Teamcenter 10.

Structure Manager Guide

Publication Number
PLM00048 J
Proprietary and restricted rights notice

This software and related documentation are proprietary to Siemens Product

Lifecycle Management Software Inc.
© 2013 Siemens Product Lifecycle Management Software Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Siemens and the Siemens logo are registered trademarks of Siemens AG. Teamcenter
is a trademark or registered trademark of Siemens Product Lifecycle Management
Software Inc. or its subsidiaries in the United States and in other countries. All
other trademarks, registered trademarks, or service marks belong to their respective
holders.

2 Structure Manager Guide PLM00048 J

Contents

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

Getting started with Structure Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1

Getting started with Structure Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1
Before you begin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1
Structure Manager interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
Basic concepts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-30
Basic tasks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-42

Configuring Structure Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1

Configuring Structure Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
Setting your local user preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
Configure the structure line title format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3
Setting administrative preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4
Setting the viewer memory allocation and Java heap size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-6

Browsing product structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-1

Browsing product structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-1
Viewing the structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-1
Viewing product structure properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4
Insert or remove a property column . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4
Setting find numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4
Open a structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5
Expanding or collapsing an assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-7
Sorting the structure tree . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10
Select structure lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10
Packing or unpacking structure lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-11
Creating aggregate occurrences and defining quantity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-13
Finding a component by property . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-14
Adding components using the guided component search . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-15
Make product structure searches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-17
Create a structure report in Microsoft Excel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-17
Printing Teamcenter objects in Teamcenter Rapid Start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-19
Printing structure information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-21
Print structure information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-21
Print property information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-21
Print table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-23
Viewing standard notes and custom notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-23
Opening a structure in NX or Teamcenter lifecycle visualization . . . . . . . . . . . 3-24
Interpreting transform data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-26
Communicating with the owning user . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-28
Viewing remote components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-29
Show connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-34
View welds and datum points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-34

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Building and editing product structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1

Building and editing product structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Cloning a structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Create an item from a template . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4
Creating a new BOM view revision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5
Using Save As to save a BOM view revision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-6
Saving and refreshing the product structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-7
Adding components to the product structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-8
Restructuring and editing the product structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-14
Highlighting edits to the structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-22
Marking up the product structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-24
Defining units of measure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-49
Managing global alternates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-50
Changing components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-52
Defining substitute components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-55
Add or remove optional parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-61
Exporting a product structure containing related parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-61
Export a product structure to Briefcase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-61
Export datasets with structure information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-62
Add parts to NX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-64
Using item elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-65
Creating connections and links . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-67
Creating and editing notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-68
Deleting items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-69
Grading structures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-70
Save structure change records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-75
Link requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-75
Searching the data dictionary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-80
Releasing structures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-94
BOM session recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-97

Working with occurrences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-1

Working with occurrences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-1
Occurrence elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-1
Creating precise and imprecise occurrences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Using absolute occurrences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Managing absolute occurrences (in-context editing) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8

Managing properties and notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1

Managing properties and notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Displaying properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Creating and editing display names . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9
Managing column configurations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-10
View properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-12
Modify common properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-12
Editing a single property in place . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-14
Adding a compound property . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-15
Displaying item master form attributes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-15
Creating structure properties rollup reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-16
Using the Variant Formula property . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-19
Displaying occurrence notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-22
Editing and copying occurrence notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-23

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Tracking occurrence note changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-24

Visualizing product structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1

Visualizing product structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Using stand-alone Lifecycle Visualization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Viewing a structure in Lifecycle Visualization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-2
Using the embedded viewer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-2
Understanding the structure tree . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-6
Synchronizing the structure tree and the viewer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-7
Isolate parts for viewing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-8
Generate an outline image . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-8
Manipulate graphics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-9
Save the current session . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-10
Working with product views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-10
Manipulating subcomponents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-20

Making where-used searches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1

Making where-used searches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ........ . . 8-1
Configuring for where-used searches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ........ . . 8-1
Perform a where-used search and obtain a graphical result . . . . ........ . . 8-4
Perform a where-used search with the print wizard and obtain a printable
result . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ........ . . 8-5

Making spatial and attribute searches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-1

Making spatial and attribute searches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-1
Configuring spatial searches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Perform a search . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Managing search results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-13

Comparing product structures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-1

Comparing product structures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-1
Understanding product structure (BOM) comparisons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-1
Understanding graphical comparisons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-7
Comparing structures under change management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-9

Using item revision configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-1

Using item revision configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-1
Understanding revision rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-1
Configuring privileged and unprivileged users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-6
Creating a revision rule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-6
Defining revision rule entries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-8
Applying a revision rule to a Structure Manager window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-18
Set a revision rule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-18
Set date/unit/end item . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-18
Set an override folder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-19
Viewing revision rule information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-20
Displaying and editing revision effectivity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-21
Releasing multiple item revisions in a single workflow process . . . . . . . . . . . 11-23
Managing nested effectivity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-23
Using revision rules from My Teamcenter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-29
Managing occurrence to part relationships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-29

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Capturing configurations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-1

Capturing configurations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-1

Managing incremental changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-1

Managing incremental changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-1
Elements of incremental change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-1
Setting up incremental change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-3
Creating an incremental change baseline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-6
Viewing properties of incremental change data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-9
Using incremental change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-10
Enable and disable incremental change management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-12
Turn off incremental change tracking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-12
Customize buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-13
Create a new incremental change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-13
Showing unconfigured changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-15
Find and make active an existing change object . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-15
View or edit information about an incremental change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-16
View incremental changes for a structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-16
Find recently used change objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-17
Track attachments with incremental changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-17
Track changes retrospectively . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-18
Remove incremental changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-19
Split an incremental change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-20
Exporting and importing incremental change data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-20

Configuring structures by occurrence effectivity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-1

Configuring structures by occurrence effectivity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-1
Understanding occurrence effectivity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-1
Associate existing effectivity to an occurrence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-3
Create effectivity on multiple occurrences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-4
Modify the effectivity of an occurrence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-4
Remove effectivity from an occurrence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-5
Copying occurrences with effectivity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-5
Setting the date for occurrence effectivity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-6
Configuring occurrences with multi-unit configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-6
Customizing occurrence effectivity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-10

Configuring structures by classic variants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-1

Configuring structures by classic variants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-1
Elements of classic variants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-2
View and edit variant data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-2
Configure to load . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-3
Using classic variants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-4
Configuring mandatory choices and accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-8
Identifying unique variant data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-9
Identifying unique options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-9
Placing variant data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-10
Managing variant data by control change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-11
Changing the allowed values of an option . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-11
Sharing structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-12
Configuring complex variant conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-13
Creating a separate item for a particular variant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-14

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Using saved variant rules or default and derived values . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-15

Creating substitutes of a variant component . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-15
Populating variant data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-15
Find the location of variant data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-17
Working with options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-18
Working with variant conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-20
Working with variant rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-25
Working with variant rules in the database . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-27
Working with variant rule checks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-30
Working with option defaults . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-31
Saving, refreshing, and copying variant data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-34
Working with variant items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-34

Configuring structures by modular variants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-1

Configuring structures by modular variants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-1
Modular variants terminology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-2
Using modular variants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-3
Viewing and creating option and variant data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-12
Configuring a variant structure by setting variant rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-33
Creating and searching for variant items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-38

Working with platform designs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-1

Working with platform designs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-1
Create global options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-1
Add an architecture element to a design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-2
Adding a new component in the installation assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-2
Replace a design in a product . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-2
Replace part in product . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-4
Creating an audit report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-4
Remove a design from a product . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-6

Working with projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-1

Working with projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-1
Assigning objects to projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-1
Remove objects from projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-3

Administering the product structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-1

Administering the product structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-1
Managing BOM view types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-1
Setting assembly preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-3
Create occurrence note types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-5
Configuring modular variants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-6
Configuring incremental change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-8
Using default revision rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-9
Importing remote components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-12
Apply a vendor parts selection rule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-12
Configure units of measure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-12

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

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

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Figures

Item revision configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-40

Multiple views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-41
Simplified example of product structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Example of product structure with relative transformation matrixes . . . 3-27
Example of product structure with relative and absolute transformation
matrixes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-28
Example of saving in multiple windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-7
Global alternates – single direction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-50
Global alternates – multiple alternates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-50
Global alternates – nonsharing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-51
Global alternates – chaining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-51
Before pasting assembly E in NX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-65
After pasting assembly E in NX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-65
Sample product structure with relative occurrences only . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4
Sample product structure with absolute occurrences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
Tracking changes to absolute occurrences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-7
Absolute occurrences in a structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Attaching visualization files to items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-15
Propagate override data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-16
Where-used search results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-3
Example results of structure comparison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-6
Nested effectivity 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-26
Nested effectivity 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-26
Nested effectivity 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-27
Product generations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-28
Occurrence effectivity rule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-2
Mutually exclusive effectivity ranges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-3
Creating variant data on the structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-5
Defining a variant rule check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-6
Defining derived values . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-7
Unique options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-10
Allowed values of an option . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-11
Changing option allowed values . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-12
Shared structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-13
Creating an item for a variant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-14
Populating variant data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-17
Structure of engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-35
Structure of engine with option values . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-36
Configured structure of engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-36
VI for engine structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-36
Lower level variant items in engine structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-37
Structure of assembly and options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-3
Presenting options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-5
Creating external options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-10
New option definition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-17
Edit option dialog box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-17
Present option dialog box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-18
Presented child option in data pane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-19
Error checks dialog box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-19
Error check in data pane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-20
Constraints dialog box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-21

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Constraints dialog box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-22

Child module constraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-23
Variant condition dialog box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-24
Condition statements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-24
Complex constraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-25
Saved MVL expression . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-25
Public options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-34
Saving a variant configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-37
Mapping options to expressions in NX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-49

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Manager

Getting started with Structure Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1

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

Structure Manager interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2

Structure Manager menus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3
File menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3
Edit menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6
View menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-8
Tools menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-10
Graphics menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-18
Structure line context menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-19
Structure Manager buttons and symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-22
Structure Manager tabs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-26
Structure Manager structure tree images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-27
Rich client perspectives and views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-30

Basic concepts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-30

Navigating the structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-31
Product structure elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-31
Creating product structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-33
Understanding items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-34
Working with items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-34
Navigating the structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-35
Where used . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-35
Compare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-35
Find in structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-36
Nonspatial searches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-36
Fast searches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-36
Understanding BOM view revisions, view types, and multiple views . . . . . 1-37
Setting a default view type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-38
Setting access control on view types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-38
Understanding precise and imprecise assemblies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-38
Creating multiple views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-41
Locating multiple views in the product structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-41

Basic tasks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-42

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Getting started with Structure Manager

Structure Manager allows you to create generic product structures that can be
configured to show the product structure at a particular time or for a certain unit,
for example:
• The current production design of the product

• The product structure that was effective on a certain date

• A particular customer variant

By creating a single generic structure that can be configured according to a particular

user’s needs, you avoid duplicating assembly structures, with all the associated
problems of maintenance, redundant information, and complexity of searches.
Structure Manager displays your product structure in a multilevel indented list
format, making it easy to browse. This list is similar to the bill of materials (BOM)
that engineering organizations use to list manufacturing information.
Structure Manager interoperates with other applications that define or use the
product structure, including Platform Designer, DesignContext, Multi-Structure
Manager, Manufacturing Process Planner, and Part Planner.

Before you begin

Prerequisites You do not need any special permissions to use the Structure
Manager application.
Enable Structure Manager does not need to be enabled before you use
Structure it. However, certain optional features of Structure Manager
Manager must be selected during installation, including visualization and
embedded software management.
Configure You must set various preferences (options) to configure the user
Structure interface and certain default functions before using Structure
Manager Manager.
For more information about configuring Structure Manager, see
Configuring Structure Manager.

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Start Structure
Manager Click Structure Manager in the navigation pane.

Structure Manager interface

The left-hand navigation bar of Structure Manager contains:
• The standard Search and Quick Links features provided with all rich client
applications. Click MyView/Markup to view any BOM markups on the currently
selected line.

• Open Items
Provides a list of currently open BOM windows or structures. Click an entry in
the list to select and make it active.

• History
Provides a list of BOM windows or structures that you have recently opened.
Click an entry in the list to select and make it active.

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1 Structure navigation tree Allows you to navigate the product structure,

expanding or collapsing nodes to view the
appropriate data. The images in the tree
indicate the purpose of each node.
For more information, see Structure Manager
structure tree images. The properties columns
to the right of the identifier can be tailored
to your needs, as described in Managing
properties and notes.
2 Data panes Allow you to view data about the selected line.
To display a different data pane, click its tab.
For more information, see Structure Manager
tabs.
3 Search area Allows you to search for a structure and
configure it with commonly used data.
For more information, see Structure Manager
buttons and symbols.
4 Incremental change Shows the current incremental change (if
management area one is applied) and allows you to manage the
incremental change data.
For more information, see Managing
incremental changes.
5 Status symbols Show the current status of the selected line.
For more information, see Structure Manager
buttons and symbols.

Structure Manager uses the Teamcenter rich client interface.

For general information about the rich client interface, see Getting Started with
Teamcenter and the Rich Client Interface Guide.
Not all of the following menu commands and buttons may be visible on your system,
as the administrator can hide or reveal only those commands and buttons that
are appropriate for your site.
For more information about the Embedded Software Explorer, Signal Manager, and
Connection Manager commands, see the Embedded Software Solutions Guide.
Note For information about the Window menu commands, see the Rich Client
Interface Guide.

Structure Manager menus

File menu

Command Description
New→Item Creates a new item, functionality, or document.

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Command Description
New→BOM View Revision Creates a new BOM view revision for the selected
line.
New→Workflow Process Creates a new change process for the selected
structure.
New→Part Creates a new part.
New→Design Creates a new design, that is, a CAD representation
of a part or assembly.
New→Snapshot Creates a new snapshot of the selected structure.
New→Item Element Creates a new item element (GDE) and associates
it with the selected line.
New→Connection Creates a new revisable connection (for example,
connection or datum point) or nonrevisable (Tc Link)
connection. To associate the connection with the
connected objects, select the connection and objects,
and then choose Edit→Connect.
New→Manufacturing Creates a new manufacturing feature, for example, a
Feature weld point.
New→Interface Definition Creates a new interface (for example, connection or
network port) and associates it with the selected line.
New→Process Variable Creates a new process variable.
New→Signal Creates a new electrical signal.
New→Item From Template Creates a new item or item revision from a predefined
template.
New→Folder Creates a graphical representation of an aggregation
of objects.
New→Dataset Creates a Teamcenter data object used to manage
data files created by other software applications.
Each dataset can manage multiple operating system
files, and each dataset references a dataset tool object
and a dataset business object.
New→Form Creates a data object used to display product
information (properties) in a predefined template.
Forms can be used to create an electronic facsimile
of a hardcopy form.
New→URL Creates a data object used to access a Web resource.
The URL (uniform resource locator) is an address
that is used as a link to access a Web resource within
Teamcenter or in a separate browser.
New→Data Requirement Allows you to create a data requirement item (DRI) if
Item you are working with contract data.

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Command Description
New→Parameter Allow you to use the Calibration and Configuration
Management→Parameter Data Management (CCDM) solution to create
Definition and manage embedded software calibration and
configuration parameter data. CCDM is a separately
New→Parameter licensed solution that must be installed to expose
Management→Parameter these commands.
Definition Group
For detailed information about CCDM, see the
New→Software Design Embedded Software Solutions Guide.
Component
Open (Ctrl+O) Opens the selected structure.
Open in NX Sends PLM XML data representing the geometry of
the selected assembly to NX.
Open in Lifecycle Loads DirectModel datasets for the selected
Visualization lines and displays them in standalone Lifecycle
Visualization.
Save (Ctrl+S) Saves changes made in Structure Manager. For
example, you must explicitly save any new BOM
lines or variants.
If there are unsaved changes, the title pane of the
Structure Manager window and the tooltip for any
open pane are shown in bold with an asterisk *
appended to the name. When you save the changes,
the bold highlight and the asterisk are removed.
Save As→Item (Revision) Depending on the currently selected line, creates a
new item or new item revision from the selected line.
Save As→BOMView If a view is currently selected, creates a new structure
(Revision) view of an item from the view in the selected line.
If an item is currently selected, creates a new BOM
view revision of the selected item.
For detailed information, see Using Save As to save a
BOM view revision.
Save Session Saves the current Teamcenter session, including the
top-level item revision, the effective revision rules,
and the state of the viewer pane.
Note By default, this menu entry is hidden.
To make it visible, you must set the
enableSessionFile entry in your
customer.properties file to true. If this file
does not already exist, you must create it.
Open Session Opens a previously saved Teamcenter session.
Revise Revises the selected item.

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Command Description
Duplicate Clones the selected structure or assembly. The
selected line and everything below it will be copied
into the new (cloned) structure. Datasets and
attachments may be copied to the new (cloned)
structure, depending on Business Modeler IDE
deep copy rules. CAD-specific attachments and
relationships may be copied depending on options
you selected and the closure rules configured for the
CAD integration. For example, part family members
may be replicated in the new (cloned) structure.
For detailed information, see Cloning a structure.
Note This command is unavailable if you select
an architecture object type or subtype, for
example, architecture breakdown element
(ABE). However, you can duplicate any
custom object types that your administrator
creates.
Close Closes the currently displayed structure.
Print Views, prints, or saves information about the
currently selected structure.
Print... Views, prints or saves properties, textual information,
graphics or information associated with the selected
item.
Exit Ends your Structure Manager session.

Note By default, the Open in NX and Open in Lifecycle Visualization commands

and the corresponding buttons on the toolbar may be hidden. To show these
commands and buttons, you must set the TC_show_open_in_NX_button
and TC_show_open_in_vmu_button preferences, respectively, to ON.

Edit menu

Command Description
Cut (Ctrl+X) Marks the selected lines for removal and copy their
contents to the clipboard. Cut lines are only removed once
they are pasted elsewhere in the product structure.
Copy (Ctrl+C) Copies the selected lines to the clipboard.
Paste (Ctrl+V) Pastes item revisions from the clipboard as components
of the selected lines.
Paste Substitute Pastes item revisions from the clipboard as substitutes for
the selected (assembly) lines.

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Command Description
Paste Special Pastes components on the clipboard to the selected
assembly (line).
Depending on the contents of the clipboard, this command
may move a cut and pending line or lines to another
location in the product structure. You can also move lines
by drag-and-drop methods or with the Windows shortcut
commands.
Add Adds components to the selected assembly (line) by typing
in an item identifier.
Revert Edit Cancels any pending additions or removals of the selected
lines. It also cancels any pending property edits.
Note Certain edits are committed immediately to the
database and cannot be reverted. Such edits are
not displayed in red strike-through text.

You can also revert edits by right-clicking the affected line

and choosing Revert Edit.
Revert All Cancels all pending additions or removals of lines anywhere
in the structure. It also cancels any pending property edits.
Note Certain edits are committed immediately to the
database and cannot be reverted. Such edits are
not displayed in red strike-through text.
Split Occurrence Divides an assembly or part represented by the selected
line into two lines, and splits the quantity between them.
Insert Level Creates a new item and insert it as a branch of the selected
line.
Replace Replaces the selected line with the item revision or item
element on the clipboard.
Replace... Allows you to browse for an item revision to replace the
selected line.
Change To Replace Changes separate deletion and addition actions to a single
replacement action.
Remove (Ctrl+R) Removes the selected lines from the product structure. Any
child branches of the removed line are moved up to the
next level. Data including occurrences notes and absolute
occurrences attached to the removed line are lost.
Delete Deletes a single item or an item and all its children.
Optionally, you can also remove any associated referenced
objects. This command permanently removes any selected
item from the structure and the database.
Properties on Allows you to edit the properties of the object represented
Relation by the selected line.

