teamcenter briefcase browser guide -...

Teamcenter 10.1

Briefcase Browser Guide

Publication NumberPLM00195 C

Proprietary and restricted rights notice

This software and related documentation are proprietary to Siemens ProductLifecycle Management Software Inc.

© 2013 Siemens Product Lifecycle Management Software Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Siemens and the Siemens logo are registered trademarks of Siemens AG. Teamcenteris a trademark or registered trademark of Siemens Product Lifecycle ManagementSoftware Inc. or its subsidiaries in the United States and in other countries. Allother trademarks, registered trademarks, or service marks belong to their respectiveholders.

2 Teamcenter Briefcase Browser Guide PLM00195 C

Contents

Proprietary and restricted rights notice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Getting started with Briefcase Browser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1

Before you begin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2Briefcase Browser interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3Basic concepts for using Briefcase Browser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-8Basic tasks using Briefcase Browser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-14

Install Briefcase Browser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1

Startup configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-1

Briefcase Browser preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2Briefcase Browser site configuration files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3

Using Briefcase Browser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1

Open a briefcase file . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1Open a CAD file (create a new CAD object) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2Compare briefcase files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3Modify CAD data from a briefcase file . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3Synchonize CAD data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4

Customizing Briefcase Browser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-1

What you need to know and what you can customize . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-1Create a plug-in project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-1Create a class extension . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3Create a file launcher extension . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4Create a synchronizer extension . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5

Troubleshooting and migrating to an unmanaged site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1

Troubleshooting Briefcase Browser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1Migrate a supplier site from a managed to unmanaged site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3

Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-1

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Index-1

PLM00195 C Teamcenter Briefcase Browser Guide 3

Chapter

1 Getting started with BriefcaseBrowser

Before you begin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2

Briefcase Browser interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3Briefcase Browser menus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5Briefcase Browser buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6Briefcase Browser tabs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-7Briefcase Browser symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-7

Basic concepts for using Briefcase Browser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-8How to compare briefcase files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-9How autobaseline (auto_baseline) works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-10CAD complete briefcase file requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-11CAD part requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-11Export and import behavior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-13

Basic tasks using Briefcase Browser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-14

PLM00195 C Teamcenter Briefcase Browser Guide

Chapter

1 Getting started with BriefcaseBrowser

Supplier sites without Teamcenter access (unmanaged suppliers) can use BriefcaseBrowser to work with Teamcenter briefcase files. A briefcase file is a compressedfile that contains Teamcenter-required TC XML formatted data and the associatedbinary CAD and JT files that create a valid Teamcenter product structure. Thisallows you to exchange product data containing computer aided design (CAD) andJT files, with their associated metadata, with sites that use Teamcenter to managetheir product data. Briefcase Browser is a stand-alone application that can:

• Read and display unmanaged briefcase files. Only datasets attached to itemrevisions are displayed.

• Open JT files in JT2Go or Teamcenter lifecycle visualization (top assemblysupplied in briefcase file from a Teamcenter site only).

• Open CAD data in NX. Other CAD tools may be supported in the future.

• Display a warning when a briefcase file is not CAD complete. A briefcasefile is CAD complete if all or none of the item revisions are associated with aUGMASTER dataset type and the UGMASTER type has not been modified inTeamcenter.

For more information about CAD complete requirements, see CAD completebriefcase file requirements.

• Create new UGMASTER and UGPART (master model drawings) dataset typesin NX and add them and their associated TC XML data to a briefcase file.

• Update NX modified datasets in a briefcase file.

• Distinguish objects based on site ownership, and allow user modifications whenrules permit.

• Create a briefcase file from a new CAD assembly.

For information about the naming requirements for new CAD assemblies, seeCAD part requirements.

Note Teamcenter provides a broad range of features. Although Briefcase Browsersupports many of them, it does not support them all. Unless a feature isspecifically identified as supported in this document, it may be not supported.

Briefcase Browser does not support absolute positioning. Also, it does not supportsubstitutes, alternatives, and delta briefcase files, but these do not generate errors

PLM00195 C Teamcenter Briefcase Browser Guide 1-1

Chapter 1 Getting started with Briefcase Browser

when creating the briefcase file. However, Briefcase Browser does display errors ifyou attempt to read a briefcase file that contains any of the unsupported data.

Caution Briefcase Browser is intended for exporting briefcase files from managedsites for use at unmanaged sites and for importing files from unmanagedsites into managed sites. Transfers between managed sites or betweenunmanaged sites do not support save, launch, synchronization, andcompare operations. If you attempt these operations in these transferscenarios, the results are not guaranteed to be reliable.

Caution NX part files contain locale-specific data in a part’s history. BecauseBriefcase Browser communicates directly with NX, both applicationsmust use the same locale. Do not change the locale of the NX host as thisdetermines the locale used in NX part files. Changing the NX locale cancause a briefcase file that contains NX parts to fail when you save itin Briefcase Browser.

The Briefcase Browser locale is also determined by the operating systemlocale unless it is overriden by a startup setting. Siemens PLM Softwarerecommends that you install Briefcase Browser on the host that isrunning NX and allow the operating system to determine the BriefcaseBrowser locale. This avoids errors resulting from data that is in thewrong locale.

Before you beginPrerequisites There are no prerequisites for installing and running Briefcase

Browser. However, to preform specific actions in BriefcaseBrowser, there are specific requirements:

Note Check the Siemens PLM Software third-party softwarecertification site for the latest information aboutsupported software versions.

• You must have Java Runtime Environment (JRE) 1.7update 7 installed.

• If you intend to create new NX assemblies or modifyingexisting NX assemblies or components in Briefcase Browser,you must have Siemens PLM Software NX 8.5, 8.5.1, or8.5.2 installed.

• To customize Briefcase Browser, you must have Eclipsesoftware with version 3.8 of the Eclipse RCP installed.

For information about customizing Briefcase Browser, seeWhat you need to know and what you can customize.

1-2 Teamcenter Briefcase Browser Guide PLM00195 C

Getting started with Briefcase Browser

Enable BriefcaseBrowser

You must install the application file and set a valid license valueas described in Install Briefcase Browser.

If you receive an unmanaged site briefcase configuration filefrom your Teamcenter manufacturer (OEM) or supplier youmust load it to set the proper site attributes before you useBriefcase Browser.

ConfigureBriefcaseBrowser

You can change your briefcase configuration, when required,from within the Briefcase Browser interface.

For information about changing your configuration, see Startupconfiguration.

Start BriefcaseBrowser

Start the application as you do any windows application on yoursystem. No password or user ID is required.

Briefcase Browser interfaceBriefcase Browser is an Eclipse-based Java application and that uses the lookand feel of the Teamcenter applications user interface (UI), which is composed ofperspectives, views, and editors. A perspective is an arrangement of views. A view isa tabbed window within the UI that provides a view of data. An editor is a windowthat allows you to edit source files. You can rearrange the user interface in anyconfiguration by dragging and dropping views and editors. The example provided isa common perspective of the interface.



1 Briefcase Browser toolbar Provides buttons for quick access to themost commonly used Briefcase Browsermenu commands.

2 Structure view Contains the Existing Structure tab thatshows the currently loaded assemblyand allows you to navigate the assemblystructure. An Existing Structure tab opensfor each file you load. The path and filename of the each assembly loaded into anExisting Structure tab is shown on the tabat the top of the view. You switch betweenstructures using the top tabs.

If you are comparing two briefcase files, itcontains the Proposed Structure and RedLine Structure tabs.

The structure view also contains theControls/Properties tab that displays theworking directory for the currently selectedstructure tab and schema used to processthe structure.

