In this example, a workflow updates drawing title blocks whenever a drawing is approved.
This example demonstrates the only method available for updating a file data card variable with the file revision number. You cannot update a file data card with a revision number using the Increment Revision command from the Explorer view.
This example is based on the default workflow and file data cards created when setting up a new vault.
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Create the revision number format as described in Creating Revision Numbers:
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Create a revision number component called AlphaRev with a format string of A,B,C,...,Z and an initial value of 1.
- Create a revision number format called Revision using the AlphaRev component.
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Set up the data card variable mapping (see Mapping to SOLIDWORKS Custom Properties):
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Open the SOLIDWORKS file data card.
- Add an edit box control with a variable called Revision.
- Edit the Revision variable to make sure the CustomProperty block has a Revision attribute mapped to SOLIDWORKS drawing files (.slddrw).
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Link the revision number to the workflow (see Creating Workflow Transitions and Creating Workflow States):
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Open Default Workflow.
- Open the Passed approval transition Properties dialog box.
- Add a new Set Variable action to assign the Revision variable to Next Revision (%nextrevision%).
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Add an Inc. Revision action.
Ensure that the Inc. Revision action follows all Set Variable actions, otherwise the revision will be set on the previous version that is created when the variable is updated.
- Close the transition's Properties dialog box.
- Click the Approved state box.
- On the Revision Numbers tab, from the State revision number list, select Revision.
- Close the state's Properties dialog box and save the workflow.
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Set up the SOLIDWORKS drawing title block:
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Open a drawing file in SOLIDWORKS.
- Edit the sheet format to add a note linked to a custom property called Revision.
- Save the drawing to a local folder.
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Test the updating of the drawing title block:
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Drag the SOLIDWORKS drawing into a vault view folder and check in the file.
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Change state of the drawing until it passes the Passed Approval transition and ends up in the Approved state.
The next revision should now be set on the drawing file and the Revision variable in the file data card should show the value.
- Open the drawing in SOLIDWORKS.
The revision appears in the title block.