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Command Description
User Setting Changes your group, role, or volume assignments and your
application logging and journalling options.
Options Changes your user interface settings that affect all
applications, not only Structure Manager.
Guided Component Searches for matching components within an assembly.
Search This search allows you to choose from a list of only
those classified workspace objects that fit into the first
component of your search. You must first configure it in the
Classification Administration application.
Variant Condition Creates a variant condition on the selected line.
Toggle Changes the precision of the selected assembly (line).
Precise/Imprecise
Show/Hide Shows or hides all revisions in the selected structure
Superseded that are superseded by a later revision. This command
Revisions is applicable only if the BOM view revision and current
revision rule are precise.
Select Below→All Selects all lines below the currently selected line.
Lines
Select Selects only the lowest lines below the currently selected
Below→Lowest line.
Lines
Toggle in Context Enables or disables editing in context mode, allowing
Mode creation of absolute occurrences for the selected assembly.
Remove Design from Removes a CAD design from an installation assembly
Product attached to an architecture breakdown element. This
command is used when your site utilizes Platform Designer.
Replace Design in Removes a CAD design in an installation assembly
Product attached to an architecture breakdown element with
another CAD design. This command is used when your site
utilizes Platform Designer.
Replace Part in Replaces a part (an ERP part) in an architecture breakdown
Product element. This command is used when your site utilizes
Platform Designer.

View menu

Command Description
Refresh Window Synchronizes the currently displayed product structure
with the database. The displayed structure refreshes with
changes that have been made in other sessions and saved
since you loaded the currently displayed product structure.

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Command Description
Embedded Software Allows you to view binary software information in the same
Explorer way as you view data about hard parts.
For more information about these commands, see the
Embedded Software Solutions Guide.
Note The Embedded Software Solutions (ESS) menu
commands must be exposed using Command
Suppression.
Signal Explorer Allows you to view signals in an electromechanical
structure. You can view the source, target, transmitter,
process variable, signal of process variable, redundant
signal, transmitted signal, and received signal associated
with the selected lines, as applicable.
Show Connected Shows or hides all lines that are connected by the selected
Lines connection.
Implemented Shows all lines that implement the selected line.
By→Show
Implemented By
Implemented Shows all lines that the selected line implements.
By→Show
Implements
Realized By→Show Shows all lines that realize the selected line.
Realized By
Realized By→Show Shows all lines that the selected line realizes.
Realizes
Expand Expands the substructure immediately below the selected
lines.
Expand Below Expands the complete substructure below the selected
lines.
Expand Below... Expands the substructure below the selected lines to a
user-selected level. You can also collapse an expanded
substructure when you choose this command (hide certain
child lines).
Collapse Below Collapses the complete substructure below the selected
lines (hide all child lines).
Pack Packs the selected lines so that all lines with the same item
revision and find number are displayed as a single line.
The actual quantity of lines is appended to the node.
Unpack Unpacks the selected packed lines so that they are
displayed as separate lines, one for each occurrence.
Pack All Packs all packable lines in the displayed structure.
Unpack All Unpacks all lines in the displayed structure.

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Command Description
Show Unconfigured Shows or hides unconfigured
Variants variant components. Disabled if the
PSEEnableFilteringUnconfigdDueToClassicVariantsPref
preference is set to True.
Show Unconfigured Shows or hides components that are not configured when
By Occurrence using occurrence effectivity.
Effectivity
Show Unconfigured Shows or hides unconfigured incremental changes.
Changes
Show Part Solutions Shows or hides part solutions. Part solutions are available
if your site uses Platform Designer.
Show Suppressed Shows or hides suppressed occurrences.
Occurrences
Enable Classic Hides or shows components that are not configured
Variant Configure by the selected variant rule. Enabled if the
to Load PSEEnableFilteringUnconfigdDueToClassicVariantsPref
preference is set to True.
Properties Allows you to view all properties of the selected line. You
can edit those properties to which you have permission.
Notes Allows you to view, and edit if permitted, all occurrence
notes for the selected line.
Audit→View Audit Shows the audit file for the selected structure or assembly.
Logs
This menu command is seen when the
TC_audit_manager preference value is ON and
the TC_audit_manager_version preference value is 2.
Show/Hide Data Shows or hides the data pane containing, for example,
Panel variant data, Referencers information, or the embedded
viewer.
Show/Hide Search Shows or hides the Structure Manager search pane.
Panel
Show/Hide Search Shows or hides the Structure Manager search results pane.
Result Panel
Show/Hide Shows or hides the supersedure revisions of the selected
Superseded part or assembly.
Revisions
Show GCS Shows or hides all connection points defined for guided
Connection Points component searches (GCSs). GCSs are defined in the
Classification Administration application.

Tools menu

Command Description
Check-In/Out→Check Out Checks a selected component out of the database.
Check-In/Out→Check In Checks a selected component into the database.

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Command Description
Check-In/Out→Cancel Cancels a request checkout action.
Checkout
Check-In/Out→Transfer Transfers a selected, checked-out component to
Checkout another user.
Check-In/Out→Notification Allows you to view or edit the list of users who are
List informed if the selected component is checked in or
checked out.
Check-In/Out→Check Out Allows you to view the history of checkout actions for
History the selected component.
ID Display Rule→View/Set Allows you to view the ID display rule currently
Current applied to the selected structure or set a different ID
display rule.
ID Display Rule→Modify Modifies the ID display rule currently applied to the
Current selected structure.
ID Display Creates a new ID display rule or modify an existing
Rule→Create/Edit ID rule.
Process and Change Attaches the selected structure to a Workflow process
Selector or change.
Embedded Software Allows you to manage binary software in the same
Manager way as you manage hard parts.
For more information about these commands, see the
Embedded Software Solutions Guide.
Note The ESS menu commands must be exposed
using Command Suppression.
Signal Allows you to associate a signal line in an
Manager→Associate electromechanical structure to another line as a
Signal To source, target, transmitter, process variable, or
redundant signal.
Signal Manager→Remove Removes the association between the selected signal
Signal Association line in an electromechanical structure and another
line.
Connection Connects two selected lines with a revisable or
Manager→Connect nonrevisable connection.
Connection Disconnects the currently selected line with a
Manager→Disconnect revisable or nonrevisable connection to another line.
Implemented By→Create Creates Implemented By relationships between the
Implemented By selected line and another line.
Implemented By→Remove Removes Implemented By relationships between
Implemented By the selected line and another line.
Realized By→Create Creates Realized By relationships between the
Realized By selected line and another line.
Realized By→Remove Removes Realized By relationships between the
Realized By selected line and another line.

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Command Description
Fix In-Structure Allows you to identify and remove any invalid
Associations→Current associations that were created when the structure
Level was manually edited. This command fixes all invalid
associations with the selected line.
Fix In-Structure Allows you to identify and remove any invalid
Associations→All Levels associations that were created when the structure
was manually edited. This command fixes all invalid
associations with the selected line and all lines below
it.
Project→Assign Assigns the selected structure to a predefined project.
Project→Remove Removes the selected structure from a project to
which it is assigned.
License→Attach Attaches an ADA license to the selected workspace
object.
License→Detach Detaches the ADA license from the selected
workspace object.
View/Set Closure Rule for Allows you to view the available closure rules and
Expansion select a rule to limit structure expansions.
For more information, see Set or unset a closure rule.
Trace Link→Traceability Generates a traceability report for the selected
structure.
Revision Rule→View/Set Allows you to view or set the revision rule for the
Current currently displayed structure.
Revision Rule→Set Sets the date, unit number, or end item to configure
Date/Unit/End Item the structure, if the current rule allows.
Revision Rule→Set Sets an override folder to override item revisions that
Override Folder would otherwise be selected by other criteria.
Revision Rule→Modify Modifies the current revision rule and apply the
Current modified rule to the current structure. You can save
the change if you have write access to the original
rule.
Revision Creates or edits a revision rule.
Rule→Create/Edit
Effectivity→Occurrence Allows you to view, edit, or create occurrence date
Effectivity→View, Edit and effectivity data for the occurrence of the selected line.
Create You must have the appropriate permissions to create
or edit effectivity data.
Effectivity→Occurrence Allows you to create occurrence date effectivity
Effectivity→Create on data on multiple BOM lines. You must have the
Multiple BOM Lines appropriate permissions to create or edit effectivity
data.

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Command Description
Effectivity→Revision Allows you to view, edit, create, or copy effectivity
Effectivity data for the item revision of the selected line. You
must have the appropriate permissions to create or
edit effectivity data.
Effectivity→Effectivity Allows you to view, edit, create, or copy effectivity
Mapping mapping for an end item. Effectivity mappings are
needed if you implement nested effectivity.
Variants→Configure Allows you to configure or edit a variant structure for
Variants the selected top-level module.
Variants→Only Configure Allows you to set to on to only display options for
Root the top-level module, regardless of the line selected.
Set to off to configure the structure for a lower level
module.
Variants→Search... Searches for an existing variant item.
Variants→Count Modules Counts the modules defined for the selected variant
structure.
Variants→Unlink Variant Unlinks a variant item from the generic module item
Item to make changes.
Variants→Update Variant If you make structural changes to a generic item
Item and create a new item revision, Teamcenter does
not automatically propagate such changes to each
associated variant item. Choose this option to make
such changes manually.
Set/Unset Global Option Allows you to identify the selected item or item
Item revision as a product item with which global options
are associated.
Incremental Allows you to create an new incremental change.
Change→Create Context
Note This command is visible only
if your administrator sets the
MoveICCreationToMenu preference
to True. If it is not visible, use the Create IC
Object button on the incremental change
toolbar to create a new incremental change.
Incremental Change→Add Retrospectively creates an add change and attaches it
to the active incremental change.
Incremental Retrospectively creates a remove change and attaches
Change→Remove it to the active incremental change.
Incremental Establishes a delete change to the attachment.
Change→Delete on Object
Incremental Establishes a create change to the attachment.
Change→Create on Object
Incremental Removes (undoes) changes on the active incremental
Change→Remove Change change.

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Command Description
Incremental Revises the parent assembly to create an incremental
Change→Incremental change baseline.
Change Baseline
Incremental Change→Split Splits some of the changes from the active incremental
change into another existing incremental change.
Incremental Allows you to create a new intent for which the
Change→Intent incremental change is valid. An intent represents an
alternate solution.
Incremental Customizes how incremental change icons are
Change→Display icons displayed and the contexts in which you want to see
icons.
Arrangements→View/Set Allows you to view and set the current NX
arrangements.
Unattached Lines→Clear Allows you to clear all the unattached lines in the
All results of an appearances search.
Unattached Lines→Clear Allows you to clear the currently selected unattached
Selected lines in the results of an appearances search.
Unattached Lines→Show Allows you to find the parent of an unattached line in
Parent the results of an appearances search.
Unattached Lines→Attach Allows you to reattach unattached lines in the results
of an appearances search.
All History Lines→Clear Clears all history lines in the results of an
All appearances search.
All History Lines→Clear Clears selected history lines in the results of an
Selected appearances search.
Validation→Run Validates attributes of a selected item revision,
Validations using third-party software applications, according to
criteria set by the system administrator.
Validation→View Results Allows you to view the results of previous validations.
Import→Remote Imports a structure from a remote site in a Multi-Site
Collaboration environment.
Import→Software Allows you to import software parameter data in
Parameters PLM XML format.
Export→Objects Allows you to export the selected workspace objects
through a predefined application interface (AI).

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Command Description
Export→To PLMXML Export the selected structure and its attachments in
PLM XML format to a selected export directory. You
must choose the appropriate transfer mode for the
destination system and selected structure.
For details of how to specify a structure export in
PLM XML format, see the PLM XML/TC XML
Export Import Administration Guide.
If you export a structure in which substitute
components are defined, the substitutes are also
exported.
For details of how to export structure changes tracked
by incremental changes in PLM XML format, see
Exporting and importing incremental change data.
For details of how to specify a suitable closure
rule, see the PLM XML/TC XML Export Import
Administration Guide.
Export→To Briefcase Allows you to export a configured product structure
in TC XML format. You must choose the appropriate
transfer mode for the destination system and selected
structure.
If you track changes with incremental changes, you
can optionally export only changes to the configured
assembly. Only those objects directly or indirectly
affected by incremental changes configured on the
structure are exported in full, and other objects are
exported as stubs.
For details of how to export structure changes tracked
by incremental changes in TC XML format, see
Exporting and importing incremental change data.
Export→Objects to Excel Exports the selected structure lines to an Excel
spreadsheet.
Export→Objects to Word Exports the selected structure lines to a Microsoft
Word document.
Export→Configured NX Exports a product structure that is configured with
Assembly revision rules and variants to NX in native format.
This command is visible only if your administrator
sets the TC_ExportConfigUGNXAssembly
preference to TRUE and NX is installed on the client
machine.
Export→Software Allows you to export software parameter data in PLM
Parameters XML format.
Stock Selection Rule Allows you to choose the rule that selects stock
material. Typically used in aerospace and defense
environments.

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Command Description
Send Data To Sends selected data to another application or external
program. Your Teamcenter administrator uses the
Business Modeler IDE application to create new
application interface types associated with a specific
application. Each of these types are available in the
Send Data To dialog box.
Send Additional Data To Sends additional data to a running session of the
application launched using the Send Data To menu
command.
Vendor Part Selection Rule Allows you to apply a predefined vendor parts
selection rule to the structure.
BOM Grading→Run Allows you to grade or validate the product structure
or subassemblies against predefined criteria.
For more information, see Grading structures.
BOM Grading→Show Allows you to view grading results for the select
Results product structure or subassembly.
Request Substance Allows you to request a material substance
Compliance Check declaration (MSD) from the supplier of vendor parts
for the selected line and its children.
Initiate Substance Runs a compliance check of the selected part or
Compliance Check assembly against selected regulations.
Apply Exemptions Allows you to approve the exemption of a part from a
selected regulation.
Initiate Compliance Allows you to invalidate all substance compliance
Results Validation results that are qualified for invalidation because of
expired exemptions.
Baseline Copies work in progress (WIP) item revisions. During
the development of a product design, you may need to
share such copies of your working design with other
users at the same or different sites. You can also save
your design for future reference.
For more information, see Using baselines.
Validate Occurrences Allows you to validate that a selected line and
(optionally) any child lines meet the business rules
defined by your administrator for structure edits.
For information, see Performing on-demand
validation.
Manage Global Alternates Allows you to define global alternates and a preferred
alternate for the selected component.
Compare... Compares two product structures (or different
revisions of the same structure) in separate windows.
Clear Compare Clears the results of comparing two product
structures.

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Command Description
Graphical BOM Compare Compares two revisions of a part or assembly and
examine the difference in the Viewer pane. You
cannot use this command to compare multilevel
structures.
Intermediate Data Capture Saves the current structure configuration in PLM
XML format on your system for later retrieval or
transfer.
For information about creating intermediate data
captures, see Using intermediate data captures.
Markup→Markup Mode Turns markup mode on or off.
Markup→Show Markup If the selected line has an associated markup, allows
View you to view its properties.
Markup→Delete Markup Deletes the active markup for the selected line.
(this level)
Markup→Apply Markup Applies uncommitted changes in the markup
(this level) associated with the current line. Any markups
associated with lines below the current selection are
not committed.
Markup→Apply Markup Applies uncommitted changes in the markup to the
(all levels) structure, starting from the top line.
Markup→Validate Access Identifies if you have the necessary write access to
to Apply Markups (all the BOM view revision (BVR) to commit changes in a
levels) markup associated with any line below the structure’s
top line.
Site Check In/Out→Check If you are working with Multi-Site Collaboration,
Out to Site allows you to check out the selected object to a chosen
site.
Site Check In/Out→Check If you are working with Multi-Site Collaboration,
in from Site allows you to check in the selected object from a
chosen site.
Roll up Report→Create Allows you to create a rollup report.
For more information, see Creating structure
properties rollup reports.
Roll up Report→View Allows you to view a rollup report.
For more information, see Creating structure
properties rollup reports.
Roll up Report→Templates Allows you to manage templates for rollup reports.
For more information, see Creating structure
properties rollup reports.

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Note You may see additional commands in this menu if optional features are
installed at your site. For example, if you install Teamcenter Integration
for NX, an Export NX Assembly command is available. Similarly, some
commands are hidden unless a preference setting is changed. For
information about any additional commands, see the documentation for the
optional feature or contact your Teamcenter administrator.

Graphics menu
Note The Graphics menu appears when you click the Graphics tab.

Command Description
Selection→Select All Selects all the objects displayed in the viewer.
Selection→Select Unselects any objects currently selected in the viewer.
None
Selection→Reverse Selects all objects not selected in the viewer, while
Selection simultaneously unselecting any objects currently selected
in the viewer.
Selection→Expand Expands the assembly tree until the part selected in the
to Selected viewer is displayed in the tree.
Visibility→View Blanks and unblanks objects loaded in the viewer.
Selected
Note The term loaded refers to an object whose JT file
has been loaded in the viewer. A loaded object may
or may not be visible, depending on whether it has
been blanked or unblanked.
Visibility→Blank Makes any objects selected in the viewer invisible.
Selected
Visibility→Blank All Makes all objects in the viewer invisible.
Visibility→Unblank Makes all objects loaded in the viewer visible.
All
Visibility→Reverse Makes any currently visible objects invisible, while
Blank All simultaneously making visible any loaded objects which
are currently invisible.
Visibility→Unload Unloads any objects selected in the viewer.
Selected
Edit Modifies the color, transparency, and shine of selected
Color/Translucency objects in the viewer. These settings only apply to the
currently loaded objects. The next time the edited object
is loaded, the settings revert to the default color and
translucency.
Insert Allows you to insert JT, stereolithography (.stl) and VRML
(.wrl) files as reference graphics.
Insert→Insert from Inserts a reference graphic from the operating system,
File using the Open by Name dialog box.

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Command Description
Insert→Insert from Inserts a reference graphics object from the clipboard.
Clipboard
Note Only item revisions (not items) can be displayed as
reference graphics.
Views→Views Creates, edits and displays standard views, using the
Control... Rotate and Standard Views dialog boxes.
Draw Children Displays the components of a subassembly. You can also
access this command if you right-click in the product
structure.
Show Breaks down solids in the corresponding monolithic JT files
Subcomponents and make the subcomponents independently controllable.
This function is only available for only leaf and unpacked
structure line nodes.
Hide Removes all merged subcomponents and the one-level tree
Subcomponents from the tree. You can load or unload the monolithic JT file
related to this structure line node in the normal way.
Export 3D File Exports the current visible objects to a STEP or VRML file.
Transformation→ Generates an exploded view for use in technical
Temporary illustrations.
Transformation
Transformation→ Modifies the physical location of a part (or set of parts) in
Persistent an owning assembly.
Transformation
Replace JT File Replaces the JT file that represents an item revision. You
can choose a replacement file from one of the JT files
associated with the current structure line item.
Clearance→ Allows you to set the clearance calculator, define the
Preferences parameters of the clearance calculation, and indicate how
the results should be displayed.
Clearance→Toggle Allows you to change the clearance results that are
Results Window displayed.
Performance... Sets rendering, culling and general performance
preferences.
Preferences... Sets clearance analysis and general viewer preferences.

Structure line context menu

Note The structure line context menu appears when you right-click one or more
structure lines.

Command Description
Open BOM View Displays a list of other BOM views in which you can open
the selected data. If the line has no BOM views, this
command appears as No BOM View to open.

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Command Description
Guided Component Searches for matching components within an assembly.
Search This search allows you to choose from a list of only
those classified workspace objects that fit into the first
component of your search. You must first configure it in the
Classification Administration application.
Properties on Allows you to edit the properties of the object represented
Relation by the selected line.
Cut Cuts the selected lines from the structure and places them
on the clipboard.
Copy Copies the selected lines in the structure and places them
on the clipboard.
Paste Pastes the components from the clipboard as children of
the currently selected (assembly) line in the structure or
into NX.
Revert Edit Undoes the last manual edit of the selected line.
Paste Property Allows you to paste a property value from the clipboard
into one or more structure lines.
Set In Context Allows you to edit the properties of an occurrence in the
context of a selected line, that is, to create an absolute
occurrence.
Remove In Context Removes override data from an absolute occurrence
Override without entering replacement data.
Show/Hide In Shows or hides the line that is the context of a particular in
Context BOM line context edit.
Expand Expands the substructure immediately below the selected
lines.
Expand Below Expands the complete substructure below the selected
lines.
Expand Below... Expands the substructure below the selected lines to a
user-selected level. You can also collapse an expanded
substructure when you choose this option (hide certain
child lines).
Expand to Type Expands the complete substructure below the selected lines
until a specified type is encountered.
Unload Below Unloads all lines below the selected line to free memory.
Collapse Below Collapses the complete substructure below the selected
lines (hide all child lines).
Generate Report Generates a report on the selected object. You can choose
the reporting tool and formatting options.
Send an Instant Allows you to initiate communication with the user who
Message to Owning owns the item or item revision represented by the selected
User line. The Microsoft Office Communicator integration must
be installed on your system.
Open With Opens selected data in a rich client view.