3 Error Log view Displays operational message status anderrors messages.



4 Item Properties view Displays the properties of the item selectedin the Existing Structure tab.

5 Data Sets view Displays the datasets associated with theselected item in the Existing Structure taband allows you to open the dataset in theassociated application.

6 Progress view Lets you monitor progress messagesand units of completed work for selectedlong-running jobs (those lasting more thana second) such as opening a briefcase file.

The Datasets Properties and Changes views may also be displayed.

Briefcase Browser menus

Use the File menu commands to manage briefcase files.

Command Purpose

Open Briefcase Displays the dialog box that allows you tonavigate to and select the desired briefcase filethat you want to manage.

Open CAD Assembly Displays the dialog box that allows you tonavigate to and select the desired CAD file thatyou want to manage.

Save Briefcase Saves the currently loaded briefcase file in theworking directory.

Export to CSV Exports the briefcase file contents to a text filewith comma-delimited fields suitable for openingin a spreadsheet application.

Close Briefcase Unloads the current briefcase file from BriefcaseBrowser.

Exit Exits Briefcase Browser.

Use the Tools menu commands to start associated tools and access troubleshootingtools.

Command Purpose

Launch JT Opens the selected object in the JT viewer. A JTdataset must be associated with the object.

Launch NX Launches NX and loads the selected part orassembly and its children.

Compare the briefcase toanother briefcase

Allows you to select another briefcase file andshow the differences between the currentlyexisting structure and the selected briefcase filestructure.



Command Purpose

Synchronize Refreshes the existing structure in the structureeditor with the CAD tool changes.

Debug→ The Debug command contains a submenu ofcommands that provide the following:

Trace Turns on the trace debugoption that includesadditional information inthe log file.

Archive Log File Opens a dialog box thatallows you to save thecontents of the current logfile in an archive (.zip) fileformat. The compressedfile saves disk space andallows easy transfer of logfile information, such asthrough e-mail.

Use the Window menu commands to apply views to the perspective and accesspreference settings.

Command Purpose

Show View Opens a dialog box that allows you to select thedesired views.

Preferences Opens a dialog box that you can use to view andset preferences.

Briefcase Browser buttons

Briefcase Browser contains the following buttons.

Button Function Description

Open briefcase Opens the navigation dialog box in which you select abriefcase file to load.

Open CADassembly

Opens a CAD assembly file. This creates the requiredTC XML data for the assembly to make a validbriefcase file.

Comparebriefcase files

Compares the currently loaded briefcase file toanother briefcase file that you select and displays thedifferences in a new tab.

View JT model Launches the JT viewer and loads the currentlyselected JT assembly.

View CADmodel in NX

Launches NX and loads the currently selected NXassembly or component.



Button Function Description

Synchronize Synchronizes the briefcase file with changes madein NX.

View View directorypath

Allows you to view the current working directorypath for the briefcase file displayed in the ExistingStructure tab.

Briefcase Browser tabs

Most Briefcase Browser views are customizable and may be stacked to provide tabaccess to the view. The structure view tabs cannot be customized.

Tab Description

Existing Structure Displays a view of the currently loaded briefcase fileassembly structure, consisting or rows of objects andcolumns of attributes.

Controls/Properties Displays the working directory for the currently loadedbriefcase file and the schema that it is based on.

Proposed Structure Displays a view of a briefcase file assembly structure thatis being compared to the Existing Structure tab assemblystructure.

Red Line Structure Displays a view of a the differences between the ExistingStructure tab assembly structure and the ProposedStructure tab assembly structure.

Briefcase Browser symbols

Symbol Name DescriptionItem revision Indicates the object is a Teamcenter item revision.

These are the objects that can be exported to anunmanaged site. They contain the related objects,such as datasets, and can contain other relateditem revisions.

Item revisions that have small green boxes belowthem are owned by a remote site, such as theOEM or another supplier. They may also contain

a lock symbol with a checked-out symbol ( ).

UGMaster Indicates the object is an NX model (UGMasterdataset).

Dataset Indicates a dataset object. These are file systemsfiles that can be used by specific applications.



Symbol Name Description

Stub Indicates an object exists and some metadataabout the object is present but the relateddatasets or other objects are not present. Stubsare used mainly for performance by making thefile size smaller but still maintaining the integrityof the structure.

Attached CAD orJT

Indicates that the object has a related NX or JTfile attached.

Properties Indicates a properties view. These viewsdisplay object data, such as name, creation date,ownership, and description for the selected object.These views also provide Show Categories, ShowAdvanced Properties, and Restore Default Valuebuttons for use as appropriate.

Progress Indicates the Progress view.

For more information, see Briefcase Browserinterface.

Basic concepts for using Briefcase BrowserBriefcase Browser requires a site configuration file that is supplied by a site thatmanages product data in Teamcenter, normally an original equipment manufacturer(OEM) site. Sites that manage product data in a file system outside of Teamcenterare considered unmanaged sites. Briefcase Browser can load Teamcenter briefcasefiles that contain data intended for unmanaged sites and allows write permissionsto the NX datasets that the unmanaged site owns or have been checked out to theunmanaged site. Therefore, the site ID must be obtained from a configurationfile supplied to the unmanaged site to maintain write control. This is a read-onlypreference.

If your site has custom attributes, the configuration file can contain the userattribute mapping file that Briefcase Browser uses to map the attribute to a specifiedobject in the TC XML file. Also, the schema file preference must be set to the correctschema to allow Briefcase Browser to correctly load and display the structure. Thiscan also be supplied in the configuration file that the manages site supplies.

Note The uniform resource identifiers (URIs) that appear in the headers of PLMXML and TC XML files serve as namespace names, which are uniqueidentifiers for an XML vocabulary. Although they are URIs, they are notused to identify and retrieve Web addresses.

Teamcenter supports both revision and occurrence (unit number and date) effectivity.However, Briefcase Browser supports only revision effectivity. Therefore, if abriefcase file for an unmanaged site has assemblies with occurrence effectivity,the unconfigured occurrences are included in the file. Briefcase Browser supportsprecise, imprecise, and hybrid assemblies.

When you set the working directory in Briefcase Browser to a directory that containsexisting structure files, Briefcase Browser overwrites any OEM owned parts or



assemblies in the directory but maintains any unmanaged site owned parts orassemblies. You can then synchronize the briefcase file to the working directory.

Briefcase Browser reads the XML configuration files in thebbworkspace/configurations directory. Each configuration has aseparate directory that contains the site-id.properties file as a minimum. It mayalso contain any of the additional configuration files described in Briefcase Browsersite configuration files.

How to compare briefcase files

You can use Briefcase Browser to compare two existing briefcase files to determinethe changes between the two. For example, if the BCZ_X_01_03_2012.bcz file isopen in the Existing Structure tab, click the Compare briefcase to another briefcasebutton , and select the BCZ_Y_02_04_2012.bcz file and the following occurs:

• The Proposed Structure tab opens in the structure view and displays theBCZ_Y_02_04_2012.bcz file contents. This contents appears the same as if itwas opened in the Existing Structure tab.

• The Red Line Structure tab opens in the structure view and displays thedifferences between the BCZ_X_01_03_2012.bcz and BCZ_Y_02_04_2012.bczfile. This tab displays removed, added, and changed objects in different textcolors. The color for removals, additions, and changes is set in the preferencesdialog box.

Briefcase comparison preferences default colorsAdditions GreenRemovals RedChanges Blue

• If the BCZ_X_01_03_2012.bcz file has a C1 component and theBCZ_Y_02_04_2012.bcz file does not, the C1 component is considered removedand displays in the text color set for removed objects (red by default) in theRed Line Structure tab.

