March 12, 2012

Linking Teamcenter Managed Excel Files With Solid Edge Embedded Client Files

If an Excel file already exists and is managed in Teamcenter under an Item ID, how to then create a link from the existing managed Excel file to a managed Solid Edge Embedded Client [SEEC] file?
In SEEC launch Cache Assistant:

In the Cache Assistant dialog select Download:

In the Download File dialog change the Files of type field to All documents (*.*):

Search for or locate the Item ID that contains the managed Excel file. 

The Excel dataset is displayed in the Download File dialog: 

Select the Excel dataset and select Open.  The managed Excel file is downloaded into the Solid Edge cache:
 
In the Cache Assistant select the Excel file, right-click -> Open:

The managed file is opened in Excel. 

In the opened Excel file select the cell value you want to link into a Solid Edge variable and right-click -> Copy:

In SEEC with the Solid Edge file opened that you want to link to the Excel file select Tools -> Variables:

In the Variable Table select the value you want linked to the Excel value. 

Right-click -> Paste Link:

The Formula field should be updated to show the link to the managed Excel file, Sheet and Cell in the Solid Edge cache:

Close Excel.

Close the Variable Table.

Save the Solid Edge file.

Either Upload or Close the Solid Edge file.

Depending you may be prompted to also Upload the Excel dataset as well:

The link has now been created between  the managed Solid Edge and Excel objects:

Now the link exists, SEEC will bring down to cache the linked Excel file whenever the Solid Edge files is opened.

10 comments:

  1. Nice job. Thanks for creating this page Dave!

    ~JG

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    Replies
    1. Thank you for the feedback. Much appreciated!

      -Dave

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    2. Thank you for the information. Very usefull.
      It even works with part from sub-assembly's
      But if i want to make a copy in Teamcenter of the Solid Edge file and the Excel sheet, the link between Excel and the parts doesn't work anymore in the new copy. Any suggestions?
      THank you!

      - Paul

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    3. Paul,

      Thanks for reading and your feedback.

      In regards to your question, FYI SEEC does not support using the TC RAC to copy SEEC related data. You must use either the SEEC or Structure Editor (SESE) interface to create copies of SEEC related data.

      Regards,

      -Dave

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    4. So I see. I can now indeed make copies of my files using SESE. I might want to take this to the next level and try to add or remove parts of the assembly using excel.
      After a few days of trying im starting to think this is not even possible. Do you have any experience with this of is excel just not the right way to do this?

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    5. Paul,

      I apologize but I don’t fully understand your question. Are you asking if you can use Excel to drive and modify the assembly structure?

      -Dave

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    6. Hey Dave.
      Sorry for the late reply. As you said, i am trying to modify the assembly structure with Excel. For now i have to delete of exclude parts from the assembly manually. Would be great if that could also be done with the same excel sheet.

      regards,

      Paul

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    7. Paul,

      Theoretically what you are asking is possible. However this is not available out-of-the-box (OOTB). Such a solution would require you writing custom code in Excel calling the Solid Edge APIs to make your desired changes.

      Unless there is something specific in your Excel that you need to help drive this process, if it is merely a matter of modifying assembly structure I would look at either the Solid Edge Structure Editor or the Teamcenter Structure Manager for doing this process.

      Thanks and regards,

      -Dave

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  2. YES! Thank you.

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