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Command Description
Send To Sends selected data to another application or an
external program. Your Teamcenter administrator uses the
Business Modeler IDE application to create new application
interface types associated with a specific application. Each
of these types are available in the Send Data To dialog box.
Check In/Out Checks out the object represented by the selected line if it is
not already checked out or checks in the object represented
by the selected line if it is checked out.
Refresh Synchronizes the currently displayed product structure
with the database. The displayed structure refreshes with
changes that have been made in other sessions and saved
since you loaded the currently displayed product structure.
Properties Allows you to view all properties of the selected line. You
can edit those properties to which you have permission.
Access Shows any Access Manager restrictions on the selected line.
Project®Assign Assigns the selected structure to a predefined project.
Project®Remove Removes the selected structure from a project to which it
is assigned.
License®Attach Attaches an ADA license to the selected workspace object.
License®Detach Detaches the ADA license from the selected workspace
object.
Multi-site Allows you to synchronize a selected object, component or
Synchronization assembly with the remote site in a Multi-Site Collaboration
environment. It is only necessary to synchronize structures
if the Sync State property shows the structure or a
component is superseded or out of date.
Add To Favorites Allows you to add the selected structure to your list of
frequently used objects.
Update Suppressed Updates any suppressed occurrences attached to the
current line.
Remove Design from Removes the selected design from the product structure. It
Product is used when your site utilizes Platform Designer.
Search Reference Allows you to search for reference designator values; this
Designators search allows you to specify wildcards.
Show Markup View If the selected line has an associated markup, allows you
to view its properties.
Delete Markup (this Deletes the active markup for the selected line.
level)
Apply Markup (this Applies uncommitted changes in the markup associated
level) with the current line. Any markups associated with line
below the current selection are not committed.
Disconnect Disconnects the currently selected line with a revisable or
nonrevisable connection to another line.

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Command Description
Connect Connects the currently selected line to another line with a
revisable or nonrevisable connection.

Structure Manager buttons and symbols

Note You can add buttons that are not displayed on the main toolbar by
right-clicking the toolbar, choosing Customize, and selecting the buttons you
want to add. Once you have added buttons to the toolbars, they are displayed
in future sessions. Consider adding buttons that:
• You use frequently.

• Provide a shortcut to menu commands that are not primary selections,

for example, Tools→Revision Rule→Set Date/Unit/End Item.

• Show current status, for example, incremental change configuration

options.

Button Purpose
These standard buttons are located on the main toolbar at the top of the product
structure pane.
Soft abort If enabled, allows you to terminate the current
operation without closing Structure Manager
or losing data.
Cut Cuts the selected lines from the structure and
places them on the clipboard.
Copy Copies the selected lines in the structure and
places them on the clipboard.
Paste Pastes the components from the clipboard as
children of the currently selected (assembly)
line in the structure or into NX.
Delete Deletes the selected lines from the structure
and does not place them on the clipboard.
Save Saves changes you made to the structure since
it was last saved.
Split occurrence Splits a line that represents several
occurrences into two branches. The new
branch and the original (changed) branch
initially have the same notes, variant
conditions, and other data, but you can
subsequently modify them independently
Open Opens the selected structure line in a new
window.

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Button Purpose
Signal Creates a new message or signal.
For more information about creating signals,
see the Embedded Software Solutions Guide or
the Systems Engineering Guide.
Remove Removes the selected lines from the structure
completely and does not place them on the
clipboard.
Revert marked Cancels any pending additions or removals of
pending edits the selected lines. It also cancels any pending
property edits.
Note This button is visible only if you select
the Display Markups for pending
edits option on the Product Structure
tab of the Options pane, and then
restart Structure Manager. To
display the Options pane, choose the
Edit→Options command.
Certain edits are committed
immediately to the database and
cannot be reverted. Such edits are not
displayed in red strike-through text.
Revert all Cancels all pending additions or removals of
lines anywhere in the structure. It also cancels
any pending property edits.
Note This button is visible only if you select
the Display Markups for pending
edits option on the Product Structure
tab of the Options pane, and then
restart Structure Manager. To
display the Options pane, choose the
Edit→Options command.
Certain edits are committed
immediately to the database and
cannot be reverted. Such edits are not
displayed in red strike-through text.
Remove design Removes the selected design from the product
from product structure. This command is used when your
site utilizes Platform Designer.
Replace design in Replaces the selected design in the product
product structure with another design. This command
is used when your site utilizes Platform
Designer.
Replace part in Replaces the selected part in the product
product structure with another part. This command is
used when your site utilizes Platform Designer.

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Button Purpose
Edit the variant Allows you to view or edit the variant condition
condition on the selected lines.
Change to replace Changes separate deletion and addition
actions to a single replacement action.
Pack selected line Packs the selected lines so that all lines with
the same item revision and find number are
displayed as a single line. The actual quantity
of lines appended to the node.
Unpack selected Unpacks the selected packed lines so that they
line are displayed as separate lines, one for each
occurrence.
View properties Shows the properties of the selected line.

Add/edit note Adds or edits the occurrence notes of the

selected line.
Show connected Displays all lines that are connected by the
lines selected connection.
View/set revision Allows you to view or set the revision rule on
rule the current line.
Save, set and load Allows you to view, set, save, and load the
variant option variant option values for the selected line.
values
View or change Allows you to view or change the active
active arrangement arrangement for the root assembly.
Objects to Word Opens the selected document in Microsoft
Word.
Open in NX Starts NX and displays the selected assembly
structure. This action sends PLM XML data
representing the geometry of the selected
assembly to NX.
Open in Lifecycle Starts Lifecycle Visualization and displays the
Visualization selected assembly structure.
Show/hide data Displays the data pane that contains the
pane Attachments, Graphics, Incremental Change
Info, Variants, Referencers, Parts, and
Supersedure tabs and panes.
Graphical compare Opens the Graphical Compare dialog box and
allows you to visually compare two revisions
of the same structure.
Show/hide search Allows you to show or hide the Structure
results Manager Search Results pane.
Search Allows you to search the product structure for a
particular component or subassembly. Results
are displayed in the Structure Manager Search
Results pane.

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Button Purpose
Move to first Jumps to the earliest revision of the selected
revision component or subassembly.
Move to previous Jumps to the preceding revision of the selected
revision component or subassembly.
Move to next Jumps to the succeeding revision of the
revision selected component or subassembly.
Move to last Jumps to the final revision of the selected
revision component or subassembly.
Markup mode Enables or disables markup mode.

Markup view Opens or closes the Markup view.

Add signals from Allows you to add a signal or other object from
library the data dictionary to the structure.
Navigation pane Opens the navigation pane.

Create note Displays the New Item wizard, allowing you to

create a new standard note or custom note.
Add classified Allows you to use the guided component search
component to add a classified component to the structure.
View/set closure Allows you to view available closure rules
rule and then set a closure rule to limit structure
expansions.
The following buttons are displayed at the bottom left corner of the product
structure navigation tree pane.
Open by name Browses for and opens a specific structure by
name.
Most recently used Shows a list of your most recently accessed
(MRU) list structures. If you select an entry from the
list, Structure Manager loads the structure
into the structure pane. You can configure the
number of entries shown in the MRU list by
right-clicking the button and moving the slider
to the desired number.
Most recently used Selects a revision rule to apply to the current
(MRU) revision product structure from a list of the rules
rules list you have used recently. You can configure
the number of entries shown in the MRU by
right-clicking the button and moving the slider
to the desired number.
Find components in Searches for matching lines (components) in
display the displayed product structure by entering
an expression. You can search with any
combination of the available properties.

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Button Purpose
List substitute Adds or removes substitute components or set
components the preferred substitute.
This button is enabled if the selected line may
have substitutes; otherwise, it is disabled.
Manage global Shows a list of the global alternates available
alternates for the selected line. You can add alternates
and select a preferred alternate. The preferred
global alternate is indicated by a check mark.
Quick add Adds a new component to the selected
assembly by entering the item identifier of the
new component.
The following symbols are displayed at the bottom right corner of the product
structure pane and show the current status of the selected line.
Shows if you have write access permissions for
the selected line.
Shows if you have delete access permissions
for the selected line.
Shows if you have access permissions to change
the selected line.
Shows if the item revision represented by the
line is currently in a workflow process.
Shows if the item revision represented by the
line is currently checked in or checked out.
Shows if the item revision represented by the
line is currently released.
Shows if the item represented by the line is
currently published.
Shows if the item or revision represented by
the line is currently classified.
Shows if the item or revision represented by
the line is currently archived.

Structure Manager tabs

Click , or choose View→Show/Hide Data Panel to display the data pane which
contains these tabs.

Tab Description
Attachments Allows you to select and view attachments to the selected
line, for example, a dataset or form.
The visibility of this tab is controlled by the setting of the
BOM_Display_Attachments_Panel preference.

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Tab Description
Graphics Displays an image of the selected line or lines, if a
DirectModel dataset is available.
Incremental Change Allows you to add, edit, or remove incremental changes
Info for the selected line.
The visibility of this tab is controlled by the setting of the
Incremental_Change_Management preference.
For more information, see Managing incremental changes.
Referencers Allows you to perform a where-used or where-referenced
search for the selected item revision.
The visibility of this tab is controlled by the setting of the
BOM_Display_Referencer_Panel preference.
Roll Up Report Allows you to view or create rollup reports for the selected
line. You can also create and manage rollup report
templates.
Supersedure Displays supersedure information for the selected item
revision.
The visibility of this tab is controlled by the
ECM_SET_GENEOLOGY preference.
Variability Allows you to assign variability to a product context for use
in Platform Designer.
The visibility of this tab is controlled by the
PSM_global_option_item_ids preference.
Variants Displays variant data such as options, option defaults,
and rule checks. Variant conditions are displayed in the
Properties pane.
The visibility of this tab is controlled by the
BOM_Display_Variant_Super_Panel preference.
Vendor Parts Allows you to view and select from the vendor
parts associated with the selected item revision.
This tab is available only if the optional vendor
management solution is installed; consequently, the
VendorManagement_feature_installed preference is
set.

Structure Manager structure tree images

The images in the product structure navigation tree indicate the purpose of each
node. Descriptions of images specific to certain functionality are provided with
the relevant procedures.

Image Meaning
Item

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Image Meaning
Item revision (structure line or BOM line)

Item element (general design element)

Form

Dataset

BOM view

Part
Design
Alternate ID

Document

Document revision

DirectModel dataset

UGMaster dataset

UGPart dataset

UGScenario

Variant item

Variant item revision

Incremental change removed

Incremental change added

Separate incremental changes removed and added

Absolute occurrence override removed by incremental

change
Absolute occurrence override added by incremental change

Absolute occurrence overrides removed and added by

separate incremental changes
In scope for creation of absolute occurrences

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Image Meaning
Absolute occurrence created
Added structure line

Removed structure line

Replaced structure line

Structure line has unreadable children

Structure line is a variant module

Component has alternates

Component has substitutes
Component has variants

Process

Process revision

Process variable

Snapshot

PS connection

PS connection revision

PS signal

PS signal revision

Allocation

Allocation map

Allocation map revision

… When displayed in the structure tree after a search, this

symbol indicates the line has hidden children. Click this
box to load and view the hidden children.
Remote part
Line of assembly

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Image Meaning
Tracelink

Rich client perspectives and views

Within the Teamcenter rich client user interface, application functionality is
provided in perspectives and views. Some applications use perspectives and views to
arrange how functionality is presented. Other applications use a single perspective
and view to present information.
Note Your administrator can use the HiddenPerspectives preference to prevent
the display of some Teamcenter perspectives in the rich client.
For information about editing preference values, see the Preferences and
Environment Variables Reference.

If your site has online help installed, you can access application and view help from
the rich client Help menu or by pressing F1.
For more information about rich client perspectives and views, see the Rich Client
Interface Guide.

Basic concepts
Before creating or modifying product structure, you should read Getting Started with
Product Structure, which describes the basic concepts behind product structure and
includes advanced information on how to use and administer it.
Engineers group parts into assemblies to allow reuse of the same assemblies
elsewhere in the product or in other products. An assembly can contain components
that are piece parts or assemblies. In this way, you can model a complete product
structure as a hierarchy of single-level assemblies.
Teamcenter supports two methods of modelling parts. You can create an item that
represents the part and CAD design simultaneously, which is the method familiar
to former users of Teamcenter Engineering Process Management. You can also
create parts and designs separately, then link (publish) parts and designs when
they are ready to release.
You can view previously created graphics that represent all or part of the structure,
allowing easy visual identification of a component in the structure.
Structure Manager allows you to create assemblies that are one of the following:
• Precise
A precise assembly references a specific revision of each component.

• Imprecise
In an imprecise assembly, the revision configured in the Structure Manager
window is determined by the revision rule currently in force.

You can define sophisticated revision rules to configure the structure in different
ways. For example, you can use revision configuration based on the release status

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of each item revision. This allows you to configure the structure according to its
effective date or unit number, or the date released.
For more information about revision rules and their use, see Using item revision
configuration.
To take full advantage of Structure Manager, you should be familiar with the
Teamcenter elements that are used to define and present product structure, the
basic process of creating product structure, and how item revisions relate to how you
manage default and multiple product views.

Navigating the structure

Structure Manager allows you to create a product structure, navigate an existing
product structure, and find items in it.
For detailed conceptual information, see Getting Started with Product Structure.

Product structure elements

The following elements may be included in a product structure that you manage
in Structure Manager.
Note The terms component, line, and occurrence are used commonly. All these
terms refer to the single-level link between an assembly and a component.
Information typically associated with the link includes find numbers and
notes for assembly (such as torque setting and lubrication notes). Data used
for configuration may also be stored on an occurrence (for example, variant
condition).

Element Purpose
Aggregate occurrence A single occurrence representing multiple usages of the
same component item by setting the quantity attribute.
Use an aggregate occurrence where separate occurrences
are not required to distinguish individual usages (for
example, rivets).
Assembly A single-level assembly with no hierarchy, as distinct from
a multilevel product structure. Assembly data is stored in
a BOM view revision.
BOM view revision A workspace object that stores the single-level assembly
structure of an item revision, that is, occurrences. Access
may be controlled on the structure (BOM view revision)
independently of other data. BOM view revisions are only
meaningful in the context of the item revisions for which
they are created.

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Element Purpose
Component A node in a structure—a child in a single-level parent-child
relationship. When you add components, you create an
occurrence for each component added.
Contrast with instance—a child in a multilevel parent-child
relationship.
Note Do not confuse a component in Teamcenter with a
component in NX. In Teamcenter, a component is a
single-level assembly-child relationship (a relative
occurrence).
Configuration rule A rule that configures the structure. There are two kinds of
configuration rules: revision rules and variant rules.
Custom note Provides additional information about an item or item
revision. A custom note contains unique information about
the part or document. Compare with standard note.
DirectModel dataset A dataset containing a JT (visualization) file. Files of this
format can be generated by NX and other applications.
Default view type Teamcenter applies a default global view type where
possible, for example, when opening an item revision. Use
of a default view type avoids the need for a user to choose
between multiple views. The default view type is set by the
PSE_default_view_type preference.
Design The CAD design solution that implements a business
part. Each part may be implemented by one or more
CAD designs. Likewise, a CAD design may implement
more than one part. Certain parts do not require a design
solution, for example, paint and glue.
Find number A number that identifies individual occurrences (or groups
of occurrences) within a single-level assembly. Components
are ordered by find number within an assembly.
Note By default, occurrences are populated with numeric
find numbers. However, they may contain any text
string. Teamcenter ignores nonnumeric values
when ordering components in the assembly.
Line A line in the product structure and all the attributes
associated with it. A line represents a single occurrence
in the structure. When you click a line, you select all
the properties associated with the line, including both
occurrence and item properties.
Note In Structure Manager, you can edit appropriate
properties of the selected line, for example, the
item revision or note.
Note (occurrence Assembly related textual data that is associated with an
note) occurrence. Contrast with standard note and custom note.

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Element Purpose
Note type (occurrence The system administrator creates different occurrence note
note) types. Users can then specify values for the different note
types where required.
Occurrence (Sometimes called relative occurrence.) A hierarchical
structure relationship between the immediate parent
assembly and its child component item (in an imprecise
assembly) or item revision (in a precise assembly). You
can use a find number to identify an occurrence, but this
number may not be unique. Data can be stored on the
occurrence, including occurrence notes and transforms.
Part A business object that is represented by an item in the
product structure. Each part may have one or more CAD
designs associated with it. The part is managed by the
company’s part releasing system; it is typically revised and
releases separately from the associated design.
Piece part A part with no structure (no associated BOM view revision).
This is sometimes referred to as a detail part.
Product structure The whole multilevel product structure, as distinct from a
single-level assembly (which is sometimes referred to as a
BOM view revision or BVR).
Standard note Provides additional information about an item or item
revision. A standard note typically contains information
provided by a standards organization and can be attached
to multiple parts or documents. Compare with custom note.
Substitute A particular occurrence may have substitute components
that are interchangeable for that specific occurrence. One
is the preferred substitute, and Teamcenter shows it
in the structure. If these substitute parts are intended
as manufacturing substitutes, you can manufacture an
assembly using any of the substitutes.
View type An attribute of a BOM view revision that specifies its
intended usage, for example, design or manufacture. The
administrator may define any number of view types.
A chain of BOM view revisions of the same type are
anchored by a BOM view of the corresponding view type.
An item revision may contain only one BOM view revision
for each view type. The view type distinguishes one BOM
view revision from another BOM view revision of the same
item revision.

Creating product structure

You create a product structure that represents the design and configuration of your
product.
In Structure Manager, you create a product structure, sometimes called a bill
of materials (BOM). Teamcenter allows you to view an indented listing of the
assemblies and piece parts that comprise the product structure; the indenting

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allows you to interpret the relationship between the assemblies and piece parts. An
assembly has structure of its own; a piece part has no structure.
In My Teamcenter, you can attach CAD files, specification documents or other
information to the top-level assembly (the product itself), or to any of the assemblies
or piece parts.
You can also attach item elements (sometimes called general design elements or
GDEs) to items in the product structure. They represent features that are not parts
of the physical structure but are associated with it or implemented by it, for example,
weld points or ports for connectors. They are stored as occurrence relations.
You can build, view, and manipulate the product structure in Teamcenter, or you can
import it from an MCAD system such as NX.
You can include 3D visualization data as Direct Model dataset objects within
an item revision. Users can then view these images in the embedded viewer in
Structure Manager.

Understanding items
The term item generically describes all types of items that exist in Teamcenter. To
effectively manage many types of item, you should create specific types of item
appropriate to your business.
You should also distinguish between the item and its associated item revisions,
as follows:
• Item
An item commonly represents manufactured product such as parts, assemblies,
end items, and tools. It is an abstract container that holds item revisions
and general documents that apply to the product, rather than to a particular
revision. You cannot build or test an item.

• Item revision
An item revision represents a physical entity and is a unique, specific revision
of a previously created item. It may have associated CAD models, drawings or
specifications that are applicable only to this revision. You can release an item
revision with a workflow or through change management. This action applies
a Released status to the item revision, preventing further edits and allowing
Teamcenter to maintain product history.

Users can search for an item if they do not know the applicable item revision;
all available item revisions are grouped below the item. When the relevant item
revision is identified, you can retrieve CAD files and other file representations of
part data including 2D or 3D images of drawings or models. If you search for an
assembly, you can also view the structure of the product.

Working with items

Items are the fundamental objects used to manage information in Teamcenter. They
represent parts and other objects that you want to manage with a life cycle. Items
generally represent data that is configuration controlled by revisioning. Items
collect a variety of different types of business data, for example, CAD files for parts,
document files such as specifications, reports, and forms for metadata. All such data
is related to the item by appropriate relationships.