• If BCZ_X_01_03_2012.bcz file does not have a C2 component and theBCZ_Y_02_04_2012.bcz file does, the component is considered added anddisplays in the text color for added objects (green by default) in the Red LineStructure tab.

• If both briefcase files contain a C3 component, but the attributes of thecomponent are different, the component is considered changed and displays inthe text color for changed objects (blue by default) in the Red Line Structuretab. If both files contain the component and the attributes are the same, thecomponent appears in black text.

The Red Line Structure tab shows the union of all components in the comparedbriefcase files. If a briefcase file is compared to itself all three tabs contain identicalviews.



Note Briefcase files generated at an unmanaged supplier site contain stub partsfor all managed) site owned parts (referenced parts). An OEM site generatedbriefcase file contains the full objects. Comparing an OEM briefcase file to asupplier site Briefcase Browser generated file that contains the same OEMsite owned parts, results in incomplete structure for the stubbed objects inthe Red Line Structure tab.

How autobaseline (auto_baseline) worksBriefcase Browser provides an autobaseline feature. This feature supports thebaseline functionality of Teamcenter. If all criteria are met when after you havemodified an assembly, Briefcase Browser automatically creates or updates an objectsrevision. This revision becomes the baseline when the Briefcase Browser file isimported into a Teamcenter site. The autobaseline feature is controlled by theCustomMappings.xml file.

For information about controlling the autorebaseline feature at your site, seeBriefcase Browser site configuration files.

The primary criteria for autobaseline of part are:

• The part must have been saved in a briefcase file.• The part that you have modified must be locally owned (supplier part).

Briefcase Browser creates a baseline revision for parts and the assemblies containingthe revised parts if the assembly is also locally owned. The autobaseline continuesup the family tree (child to parent to parent’s parent) until an assembly that is notlocally owned is encountered or the top assembly is reached.

The following examples illustrate the autobaseline feature:

1. In the LocalAssy/A assembly structure, you revise the LocalComp2/A partthat is a locally owned part.

LocalAssy/A

LocalSubAssy/A

LocalComp2/A

All three items become revision B because no remote (OEM owned) part wasencountered.

LocalAssy/B

LocalSubAssy/B

LocalComp2/B

2. This time in the LocalAssy/A assembly structure, you revise LocalSubAssy/Athat is a locally owned part.

LocalAssy/B

LocalSubAssy/B

LocalComp2/A



In this case, the LocalComp2/A item is not revised because it is a child to therevised item.

3. This LocalAssy/A assembly structure contains a remote OEM owned itemand you revise LocalComp2/A that is a locally owned child part to the OEMowned item.

LocalAssy/A

OemSubAssy/A

LocalComp2/B

Only the LocalComp2/A item is revised because the parent OEM owned itemcannot be revised. This prevents the revision of the parent objects.

CAD complete briefcase file requirementsNormally, you can export only CAD complete assemblies to unmanaged sites. Thefollowing must be satisfied before an assembly is CAD complete:

• Every node must be associated to a UGMASTER dataset.

• The structure in Teamcenter must be synchronized with the CAD structure.

• To verify that an assembly is CAD complete, the following conditions must besatisfied in the TC XML file that you want to export in a briefcase file:

o The number of UGMASTER elements is equal to the number ofItemRevision elements.

o The number of BVR elements is equal to the number of BVRSyncInfoelements.

o At any BVR level, the timestamp of the BVR (struct_last_mod_dateattribute) must match the timestamp of the BVRSyncInfoform (last_struct_mod attribute). You can use theBRIEFCASE_export_CAD_incomplete preference to exportincomplete CAD structures. However, support for incomplete CAD structureexport is limited.

Note For information about configuring Teamcenter to export briefcase files withincomplete CAD assemblies, see the Data Exchange Guide.

CAD part requirementsCAD assemblies or parts that are opened from NX into Briefcase Browser must meetthe following file naming conventions and attribute requirements to allow BriefcaseBrowser to save them to a briefcase file:

• The dataset file name for a CAD part must be of the form item-id_rev-id.prt. Forexample, if the CAD part is identified as 00009 and it is revision A, the datasetfile name must be 00009_A.prt. Additionally, the part must have:

o A DB_PART_NO attribute that matches the item-id portion of the filename, in this case, 00009.



o A DB_PART_REV attribute that matches the rev-id portion of the filename, in this case, A.

o A DB_PART_NAME attribute, for example, Front_Panel.

The dataset file name for a drawing requires a similar format,item-id_rev-id_s_dwg.prt. Drawings required the same attributes as a CAD part.

If any of these are missing Briefcase Browser displays an error message. Forexample, if you defined the part properties as shown:

Briefcase Browser displays the following error message and the following ErrorReport in your default browser when you attempt to open the CAD assembly file.



Any special characters in the required attributes are converted to underscorecharacters (_) to ensure they are valid in Teamcenter. For example, if the part has apart file name has a value of bulb t#1, the part number and the part revision is A.Briefcase Browser converts the file name to bulb_t_1_A.prt.

Export and import behavior

Because you can use briefcase files to transfer Teamcenter data between bothmanaged (OEM) and unmanaged (supplier) sites, you must be aware of what toexpect when transferring data in between different site types. The following figureshows the different configurations and import/export actions that are supportedand those that are not.



Basic tasks using Briefcase BrowserUse Briefcase Browser to do the following basic tasks:

• Create a briefcase file from a native CAD assembly.

• Open a briefcase file and launch NX to update local supplier-owned assembliesor components.

• Open a CAD assembly, launch NX and modify and save the assembly, synchronizethe CAD assembly data, and save the briefcase file.

If you have autobaseline turned on in your CustomMappings.xml configurationfile, Briefcase Browser create baseline revisions. It also assigns a release statusyou can select. The release status is also defined in the CustomMappings.xmlconfiguration file.

• Launch a JT viewer and load an assembly for viewing.

• Synchronize a briefcase file with components updated or added to an assembly inNX.

Note To add an object to a CAD assembly in NX, you must chooseAssemblies®Add component. If you copy and paste the object,Briefcase Browser does not recognize the relationship duringsynchronization and the object does not appear in the updated briefcasefile.


Chapter

2 Install Briefcase Browser


Chapter

2 Install Briefcase Browser

1. Unzip the Briefcase Browser archive file for your operating system(bb_wnti32.zip or bb_wnti64.zip) into the desired directory.

Caution The version required depends on the bit level of the NX instance andthe Java virtual machine that Briefcase Browser uses. You cannotmix the bit levels. They must all be 32 bit or all be 64 bit.

2. Download a license file from the Siemens PLM Software Global Technical AccessCenter (GTAC). The GTAC Web site is accessible at:

http://support.industrysoftware.automation.siemens.com

You must have a WebKey account to access some parts of this Web site.

3. Rename the file bc_browser_license.lic.

4. Copy the license file to thedesired-directory\32-or-64-bit\BB\10.1.0\bbworkspace\configurationsdirectory.

Note Briefcase Browser requires a node locked license that is provided by thelicense file. Teamcenter uses a license server, but because Teamcenter isnot required at a site that is using Briefcase Browser, the license file isthe only Briefcase Browser license requirement.

5. Ensure the value of the UGII_ROOT_DIR environment variable is set to thelocation of the root directory for the NX installation that you use with BriefcaseBrowser.

Note If you have multiple versions of NX installed on your host, the versionthat Briefcase Browser uses is determined by the NX version instancethat is in the Windows registry.

6. Add the UGII_ROOT_DIR and UGII_BASE_DIR environment variables to thefront of the PATH environment variable.

7. If you have the correct Java Runtime Environment (JRE 1.7 update 7) installed,ensure that your JAVA_HOME environment variable is set to use thatversion. Otherwise, copy or extract the contents of the required Java runtimeenvironment (JRE) into the directory that contains your Briefcase Browserapplication (BriefcaseBrowser.exe).

