Viewer. Currently, if you have an assembly open for viewing, you cannot see what parts have existing drawings. There is also no way to quickly navigate to a part's drawing even if you knew one existed. We would like those on the shop floor to use the Thin Client so they have access to the latest released files. The idea is they can access the shop drawings relevant to a particular project quickly and easily, without needing to constantly ask our CAD designers to print missing drawings. The easiest way to visualize a project is through the 3D viewer. Currently, we have to batch plot pdfs for each project to a folder on our network, but this runs the risk of files being out of date and defeats the purpose of Vault.

A solution could be similar to what I propose below. (See attached proof of concept image)

1. When right-clicking a part, have an extra option in the menu that will open that part's drawing in a separate tab. If no drawing exists it would be greyed out. Similar to how it works in Inventor.
2. Have an extra column in the model browser, that quickly indicates each part that has a drawing. Clicking on the symbol will open that drawing in a separate tab.
3. Have a drawing tab up top, to quickly switch to the top-level drawing for this particular assembly/part.

If there are multiple drawings for a particular assembly or part, you should be given the option to pick the one you want to open.

If a solution to this is implemented it will make the Thin Client much easier to use, especially for those who aren't particularly computer savvy.

[RajSchmidt]

I agree that there are several things that could be improved in the viewer. But in the end the viewer is just that – a viewer. A model contains no information whatsoever if it is used in a drawing. So how is the viewer supposed to display that information?

You can switch on the column “Has drawing” in the Thin Client, maybe that will help?

[3dEXATT]

Thanks for your comment, but the viewer does contain information about the model, as it is a direct link from the CAD files in the Vault. The viewer knows every part used in the model; you can see them all in the model browser and quickly check their properties by clicking on them. So the information is there in the background. 

I'm aware of the "Has Drawing" column. Unfortunately, this only indicates the presence of a drawing. You still have to browse to it manually; first, click on the part, then go to the "where used" tab, then expand the tree, and then click view drawing. (5 mouse clicks) Or alternatively by searching for the filename. And once you're there, what if you want to view another drawing from the same assembly? You have to go back a few screens and start the process again. It would be fantastic if you could click on the "Has Drawing" symbol and have it directly open the drawing in a separate tab.

While navigating to drawings using the "Uses" and "Where Used" tabs is possible, it is not quick or user-friendly. You're limited to using tiny thumbnails, and file properties to determine which drawing you are looking for. For the guys on the shop floor, this is difficult, especially when they are starting a new job and aren't familiar with how it goes together or what it looks like. Seeing a 3D model is the best way to visualize something. There is a disconnect currently between viewing a model and viewing the drawings, which is what my idea hopes to bridge.

I'm happy to hear alternative solutions of course.

[RajSchmidt]

Good morning!

Sure, the viewer will grab the CAD files and display them. However, as I understand, it is separate application which is only invoked by Vault. And it can only show information which is contained within the files, i.e. iProperties.

The “Where used” info, whether it is a drawing or another model, is stored in Vault, not in the model itself.

You could make a test where you define a property in Vault which is NOT mapped to the file. Can you see this in the viewer?

[3dEXATT]

Thanks for clearing that up Raj. It is unfortunate that the underlying code will not allow such functionality. A bit of a missed opportunity if you ask me. I wonder if it would be possible to add a sidebar next to the viewer to show the "where used" or "uses" tabs from the same window. Effectively a split screen, so you get the benefit of viewing the model, but can still see at a glance which parts/sub-assemblies have drawings. Perhaps I should start a new idea thread along these lines.