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Each item has at least one item revision, as described in Understanding items.
Each item has a label containing two pieces of information:
• Item identifier
An identifier for the item. No two items can have the same item ID. An item ID
may be the part number or the document number of the object it represents.
In a standard environment, each item has a single, unique identifier. However, in
a multifield keys environment, the administrator may combine a domain name
(business object type) and one or more of the object’s properties to construct the
identifier. For example, in the Part{item_id} key, Part is the domain. In this
environment, the item ID may not be unique and the system may present you
with a list of possible items if you specify a nonunique item ID.

• Item name
A short description that is usually a logical name such as Bolt, Bracket, or
the title of a document.

Navigating the structure

Structure Manager provides several methods that assist you in navigating the
product structure and finding items.

Where used
A where used search allows you to find all parent assemblies in which a part is used,
navigating up the structure. You can set the search depth as follows:
• One level
Reports immediate parent assemblies only.

• All levels
Reports all assemblies up to the top-level product.

• Top level
Reports final products only.

The search results may be displayed or stored as a report.

Compare
You can compare two structures to view and reconcile the differences between
structures. The comparison is performed on the as-expanded structure and you can
choose the areas of the structure to compare. You can set the revision rule and
variant rule separately for each structure, allowing different configurations to be
compared. The comparison identifies quantity and revision differences in three
modes:
• Single level
Compares only the first levels of the product structures.

• Multilevel

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Performs a single-level comparison at the top level, and then invokes further
single level comparisons on any subassemblies that match between the two
product structures. This process is repeated successively down the product
structure.

• Lowest level only

Compares only the lowest level items of the product structures, ignoring all
intermediate assemblies. This is useful for checking that piece parts are
consistent.

The results are displayed in a dialog box that steps you through each difference. You
can also print the results to a report.
You can also perform the comparison graphically in the embedded viewer, which is a
useful tool for designers. In this case, the components present in one structure but
not the other are highlighted in separate colors and can be isolated from the other
common parts, allowing easy visualization of the changes. You can also perform this
comparison on different revisions of piece parts to highlight geometry changes.
The Multi-Structure Manager application allow you to compare two views of the
same product structure to identify differences. For example, you may want to
compare two revisions of the same structure or the design and manufacturing views
of the same structure. Any anomalies found during the comparison are reported,
although an imbalance between the two structures may not necessarily indicate a
problem with either of the structures. The following anomalies are reported:
• Lines in the source structure that are not consumed in the target.

• Each time a line is consumed more than once.

You can run an analysis manually or in batch mode. You can also run it with or
without variant options applied.

Find in structure
You can search for components in the structure by any of their properties, for
example, item ID, name, attributes on the item revision master form, and occurrence
note attributes. You can build a query with as many expressions as necessary, giving
a flexible way to find components in large structures. This search works on the
expanded state of the structure.

Nonspatial searches
You can search a structure by organizational attributes, rather than performing
spatial searches. Searches can be made against one or more such attributes, for
example, partition identifier, logical position, usage address, and absolute occurrence
identifier. You do not need to configure appearances to run this type of search.

Fast searches
Teamcenter provides a quick spatial search mechanism that allows you to query a
given configuration of the product structure to locate parts in a particular area of
the product. Spatial searches are primarily useful for large products containing
thousands of structure lines.

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You can specify the area to search by entering spatial coordinates in the search
dialog window or by dragging a search box on the viewer pane. The search results
are displayed as a list of items or item revisions in the specified area. Spatial
searches may be combined with Classification searches, saved queries, and filters to
refine the search results.
The quick spatial search does not require you to maintain data caches. However,
Teamcenter supports appearance searches and quick part locator (QPL) searches if
you maintain secondary data caches for use with those mechanisms.
For more information about spatial searches, see Making spatial and attribute
searches.

Understanding BOM view revisions, view types, and multiple views

A BOM view revision is a Teamcenter workspace object that contains the single-level
structure of an item revision. You can see BOM view revisions attached to the item
revision by the BOMView revision relation. BOM view revisions are visible in
other Teamcenter applications and allow you to easily distinguish different view
types. Teamcenter processes BOM view revisions in a similar way to items.
You can apply protection to BOM view revisions independently of other data. You
can also release a BOM view revision independently of the related item revision or
other associated data.
Teamcenter automatically creates BOM view revisions when you initially create the
product structure in Structure Manager; it is not necessarily to manually create
BOM view revisions. However, you can manually create BOM view revisions if you
create multiple views in the structure.
BOM view revisions are only meaningful in the context of the item revision in which
they are created. You can paste references to BOM view revisions into a regular
folder, for example, to collect together objects to submit to a release. However, you
cannot copy references of BOM view revisions into other item revisions.
The view type is an attribute of a BOM view revision that indicates its purpose,
for example, design or manufacturing. It allows you to distinguish one BOM view
revision to be distinguished from another BOM view revision in the same item
revision.
The view type of a BOM view revision in a parent assembly is not dynamically
configured in the same way as revisions. You must specify the view type when you
add the component to the assembly, for example, adding a specific (nonconfigurable)
view of the component. If the component has multiple views, you can change the
view type referenced by the parent assembly, but must have write access to the
parent assembly to complete this edit operation.
The administrator defines a set of view types for each site using the Business
Modeler IDE, as described in the Business Modeler IDE Guide. Any number of view
types can be defined, but most sites only require a single view type for product
structure synchronization with Structure Manager.
You can use a Bought In view type to model a view that has no components. This
may be useful when an assembly designed in one organization should be treated as a
piece part in the parent assembly of a different structure.
For information on creating and modifying view types, see Managing BOM view
types.

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Setting a default view type

In general, few assemblies require multiple views and Teamcenter does not expect
you to select a view type when you work with single view assemblies. To ensure
single view assemblies are managed correctly, your administrator can define a
default view type for each action that requires selection of a view type, for example,
creating, editing or opening a structure.
Teamcenter uses the following rules to determine whether to use a default view type.
• If there is only one view type available, Teamcenter uses this view type.

• If there are multiple view types available, Teamcenter:

o Uses the same view as the parent assembly, for example, when creating
a structure.

o Use the default view type if possible.

o If there are several view types available and Teamcenter cannot determine
the appropriate selection, it prompts the user to select a view types.

Consider setting the default view type in Role preference files, for example, so that
the preference file for the Designer role has the default view type of Design, and
the preference file for the Manufacturing Engineer role has the default view
type of Manufacture. You can set the default view type option in any of the other
preference files—User, Group, or Site.

Setting access control on view types

You can use Access Manager to create rules that control write access to the
different view types, preventing users from inadvertently editing the structure
when manipulating multiple views. For example, production engineers creating
manufacturing views should not have write access to design view types. This would
prevent production engineers from unintentionally cutting components from the
design view when copying components from the design view to create the associated
manufacturing view.

Understanding precise and imprecise assemblies

Imprecise assemblies are dynamic structures of items. An imprecise assembly has
links (occurrences) to items of its components.
Imprecise assemblies allow you to see the product structure (bill of materials)
configured with the relevant item revisions, according to the revision rule you choose
for the window. For example, you may want to configure the product structure with
revisions that are released for production or, alternatively, with the latest working
revision of components. All users look at the same underlying product structure, but
view different configurations in different circumstances according to the revision
rule to suit particular needs. Teamcenter automatically reconfigures an imprecise
structure when new parts are released or created, or other changes are made.
Consequently, it is not necessary to make a copy of the structure and manually
update it if you make changes.
Precise assemblies are fixed structures of specific item revisions. A precise assembly
has links (occurrences) to item revisions of its components. When you modify a

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component to a new revision, you must manually update the assembly by removing
the old revision of the component and adding the new revision.
You configure the precise references with a revision rule containing a precise rule
entry. However, you can dynamically configure a precise assembly (treated it as
imprecise) by applying a revision rule that does not contain the precise rule entry,
or has the entry at a lower precedence. Precise assemblies are useful in situations
where you must control the configuration very carefully, for example, in aerospace
environments.
When the parent assemblies are released and can no longer be modified, any change
may result in significant revision ripple. If you incorporate new revisions of piece
parts, every parent assembly to the top of the structure must also be revised.
However, you can group changes into batches to minimize this effect.

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Imprecise Assembly A100/A Occurrence

Item

A20 P10 P20 P30

Precise Assembly A100/A

Item Revision

A20/A P10/A P20/A P30/A

Examples of Imprecise Assembly Configuration

Configured Production Revision Rule

Revision A100/A Working, Status = Production

Status (on the

A20 P10 P20 item revision)
P30
Production Working Production Working Production Production Working

A20/A A20/B P10/A P10/B P20/A P20/B P30/A

Production Revision Rule

A100/A Status = Production

A20 P10 P20 P30

Production Working Production Working Production Production Working

A20/A A20/B P10/A P10/B P20/A P20/B P30/??

NOTE: There is no revision that satisfies

the rule - the Structure Manager display
shows this as "??" for the revision (and if
an assembly, it cannot be further
expanded)

Item revision configuration

You can change a BOM view revision from precise to imprecise if you have write
access to the BOM view revision. This operation causes all the occurrences of that
BOM view revision (for example, all of the components for that assembly, everywhere
it occurs) to be changed. When you toggle an assembly from imprecise to precise,
the precise occurrences reference the item revision that was configured. When you
change precise BOM view revisions to imprecise, the Structure Manager window’s
revision rule is applied to determine the revision of the item for each component in
the BOM view revision that should display.

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Creating multiple views

Different users within an organization often need to view the structure of a product
in different ways. For example, a designer may require a structure hierarchy that is
organized by functional subsystem, while a manufacturing engineer may require
a structure that reflects the manufacturing assembly process, to allow a better
interface to an ERP system. These structures contain the same set of piece parts and
represent the same overall physical part. It may therefore be convenient to model
the structures as different, independently modifiable views of the same assembly.
The multiple views functionality allows you to model such structures in this way.

A100/A

A10 A20 A30

View Type

BOMView Manufacturing
Design Revision View
View
P10 A40 P10

Multiple views
You can also use multiple views if the different structures do not reference the same
set of piece parts, for example, to model a spares structure that is derived from a
design structure.
You can also create multiple views to exchange data with ERP systems, particularly
if are several manufacturing sites.
The structures in the different view types are independent of each other—changes
in one view type do not affect any others. If you intend to keep multiple views
synchronized, you must do this manually using data generated by the Compare
feature. You can apply access rights separately to each view type.
Similarly, you can be submit each view separately to a release procedure. Typically,
you employ a formal release process (for example, a change management procedure)
to approve multiple views as consistent and valid before they are released and
locked against change.
Note Teamcenter does not attach any semantic significance to specific view types.
However, it is good practice for the name of each view type to reflect its
function or purpose.

Locating multiple views in the product structure

Multiple views generally only occur at a high level in the structure of a complete
product, for example, for assemblies representing major modules. The lower level
assemblies typically only have a single view, for example, for design or manufacture.
Teamcenter allows a parent assembly with a BOM view revision of a manufacture
type to refer to components with a BOM view revision of a different type (for

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example, design). This may be useful if the structures differ at a high level, but
share the same structure at a lower level.

Basic tasks
Task Overview
Browse product You can view the assembly structure of a product, navigate
structure around the structure, and find components in the structure.
From any point in the structure, you can access the
associated data, for example, datasets.
Visualize product You can display a graphical representation of the product,
structure if the relevant DirectModel dataset image is associated
with the product structure. Selecting a component in the
viewer highlights the component in the product structure
and vice versa.
Build and edit You can create and modify product structure using Cut,
structure Copy, Paste, and Remove commands. You can specify
related information, such as torque settings, for any
component.
Make where-used A where-used search reports all assemblies in which a part
searches is used. Perform this search in the Referencers pane.
Compare product You can compare two Structure Manager structures, each
structures configured as required, to highlight any changes.
Use item revision You can set a revision rule that determines the revision of
configuration each component that Teamcenter configures. This allows
you to configure a structure as it was or will be on a
particular date, for example, by utilizing effectivity data on
each item revision (release status).
Configure variant You can set a variant rule to determine which variant
products and components are configured in the structure. Teamcenter
Configure modular references variant data you create on the structure to
variant products determine the appropriate variant components.
Open a structure in You can load a complete product structure or selected
NX or Teamcenter components from the structure, into NX directly from
lifecycle visualization Structure Manager, if you have installed Teamcenter
Integration for NX.
Teamcenter Integration for NX allows you to make changes
to the assembly structure in NX and synchronizes the
changes into the Teamcenter database.
Note You can also manage product structures created
in other CAD packages, if you have installed the
appropriate integration software.
For more information, contact your Siemens PLM
Software representative.

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2 Configuring Structure Manager

Configuring Structure Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1

Setting your local user preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1

Setting the default view type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
Setting the default revision rule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
Packing the Structure Manager display by default . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
Allowing searches of remote sites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
Enabling markups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
Setting BOM view precision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
Setting the visibility of unconfigured variants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3
Setting the visibility of unconfigured occurrences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3
Setting the color of precise and imprecise assemblies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3
Setting the visibility of information center elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3

Configure the structure line title format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3

Setting administrative preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4

Setting the owning item display for option variant data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4
Controlling users who can set effectivity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-5
Setting publishing preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-5
Setting find number allocation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-5

Setting the viewer memory allocation and Java heap size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-6

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Configuring Structure Manager

Set your user preferences by choosing the Edit→Options menu command and
selecting the appropriate preference. For more information about setting preferences,
see the Preferences and Environment Variables Reference.

Setting your local user preferences

You can set the local user preferences by choosing the Edit→Options menu command
or other command where described. These preferences (options) configure the user
interface and certain default functions to suit your requirements. They are stored in
your personal preference file in the Teamcenter database. In addition, the system
administrator sets site and group preferences that configure other user options to
the same values for all users.
Note It is not necessary to add or set every user preference manually.
Teamcenter creates or sets some preferences automatically when
you perform certain actions or use specific features, for example,
PS_assume_legacy_transform_units.

Setting the default view type

This option sets the default view type Teamcenter uses when multiple views are
present and there is ambiguity, for example, when opening Structure Manager or
pasting in an assembly.
Typically, your administrator sets a default view type for all users at the site, for
example, Design. However, this setting is most appropriately defined in conjunction
with each user’s role. For example, users with the role of production engineer can
define their default view type as Manufacture; users with the role of designer
can define their default view type as Design. For additional information, see the
Preferences and Environment Variables Reference.
• Corresponding preference name: PSE_default_view_type

• Default setting: view

Setting the default revision rule

This option sets the default revision rule Teamcenter uses when opening a new
product structure window. Your site or group administrator may set a default value
that you can change for your current session.

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• Corresponding preference name: TC_config_rule_name

• Default setting: Latest Working

Packing the Structure Manager display by default

This option sets how the structure is displayed if there are a number of components
with the same item revision. You can choose to show the structure as one line or
with one line for each component. For more information, see Packing or unpacking
structure lines.
This option applies in two circumstances:
• When a structure is first created, for example, the components are added.

• When the assembly that contains the components is first expanded.

You may explicitly change how a particular set of item revisions are packed or
unpacked by choosing the View→Pack and View→Unpack menu commands. This
selection applies only for the duration of the session.
• Corresponding preference name: PSEAutoPackPref. Accepts a logical 0 or
1 as a value.

• Default setting: 1 (pack identical occurrences on a single structure line).

Allowing searches of remote sites

If you work in a Multi-Site Collaboration environment, assemblies and components
can be mastered at a site other than the one where you work. The Allow Structure
Manger to perform search using Appearance Search Engine at remote sites option
allows Teamcenter to search data at remote sites as well as data at your site. The
default setting is off.
Note If you enable searching of remote sites, results may be returned more slowly
than if you search only your local site.

Enabling markups
This option allows you to mark proposed changes on the product structure or an
assembly, and then save the markup as a persistent workspace object. The default
setting is off.

Setting BOM view precision

This option sets whether BOM view revisions are created as precise or imprecise.
This option accepts the values Precise and Imprecise.
• Corresponding preference name: TC_BOM_Precision_Preference

• Default setting: Imprecise

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Setting the visibility of unconfigured variants

This preference sets whether unconfigured variant components are hidden or
displayed by default. You can change this setting by choosing the View→Show
Unconfigured Variants menu command.
• Preference name: PSEShowUnconfigdVarPref. Set to 0 for hidden or 1 for
displayed.

• Default setting: 1

Setting the visibility of unconfigured occurrences

This preference sets whether unconfigured occurrences are hidden or displayed by
default. You can change this setting by choosing the View→Show Unconfigured By
Occurrence Effectivity menu command.
• Preference name: PSEShowUnconfigdEffPref. Set to 0 for hidden or 1 for
displayed.

• Default setting: 1

Setting the color of precise and imprecise assemblies

This preference determines the colors in which precise and imprecise assembly lines
are displayed. By default, both preferences have site protection scope so they must
be set by your administrator. There is no corresponding user option.
• Preference name: PSEPreciseColorPref. Set to the color value for the display
of precise lines.

• Preference name: PSEImpreciseColorPref. Set to the color value for the

display of imprecise lines, for example, #FFFFFF for white.

The default colors are green and gray, respectively.

Setting the visibility of information center elements

You can independently turn on or off the Where Used, Where Referenced, Child
CountAccess, and State elements in the information center at the bottom right
corner of the Structure Manager window.
To change the current settings, right-click in the information center. Teamcenter
shows a dialog box containing a check box that allows you to show or hide each of
the elements.

Configure the structure line title format

1. Add the structure (BOM) line title column to the list of displayed columns in
Structure Manager, by choosing View→Properties and selecting it from the list
of available columns.
Initially, the BOM Line Title column displays the same information displayed in
the Structure Manager tree (BOM Line).

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2. Choose Edit→Options.
Teamcenter displays the Options dialog box.

3. Click the Product Structure node in the Options tree.

Teamcenter displays the options in the right pane of the window.

4. From the BOM Line Title format for Items of type list, choose the item type for
which you are defining the structure (BOM) line title format.

5. Enter a combination of fixed text and other structure line properties in the text
field, for example:
$bl_item_item_id, with name $bl_item_object_name of type $bl_item_object_type
and find number $bl_find_no

Note If you enter an invalid property name, for example,

$my_missing_property, Teamcenter does not display an
error; rather it displays the text without the dollar sign ($).

The $string entries are structure line property names that act as substitution
points when populating the cells in the Structure Manager columns. Property
names are listed in the bom_attr.h file.

6. Click OK.
Teamcenter closes the Options dialog box.

7. Refresh the Structure Manager window to apply the title format change.

Setting administrative preferences

Administrative preferences are set by your Teamcenter administrator on a site-wide
or group-wide basis. Site preferences affect the appearance or functionality of
Structure Manager for every user of the system; group preferences affect only users
of the specified group.
For more information about setting preferences, see the Preferences and Environment
Variables Reference.

Setting the owning item display for option variant data

Set this preference to display the owning item for options. It applies to any
application where option names are displayed.

• Preference name: PSE_show_option_item_prefix. Set to 0 for hidden or 1

for displayed.

• Default setting: 1

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Controlling users who can set effectivity

Use this preference to control the users who may set effectivity by adding the
following rules in Access Manager at an appropriate place at the top level of the
rule tree:
• Has Type (Release Status)→Create Effectivity Users

• Has Type (Effectivity) - Edit Effectivity Users

The release status rule controls who has write access to the release status and
consequently can attach effectivity objects to it. This also determines who can
initially create effectivity. Similarly, the effectivity rule controls who can edit an
existing effectivity object.
For more information and examples, see the Security Administration Guide.

Setting publishing preferences

If you are managing CAD designs and linking them with parts in Teamcenter, the
group administrator sets the following constant and preferences:
• Mature Statuses constant
Determines the status that denotes the maturity level of a design revision. A
design revision is a subtype of an item revision. Typically, when development
of a design revision is complete, it becomes mature. Set this constant in the
Business Modeler IDE.

• PUBLISH_AlignableSourceTypes preference
Determines the types that can be used as the source of a publish link. A publish
link connects occurrences and can be used to copy information from a source
occurrence to a target occurrence. For example, it allows Teamcenter to copy
transform data from a design occurrence to a part occurrence.

• PUBLISH_AlignableTargetTypes preference
Determines the types that can be used as the target of a publish link.