Start the Briefcase Browser application. You must accept the displayed agreementthe first time you start the browser.


Chapter 2 Install Briefcase Browser

If Briefcase Browser fails to start, check the log files in thedesired-directory\32-or-64-bit\BB\10.1.0\workspace\.metadatadirectory. If you have a problem starting the application due to license errors, seeWhat causes license errors.


Chapter

3 Startup configuration

Briefcase Browser preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2

Briefcase Browser site configuration files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3


Chapter

3 Startup configuration

You can start Briefcase Browser by double-clicking the executable in WindowsExplorer. This starts Briefcase Browser using the Java virtual memory (JVM)properties set in the BriefcaseBrowser.ini file. The default values are:

• For the 32-bit application, -Xmx1G. This sets the maximum heap size to 1GB.• For the 64-bit application, -Xmx2G. This sets the maximum heap size to 2GB.

You can modify the settings in this file to change the default JVM properties or addadditional JVM properties, such as the initial (minimum) heap size (-Xms) property.

Note Youmust restart Briefcase Browser for changes in theBriefcaseBrowser.inifile to take effect.

You can temporarily override the default settings for the current Briefcase Browsersession by starting the application from a command prompt. You must have theUGII_ROOT_DIR and UGII_BASE_DIR environment variables set and inthe path. For example, to set the initial heap size to 512 MB and the maximumheap size to 1 GB, type the following command from the directory containing theBriefcaseBrowser.exe file:

BriefcaseBrowser.exe -vmargs –Xms512m –Xmx1G

You can set the environment variables and PATH variable in a batch file, along withthe executable and the associated Java arguments, to ensure that the applicationstarts properly.

For more information about JVM settings, see the Oracle Command Line Referencedocumentation:

http://docs.oracle.com/cd/E13150_01/jrockit_jvm/jrockit/jrdocs/refman/optionX.html

The Java heap size affects the stability and performance of Briefcase Browser andmust be set according to the size of the briefcase files the application must open.For best results, set the Java heap size to run Briefcase Browser with 40 percentminimum and 70 percent maximum heap usage.

For additional information about setting appropriate heap size values, see the IBMJava Troubleshooting documentation:

http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/javasdk/tools/index.jsp?topic=%2Fcom.ibm.java.doc.igaa%2F_1vg00014884d287-11c3fb28dae-7ff6_1001.html


Chapter 3 Startup configuration

Briefcase Browser preferencesAfter you install and start Briefcase Browser, choose the Windows→Preferencescommand to configure or view the following settings.

1 Configuration Displays the configuration information for the current BriefcaseBrowser session.

Click New to open the New Configuration dialog box. Type aconfiguration name and site ID value to create a new directoryunder the bbworkspace\ configurations directory that containsa site-id.properties file.

Configuration Name Displays the list of available configurations. This list is determinedby the configuration directories that are present under theos-bitsize\BB\10.1.0\bbworkspace\ configurations directory.

The value you choose determines the supplier site configurationfor the current Briefcase Browser session.


Startup configuration

Site ID Displays a read-only value read from the site-id.propertiesfile for the selected configuration. It identifies the site for writepermission purposes.

For more information about the site-id.properties file, seeBriefcase Browser site configuration files.

2 Custom Mappings Displays the list or release status names from theCustomMappings.xml file for the current configuration.

Release Status Name This is a read-only value list from the CustomMappings.xmlfile for the current configuration. This value is used to set therelease status for any new CAD parts or assemblies that BriefcaseBrowser creates when saving a briefcase file.

For more information about the CustomMappings.xml file, seeBriefcase Browser site configuration files.

3 Briefcase ComparisonPreferences

These preferences set the text colors used in the Red LineStructure view to show differences between briefcase files.

For more information about the comparing briefcase files, see Howto compare briefcase files.

Briefcase Browser site configuration filesBriefcase Browser reads the XML configuration files in thebbworkspace\configuration directory. Each configuration has aseparate directory that contains the site-id.properties file as a minimum.

site-id.propertiesDefines the unmanaged site ID. This value can be any numeric sequence and isnot required to meet Teamcenter site ID requirements. If this file is not present,Briefcase Browser does not allow you to create a briefcase file. You can create ormodify this file manually or use the Preference dialog box in Briefcase Browser.

It should also contain the following additional configuration files:

TCXML.xsdDefines the schema that Briefcase Browser uses to load, display, and createbriefcase files. It must have this name. This file is normally supplied by themanaged (OEM) site to the supplier (unmanaged) site. It is available in theTC_DATA directory of the Teamcenter installation.

If a TCXML.xsd file does not exist in the configuration directory for your site,Briefcase Browser uses the standard Teamcenter schema.

Note The uniform resources identifiers (URIs) that appear in the headersof PLM XML and TC XML files serve as namespace names, which areunique identifiers for an XML vocabulary. Although they are URIs, theyare not used to identify and retrieve Web addresses.

CustomMappings.xmlDefines information about the Teamcenter (OEM) site that you exchangebriefcase files with. This information includes:

• The site name.

• The site ID.



• The Teamcenter version.

• If your site must use the auto_baseline (baseline) feature when exchangingupdated briefcase data.

• If the site allows precise or imprecise structures.

• The separator character the site requires between the item ID and revision.

• Custom type mapping to OEM objects.

• Define the release status values the managed (OEM) site allows you toassign to parts or assemblies you create in the release_status_nameelements. Briefcase Browser displays the values that you supply inrelease_status_name elements in the Release Status Name list in thePreferences dialog box. The value you select in the Preference dialog boxis assigned as the release status of any new CAD parts or assemblies youcreate. The value must match one of the valid values for Teamcenter releasestatus at the OEM site.

The following is sample content for this file:<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><custom_mappings xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"

xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="../bce-core/CustomMappings.xsd"><oem name="your_oem_name" site_id="87654321" tc_version="10.1.0"

auto_baseline="true" generate_validation_xml="true"is_precise="true" separator="/">

<release_status_name>Snapshot</release_status_name><release_status_name>TCM Released</release_status_name><release_status_name>R2InWork</release_status_name>

</oem>

<item_type_mapping custom_type="Item"><multi_field_key><attribute>item_id</attribute>

</multi_field_key><helper_object_map custom_type="ItemRevision"

ootb_type="ItemRevision"/><helper_object_map custom_type="Item--Master"

ootb_type="Item--Master"/><helper_object_map custom_type="ItemRevision--Master"

ootb_type="ItemRevision--Master"/></item_type_mapping>

<item_type_mapping custom_type="CAD"><multi_field_key><attribute>item_id</attribute>

</multi_field_key><helper_object_map custom_type="CAD--Revision"

ootb_type="ItemRevision"/><helper_object_map custom_type="CAD--Master"

ootb_type="Item--Master"/><helper_object_map custom_type="CAD--Revision--Master"


<item_type_mapping custom_type="B4Item"><multi_field_key><attribute>item_id</attribute>

</multi_field_key><helper_object_map custom_type="B4ItemRevision"

ootb_type="ItemRevision"/><helper_object_map custom_type="B4ItemMaster"

ootb_type="Item--Master"/><helper_object_map custom_type="B4ItemRevisionMaster"


<item_type_mapping custom_type="CommercialPart"><multi_field_key><attribute>item_id</attribute>

</multi_field_key><helper_object_map custom_type="CommercialPart--Revision"

ootb_type="ItemRevision"/><helper_object_map custom_type="CommercialPart--Master"

ootb_type="Item--Master"/>



<helper_object_map custom_type="CommercialPart--Revision--Master"ootb_type="ItemRevision--Master"/>

