Trick PDM into mapping variables to AutoCAD metadata

[Austin Schukar]

Hey all,

Title says it all, really. I am having a hard time believing that SW PDM can only map variables to AutoCAD through title block attributes. The reason I say this is that PDM does (appear to) read this type of metadata. If I RC->Properties on a .dwg file, the dialog box lists the extra property tabs that are associated with it. See below for .slddrw props vs .dwg props, invoked through SW PDM.

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vs

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What I am wanting to do is map PDM variables to AutoCAD file properties, whether it be General / Summary / Statistics / Custom properties. Our templates were built to have all of the title blocks driven from the file's custom properties. That way, we don't need to manually update each block's attribute. Does anyone have any experience in this? Or are we destined to work around this issue by making some dummy blocks with attributes in the dwg file? Alternatively, is there a way to do this programmatically? Whether it's dispatch or some API.

I may just be way off-base in my assumptions as well - I understand that even though PDM can clearly read metadata from the file, it may not actually be able to do anything with that information. Just simply read it.

[JSculley]

As for the tabs showing up in the file properties, it is entirely possible that AutoCad is contributing those tabs and PDM is completely unaware of them.

[Austin Schukar]

Hey Mr Sculley...thanks for the reply. I never really thought about AutoCAD creating those tabs itself. Now that makes me wonder why AutoCAD communicates this way with PDM File Explorer vs no tab communication with standard File Explorer. I just can't believe that they haven't implemented more than attributes within title blocks, but I suppose we will have to make due in this case.

Thanks again

[Austin Schukar]

Just wanted to update:

Now, my plan (well, my hope) is to create an add-in, utilizing the installed AutoCAD dlls, to get and set DWG custom properties via transitions and data card buttons, respectively. This seems like a pretty workable solution, and will hopefully not hurt the team more than it helps.

The biggest issues I foresee are:

• Doesn't work like I plan

• Navigating Autodesk's API development guides