Setting find number allocation

Use the PS_new_seqno_mode preference to determine how Teamcenter allocates
new find numbers when items are inserted into a BOM view or BOM view revision.
This preference has three possible settings:

Setting Description
New Every item is given a new find number within the current
BOM view, starting with 10 and increasing by increments
of 10.
Existing If an item with the same identifier already exists in the
BOM view, Teamcenter assigns the inserted item the same
find number. If not, the item is assigned a new find number
according to the default sequence.

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Setting Description
None No find number is allocated to items inserted into a BOM
view; users can add their own find number later.

The default value of this preference is new.

You can also set the PS_Find_Number_Validation preference to on to allow
Teamcenter to validate that find numbers are not zero and are unique within the
same parent. By default, there is no validation.

Setting the viewer memory allocation and Java heap size

The viewer memory allocation can affect the display of large product structures. If
it is set too low, the Teamcenter session may be terminated when viewing a large
structure. To set the viewer memory allocation, right-click in the viewer and choose
Performance→Edit→Memory. If the memory allocation is exceeded, the viewer
unloads parts to make room for new parts.
If you are visualizing large structures of 18,000 or more lines, increase the maximum
Java heap size to 1,024 Mbytes.
For more information, see the Java documentation.

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3 Browsing product structure

Browsing product structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-1

Viewing the structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-1

Viewing product structure properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4

View properties of the product structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4

Insert or remove a property column . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4

Setting find numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4

Open a structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5

Managing multiple views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-7
Display previously loaded product structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-7

Expanding or collapsing an assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-7

Expand an assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-7
Collapse an assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8
Unload lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8
Set or unset a closure rule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8

Sorting the structure tree . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10

Select structure lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10

Packing or unpacking structure lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-11

Restrictions on packed lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-11
Pack structure lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-12
Unpack structure lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-12
Pack all or unpack all lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-12
Packing or unpacking lines with reference designators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-12

Creating aggregate occurrences and defining quantity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-13

Create an aggregate occurrence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-13
Convert an aggregate occurrence to individual components . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-14

Finding a component by property . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-14

Find components by property . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-14

Adding components using the guided component search . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-15

Display connection point information in the hierarchy tree . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-16
Run the guided component search . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-16
Removing a component . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-17

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 Make product structure searches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-17

Create a structure report in Microsoft Excel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-17

Printing Teamcenter objects in Teamcenter Rapid Start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-19

Printing structure information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-21

Print structure information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-21

Print property information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-21

Print object properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-21
Print contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-22
Print application (HTML/text) information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-22
Print application (graphics) information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-23

Print table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-23

Viewing standard notes and custom notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-23

View note . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-23

Opening a structure in NX or Teamcenter lifecycle visualization . . . . . . . . . . . 3-24

Open a structure in NX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-24
Transfer configured structures to and from NX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-24
Push a variant structure from Structure Manager to NX . . . . . . . . . . . 3-24
Pull a variant structure from NX to Structure Manager . . . . . . . . . . . 3-25
Using the Assembly Navigator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-25
Adding components in NX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-25
Open a structure in Lifecycle Visualization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-25

Interpreting transform data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-26

Communicating with the owning user . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-28

Viewing remote components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-29

Import remote components associated with stub references . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-29
Importing part families . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-29
Synchronize assembly replicas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-30

Show connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-34

View welds and datum points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-34

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3 Browsing product structure

Browsing product structure

You can create a product structure by importing product data from NX or by building
the structure manually, as described in Building and editing product structure.
Before you begin to build the product structure, you must understand how to
interpret the product structure display. You should know how to browse the product
structure to see the structure of a product, navigate around the structure, and find
components in the structure, as described next.
To find the top-level assembly or product structure line, you can use the Search
pane to find it in the database. For details of how to make searches, see the Rich
Client Interface Guide.
You can access the data associated with any point in the structure, for instance,
the item revisions and datasets.
Caution Certain other applications including Manufacturing Process Planner
and Multi-Structure Manager automatically save structures that you
browse in Structure Manager. To avoid inconsistent data, Siemens PLM
Software recommends that you close all other applications when you
work in Structure Manager.

Note In earlier versions of Teamcenter, unattached BOM lines could be shown

in the results of appearance searches. The visibility of unattached lines
was determined by the APPR_no_unattached_line preference. From
Teamcenter 10 onward, Structure Manager maps all BOM lines in the
results to the correct BOM window, and no unattached lines are shown.

Viewing the structure

To display the components of a structure, expand the line corresponding to the
structure in the structure tree. You can do this by double-clicking the node
corresponding to the line, or by clicking the + (plus) sign.
The following figure shows a simplified product structure.

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Chapter 3 Browsing product structure

Simplified example of product structure

The structure is displayed in an indented format that indicates the relationship
between its components.
• Each component (node) in the tree lists several properties which may include:
o Item ID and name
Depending on your company’s data, an item may represent a part or
assembly, a CAD design, or both. For example, 2212/B;1–R-Wheel in the
example is an item.

o Item revision
If no configured revision is found in a precise structure, Teamcenter displays
??? for the revision. If this is an assembly, it cannot be expanded.

o Item type

o Quantity
This is the total quantity represented by the line, which is greater than one if
the line is packed or represents an aggregate occurrence. If any of the values
are As Required, the quantity is shown as A/R.

o View type for assemblies

o Other properties configured for your site or you have added to the display.
For more information about adding properties, see Displaying properties.

• Assembly nodes have a + (plus) or – (minus) symbol:

o + (plus) indicates the structure is not expanded.
Double-click the node, click the + symbol or choose View→Expand Below to
expand the structure

o – (minus) indicates the structure is expanded.

Double-click the node, click the – symbol or choose View→Collapse Below to
collapse the structure.

o Nodes with alternate components have a symbol.

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o Nodes with substitute components have a symbol.

o Nodes that are variant components have a symbol.

By default, the first level of the structure does not automatically expand when
opened, as this may cause a performance problem with very large and very flat
structures. To expand the structure automatically, your administrator sets the
PSE_expand_on_open preference to 1 or undefined.
If lower levels of the structure are initially hidden, the hidden lines are represented
by a … symbol and you can click this symbol to reveal them.
Teamcenter also colors certain lines in the product structure to indicate a particular
status, as follows:

• Imprecise assemblies
The structure line appears in gray.

• Precise assemblies
The structure line appears in green.

• Substitute occurrence
The structure line appears in blue.

• Added occurrence after structure comparison

The structure line appears in red.

• Changed occurrence after structure comparison

The structure line appears in orange.

Note All colors are defaults and may be changed by editing the relevant
preference. For more information, see the Preferences and Environment
Variables Reference.

You can attach datasets, documents or forms to a line in the structure. To view
the contents of any attachment, select the line and click the Attachments pane.
Attachments made in a specific context are visible only when you select the relevant
absolute occurrence. You can use incremental changes to track edits to forms or
documents.
The information center at the bottom right corner of the application window contains
symbols that indicate Where Used, Where Referenced, Child Count, Object
Access, and Object State. You can turn off these functions by right-clicking with
the cursor over the information center. Turning off these functions improves display
performance when expanding an assembly or selecting a line.
Note Once you have expanded the structure under the top line, you cannot set
a new top line in the same window. Open the new top line in a separate
window before expanding it.

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Viewing product structure properties

A line in the product structure includes multiple properties, including:
• Item properties

• Item revision properties

• BOM view revision properties

• Occurrence properties
The use of an item revision in the context of its parent assembly.

• Display properties
Properties calculated to show the state of some other property.

View properties of the product structure

• Right-click a line to view its current properties. A full list of the available
properties is described in Displaying properties.

Insert or remove a property column

You can add a new column to the structure tree from a list of Structure Manager
properties:
1. Right-click any column header and Teamcenter displays a shortcut menu.

2. Choose Insert Column from the shortcut menu and Teamcenter displays the
Change Columns dialog box.

3. In the Change Columns dialog box, highlight the required properties and click
the Add button to transfer these properties to the right-hand pane.
Note The dialog box only shows columns that are not already included in the
structure tree.

4. Click Apply to add these properties as new columns.

To remove a column, right-click on the column and choose Remove this column
from the shortcut menu.

Setting find numbers

Teamcenter assigns a unique find number to each line in the product structure. They
provide an additional identifier or label for organizing the items in a single-level
structure relationship.
• When you add an item to the product structure, the line receives the next
available find number in the defined sequence.

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By default, the numbers are assigned in increments of 10 — that is, if the

previous line added was assigned a find number of 20, Teamcenter assigns a find
number of 30 to the next line added.

• Depending on your CAD environment, each find number may map to a callout
number or a line number in the CAD design. If the find number is linked to the
callout, changes of quantity made in the CAD design may directly update the
quantity shown in the product structure.

• If appropriate, you can rearrange the structure in find numbers by clicking the
Find Number column header. This rearrangement persists for future Structure
Manager sessions, until you make another selection.

By default, when you pack the product structure, Teamcenter packs by find number,
item ID, and variant condition. This allows you to pack two or more occurrences of
the same item, if each occurrence is has the same find number, item ID, and variant
condition. To pack structure lines, they must all have the same occurrence effectivity
object or objects; that is, they must have shared effectivity; it is not sufficient for the
lines to only have the same effectivity ranges.
You can define if occurrences are packed on your workstation by changing the
PSEAutoPackPref preference. Your site may also customize Teamcenter behavior
so that the structure is packed by criteria other than find number. For more
information, see Pack structure lines.
Your Teamcenter administrator can configure find number processing.
• Change the way find numbers are assigned to BOM views and BOM view
revisions by setting the PS_new_seqno_mode preference.

• Set the PS_Find_Number_Validation preference to allow Teamcenter to

validate that find numbers are not zero and unique within the same parent.

• Disable updating of duplicate find numbers of the same item, by setting the
PS_Duplicate_FindNo_Update preference to disabled.

Open a structure
You can open a structure by any of the following methods:

• Click the Open by Name button

Use this method to open an existing structure.

o Enter strings for the ID or the name of the items you want to open.

o Double-click the item you want to open.

Note If the item has several revisions, the window’s current revision
rule determines the revision opened. If you want to open a specific
revision, locate the revision in another application and open it by
sending it to Structure Manager or by dragging-and-dropping.

• Click the MRU (Most Recently Used) button

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This button opens any of the last four top-level structures you opened. This
list is saved across sessions, and is an easy way to reopen structures you were
previously working on. Click the item revision you want to open.
Note You can configure the number of entries shown in the MRU list by
right-clicking the button and moving the slider to the desired number.

• Use the clipboard

This is useful for opening multiple structures from another application, for
example, My Teamcenter, as follows:

1. Copy the items or item revisions to the clipboard in the other application,
then go to Structure Manager.

2. Click the Clipboard button to display the copied objects and choose the
items or item revisions you want to open in Structure Manager.

3. Repeat the previous step as necessary. You can only open one item or item
revision at a time.

• Open from another application using the Send To command

This method is useful if you have a reference to the required top-level structure
(which may be an item, item revision, BOM view or BOM view revision), in
another application.
1. Place the cursor over the object you want to open in the other application.

2. Right-click the object to display the structure line shortcut menu and choose
Send To.
Teamcenter displays a list of the destination applications (for example,
Multi-Structure Manager and My Teamcenter).

3. Click the desired application.

If the object is an item or BOM view, Teamcenter typically uses the default
revision rule to determine the revision opened, as follows.

o When you send a structure to Structure Manager from My Teamcenter,

Teamcenter opens Structure Manager, loads the structure, and then applies
the default revision rule.

o If an empty Structure Manager window is already open, Teamcenter loads

the structure into it, and then applies the default revision rule.

o However, if a Structure Manager window is already open and contains a

configured structure, Teamcenter loads the structure into it, and then applies
the revision rule used to configure the previously-displayed structure.

• Choose the File®

®Open command
This is useful for opening a new Structure Manager window on a subassembly.
Select the line for which you want to open a new window and choose File®Open.

• Drag and drop

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Drag the line representing the structure from another application such as My
Teamcenter and drop it into the empty navigation tree pane.

• Click a link
Click a link in the Open Items, History, or Favorites sections of the navigation
pane.

If the current Structure Manager window already contains an opened structure, all
of these methods create a new Structure Manager window.
To reduce the amount of time-consuming database interaction required to view a
product structure, the components of an assembly are not loaded from the database
until you expand the assembly. The first expansion may be slow, but subsequent
expansion and contractions do not require data from the database and are therefore
faster.

Managing multiple views

If multiple views exist and you do not select a specific view, Teamcenter determines
the object to display according to the following rules:
• If the item revision has no BOM view revisions, it opens the object as a
component.

• If the item revision has exactly one BOM view revision, it opens the BOM view
revision.

• If the item revision has a BOM view revision of your default view type, it opens
that BOM view revision.

If none of the rules match, Teamcenter uses the default view type.

Display previously loaded product structure

• Click the appropriate link in the History section of the navigation pane to
redisplay a recently loaded structure.

Expanding or collapsing an assembly

When working on a structure, it may be convenient to load the entire assembly
structure or a major section of it at the same time. Any further expansion or
collapsing of the structure is faster, since this only requires a change to the display
of the structure, not a full reload.

Expand an assembly
• Choose View→Expand Below... to expand all nodes below the currently selected
node or nodes. Teamcenter displays the Expand to level dialog box, allowing you
to enter the desired number of levels to which you want to expand the structure.
The structure expands to the piece parts, where appropriate. Teamcenter loads
any necessary components from the database.

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Note If you try to expand the structure by fewer levels than the existing
expansion, the display does not change unless you select the Collapse to
level check box in the dialog box.
If you try to expand a large assembly, Structure Manager displays an
Expanding the tree may take a long time. Do you want to continue?
message. Click Yes to continue with the expansion.
If expansion of selected BOM line types is restricted by a closure rule,
Structure Manager displays a Cannot expand BOM line message.
For more information about restricting expansions with closure rules, see
Set or unset a closure rule.

Collapse an assembly
Collapse an expanded assembly in one of two ways:
• Select the expanded node and choose View→Collapse Below.

Or
1. Select the expanded node and choose View→Expand Below.... Teamcenter
displays the Expand to level dialog box.

2. Enter the level to which you want to collapse the assembly, select the Collapse
lower level check box and click OK.
For example, if the assembly is expanded to five levels and you enter 3,
Teamcenter collapses the assembly to three levels.

Unload lines
If you encounter memory problems when expanding a structure, you can unload
selected lines to free memory manually.
1. Right-click the line below which you want to unload lines (for example, a
subassembly) and choose Unload Below.
Teamcenter displays the Unload Below dialog box.

2. Click Yes to continue.

Teamcenter unloads all the lines below the current selection from the current
session.

Set or unset a closure rule

You can limit the expansion of the structure using site-specific criteria to reduce
potentially time-consuming expansions. For example, if a line has a monolithic
JT file attached to it, you may not want to expand the subassembly below it.
Similarly, you may not want to expand an assembly if it is not assigned to
the current project. The site administrator specifies the available rules in the
ClosureRulesForBomExpansion preference.
Select a closure rule before expanding the structure:
1. Choose Tools→View/Set Closure Rule for Expansion.

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Teamcenter displays the View/Set Closure Rule for Expansion dialog box.

2. Select the required closure rule in the Rules list, and then enter any filter
attributes necessary for the selected rule. In the example shown, you must
specify at least one project identifier.
Note In a conditional clause, evaluation of the left-hand expression must
give primitive data types such as string or integer. If the related
property is a typed reference, untyped reference, relation, or external
references, the left-hand expression must evaluate to a primitive data
type that uses the property of the object. You must use the property of
the object, rather than the object itself. For example, instead of using
PRIMARY.bl_uom==”kg” in a condition clause, you should traverse
from BOMLine to UnitOfMeasure using bl_uom and then use a
symbol property of UnitOfMeasure.

Primary Secondary
object Primary object Secondary Relation Related Action Conditional
class object class object type property type clause
CLASS BOMLine CLASS UnitOfMeasure Property bl_uom Skip SECONDARY.
symbol
==$var

Note Line breaks are not supported in closure rules with variables.

3. After you enter the attributes, click OK to set the closure rule.
Teamcenter applies the closure rule to all future structure expansions until you
unset it or set another rule.
Note You can set the SkipClosureRuleEquivalent user preference to
determine whether the closure rule is re-evaluated if you reapply it in
the same session and the referenced property has changed.

To unset the closure rule, select it in the Rules list and then click Unset Rule.

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Tip You can see the name of the current closure rule in the title bar of the
structure window. It is shown after the revision rule and variant rule names,
if any. Unsetting the closure rule clears the closure rule name from the
title bar.
If the action type in the closure rule is SKIP, lines meeting the criteria do not
appear. If the action type is PROCESS, qualified lines appear but are not
expanded (they show a + symbol). To expand such a line, unset the closure
rule from the window and then repeat the expansion of the subassembly.

Sorting the structure tree

You can sort the product structure tree on the value of a column in the tree table, by
clicking the header of the selected column. Teamcenter resorts each level of the table
accorded to the values displayed in the selected column within an assembly level.
• The first time you click a column, the tree is sorted in ascending order; each
subsequent time you click the column header, the tree table is re-sorted in
descending, unsorted, and then ascending order.

• An arrow appears in the column header to indicate the column according to

which the tree is sorted.
The direction of the arrow indicates if it is sorted in ascending, descending or
unsorted order.
Note Once you sort the tree according to a column value, it remains sorted, even
if you add structure lines. If you paste a line into a sorted tree, the newly
pasted line appears at its correct (sorted) location within the tree.

Note If the properties you want to sort by are not available, you can insert the
necessary columns in the table. For example, you may want to sort by item
master form attributes, item revision form attributes and mapped attributes
for appearances. To add a column, right-click the column header, choose
Insert Column and choose the appropriate property from the selection list.

Select structure lines

Use the Edit→Select Below menu command to make multiline selections in a
structure. There are two types of multiline selections:
• Lowest Lines
Use this option for:

o Initial setup of one view from an existing view, for example, setting up a
manufacturing view from the design view. This allows you to reference the
same components but with different intermediate levels of structure.

o Selective opening of assembly data in NX by passing only the required

component references.
If you open a configured variant assembly in NX, you open all of its
components whether Teamcenter configures them or not. A Lowest Lines

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selection allows you to configure the variants and hide unconfigured

occurrences. You can then select the occurrences that remain configured
and open them in NX.
Note The term lowest level corresponds with its usage in the Compare feature.
As in structure comparison, your selection of All Lines or Lowest Level
applies to the currently configured structure and expanded in the
product structure window.

• All Lines
Allows you to take a snapshot of the structure by copying references to each
revision in that structure to an override folder. You can attach this folder to and
release it with the top level assembly. You can use this folder as an override
list to reload the exact configuration of all component revisions in the product
when it was released.
Note You can automate this functionality using the snapshots feature.

Packing or unpacking structure lines

Grouping multiple identical components in one level of an assembly is known as
packing. You can pack components if they satisfy all of the following requirements:
• They have the same item revision.

• They have the same find number.

• None have variant conditions or they all have the same variant condition.

For example, if a bicycle designer is working on a wheel hub design, it is

time-consuming to negotiate 50 individual spokes within the wheel assembly, if each
spoke is identical except for its position. All that is necessary is a Spoke x 50 entry.
Note A customizer can use an ITK function to register a different algorithm
for packing criteria. For information, see the Server Customization
Programmer’s Guide.

Restrictions on packed lines

The following restrictions apply to all lines in the structure that are packed:
• You cannot edit the Quantity value.

• If any of the packed lines have notes, the notes are replaced by the text Packed
Notes. If none of the packed lines has notes, the notes are blank. In both cases,
you cannot edit the notes.

• Item and item revision attributes such as part name, weight, and cost remain
visible and can be edited if you have the appropriate permissions.

• You can modify the find number. Any such modification applies to each line in
the structure and is visible if the structure is unpacked.

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• If any of the packed lines has a substitute, the packed line shows Packed
Substitute in the Substitute column. The pack count includes the substitutes.

• Set the BOMExcludeFromPackCheck preference to exclude sequence

numbers from structure line packing checks. You can set this preference to
seqno and lines with distinct sequence numbers can be packed, or none to
exclude them.