</item_type_mapping>

<item_type_mapping custom_type="Design"><multi_field_key><attribute>item_id</attribute>

</multi_field_key><helper_object_map custom_type="Design--Revision"

ootb_type="ItemRevision"/><helper_object_map custom_type="Design--Master"

ootb_type="Item--Master"/><helper_object_map custom_type="Design--Revision--Master"


<item_type_mapping custom_type="Part"><multi_field_key><attribute>item_id</attribute>

</multi_field_key><helper_object_map custom_type="Part--Revision"

ootb_type="ItemRevision"/><helper_object_map custom_type="Part--Master"

ootb_type="Item--Master"/><helper_object_map custom_type="Part--Revision--Master"


</custom_mappings>

The auto_baseline attribute indicates the whether or not your BriefcaseBrowser provides autobaseline functionality. If this is set to true, the baselinefeature is enabled. The template file has this value set to true. If it is set tofalse, Briefcase Browser does not automatically revision objects. If the attributeis not defined in this file, Briefcase Browser performs automatic revisions as ifthe attribute was set to true.

For more information about the auto_baseline (baseline) feature, see Howautobaseline (auto_baseline) works.

If the briefcase file you are exchanging must contain precise assembly structures,you set the is_precise attribute to true. Set this value to false when impreciseassembly structures are allowed.

You can have any number of release status elements. These become the selectionlist for Release Status in your Briefcase Browser preferences dialog box.

You map custom CAD parts types to OEM types by assigning a custom Itemtype to the items in the TC XML data created for your CAD part. You define thesubtype of the Item type as a helper object, for example:

<helper_object_map custom_type="CADPart" ootb_type="Item"/>

This causes the TC XML data generated for custom CADPart supplier ownedparts to be created as Item objects at the OEM site.

Note The custom item type must be defined in the schema (TCXML.xsd) fileused by Briefcase Browser.

You can have multiple custom types defined in this file. Briefcase Browserlocates the matching custom in the file and maps the file to the defined OEMobject. If a custom type part is not found in the CustomMappings.xml file, thefirst custom type defined in used. If there are no custom types defined, BriefcaseBrowser maps the part to the standard Teamcenter.

cad_to_tc_attribute_map.xmlDefines the mapping of user-defined NX attributes to qualified Teamcenter objectattributes. The user-defined attributes must be part of the configured TC XML


schema (TCXML.xsd file). This allows you to define attributes for qualifiedobjects in addition to the required attributes, for example:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>



<CAD2TC_attribute_mappings xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="cad_to_tc_attribute_map.xsd">

<attribute_mapping cad_part_attr="PART_MATERIAL" tc_attr="nisPartMaterial"

tc_type="CAD--Revision--Master"/><attribute_mapping cad_part_attr="PART_THICKNESS" tc_attr="nisPartThickness"

tc_type="CAD--Revision--Master"/><attribute_mapping cad_part_attr="CALC_WEIGHT" tc_attr="nisCalculationWeight"

tc_type="CAD--Revision--Master"/><attribute_mapping cad_part_attr="CALCULATIVE_COEFFICIENT"

tc_attr="nisCalculativeCoefficient"tc_type="CAD--Revision--Master"/>

<attribute_mapping cad_part_attr="Z_CENTROID" tc_attr="nisGravityZ"tc_type="ItemRevision--Master"/>

<attribute_mapping cad_part_attr="Y_CENTROID" tc_attr="nisGravityY"tc_type="CAD--Revision--Master"/>

<attribute_mapping cad_part_attr="X_CENTROID" tc_attr="nisGravityX"tc_type="CAD--Revision--Master"/>

</CAD2TC_attribute_mappings>

visible-attributes.xmlDefines the attributes that are displayed in Briefcase Browser properties views.By default, Briefcase Browser displays all qualified attributes. If this file ispresent, Briefcase Browser limits the attributes in the properties views to theattributes defined in this file. The following is sample content for this file:

<visible_attributes>

<group name="Item"><attribute ootb_type="Item" name="item_id"/><attribute ootb_type="ItemRevision" name="object_name"/><attribute ootb_type="ItemRevision" name="object_description"/></group>

<group name="Admin"><attribute ootb_type="POM_imc" name="POM_imc"/><attribute ootb_type="Group" name="Group"/><attribute ootb_type="User" name="User"/></group>

</visible_attributes>

attributes_text_locale.xmlDefines the localized values for the language indicated by the name of thedirectory containing the file. The directory name consists of a two-characterlocale and two-character country code such as en_US. The language directoriesmust be in the lang directory in the site’s configuration directory.

For example, the following shows the US English (en_US) and the Japaneselocalization (ja_JP) directories:

configurationsdefaultdashboard_supplierlangen_USja_JP


Briefcase Browser reads the TC XML file content and displays the objectproperty names as defined in the file. The properties are database field namesthat may not be readable by your users. You can use this file to map the databasefield names to usable localized names.

Note Your attributes_text_locale.xml files must be UTF-8 encoded. Theymust also contain the following element as the root XML element inthe file:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?>

If the property names do not display in your locale language, use adifferent text editor for UTF-8 encoding.

The following is sample content for this file in the Japanese locale:



Sample files are provided for each of these configuration files in theexample\bbworkspace\exmple\configurations\example directory.


Chapter

4 Using Briefcase Browser

Open a briefcase file . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1

Open a CAD file (create a new CAD object) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2

Compare briefcase files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3

Modify CAD data from a briefcase file . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3

Synchonize CAD data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4


Chapter

4 Using Briefcase Browser

After you install and configure your Briefcase Browser, start the application as youwould any executable. For example, in Windows, double-click the Briefcase Browserexecutable. After you accept the license agreement, Briefcase Browser displaysthe Welcome dialog box.

It may be helpful to read the information in the first section of this dialog box. Youalso may have access to HTML-based documentation at the Documentation URL.You can access Briefcase Browser preferences by clicking the Edit Preferences linkand modify the configuration if necessary. The preferences are also accessible usingthe Window→Preferences command.

Ensure you clear the Show this Welcome screen at startup box so you can godirectly to your Briefcase Browser perspective in future sessions. Click RunBriefcase Browser or close theWelcome dialog box to display the default BriefcaseBrowser perspective.

Caution If you are working with NX parts or assemblies in a briefcase file,including creating a new briefcase file, the part or assembly must notbe open in NX or any other application that can create a lock on theassociated file. The Briefcase Browser Save Briefcase and Synchronizecommands do not function as intended if a file is locked by anotherapplication. This can cause data inconsistencies in the generatedbriefcase file.

Open a briefcase fileYou can open briefcase files to:

• Add new local supplier parts.• Change existing supplier parts in the structure.• Add a local supplier top assembly to an OEM supplied structure.

To open a briefcase file that was exported to your site from a managed site, anotherunmanaged site, or a file you created:

1. Choose File→Open Briefcase. Alternatively, you can click the open briefcasebutton on the toolbar.

2. In the Select a file representing the briefcase dialog box, browse to the filelocation and click Open.

3. In the Open Briefcase File dialog box, click Choose File, browse to the desiredbriefcase file, and click Open.


Chapter 4 Using Briefcase Browser

4. If you have an existing directory structure for the briefcase file that you want touse, select the Specify different working directory check box, click Choose Dir,browse to the working directory, and click OK. This retrieves any changes thatyou made to existing CAD parts that are owned by your site. Otherwise, clickOK and the directory containing the briefcase file becomes the working directory.

Briefcase Browser displays the selected briefcase file structure in the ExistingStructure tab of the structure view.

Warning The working directory can be a remote directory. However, if thereare multiple Briefcase Browser users in your organization, multipleusers using the same working directory at the same time can resultin a corrupt or invalid briefcase file. To avoid this, ensure that youuse different working directories or that users do not use the sameworking directory at the same time.

Click the Controls/Properties tab to view the schema used for the currentconfiguration. You can also click View on this tab to browse the contents of thecurrent working directory.

Double-click the name tab at the top of the structure view to minimize all otherviews and expand the structure view to the entire size of perspective. Right-clickthe tab and choose Restore to restore the original view.

5. Select an item that has a CAD dataset attached and choose Tools®Launch NX.

Briefcase Browser starts NX and loads the CAD data.

6. In NX, add local parts to the assembly or add OEM owned parts to a localassembly and save the changes.

7. In Briefcase Browser, choose File®Save Briefcase to update the briefcase filewith the CAD changes and required Teamcenter TC XML data.

Open a CAD file (create a new CAD object)You can create a briefcase file based on a CAD assembly or part. Briefcase Browsercreates the required TC XML data to provide a valid briefcase file. Briefcase Browseralso validates the CAD file meets certain requirements and provides an error reportif the requirements are not met. Briefcase Browser does not load files that are notvalid.

1. Choose File→Open CAD Assembly. Alternatively, you can click the Open CADAssembly button on the toolbar.

2. Click Choose File and navigate to the desired CAD part (prt) file and click Open.

Briefcase Browser loads the CAD file into the Existing Structure tab and createsthe required TC XML data including the objects, required attributes, andstructure. The path and file name are shown at the top tabs of the structure view.

Briefcase Browser displays an error report if the file does not pass validation.


Using Briefcase Browser

For information about required attributes and file naming requirements, seeCAD part requirements

3. Choose File→Save Briefcase to save the structure as a briefcase file.Note Briefcase Browser sets the release status for all new CAD parts or

assemblies to the value you select in Release status name list of thePreferences dialog. If you want to use a different value, select the a newvalue from the list before you save the briefcase file.

Compare briefcase filesYou can compare two briefcase files and display the differences in the Red LineStructure tab in the structure view. Briefcase Browser displays deleted objects in redand added objects in green in this tab.

1. Choose File→Open Briefcase, and select the first file. Briefcase Browser loadsthis file into the Existing Structure tab of the structure view.Note This step is not required if you already have a briefcase file loaded.

2. Choose Tools→Compare the briefcase to another briefcase, and select the fileyou want to compare.

Briefcase Browser loads this file into an Proposed Structure tab of the structureview and displays the differences in the Red Line Structure tab. Objects added,removed, and changed in the proposed structure are displayed in different textcolors in the Red Line Structure tab as defined by the briefcase comparisonpreferences in the Preferences dialog box.For more information about how differences are shown, see How to comparebriefcase files.

You can also use the compare button on the Controls/Properties tab to loadthe file to compare.

Modify CAD data from a briefcase file1. Start Briefcase Browser, choose File→Open Briefcase, and select the briefcase

file that contains the CAD data to be modified.

2. In the Existing Structure tab of the structure view, select the object that youwant to modify. Your site must own the object, and it must not be checked out toa remote site. This is indicated by the local item revision icon ( ).


Chapter 4 Using Briefcase Browser

Alternatively, you can choose Tools→Launch to open the CAD object in NX.The briefcase file must saved if it was created in Briefcase Browser.

For how to create a briefcase file in Briefcase Browser see Open a CAD file(create a new CAD object).

3. After you edit the object in NX and save it, select the object name tab in theExisting Structure tab of the structure view click the synchronize button .

4. Click the save briefcase button to save the file. Alternatively, you can chooseFile→Save Briefcase.

The modified CAD data is saved to the briefcase file that can now be sent to themanaged site to be imported into Teamcenter.

Synchonize CAD dataTo update a briefcase file with the modified CAD data from NX, you must synchronizethe file to get the modified CAD data into the briefcase file.

1. Ensure the tab for the briefcase file that has modified NX objects is selected inthe Existing Structure tab of the structure view.

2. Choose Tools→Synchronize or click the synchronize button .

Briefcase Browser updates the CAD data in the briefcase file with the modifiedCAD data. You must save the briefcase file (File→Save Briefcase) beforeclosing it or exiting Briefcase Browser to maintain the updated CAD data inthe briefcase file.


Chapter

5 Customizing Briefcase Browser

What you need to know and what you can customize . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-1

Create a plug-in project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-1

Create a class extension . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3

Create a file launcher extension . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4

Create a synchronizer extension . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5


Chapter

5 Customizing Briefcase Browser

What you need to know and what you can customizeYou must have an understanding of how to create an Eclipse plug-in to customizeBriefcase Browser. After you create an Eclipse plug-in project for your customization,you can create extensions for any Briefcase Browser classes, the file launcher,and the synchronizer. You must set up an Eclipse project for your customizations;the process is slightly different for each type of customization (file launcher,synchronizer, preopen, postopen, presave, and postsave).

Create a plug-in project1. Ensure that you have the correct Eclipse IDE version:

a. Start Briefcase Browser and choose Help®About.

b. Click Installation Details at the bottom of the About Briefcase Browserdialog box.


Chapter 5 Customizing Briefcase Browser

c. In the Briefcase Browser Installation Details dialog box, locate the versionfor the Eclipse RCP feature. This is the version required to customize yourversion of Briefcase Browser.

2. Create your plug-in project:

a. Start your Eclipse IDE and choose New®Project.

b. In the New Project dialog box double-click the Plug-in Project wizard.

c. In the Plug-In Project pane, type a name for your project in the Project namebox. Modify any other desired settings and click Next.

d. Modify any desired settings in the Content pane and click Finish.

3. Add a Briefcase Browser plug-in reference:

a. Right-click in the Package Explorer pane and choose Import.

b. In the Import dialog box, expand Plug-in Development and double-clickPlug-ins and Fragments.Eclipse starts the Import Plug-ins and Fragments wizard.

c. In the Import Plug-ins and Fragments pane, select the Directory option,browse to the plugins directory of your Briefcase Browser installation, andclick Next.

d. In the Selection pane, type com.teamcenter.bce in the Filter AvailablePlug-ins and Fragments box, select the following plug-ins, click Add—>,and click Finish.• com.teamcenter.bce.core


Customizing Briefcase Browser

• com.teamcenter.bce.editor

• com.teamcenter.bce.model

4. Add Briefcase Browser plug-in dependencies:

a. In the Package Explorer tab, expand META-INF and double-clickMANIFEST.MF.

Eclipse displays the extension project Overview tab.

b. Click the Dependencies tab at the bottom of the center pane and click theAdd button for the Required Plug-ins list.

c. In the Plug-in Selection dialog box, type com.teamcenter.bce in the Select aPlug-in box to filter on the Briefcase Browser plug-ins, select the matchingitems, and click OK.

d. Choose File®Save to save the changes to the projectMETA-INF/MANIFEST.MFfile.

Create a class extensionThe class extension provides the class to call to access your other customizations.

1. Expand the project to the META-INF folder in the Package Explorer tab, anddouble-click MANIFEST.MF.

2. Click the Extensions tab at the bottom of the center pane, and click Add inthe Extensions pane.

3. In the Extension Point Selection dialog box, type com.teamcenter.bce in theExtension Point filter box to filter on the Briefcase Browser extensions.

4. In the Extension Points list, select the extension point for the class you want toextend and click Finish.

5. In the All Extensions pane, select the extension point child node (the extensionpoint selected in the previous step, see the following figure) and click class inthe Extension Element Details pane.