You can set the Packed by Default preferences so that occurrences are displayed
packed when you initially expand the assembly (but not when they are first added).
For more information, see Setting Local Preferences.

Pack structure lines

To pack lines in the structure that meet the packing criteria, select any one of the
lines and choose Pack in the View menu. Alternatively, you can click the Pack
button in the toolbar.
In the case of the bicycle example, this action collapses the 50 lines in the product
structure into one line representing all spokes and indicated by the image. A x 50
property is appended in the node of the single line and the Quantity box shows the
value 50. Teamcenter shows a Y character in the Packed column, if that column
is displayed.
Note Teamcenter makes no distinction made between the sum of a number of
separate occurrences or an aggregate occurrence displayed in the Node
column or the Quantity column. However, the Pack Count column shows the
number of lines that have been packed.

Unpack structure lines

To unpack lines in the structure, right-click the single packed line and choose the
Unpack menu command, or press the CTRL+N keys. The packed line separates into
individual structure lines, each with its own set of attributes. You can edit these
individual attributes.
By default, all components are initially packed to save space.
You can change this behavior by editing the Pack by Default preference, as
described in Setting your local user preferences.

Pack all or unpack all lines

Choose Pack All or Unpack All from the View menu to pack or unpack all lines in the
currently selected window, if the necessary packing conditions are met.

Packing or unpacking lines with reference designators

You can pack or unpack product structure lines that include reference designators.
For example, if you pack eight occurrences of the same part with different reference
designators, the Ref Designator property column shows a concatenated set of
reference designators, for example, C1, C5-7, C10, C14-16. You cannot edit the
reference designators of packed lines.

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You can configure reference designator packing rules by setting the

BOM_Enable_Ref_Designator_Value_Packing preference.
Note There are additional rules that determine general packing rules, as described
previously. This preference only controls reference designator packing.

You can also unpack packed lines that include concatenated reference designators.
Each unpacked line shows a single reference designator, for example, C1.
Teamcenter validates the correct reference designator format. All reference
designators must be in the format prefix number, where prefix is a string of one or more
uppercase letters and number is an integer. To validate the format and uniqueness of
reference designators, set the PS_Reference_Designator_Validation preference
to on. This setting also prevents users from editing packed lines. By default, this
preference is set to off and no validation is performed.
You can search for reference designator values. As with other product structures
searches, this is a wildcard search; if you search for C1, the system actually searches
for *C1*. You can also include reference designators in structure comparisons.
You can disable updating of duplicate find numbers of the same item. To do this, set
the PS_Duplicate_FindNo_Update preference to disabled.
The BOMExcludeFromPackCheck preference allows you to exclude sequence
numbers from structure line packing checks. You can set this preference to seqno
and structure lines with distinct sequence numbers can be packed or none to exclude
them.

Creating aggregate occurrences and defining quantity

Creating aggregate occurrence is a technique that allows you to define a single
occurrence to represent a number of components, for example, 50 cable ties. Using
aggregate occurrences reduces the amount of data stored in the database and the
size of the displayed structure.
You can only create an aggregate occurrence from components with no units of
measure and not from components that require a quantity value, for example, 1.5
liters of oil. Structure Manager does not differentiate between these component
types and a numerical value is shown in the Quantity column in each case.
Note Aggregate occurrences cannot have separate attributes such as notes or
positional information associated with any individual component. If this is
necessary, use individual occurrences and pack the lines to simplify the
display.

Create an aggregate occurrence

Create an aggregate occurrence by entering a value for the Quantity attribute in
one of the following ways:
• Edit the Quantity Per Occurrence box in the Add or Paste dialog box when
you add the component.

• Edit the Quantity attribute in place. You cannot do this if the line in the
structure is packed.

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• Edit the Quantity box in the View Properties dialog box.

Note If you do not specify a quantity value, the occurrence represents a single
component and the Quantity column is blank. By default, the Quantity Per
Occurrence box is blank and this implies a value of 1.

Convert an aggregate occurrence to individual components

To convert from an aggregate occurrence to individual occurrences (for example, an
aggregate occurrence of 100 bolts to 100 individual bolts), modify the Quantity value
of the aggregate occurrence to 1. Then, copy the line and use the Paste command as
necessary to create the remaining individual occurrences.

Finding a component by property

You can search the displayed product structure to find one or more specified
components.
This capability is useful if you are not familiar with the structure and want to
navigate quickly to a particular component. You can construct a search expression
from any combination of the properties displayed in the columns in the product
structure tree.

Find components by property

1. Expand the displayed structure fully for those assemblies you want to search.
The search function does not find hidden components in unexpanded assemblies.

2. Click the Find component(s) in display button at the lower left of the
Structure Manager window.
Teamcenter displays the Find in Display dialog box.
Note The search starts at the top-level item in the structure, not at the
currently selected line. You do not select an assembly in which to look
for the component. If you want to restrict the search to a particular
assembly, open the subassembly in a new Structure Manager window by
selecting it and choosing File→Open. Alternatively, you can collapse all
other assemblies except the one you want to search.

3. Click to display an initial clause.

4. Double-click the Property Name text box to select a property from the list of
available columns.

5. Double-click the = box to select a different operator.

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Tip You can use the following relational operators to define property
searches:

Relational operator Definition

= or = = Equal to
> Greater than
< Less than
>= Greater than or equal to
<= Less than or equal to
!= Not equal to
– Range
| OR
“” Exact string
& AND

The operators <, <= ,>, >= apply to numeric properties only.

6. Click the Searching Value text box and type the value you want to search for.
Note Partial matches are selected for string properties. Wildcards are not
supported, and the search is not case sensitive.

7. Add further clauses to the search condition by clicking again. You can also
double-click AND to change it to OR.

8. If necessary, reorder clauses by clicking and .

9. When the search condition definition is complete, click Find . Teamcenter

highlights the first line it finds that matches the search condition, and the Find
dialog box shows a count of the total number of matching lines found.

10. Click Find next one and Find previous one to step through the

matching lines one at a time. Alternatively, you can click Load All to select
all matching lines at once.

Adding components using the guided component search

Using a guided component search (GCS) accelerates the search for matching
components within an assembly. This search allows you to choose from a list of only
those classified workspace objects that fit into the selected components from which
you are initiating the search. Whether a component fits into something else could be
based on physical criteria or on other criteria that you decide (for example, Material
A can only be used with Material B). To use this search, you must first configure it in
the Classification Administration application.

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For more information about configuring the guided component search, see the
Classification Administration Guide.
The guided component search uses the following criteria to determine if a component
matches another:
• If the connection type of each component is the same.

• If components fit into each other. All components in the GCS are assigned
a physical shape—plug, socket, or neutral. For the search to find a match,
the matching component must always have the opposite shape to the initial
component. In other words, a plug component requires a socket component and
vice versa, or a neutral component requires another neutral component.

• The attribute values of the components must fulfil the matching criteria set in
the Classification Administration application.

Display connection point information in the hierarchy tree

Find the Show GCS Connection Points commands in the View menu or as buttons
on the view toolbar.
• Choose one of the following:
o Show All GCS Connection Points

o Hide All GCS Connection Points

Run the guided component search

When running the guided component search, there are two types of search that
you can use.
• You have a component and want to build onto this component in one direction
only.

• You have a component with multiple connection points and want to fulfil these
simultaneously.
To perform this type of search, all connection points must have the same shape,
same connection type, and same parent component.

1. Select the desired connection point of the component in the assembly structure
for which you want to find a matching component.

2. Right-click and choose Guided Component Search, or click the Guided

Component Search button on the toolbar.
The system displays the Classification Search Dialog, but only with components
containing connection points that match the connection point selected in the
assembly structure. The displayed hierarchy contains only the classes and
parent classes of these components.

3. Search the hierarchy and select the desired component.

You can narrow the search by entering search criteria in the Search pane.
The system adds the component to the structure.

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For more information about searching, see the Resource Manager Guide.

Removing a component
When you remove a component that satisfies one more multiple connection points
from a resource assembly using the Cut or Remove a line command, Teamcenter
updates the previously satisfied connection points and removes the connection
information from the connection points.

Make product structure searches

You can search the product structure as follows:
• You can search large products with a combination of spatial and attribute
criteria. Teamcenter displays the results of the search in a dialog window and
the embedded viewer.
To initiate a spatial search, select the structure line to search from and click
the Search button .
Teamcenter displays the Spatial Search Criteria dialog box for you to define the
search parameters. Alternatively, you can drag a search box of the appropriate
dimensions on the embedded viewer.
For more information, see Making spatial searches.
Note This method is sometimes referred to as cacheless search, because it is
not necessary to maintain secondary data caches. However, if you used
appearances or QPL cached searches in previous versions, you can still
use these techniques instead of cacheless search.

• For smaller products, you can make nonspatial searches for components using
item attributes, Classification parameters, reference designators, or occurrence
notes.

To initiate a nonspatial search, click the Search button .

Teamcenter displays the Nonspatial Search Criteria dialog box for you to define
the search parameters.
Tip If your site uses alternate IDs, you can search with them instead of item IDs
or item revision IDs. To view the alternate IDs in the structure tree, add the
bl_item_altid_list property, as described in Displaying properties.

Create a structure report in Microsoft Excel

To perform a simple, static export of the product structure and view the formatted
results in Microsoft Excel, do the following:
1. Add a custom Excel template, as follows:
a. Ensure you are logged on as infodba.

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b. Create a new item of type ExcelTemplate in the Teamcenter

administrator account’s (infodba) Home→Requirements Management
Templates→ExcelTemplates folder.

c. Add the MSExcelX dataset underneath the ExcelTemplateRevision

object.
Teamcenter uses the named reference of this dataset as your template for
structure export.
Note Choose appropriate naming conventions for item, dataset, and named
reference.
Bypass naming rules if required.

2. To include any custom form properties in the report, create a custom transfer
mode and add it to the Excel template. The transfer mode comprises a custom
closure rule and a custom property set.
a. In the PLM XML/TC XML Export Import Administration application, create
a custom closure rule to export the item revision master form. For example:

Primary Related
object Primary Secondary Secondary Relation property or
class object object class object type object Action type
Class * * Item PROPERTY IMAN_master_ PROCESS +
Version form_rev TRAVERSE
Master

b. Create a custom property set that defines the custom form properties
you want to export. The property set should contain a line similar to the
following example for each custom property you want to export.

Primary Primary Related property or

object class object Relation type object Action type
Class Form PROPERTY custom_form_name DO

3. Before configuring the Excel template, test the custom transfer mode works by
performing a PLM XML export.
a. In Structure Manager, select an item revision that includes your custom
form properties.

b. Choose Tools→Export→Object→PLMXML→your custom transfer mode.

Teamcenter creates a PLM XML output file.

c. Verify the output file holds the values of the custom properties.

4. Configure the Excel template by adding the necessary columns for the custom
properties. logos, and hyperlinks. Refer to the sample files for examples.

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5. By default, every level in the Excel template is displayed in a different row in the
final result. To merge values for a single revision into one row, you must apply
packing to the ExcelTemplate item type.
a. Check out the item.

b. Select the apply_packing value for the Excel Template Rules property and
modify it as necessary.

c. Check in the item.

6. Perform the structure export by choosing Tools→Export→Objects to Excel→Use

Excel Template and selecting your custom Excel template.

Printing Teamcenter objects in Teamcenter Rapid Start

In Teamcenter Rapid Start, you can print the following object types:
• CAD drawings in a part, assembly, or folder

• Microsoft Office documents in a part, assembly, or folder

Note You can print .doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx, .ppt, and .pptx files.

• Images in a part, assembly, or folder

Teamcenter Rapid Start also allows you to print a watermark on your output. A
watermark is text or an image that appears in the background of each page of your
printed document.
The following table describes the printing options and the expected output for each
option based on the selected object type.

Selected object Print Button or

type right-click®
®Print File®
®Print...
Folder with Sends the contents of Opens a print dialog window
datasets, items, the folder to the default where you can select the desired
and/or item printer. printer and optionally specify a
revisions watermark. Once the options are
selected, the contents of the folder
are printed.
Item or item revision Sends the contents Opens a print dialog window
of the item or item where you can select the desired
revision to the default printer and optionally specify a
printer. watermark. Once the options are
selected, the contents of the folder
are printed.

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Selected object Print Button or

type right-click®
®Print File®
®Print...
Dataset Sends the contents Opens a print dialog window
of the dataset to the where you can select the desired
default printer. printer and optionally specify a
watermark. Once the options are
selected, the contents of the folder
are printed.

How to print objects

1. In Teamcenter Rapid Start, select the object or objects in the tree structure
or Details table.

Note To select multiple objects, press the Ctrl key as you click.

2. Perform one of the following:

• To send the selected files to the printer without specifying print options, click
the Print button in the toolbar or right-click and choose Print from the
shortcut menu.

• To specify print options and watermarks:

a. Choose File→Print....

b. Select Client Printer or Server Printer and then choose the printer name
from the list.

c. Optionally, to print a watermark on the documents, perform one of the

following:

o To print watermark text, select Watermark Text and then enter the
text in the corresponding text field.

o To print a watermark graphic, select Watermark Path and then click

the Browse button to locate the graphic file you want to use as the
watermark.

Note To adjust the location of the watermark, you can edit the
TC_ROOT\tcvis\VVCP\vvcp.ini file. In addition, you can
optionally specify the path to an MDS (metadata stamping)
file that contains predefined watermark text. You can use
MDS stamp commands to change, customize, and improve file
stamping. MDS stamp commands are preferences used to create
more detailed stamps to apply to your files.

d. Click Print.

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Printing structure information

There are several options to extract printed or textual information from a structure
including:
• Print allows you to print information about the structure below the currently
selected line.

• Print... allows you to print object properties and application information.

• Print Table allows you to print product structure information in tabular format.

Print structure information

To print information about the structure below a line, select the line in the product
structure tree and choose File→Print. Teamcenter opens the Print dialog box,
showing how the output will be formatted. The structure below the selected line, if
currently expanded, is shown and text information is obtained from the left-most
(indented tree) column.
Select the appropriate box at the top right of the dialog box for HTML or text format.

Click the Format button at the top right of the dialog box to print or hide the
title text and revision rule label.

Click Print . If you select text format, print output is sent to the default printer.
If you select HTML format, the output is displayed in your default Web browser.
Alternatively, you can click Save to open a dialog box in which you can specify a
directory and name for the output text or HTML file.

Print property information

To print property information, select a line in Structure Manager and choose
File→Print.... Teamcenter opens the Print... dialog box with the following options:
• Object Properties

• Contents

• Application (HTML/Text)

• Application (Graphics)

Print object properties

Choose the Object Properties command and click OK. Teamcenter opens a dialog
box containing the selected line’s properties and their values in tabular form. You
can select HTML or text format.

If you select text format, click to specify a delimiter string to separate the
property name and value. Select the Column Alignment check box to pad the text
with spaces and line up the entries up in vertical columns.

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You can also click Format at the top right of the dialog box to print or hide
the title text.

Click Print . If you select text format, print output is sent to the default printer.
If you select HTML format, the output is displayed in your default Web browser.
Alternatively, you can click Save to open a dialog box in which you can specify a
directory and name for the output text or HTML file.

Print contents
• To print the contents of the structure, choose the Contents command and click
OK. The print format is the same as obtained with the Print command.

Print application (HTML/text) information

To print application textual information, choose the Application (HTML/Text)
command and click OK. Teamcenter displays a dialog box containing the entire
contents of the Structure Manager window, as currently expanded. The data is
displayed in tabular form and includes every displayed column. You can select HTML
or Text format.

If you select text format, click Format and Teamcenter allows you to do the
following:

• Specify Delimiter characters.

• Turn Column Alignment on or off. When it is turned on, each property value is
padded with spaces. The output is formatted in columns whose width reflects
that set for the corresponding columns in the structure tree.

• Turn Auto Indent on or off. When it is turned on, the printed format uses leading
spaces to reproduce the indentation of successive levels of structure.

• Turn Show +/– on or off. When it is turned on, appropriate lines are prefixed with
+ and – characters to identify collapsed and expanded assemblies, respectively.

You can also click Format at the top right of the dialog box to turn on or off
the title text.

Click Print . If you select text format, print output is sent to the default printer.
If you select HTML format, the output is displayed in your default Web browser.
Alternatively, you can click Save to open a dialog box in which you can specify a
directory and name for the output text or HTML file.
Note If you turn off Column Alignment, Auto Indent, and Show +/– and set the
delimiter to a comma (,). Teamcenter generates a comma-separated output
file that can be opened in a spreadsheet application.

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Print application (graphics) information

To print application graphics information, click the Application (Graphics)
command, then click OK. Teamcenter sends a graphical image of the structure as
expanded in the current Structure Manager window to the default printer.

Print table
To print structure information in tabular format, right-click the column headings
in the product structure display. Teamcenter displays a shortcut menu including
a Print Table command and HTML/Text and Graphics commands. These menu
commands provide an alternate to the Print application (HTML/text) information
and Print application (graphics) information procedures, respectively.

Viewing standard notes and custom notes

Teamcenter allows you to attach notes to items or item revisions. These notes
contain additional documentation about parts or documents. For example, a note
may contain the following instructions:
Round all sharp corners to [Radius: 0.01, 0.02, 0.03] inch
and heat-treat to [Temperature: 100,120,130] degrees Fahrenheit

The following types of note are available:

• Standard note
Contains information established by a standards engineering organization. It
conforms to the design practices of a program or project, is stored in a library,
and is available to all participating engineers. A standard note is sometimes
called a parametric requirement.

• Custom note
Contains information that is unique to an individual part or document. It is
not stored in a library. Create custom notes in the Business Modeler IDE, as
described in the Business Modeler IDE Guide.
Note Do not confuse standard notes and custom notes attached to items or item
revisions with occurrence notes.
For information about occurrence notes, see Displaying occurrence notes.

View note
1. Select a product structure line that represents an item or item revision.

2. Click the Show/Hide Data Panel button on the toolbar.

Teamcenter displays the data pane.

3. On the data pane, click the Attachments tab.

Teamcenter displays any standard notes or custom notes attached to the selected
line, allowing you to view their content or properties.

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For detailed information about how to manage standard notes and create and or
custom notes, see Creating and editing notes.

Opening a structure in NX or Teamcenter lifecycle visualization

You can open the structure you have displayed in NX or Teamcenter lifecycle
visualization.

Open a structure in NX
You can load the structure into NX to work on the design in one of two ways:

• Push the structure from Structure Manager into NX. You can load (push) as
many structures as necessary from Structure Manager into a single existing
NX session.

• Pull the structure into NX from Teamcenter.

Transfer configured structures to and from NX

You can configure a product structure with revision rules and variants, and then
export the configured structure to NX in native format. To do this, select the top-level
line of the assembly and choose the Tools→Export Configured NX Assembly menu
command.
Teamcenter displays the Export Configured UGNX Assembly dialog box, which
allows you to choose the export directory and the naming format.

Note This menu command is visible only if your administrator sets the
TC_ExportConfigUGNXAssembly preference to TRUE and NX is
installed on the client machine.
The administrator must also enable the NxClone translator, as described in
the Dispatcher Server Translators Reference Guide.

You can also push or pull variant structures between Structure Manager and NX.

Push a variant structure from Structure Manager to NX

When a variant rule is in force, you may display a subset of the product structure
in Structure Manager, for example, when the View→Show Unconfigured Variants
option is set to off. To ensure you see only the configured components in NX:

1. Expand the whole structure in Structure Manager by choosing View→Expand

Below.

2. Choose Edit→Select Below→Lowest Lines to select the lowest level of the

structure.

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Note If you select the top-level assembly and click Open in NX, all components
are loaded, not just the configured ones. This applies to any assemblies
lower down the structure that are not expanded.
By default, the Open in NX button and menu command are not
visible in Structure Manager. Your administrator must set the
TC_show_open_in_NX_button preference to on to make them visible.

3. In NX, click Open on the toolbar or choose File→Open. Browse to the required
structure.

The Assembly Navigator in NX displays all components in the assembly;

unconfigured components are shown as not loaded. The Assembly Navigator cannot
distinguish between unconfigured components and those that are manually loaded
by pushing them from Structure Manager.