Eclipse displays the New Java Class dialog box.

6. Set the desired values and options for the new Java class and click Finish.

Caution You can modify the Interfaces box contents; however it must containthe reference to the selected extension point that Eclipse adds bydefault. Do not remove this reference.


Chapter 5 Customizing Briefcase Browser

Create a file launcher extensionCreate a file launcher if you want to launch an application to view or process aparticular file type when the user clicks it.

1. Create an icons folder in your Eclipse plug-ins project (choose New®Folder).This creates a directory in your customization project structure in the file system.Add the icon you want to use in the toolbar for your file launcher to this directory.

Caution Ensure you include the icons directory in the binary build.

2. Expand the project to the META-INF folder in the Package Explorer tab, anddouble-click MANIFEST.MF.

3. Click the Extensions tab at the bottom of the center pane, and click Add inthe Extensions pane.

4. In the Extension Point Selection dialog box, type com.teamcenter.bce in theExtension Point filter box to filter on the Briefcase Browser extensions.

5. In the Extension Points list, select com.teamcenter.bce.extension.FileLauncherand click Finish.

6. In the All Extensions pane, select the launcher child node of thecom.teamcenter.bce.extension.FileLauncher extension (see the following figure)and click Browse in the Extension Element Details pane.

Browse to the location of an icon file that you want to use as the toolbar iconfor the launcher.

7. In the All Extensions pane, select the file-type child node of thecom.teamcenter.bce.extension.FileLauncher extension and type the fileextension in the extension box in the Extension Element Details pane.

If you want to add more than one file launcher, enter a priority integer in thepriority box.

The extension indicates the type of file this launcher opens.

A priority value of 1 is the highest priority. The priority value is used todetermine which launcher to use by default when the file type is included inmore than one launcher.

8. To add additional file types to a launcher, right-click the launcher child node inthe All Extensions pane and choose New®file-type.

Eclipse adds a new file-type child node to the file launcher. Repeat the previousstep for the new file-type child node.


Customizing Briefcase Browser

Create a synchronizer extensionCreate a synchronizer extension if you want Briefcase Browser to be able to open aparticular file type and create a briefcase file from it.

1. Create an icons folder in your Eclipse plug-ins project (choose New®Folder).This creates a directory in your customization project structure in the filesystem. Add the icon you want to use as the toolbar and menu command iconfor the synchronizer to this directory.

Caution Ensure you include the icons directory in the binary build.

2. Expand the project to the META-INF folder in the Package Explorer tab anddouble-click MANIFEST.MF.

3. Click the Extensions tab at the bottom of the center pane and click Add in theExtensions pane.

4. In the Extension Point Selection dialog box, type com.teamcenter.bce in theExtension Point filter box to filter the Briefcase Browser extensions.

5. In the Extension Points list, select com.teamcenter.bce.extension.Synchronizerand click Finish.

6. In the All Extensions pane, select the synchronizer child node of thecom.teamcenter.bce.extension.Synchronizer extension (see the followingfigure) and in the Extension Element Details pane:

• Type the extension for the type of file in a dataset that can be opened fromthe Briefcase Browser Open dialog box or can be synchronized using theBriefcase Browser Refresh button.

• Browse to the location of an icon file that you want to use as the toolbar andmenu command icon for the synchronizer.


Chapter

6 Troubleshooting and migratingto an unmanaged site

Troubleshooting Briefcase Browser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1How do I fix an unhandled exception error? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2Can I run both 32-bit and 64-bit Teamcenter applications on the samehost? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2

What causes null pointer exceptions when using Briefcase Browser? . . . . . 6-2What causes unexplained errors in Briefcase Browser? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2What causes license errors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3

Migrate a supplier site from a managed to unmanaged site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3


Chapter

6 Troubleshooting and migratingto an unmanaged site

Troubleshooting Briefcase BrowserIf you encounter an error or unexpected results when installing, configuring, andusing Briefcase Browser, check these topics for information about resolving theissue. If you are unable to correct the problem with the information provided or youcannot find a topic related to your problem, contact the Global Technical AccessCenter (GTAC). You can access GTAC at:


If you encounter:

• An unhandled exception in Briefcase Browser, see How do I fix an unhandledexception error?.

• A failure when opening a CAD assembly from Briefcase Browser on a 64-bitoperating system, see Can I run both 32-bit and 64-bit Teamcenter applicationson the same host?.

• A failure when using a menu option or a button in Briefcase Browser, see Whatcauses null pointer exceptions when using Briefcase Browser?.

• A failure when opening or saving a CAD assembly in Briefcase Browser whenanother CAD product is installed on the same host as NX, see What causesunexplained errors in Briefcase Browser?.

• An error message when you start Briefcase Browser that indicates there is aproblem with the license, see What causes license errors.

• An error message when saving a briefcase file that contains new parts, see CADpart requirements.

• A message indicating that the ug_clone utility will not start because of an errorinitializing the pdi_corba_client library in SOA IIOP mode, ensure the libraryexists in the TC_ROOT directory. If it does not exist, locate a copy of this libraryand paste it into the TC_ROOT directory.

If your site:

• Has sent data to a Teamcenter (managed) site prior to using Briefcase Browser

• Is defined at the Teamcenter as an offline (managed) site


Chapter 6 Troubleshooting and migrating to an unmanaged site

You must perform an unmanaged site migration for the previously sent data to avoiderrors and unexpected results.

For information about unmanaged site migration, see Migrate a supplier site from amanaged to unmanaged site.

How do I fix an unhandled exception error?

If you encounter an error message in the Briefcase Browser error log similar tothe following:

Unhandled event loop exception

A third-party tool may be hijacking the Java process environment.

To resolve this issue, remove the third-party tool or change the JAVA_ARGS orJAVA_OPTS environment variable values to the Briefcase Browser requiredsettings.

Can I run both 32-bit and 64-bit Teamcenter applications on the samehost?

You run either 32-bit or 64-bit Briefcase Browser and NX applications on a 64-bitoperating system. However, both applications must be of the same bit size becausethey run in the same Java virtual memory (JVM). Therefore, if your JVM is 32-bit,both of your Teamcenter applications must be 32-bit, and if your JVM is 64-bit, bothof your Teamcenter application must be 64-bit.

What causes null pointer exceptions when using Briefcase Browser?

Briefcase Browser is an Eclipse-based Java application. The Java RuntimeEnvironment (JRE) must be compatible with the Java version used to compileBriefcase Browser. For Teamcenter 10, Briefcase Browser requires JRE 7 (Java1.7 update 7).

If you encounter unexplained errors in Briefcase Browser, you may be running anincompatible JRE version. Ensure that you have JRE 7 update 7 installed and itslocation is in your PATH environment variable.

If the JRE version and PATH variable are correct ensure that you copied orextracted the JRE contents into the directory that contains your Briefcase Browserapplication (BriefcaseBrowser.exe) during the installation procedure.

What causes unexplained errors in Briefcase Browser?

Unexplained errors are normally a configuration issue. Ensure that you have theUGII_ROOT_DIR, UGII_BASE_DIR, and PATH environment variables setproperly as described in the installation instructions and that you have the JREinstalled and configured as described in What causes null pointer exceptions whenusing Briefcase Browser?.

If you have another CAD product, such as Pro/ENGINEER, installed on the samehost as your NX application, add the UGII_ROOT_DIR environment variable to thefront of the PATH environment variable.