Pull a variant structure from NX to Structure Manager

NX can access variant rules saved in Teamcenter. In the Load Options dialog box,
you can select a saved variant rule attached to the top-level item revision of the
product structure. Once loaded, you can configure the structure by applying one or
more saved variant rules using the Assemblies→Variant Configurations... menu
command. (Unlike Teamcenter, NX can apply more than one variant rule to a
structure.) If you do not apply a variant rule, all components are loaded into NX.
For additional information, see the Teamcenter Integration for NX documentation.

Using the Assembly Navigator

When variant rules are set in NX, the Assembly Navigator suppresses any
unconfigured components, so they are not visible in the Assembly Navigator or
other NX applications.

Adding components in NX
When variant rules are not set in NX, you can add components in NX by pasting it
into the product structure; the component has no variant data and thus is always
configured. You can later define a variant condition for the added components in
Structure Manager. You cannot add components to a configured structure, you must
first unset any variant rules applied.

Open a structure in Lifecycle Visualization

You can load the structure into Lifecycle Visualization to view the structure with
the full Lifecycle Visualization functionality. You can also view the structure in
the embedded viewer in the data pane.
When you load configured variant structures into Lifecycle Visualization, graphics
(not parts) are displayed for the selected lines.
1. In Structure Manager, expand the whole structure by choosing View→Expand
Below.

2. Choose Edit→Select Below→Lowest Lines to select the lowest level of the

structure.

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Note If you select the top-level assembly and click Open in Lifecycle
Visualization, the graphics of all components are loaded, not only the
configured ones. This applies to any assemblies lower down the structure
that are not expanded.
By default, the Open in Lifecycle Visualization button and menu
command are not visible in Structure Manager. Your administrator
must set the TC_show_open_in_vmu_button preference to on to
make them visible.

3. Click Open in Lifecycle Visualization on the toolbar or choose File→Open in

Lifecycle Visualization.
The Lifecycle Visualization application launches and displays the structure is in
a similar way to the Structure Manager structure view. Check boxes allow you to
turn on and off the graphics display for individual lines.
For more information, see Visualizing product structure.
Note If you right-click a line that has a JT file attached to it and choose Show JT
Attributes, Teamcenter displays the attributes of the JT file. You can display
JT properties for an assembly or a component.

Interpreting transform data

Teamcenter uses occurrence transformation data to position components in an
assembly. It creates transformation data for each component in an assembly. When
a Teamcenter assembly is opened in an integrated CAD system, the CAD system
interprets the transformation data to reconstruct the assembly.
Teamcenter stores transformations in a matrix in eXT format in the following format:
{ R00 R10 R20 P0 R01 R11 R21 P1 R02 R12 R22 P2 T0 T1 T2 S }
The components of this matrix are:
• A general rotation submatrix, comprising an x-axis (R00, R01, R02), a y-axis
(R10, R11, R12), and a z-axis (R20, R21, R22).

• A general rotation submatrix, comprising an x-axis (R00, R01, R02), a y-axis

(R10, R11, R12), and a z-axis (R20, R21, R22).

• A perspective (P0, P1, P2).

• A scaling factor (S).

Note Not all of these components are used by every external CAD system that
stores data in Teamcenter. For example, NX only uses rigid body transforms
and therefore does not use perspective. The three elements representing
perspective are always set to 0.0 by Teamcenter Integration for NX. Also,
Teamcenter Integration for NX always sets the scaling factor to 1.0. The
transform values set by different external CAD systems are not compatible
or interchangeable.

You can view and change the transformation associated with a component in the
Absolute Transformation Matrix property columns, as described in Displaying

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properties. In particular, you can add one or more of the following property columns
to view transformations:
• bl_plmxml_occ_xform
Shows the PLM XML transformation matrix value assigned to a part occurrence
in the product structure.

• bl_plmxml_abs_xform
Shows a run-time, rolled-up PLM XML transformation matrix value assigned
to a part occurrence in the product structure. The rolled-up transformation
value is calculated by adding the relative transformation matrices of all the
occurrence parent parts in the product structure. This property can also override
a transformation matrix value if you are making in-context edits.

• bl_occ_xform_matrix
Shows the non-PLM XML transformation matrix value assigned to a part
occurrence in the product structure.

• bl_abs_xform_matrix
Shows a run-time, rolled-up non-PLM XML transformation matrix value
assigned to a part occurrence in the product structure. The rolled-up
transformation value is calculated by adding the relative transformation
matrices of all the occurrence parent parts in the product structure. This
property can also override a transformation matrix value if you are making
in-context edits.

The following example shows a structure that has just relative transformation
matrices assigned to it. Structure Manager fills the absolute transformation matrix
fields when it rolls up the relative transformation matrices of the structure. In this
example, 000010/A;1-n1 does not have a relative transformation matrix assigned
to it. If Structure Manager encounters an unassigned matrix, it inserts an identity
matrix in the Absolute Transformation Matrix column when rolling the matrix
values.

Example of product structure with relative transformation matrixes

The following example shows a structure that has relative transformation matrixes
assigned to it and also one absolute transformation matrix in the context of
000009/A;1-top. If appropriate, you can make in-context values to the absolute
transformation matrix value. When you do this, a target symbol appears next to the
transformation value in the Absolute Transformation Matrix column. In-context
transformation values override the relative transformation values when Structure

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Manager rolls up the transformation values in the Absolute Transformation Matrix

column.

Example of product structure with relative and absolute transformation

matrixes
Teamcenter and Teamcenter Integration for NX transformation data is written in
PLM XML format and uses meters as the unit of measure. In earlier Teamcenter
products, transform data was written in millimeters and inches. Do not combine
legacy and current transform measurements but update transform data using the
Teamcenter Integration for NX refile utility.
Use the following preferences to configure how Teamcenter interprets legacy
transformation data:

• PS_allow_plmxml_transforms_with_no_legacy_factor
Configures whether Teamcenter converts legacy transform data.

• PS_assume_old_transform_format
Determines how Teamcenter interprets the format of legacy transform data.

• PS_assume_legacy_transform_units
Determines how Teamcenter interprets the unit of measure for legacy transform
data.

• PS_convert_legacy_transform_to_plmxml
Enables the display of legacy transforms in a PLM XML format.

Communicating with the owning user

If you work in a collaborative environment where several users own assemblies
or components in a design, you may want to communicate with the user who
owns a particular assembly or component. If the Microsoft Office Communicator
integration is installed on your system, you can right-click the line that represents
the assembly or component, and then choose Send an Instant Message to Owning
User. Teamcenter displays a Communicator window, allowing you to begin an
instant message conversation with the owner.

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Viewing remote components

If you import assembly items to a remote site from the master Multi-Site
Collaboration site, the component items of the assembly are not imported, only the
BOM view revision. Consequently, when you load the BVR in Structure Manager,
the components are not loaded because they are not available locally.
You can, however, view these items as assembly replicas containing remote
components. Replicas and out-of-date replicas may be identified by site defined
colors, for example, red for out-of-date replicas. The remote components are displayed
as stub references in the structure lines of such unavailable remote components that
are not available at the local site. If the owning user excludes certain objects from
the replica of a remotely owned item, Teamcenter creates an augmented stub at the
replica site. If you are authorized to view these stubbed objects, the augmented stub
is visible with the ID, name, type, and description attributes shown.
When you open an assembly containing remote components, Structure Manager
loads the assembly with the available components and shows the stub references for
the structure lines of the remote components. If any of the remote components are
not yet replicated locally, Structure Manager may prompt if you want to import these
components or imports them without user intervention, depending on the setting of
the PSE_prompt_for_remote_import preference.
Note These lines may represent remote part family members or other remote
components. All remote components are displayed in the same manner.

Import remote components associated with stub references

• Choose Tools→Import Remote. Teamcenter obtains the data from either the
Object Directory Services (ODS) or the owning site of the assembly.

Importing part families

In the case of part family member components, Teamcenter obtains the part family
member replicas if the master part family members are not available. The part
family member replica is imported from the master site of the assembly.
When importing remote part family members:
• If the Import Distributed Components option is not set and the master site of
the assembly owns the part family members, the members are imported.

• If the Import Distributed Components option is not set and the master site of
the assembly does not own the part family members, the members are imported.
Teamcenter imports the part family replica and not the master copy. The master
part family members must exist at the owning site.

• If the Import Distributed Components option is set and a site owns and contains
the part family members locally, the members are imported. Teamcenter imports
the master part family members present at the owning site.

• If the Import Distributed Components option is set and if the part family
members do not exist locally at a site that owns them, the members are imported.
Teamcenter imports the part family member replica and not the master copy.

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Synchronize assembly replicas

You can request that Teamcenter compares the assembly replicas at your site with
the remote sites owning them, allowing you to visually ascertain if your replicas
match the masters at the remote sites and (if appropriate) demand synchronization.
This process may take several minutes to complete, depending on the size of the
assembly and the location of the master site.
To determine the need for synchronization, right-click a structure line, and choose
one of the following commands:
• Multi-Site Synchronization→Object
Choose this command to determine the synchronization state of a selected object,
such as a dataset or form. You can also request synchronization of items or item
revisions, but the synchronization state of any attached objects is not displayed.
Teamcenter displays the synchronization status of the object, which may be one
of the following values:

o Blank
The replica object is up-to-date.
o Up to date per hub
The replica is up to date according to hub data.
o Out of date
The last modified date of the master is later than the last modified date of
the replica.
o Replica has later date
The last modified date of the object at your site is later than the last modified
date of the object at the master. This occurs if you check out the object.
o Not configured revision
The configured revision of your replica is not configured at the owning site.
For example, the latest revision is superseded at the owning site, but this is
not replicated at your site.
o Unknown
The owning site is unavailable.

• Multi-Site Synchronization→Component
Choose this command to determine the synchronization state of a selected
component revision and all objects associated with it, including BVRs and
attachments. This check identifies if the component has been replicated at your
site and also if the replica is up-to-date. If the replica is outdated, you can request
synchronization and visually verify if the synchronization process succeeded.
Teamcenter displays the Synchronization dialog box, which allows you to set the
following options to configure the synchronization process.

o Sync Options
Choose Perform Sync or Perform Sync In Background to immediately
initiate the synchronization process. Teamcenter sends a request to the site
owning the selected component to determine the revision to synchronize,
based on your revision rule selection. It determines the outdated objects and

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initiates a remote import of modified versions, depending on your settings in

the Import/Export Preferences dialog box.
Note Bulk data files are always included in the synchronization and the
latest dataset version is imported.

Choose the Report Only option to display a results folder containing the
component and associated objects. The properties of each object are shown
from the viewpoint of your site. To ascertain the status of each object, view
the Sync State box, which contains one of the following values:
Blank
The object is up-to-date.
Up to date per hub
The replica is up to date according to hub data.
Out of date
The last modified date of the master is later than the last modified
date of the replica.
Replica has later date
The last modified date of the object at your site is later than the last
modified date of the object at the master. This occurs if you check out
the object.
Not replicated by local site
There is no replica of the object at your site.
No configured revision
The owning site has a different configured revision of the object to the
revision at your site.
Not replicated
A new attachment is added at the owning site, but it is not replicated
at your site.
Unknown
The owning site is unavailable.

You can synchronize a single object by selecting it in the report and choosing
Tools→Import→Remote. Teamcenter displays the Import/Export dialog
box, allowing you to set the parameters of the remote import action. When
synchronization is complete, Teamcenter refreshes the report with the latest
status.

o Revision Rule
Select the required revision rule from the list of revision rules available at
your site. If you select an item revision, the list displays Selected Revision
and the configured item revision is synchronized; you cannot set another
revision rule.
Note Your administrator can set the TC_sync_revision_rules preference
to permit you to select only certain revision rules, not all rules
available at the site.

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o Session Options
Choose Generate Failure Report to write a failures report if you choose
the Perform Sync or Perform Sync In Background option. This option is
disabled if you choose the Report-Only synchronization option.

o General Workspace Object Options

Choose Exclude Folder Contents and Exclude Export Protected Objects to
exclude these objects from the synchronization process.

o Save Options as Default

Choose this option to save the selected options as your default for subsequent
synchronization or remote import actions.

o Advanced – Relations to Include and Exclude

Choose this option to include and exclude certain object relations from the
synchronization process.

• Multi-Site Synchronization→Assembly
Choose this command to determine the synchronization state of an entire
assembly. If it is outdated, you can request synchronization of individual
components or the entire assembly, and visually verify if the synchronization
process succeeded. This check identifies if the component has been replicated at
your site and also if the replica is up-to-date.
Teamcenter displays the Synchronization dialog box, which allows you to set the
following options to configure the synchronization process.

o Sync Options
Choose Perform Sync or Perform Sync In Background to immediately
initiate the synchronization process. Teamcenter sends a request to the
site owning the selected assembly to determine the revision to synchronize,
based on your revision rule selection. It determines the outdated objects and
initiates a remote import of modified versions, depending on your settings in
the Import/Export Preferences dialog box.
Note Bulk data files are always included in the synchronization and the
latest dataset version is imported.

Choose the Report Only option to display a results folder containing the
assembly expanded to the maximum level. The report shows components up
to the highest level that is outdated within a branch. Consequently, branches
may be expanded to different levels. To determine this status, Teamcenter
compares the dates of the last modification of the master and the replica.
To ascertain the status of each component, view the Sync State box, which
contains one of the following values:
Blank
The component is up-to-date.
Up to date per hub
The replica is up to date according to hub data.

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Out of date
The last modified date of the master is later than the last modified
date of the replica.
Replica has later date
The last modified date of the component at your site is later than the last
modified date of the component at the master. This occurs if you check
out the component.
Not replicated by local site
There is no replica of the component at your site.
No configured revision
The owning site has a different configured revision of the component
to the revision at your site.
Not replicated
A new attachment is added at the owning site, but it is not replicated
at your site.
Unknown. The owning site is unavailable.

You can synchronize an assembly or a single component by selecting it in

the report and choosing Tools→Import→Remote. Teamcenter displays the
Import/Export dialog box, allowing you to set the parameters of the remote
import action. When synchronization is complete, Teamcenter refreshes the
report with the latest status.

o Revision Rule
Select the required revision rule from the list of revision rules available at
your site. If you select an item revision, the list displays Selected Revision
and the configured item revision is synchronized; you cannot set another
revision rule.
Note Your administrator can set the TC_sync_revision_rules preference
to permit you to select only certain revision rules, not all rules
available at the site.

o Session Options
Choose Generate Failure Report to write a failures report if you choose
the Perform Sync or Perform Sync In Background option. This option is
disabled if you choose the Report-Only synchronization option.

o General Workspace Object Options

Choose Exclude Folder Contents and Exclude Export Protected Objects to
exclude these objects from the synchronization process.

o Assembly Options
By default, the Include Entire BOM option is automatically chosen. If you
only want to synchronize some of the structure to reduce synchronization
time, uncheck this option.
Choose a value in the Maximum Level list that represents the maximum
depth in the assembly that Teamcenter traverses when you choose the

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Report Only option. If blank, Teamcenter traverses the entire assembly

until it detects an outdated component or leaf node. If set to 1, Teamcenter
synchronizes only the selected item revision.

o Save Options as Default

Choose this option to save the selected options as your default for subsequent
synchronization or remote import actions.

o Advanced – Relations to Include and Exclude

Choose this option to include and exclude certain object relations from the
synchronization process.

Show connections
You can display the objects connected by the Connected_To relationship to:
• View the names of the connected objects directly from the structure line.

• Display the absolute path name for the connected objects.

• Display the objects connected to a given connection.

View the objects connected by a given connection in one of the following ways:
• Select and right-click the connection and Teamcenter displays a shortcut menu.
Choose the Show Connected Lines menu command to highlight the connected
objects.

• Select the connection and choose View→Show Connected Lines to highlight

the connected objects.

• Select the connection and click the button to highlight the connected objects.

View welds and datum points

If your NX design includes welds or datum points, they are exported to Teamcenter if
you export the design through Teamcenter Integration for NX.
Structure Manager shows welds and datum points as child lines within the product
structure, one line for each weld or datum point. The child lines are grouped under
the parent line that represents the part or assembly with which the weld or datum
point is associated.
If a JT file is attached to the child line, you see the welds and datum points in
Teamcenter lifecycle visualization or the embedded viewer as follows:
• Welds are displayed with an appropriate representation depending on their type.

• Datum points are displayed as spheres.

Use the Attachments tab in Structure Manager to view the feature form that lists
the attributes of welds or datum points.

3-34 Structure Manager Guide PLM00048 J

Chapter

4 Building and editing product

structure

Building and editing product structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1

Cloning a structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1

Clone (duplicate) a structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2

Create an item from a template . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4

Creating a new BOM view revision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5

Create a new BOM view revision automatically . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5
Create a new BOM view revision manually . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5
Setting the view type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5

Using Save As to save a BOM view revision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-6

Create a new BOM view revision from an existing BOM view revision . . . . 4-6

Saving and refreshing the product structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-7

Save changes in Structure Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-7
Saving changes with multiple windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-7
Close the product structure window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-8
Refresh the Structure Manager window and resynchronize to database . . . 4-8

Adding components to the product structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-8

Copying and pasting objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-9
Copy and paste an item or item revision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-10
Copy and paste using the structure line shortcut menu . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-10
Copying and pasting occurrence attributes of components . . . . . . . . . . 4-11
Use quick add . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-11
Add a component to an assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-11
Paste a component . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-13
Copy multiple views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-13
Create a new item or item revisions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-13

Restructuring and editing the product structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-14

Insert a level in the structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-16
Remove a level from the structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-17
Move a node to another branch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-17
Replace a node . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-19
Split an occurrence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-20
Fixing in-structure associations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-21
Fix in-structure associations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-21

PLM00048 J Structure Manager Guide

 Performing on-demand validation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-21

Highlighting edits to the structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-22

Marking up the product structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-24

Enable markup mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-25
Create and insert general markup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-26
Display markup properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-26
Review and comment on markup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-27
Validate access to apply markup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-27
Apply markup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-27
Apply all markups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-28
Carrying forward markups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-29
Delete markup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-29
Creating markup review sample workflows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-29
Sample 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-31
Sample 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-31
Sample 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-32
Sample 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-33
BOMMarkup_Review process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-34
BOMMarkup_SplitTargets process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-35
BOMMarkup_AddStatus process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-40

Defining units of measure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-49

Define unit of measure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-49

Managing global alternates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-50

List global alternates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-51
Add global alternates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-51
Remove global alternates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-52
Set or unset preferred global alternate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-52

Changing components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-52

Remove components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-53
Move a component to another assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-53
Replacing a component . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-53
Replace a component . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-54
Change add and delete operations to a replace operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-55

Defining substitute components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-55

Display substitute components for a line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-56
Display substitutes as separate lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-57
Create substitute component . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-57
Edit the properties of a substitute . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-57
Compare substitutes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-57
Removing substitute components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-58
Remove a substitute component . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-58
Change the preferred substitute . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-59
Managing substitute part relationships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-59
Relating substitute parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-59
Relate substitute parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-59
Relate substitutes with existing substitutes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-60
Edit a substitute part relationship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-60
View the related substitutes of a selected structure line . . . . . . . . . . . 4-61

Structure Manager Guide PLM00048 J

 Exporting substitute data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-61

Add or remove optional parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-61

Exporting a product structure containing related parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-61

Export a product structure to Briefcase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-61

Export datasets with structure information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-62

Add parts to NX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-64

Using item elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-65

Create an item element . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-66
Remove item elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-66
Copy and paste item elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-66
Replace item elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-66
View notes on item elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-67

Creating connections and links . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-67

Create a connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-67
Create a link . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-67
Remove a connection or link . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-67

Creating and editing notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-68

Define or edit custom note text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-68

Deleting items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-69

Delete a single item from the product structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-69
Delete multiple assemblies or items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-69

Grading structures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-70

Run grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-71
View grading results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-71
Override grading results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-73
Grading for substance compliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-74
Initiate compliance check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-74
Apply exemption from regulation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-74
View material and substance dashboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-74
View compliance dashboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-74
Request substance declaration from vendor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-75

Save structure change records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-75

Link requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-75

Create trace links . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-76
Generate a traceability report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-76
Export a traceability report to Microsoft Office Excel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-77
Delete trace links . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-78
Creating trace links to absolute occurrences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-79
Create trace links on absolute occurrences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-79

Searching the data dictionary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-80

Open the Data Dictionary Search Dialog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-81

PLM00048 J Structure Manager Guide

 Find a library object . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-81
Searching the class hierarchy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-82
Search by object ID . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-82
Search by type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-83
Selecting a class . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-85
Use the quick search feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-85
Use the Search Class dialog box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-85
Search all objects in a selected class . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-86
Search for library objects by attribute value . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-88
Configuring revision rules for searching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-90
Apply a revision rule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-90
Using relational operators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-91
Using wildcard characters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-92
Navigating the matches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-92
View search results in the Properties pane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-92
View search results in the Table pane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-93
View search results in the Viewer pane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-93
Select the desired library objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-94

Releasing structures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-94

Release a structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-95

BOM session recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-97

Structure Manager Guide PLM00048 J

Chapter

4 Building and editing product

structure

Building and editing product structure

You can create the product structure manually in Teamcenter, you can import it
from your CAD system, or you can clone an existing structure to use as the basis
of a new structure. When you import a structure, Teamcenter keeps the structure
synchronized with any changes to the native CAD design. After you create the
structure, you modify it as necessary to reflect any changes to the product design.
Caution Certain other applications including Manufacturing Process Planner and
Multi-Structure Manager automatically save structures that you edit in
Structure Manager. To avoid inconsistent data, Siemens PLM Software
recommends that you close all other applications when you work in
Structure Manager.