Troubleshooting and migrating to an unmanaged site

What causes license errorsBriefcase Browsers supports a node locked license. This license is supplied througha license file that you normally obtain from the Global Technical Access Center(GTAC):


If you have not renamed this file correctly and placed it in the proper location,Briefcase Browser cannot connect to the license server:

Ensure that you have correctly performed the following steps during the installationprocedure:

1. Obtain a Briefcase Browser license file from GTAC.

2. Rename the file bc_browser_license.lic.

3. Copy the license file to thedesired-directory\32-or-64-bit\BB\10.1.0\bbworkspace\configurationsdirectory.

This file must contain specific content. If you get the following error when you startBriefcase Browser, the license file does not contain the required bc_browsr_strt_licmodule.

For instructions on resolving this issue, contact GTAC.

Migrate a supplier site from a managed to unmanaged siteYou can change a supplier site that has previously been defined as a managed site inTeamcenter to an unmanaged site without causing any data errors for previouslytransferred data. This procedure designates the site migrating to an unmanaged siteas the supplier site and the OEM site as a managed site.

1. At the supplier site, identify all assemblies that were sent to the OEM site.

2. Ensure that any shared data is not checked out to a remote site.

3. Create new revisions for all shared items:


Chapter 6 Troubleshooting and migrating to an unmanaged site

a. Turn off the smart baseline feature by changing the value of theITEM_smart_baseline preference to 0.

For information about creating and using preferences, see the Rich ClientInterface Guide.

b. At the supplier site, create a baseline of the supplier data that has beensent to the OEM site.

All new revisions occur in the migrated unmanaged site. Shared objects havemultiple revisions, and OEM replica parts are not baselined.

4. If the supplier site is a hub site, in the Organization application, clear the Is aHub check box for the supplier site.

5. At the supplier site, export all supplier owned objects to a briefcase file.

a. Choose Tools®Export®To Briefcase.

b. Select the unmanaged site and click the Display/Set remote export optionsbutton .

c. In the TIEConfiguredExportDefault dialog box, select the Replica Bypasscheck box.

Note You may have to scroll down to access the check box.

6. Export all baseline assemblies for migration. This includes:

• New baseline assemblies that were previously sent.


Troubleshooting and migrating to an unmanaged site

• Supplier-owned data.

• OEM replica data that must be preserved.

7. Install Briefcase Browser at the supplier site being migrated using the same siteID as the managed site for the unmanaged site.

8. In Briefcase Browser, extract all briefcase files in the migration workingdirectory.

9. Confirm the briefcase files extracted meet the OEM requirements.

Notify the Teamcenter administrator at the OEM site that the briefcase fileoutput is as expected.

10. In the Organization application at the OEM site, modify the previously managedsupplier site by selecting the Unmanaged option for the site.

11. At the unmanaged supplier site, use Briefcase Browser to add parts to newassemblies. You can copy the required .prt files to a new working directory andcreate briefcase files based on them.

12. Transfer briefcase files to the OEM and import them into Teamcenter usingTools®Import®From Briefcase.


Appendix

A Glossary


Appendix

A Glossary

B

baselineCollection of items and the relationships between the items that is established toensure their continued existence. It enables their configuration to be reconstructedand audited. Baselines are often created to preserve the state of a design at aparticular checkpoint. You can baseline precise or imprecise structures.

BOM view revision (BVR)Workspace object that stores the single-level assembly structure of an item revision.Access can be controlled on the structure (BOM view revision) independently ofother data. BOM view revisions are meaningful only in the context of the itemrevisions for which they are created.

BVRSee BOM view revision (BVR).

D

datasetTeamcenter workspace object used to manage data files created by other softwareapplications. Each dataset can manage multiple operating system files, and eachdataset references a dataset tool object and a dataset business object.

I

imprecise assemblySingle-level assembly that has items as the components. The revision is determinedby the revision rule settings. Compare with precise assembly.

M

managed siteSupplier site that uses Teamcenter to manage product data. A supplier site maybe online (participates in a Data Exchange or Multi-Site environment) or offline(transfers data using briefcase files). Compare with unmanaged site.

master objectControlling object in a Multi-Site Collaboration network.

When an object is created and saved, that instance is the master object until itis exported with transfer of ownership. There can be only one master object in aMulti-Site Collaboration network, and only the master object can be modified. If

PLM00195 C Teamcenter Briefcase Browser Guide A-1

Appendix A Glossary

a master object is replicated, it cannot be deleted until all replicated objects aredeleted.

O

offline siteSite that does not have a network connection to other Teamcenter sites that isrequired for them to participate in a Data Exchange or Multi-Site environment.Offline sites must transfer product data to other sites by exporting the data to afile system in a format supported by Teamcenter, such as TC XML (briefcase file)or PLM XML.

owning siteMulti-Site Collaboration site where the master object resides. The owning site is theonly site where the object can be modified.

P

partBusiness item that is managed in a company’s part releasing system.

precise assemblySingle-level assembly that has item revisions as the components. The item revisionis configured by a precise entry in a revision rule. Compare with imprecise assembly.

R

release statusStatus associated with a workspace object when it is released through a workflowprocess.

replicaReplication is the act of creating an exact copy of an object, known as a replica, at aspecific site. Replicas are objects that are not owned by the local Teamcenter site.

S

schemaObject that defines the basic structure of elements and attributes used in a topic.Types of schemas include: DTD, character entity map, example content, SGMLcatalog file, SGML declaration file, and SGML DTD.

siteIndividual installation of Teamcenter comprising a single Teamcenter database,all users accessing that database, and additional resources such as hardware,networking capabilities, and third-party software applications (tools) required toimplement Teamcenter at that site.

site IDUnique identifier of a Teamcenter site. The site ID is used to generate internalidentifiers for Teamcenter objects that must be unique throughout an enterprise.Once established, site IDs should not be modified.

A-2 Teamcenter Briefcase Browser Guide PLM00195 C

Glossary

structureRepresentation of multiple objects and their interdependencies. For example, aclassification structure represents classes and their inheritance dependencies, andan assembly structure represents how components and subassemblies are associatedto build up an assembly. The structure can be viewed in several applications,including Structure Manager, Manufacturing Process Planner, Part Planner,Multi-Structure Manager, and Resource Manager.

In Resource Manager, most structures are hierarchical. For example, they acquirethe form of a tree where each node can have only one parent but multiple siblingsand children.

stubProxy object that is used to represent an object that is excluded while exporting alarger object such as an item or an assembly.

T

TC XMLXML format used to import and export Teamcenter data into and out of a Teamcentersite. For example, this format is required for Data Exchange transfers and allowsmapping of objects between two sites that have different data models.

U

unmanaged siteSupplier site that does not use Teamcenter to manage product data. These sites arealways offline and use Briefcase Browser and briefcase files to manage and transferproduct data. Compare with managed site. See also offline site.

W

workflowAutomation of the concept that all work flows through one or more businessprocesses to accomplish an objective. Using workflow, documents, information, andtasks are passed between participants during the completion of a particular process.

PLM00195 C Teamcenter Briefcase Browser Guide A-3

Index

BBasic concepts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-8Basic tasks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-14bce directory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-9Briefcase BrowserButtons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6Menus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5Symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-7Tabs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-7

Ccad_to_tc_attribute_map.xml file . . . . . . 3-5configurations directory . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3Configuring Briefcase Browser . . . . . . . . 3-1CustomMappings.xml file . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3

EEdit preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1example directory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8

FFilescad_to_tc_attribute_map.xml . . . . . . . 3-5

CustomMappings.xml . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3localization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6site-id.properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3TCXML.xsd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3, 3-5visible-attributes.xml . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6

LLocalization file . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6

SSample configuration files . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8site-id.properties file . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3

TTCXML.xsd file . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3, 3-5

Vvisible-attributes.xml file . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6

WWelcome dialog box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1

PLM00195 C Teamcenter Briefcase Browser Guide Index-1

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