You check out an item revision to make changes and check it in again when the
changes are complete. You may also cancel the checkout of an item revision, even
if it is open in a structure editor. This action causes the changes made to the item
revision and to its first-level structure to be lost. If the item revision is open in a
structure editor window, you must refresh the full window refresh to restore absolute
occurrence data for any lines edited in context of the item revision.
Caution Siemens PLM Software recommends you do not use the Cancel Checkout
command on item revisions that contain changes tracked by incremental
change. This action causes permanent loss of incremental changes that
are tracking structure edits.

Cloning a structure
You can clone (duplicate) an existing product structure to create a new structure.
You can clone the entire product structure from the top level down or a selected
subassembly. It is not necessary to open the CAD tool when creating the new
(cloned) assembly.
The cloning operation uses Business Modeler IDE deep copy rules to determine
how datasets and attachments are copied. It also uses the Business Modeler IDE
StructureCloneTransferModes global constant to determine how CAD-specific
attachments and relationships are copied.
When you open the new (cloned) structure, you can edit or update any of the items,
item revisions, datasets, and attachments without affecting the original structure.

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Chapter 4 Building and editing product structure

The cloning process does not support occurrence effectivity and any configuration of
the structure with occurrence effectivity does not carry forward to the clone.
The user who performs the cloning action owns the copy. Any elements of the original
structure that were referenced, rather than copied, remained owned by their original
owner. Access rights and ACL rules on structure lines are not carried forward from
the original structure to the new (cloned) structure.
If you do not have access rights to a substructure in the original structure, you
cannot duplicate that substructure and Teamcenter instead references the existing
substructure.
If the original structure was shared by Multi-Site Collaboration, the new (cloned)
structure does not inherit its permissions. It is a new structure and is therefore
owned by the site where it was created.

Clone (duplicate) a structure

1. If you are using a CAD tool, verify that your administrator has set the
StructureCloneTransferModes global constant to the name of the transfer
mode for your CAD integration, as described in the Business Modeler IDE Guide.

2. Open the structure in Structure Manager and configure it as appropriate.

Cloning a precise structure creates a precise copy; likewise, cloning an imprecise
structure creates an imprecise copy.

3. Select the top line of the structure or a subassembly in the structure. The selected
line and everything below it will be copied into the new (cloned) structure.

4. Choose File→Duplicate.
Structure Manager displays the Duplicate dialog box. You can use the + and -
buttons to expand or collapse the structure tree that is displayed in the dialog
box.

5. Select or clear the check box at the left-hand end of each line in the structure to
copy or reference that line in the new (cloned) structure.

6. Select one or more of the check boxes on the left-hand side of the Duplicate
dialog box to determine how the clone should be created:

Display check boxes

Drawings From All Revisions If selected, all item revisions with
drawings that are related to the
structure are shown. Drawings
under the same item revision as
their solid models are implicitly
included, and are not displayed
again in the dialog box.
Required Dependencies If selected, only the item revisions
necessary to open the structure or
assembly in the CAD tool are shown.
All Dependencies If selected, all related item revisions
are shown.

4-2 Structure Manager Guide PLM00048 J

 Building and editing product structure

Part Families check boxes

Masters If selected, part family masters
defined in Classification are shown.
If an original item revision is a
part family master, the cloned item
revision is also a part family master.
Members If selected, part family members
defined in Classification are shown.
If an original item revision is a part
family member that is selected for
cloning, the cloned item revision is
also a part family member.
Click the Update Display button to refresh the structure display if you change
these check boxes.
Rename CAD Files check box
If checked, the CAD integration renames all CAD files when you open the clone
in the CAD tool. If you choose to rename CAD files, a deep clone is created, that
is, all CAD datasets and their named references are copied.
New Item ID by Selection check boxes
Click the Apply button to update the structure display if you change the
default mapping.
Assign New IDs If selected, you can specify the
naming pattern of duplicated items
that are included in the clone. The
new identifiers are not applied until
you create the clone.
Prefix Allows you to define a prefix to the
original name of each duplicated
item that is included in the clone, for
example, NEW_.
Suffix Allows you to define a suffix after
the original name of each duplicated
item that is included in the clone.
Replace Allows you to replace a specified
substring in the original item name
With with another defined string in the
duplicated item name.
Naming check boxes
Click the Apply button to update the structure display if you change the
default mapping.
Assign New IDs If selected, you can modify the
naming pattern of original items
before they are included in the clone.
Prefix Allows you to define a prefix for
the original item name before it is
included in the clone.

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Chapter 4 Building and editing product structure

Suffix Allows you to define a suffix after

the original item name before it is
included in the clone.
Replace With Allows you to replace a specified
substring in the original item name
with another defined string before
the clone is created.

Note If you try to define a naming pattern that does not conform with the
naming rules defined in Business Modeler IDE, Teamcenter displays an
error message.

7. Click OK to create the clone structure.

Structure Manager displays the Duplicate Results dialog box and saves the top
item of the new (cloned) structure to the clipboard and copies it to the NewStuff
folder when it is complete. The dialog box also states if Teamcenter could not
duplicate any items in the original structure, it referenced them instead.

Create an item from a template

Over time, you may design standard products or generic structures that can be
reused in similar products. Using templates provides a way to reuse these standard
designs as you create new structures for similar products. A template may be created
from an actual in-use product, or you may create a generic structure explicitly for
use as a template.
1. Ensure that the necessary Product.Template preferences are defined, as
described in the Preferences and Environment Variables Reference. These
preferences contain the rules that determine how the related objects in the
template are mapped to the objects in the new item—each object may be cloned
(copied), referenced, or ignored. Items created from a template are typically
product or subassembly structures.

2. Choose File→New→Item from Template. It is not necessary to load a structure

or template into the current window.
Teamcenter displays the New Item dialog box.

3. To create the new item from a template, click the Choose Template tab, enter
the name of the structure top line to clone in the Template ID box. Alternatively,
you can browse to the template structure you require or to another product
structure to clone.
In the lower pane of the tab, Teamcenter populates the item identifier, revision
and name of the new item. The item identifier is assigned sequentially and
you cannot change the displayed value.

4. Click the Configuration tab and select the cloning rule to apply from the Cloning
Rule list. If required, you can also change the revision rule on this tab.

5. Click OK or Apply to create the new product from the template you choose. The
new top level is not loaded into the window and, if you want to verify that it was
created correctly, you must search for it.

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Creating a new BOM view revision

When you add a component to an assembly, you are creating an occurrence of that
item or item revision in the assembly, which is stored on the BOM view revision
(BVR). This occurrence is displayed as a BOM line. A BVR is a single-level structure
that contains occurrences of its immediate children. A multilevel structure is built
up from many single line BVRs.
Any modification to a product structure (including changing any of the occurrence
attributes or adding a substitute) causes a change to the BVR of the parent assembly.
If no BVR exists in the parent assembly, Teamcenter creates one automatically.
When BVRs are automatically created in this way, they may be precise or imprecise
according to your specified options; by default, imprecise BVRs are created.
You can also create a new BOM view revision manually.

Create a new BOM view revision automatically

If there is no BOM view revision in an assembly item revision when you add
the first component, Teamcenter automatically creates one. It sets the precision
(precise/imprecise) of the BOM view revision as follows:
• If the item revision is a component, the precision is that of the parent assembly
in the current window.

• If the item revision is at the top-level of the structure, the precision is set
according to your default BOM view precision option.

Create a new BOM view revision manually

When required, Teamcenter automatically creates BOM view revisions. You can also
create BOM view revisions manually with Structure Manager or My Teamcenter
(which allows you to set the view type). To create a new BOM view revision, you
must have write access to the original BOM view.
• To create a BOM view revision and associate it with the selected item revision,
choose File→New→BOMView (Revision). You cannot edit the item identifier
and item revision of the owning item; you can only confirm the correct item
revision is selected.

Setting the view type

When creating a new BOM view revision manually, you specify a view type that is
not already created for the item. You select the view type from a list of values defined
by the Teamcenter administrator in the Business Modeler IDE, as described in the
Business Modeler IDE Guide.
Teamcenter attempts to provide an appropriate default view type, according to the
following rules:
• If there is only a single view type defined for your site, it uses the defined view
type.

• If there is only one view type not used by the existing BOM view revisions of the
item revision, it uses the undefined view type.

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• If your default view type is not used by the existing BOM view revisions of the
item revision, it uses your default view type.

If Teamcenter cannot determine the view type, you must enter a value manually.
Note If the new structure is similar to an existing one, consider choosing the Save
As→BOMView Revision menu command to make a copy of the BOM view
revision and edit the copy structure.
When you save a structure with a different name using the Save As
command, the workspace objects it comprises are renamed, including the
item identifier, the revision identifier, and any variant rule.

Note Teamcenter derives the names of BOM views and BOM view revisions
from the identifiers of the owning item or item revision with the view type
appending.

Using Save As to save a BOM view revision

In most cases, you do not explicitly save a BOM view with the Save As command
because Teamcenter automatically copies the BOM view revision whenever you
choose the Save As command for an item revision. However, you may sometimes
want to save the BOM view with a different type, for example, if you create a BOM
view revision of another view type or copy a structure to another item.
When you save a structure with the Save As command, the workspace objects it
comprises are renamed, including the item identifier, the revision identifier, and
any variant rule.
If you select an item revision with multiple views (rather than a BOM view revision)
and choose this command, Teamcenter makes a copy of each view type.

Create a new BOM view revision from an existing BOM view revision
1. Select the line containing the BOM view revision in the product structure tree.

2. Choose File→Save As→BOM View Revision.

Teamcenter displays the Save BOM View Revision As dialog box.

3. Specify a view type that is not already been created for the item. You select the
view type from a list of values defined by the administrator.
The precision of the BOM view revision is the same as the BOM view
revision you copied. If you want to change the precision, choose Edit→Toggle
Precise/Imprecise.

To add a similar structure to another item revision, choose the File→Save As→BOM
View Revision menu command to create a new BOM view revision in a different item.
Specify the target item identifier and revision in the Item and Revision boxes of the
dialog box. This action copies the occurrence attributes, including the find number,
notes, quantity, substitutes, and variant conditions into the new BOM view revision.
Note Variant conditions are copied if you use modular variants but not if you
use classic variants.

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Saving and refreshing the product structure

You must explicitly save any changes you make to the product structure because
Structure Manager does not save them automatically. For example, you must
explicitly save any new BOM lines or variants. If you try to exit from Structure
Manager and there are unsaved changes, the system prompts you to save them. If
you have more than one window open, you must save changes in each window.
If there are unsaved changes, the title pane of the Structure Manager window and
the tooltip for any open pane are shown in bold with an asterisk * appended to the
name. When you save the changes, the bold highlight and the asterisk are removed.
The titles of windows with no changes are always shown in normal font with no
asterisk, allowing you to easily identify those windows that have changes.

Save changes in Structure Manager

Choose the File→Save Structure Manager menu command to save all the changes
made in the currently displayed structure window. Changes to the structure result in
a modification to BOM view revisions, for example, adding or removing components,
or changing occurrence attributes such as notes and find numbers. Teamcenter
prevents you accidentally closing a structure window without saving changes.

Saving changes with multiple windows

You can open multiple windows by using the split window button.
• If you make structure changes, only those changes made in the window where
you choose the Save command are saved. If you create additional windows and
open structures in those windows, changes made in the other windows are not
saved.

• If you want to save changes made in other windows, you must explicitly choose
the Save command in the window in which the structure changes were made.

Window 1 B C Window 2 D

K F J L J M L

M E F Z E T

Z E T

Example of saving in multiple windows

• In window 1, remove E from M. This also causes E to be removed from M in
window 2.

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• In window 2, remove L from D and change a note on J. Add a note to Z in M and

this change is also seen in window 1.

• In window 1, save the product structure. This action saves changes to assembly
M but not D.
Note Changes are saved, regardless of where they are made. Therefore, the
changes made in window 2 to M are also saved. The save action in
window 1 thus causes a partial save of the changes made in window 2,
on those assemblies that are also seen in window 1.

• In window 2, save the product structure. This action saves changes to assembly
D.

Close the product structure window

If unsaved changes are made in a product structure window and you choose the
File→Close menu command, Teamcenter displays the Close Application - Save
Modifications dialog box.
The unsaved modifications are listed and you can select the check box next to each
modification to save it.
• Click OK to save all selected changes and close the dialog box. Updates to
unselected changes are discarded.

• Click Cancel to return to the Structure Manager session without saving changes.

Refresh the Structure Manager window and resynchronize to

database
Structure changes you make are propagated across all product structure windows in
a particular session. However, changes are not propagated across sessions.
• Choose View→Refresh Window to resynchronize the current window to the
database. This action picks up changes made in other sessions and saved since
you loaded the product structure. This function does not cause your own changes
to be saved or lost.
Note Teamcenter does not permit other users to change any BOM view revision
that you are editing. The BOM view revision is locked by the first person
to make a change, whether this is adding or removing a component or
modifying any of the occurrence attributes of any of the components.

Adding components to the product structure

There are four ways you can add components to the product structure:
• Copying and pasting objects
Allows you to copy references to existing items, parts, and designs.

• Use quick add

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Allows you to add new components by typing in the item, part, and design
identifiers.

• Add a component to an assembly

Allows you to enter the item identifier by specifying (for example) the number
of components to add.

• Create a new item or item revisions

Allows you to use a top-down approach by simultaneously modelling structure
and creating new items, parts, and designs.

If you manage parts and CAD designs separately, you must publish links between
them as an appropriate time. For details of how to do this, see the Multi-Structure
Manager Guide.
If another user is editing a single level assembly within the product structure,
Teamcenter prevents you making changes until the other user has saved their
changes. A warning message identifies the other user working on the assembly. This
safeguard does not prevent you making changes to other assemblies that are not
being worked on.
Optionally, Teamcenter can validate the structure by verifying that you add only
appropriate child items and item elements (GDEs). If you attempt to make an invalid
addition, Teamcenter displays an error message stating that you cannot add the
selected child item to the current parent item. To enable validation, your Teamcenter
administrator sets the TCEnforceSingleType and TCAllowedChildTypes_Item
Type/GDE Type preferences, as described in the Preferences and Environment
Variables Reference.
Note If you try to add an incompatible part type to the product structure,
Teamcenter displays an error message. For example, you cannot add a
manufacturer part to the product structure in Structure Manager.

Copying and pasting objects

The Teamcenter clipboard is shared by all applications and by NX. Consequently, for
example, objects you place on the clipboard by copying them in My Teamcenter may
subsequently be pasted into the product structure in Structure Manager.
You can also edit the product structure with the Remove, Copy, Paste, and Paste
Special commands.
When you paste an item or item revision from the clipboard, Teamcenter creates
corresponding components in the selected assembly in the product structure.
Structure Manager allows you to paste items and item revisions (including parts,
designs, and their revisions), structure lines, and item elements; other objects are
ignored if you attempt to paste them.
If you cut and paste structure lines, the pending lines are removed from the clipboard
after you choose Paste or Paste Special. If the cut lines are in the same structure as
the target, Teamcenter performs a move action, rather than a cut and paste action.
If your administrator has defined mandatory properties for the type of object you
are creating, Teamcenter displays the Properties dialog box, which allows you to
define attribute values for the objects. To modify the properties of an existing object,
choose Edit→Properties On Relations.

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If the component you are adding to the structure contains unsatisfied connection
points, Teamcenter checks if any of the other components in the structure also
contain unsatisfied connection points and offers to connect them.
For more information, see Adding components using the guided component search.

Copy and paste an item or item revision

1. Select and copy the item or item revision (including parts, designs, and their
revisions) from elsewhere in the product structure displayed in Structure
Manager or from another application such as My Teamcenter. You can copy the
item or item revision by clicking Copy , choosing Edit→Copy or pressing the
Ctrl+C keys. This action places the item or item revision on the clipboard.

2. In Structure Manager, select the assembly into which you want to add the
component.

3. Paste the item or item revision by clicking Paste , choosing Edit→Paste

or pressing the Ctrl+V keys.

Pasting does not remove the object from the clipboard. Therefore, you can click Paste
again to add another line of the same item revision to the assembly. Another
Copy operation replaces the previous clipboard contents with the new object.
Caution After creating an architecture breakdown structure in Platform Designer
and sending it to Structure Manager, do not copy and paste or drag and
drop architecture elements in the same window. It can lead to data
corruption in Platform Designer. If you inadvertently perform one of
these actions, delete the resulting line using the Remove Design from
Product button.

Copy and paste using the structure line shortcut menu

If you right-click a line in the product structure, Teamcenter displays the structure
line shortcut menu is displayed, allowing you to:
• Choose the Copy command to copy the line to the clipboard. This is the same
action as pressing the Ctrl+C shortcut keys, choosing Edit→Copy, or clicking
Copy on the toolbar.

• Choose the Paste command to paste the contents of the clipboard as components
of the line. This is the same action as pressing the Ctrl+V shortcut keys, choosing
Edit→Paste, or clicking Paste on the toolbar.

• Choose the Properties command to view the properties of the line. This is the
same action as choosing View→Properties or clicking Properties on the
toolbar.
Note You do not need to explicitly select the line before right-clicking it.

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Copying and pasting occurrence attributes of components

When you copy a component from an assembly and then paste it elsewhere:
• The occurrence attributes (for example, the quantity and any notes) are also
copied and pasted.

• The find number is not copied.

Teamcenter automatically generates the find number according to the position of
the component in the target assembly.

• If the component has an associated substitute list, this is also copied and pasted.

If you paste the component into My Teamcenter, rather than Structure Manager,
Teamcenter pastes the lines as individual item revisions.
Note You cannot view occurrence attributes such as quantity or notes in My
Teamcenter.

Teamcenter does not copy variant conditions with components. You must copy
variant conditions separately, as described in Copy variant conditions to other
occurrences.

Use quick add

Often it is more convenient to insert the component by typing its identifier instead of
pasting it from the clipboard. To do this:
1. Select the assembly into which you want to add the component.

2. Click the text box in the lower left of the Structure Manager application window.

3. Enter the component ID and click .

You can only use Quick Add for adding existing items. To create a new item and add
it to the structure, choose File→New→Item.

Add a component to an assembly

You may want to specify additional data about the use of a component as you add it
to the structure, for example, a quantity or find number. You can do this by choosing
the Add... command to insert a new component.
1. Select the assembly to which you want to add the component.

2. Choose Edit→Add... and Teamcenter displays the Add dialog box.

Use the upper pane of the dialog box to specify the component to add and the
view type, if multiple views exist. Use the lower pane of the dialog box to specify
the occurrence information.

3. Complete the dialog box as follows:

• Enter the component item identifier directly, or search for the item by its
identifier or name. You cannot enter the item name, but Teamcenter displays
the name as confirmation that you entered the required identifier.

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• Optionally, specify the revision according to its precision, as follows.

o If the parent assembly BOM view revision is imprecise, the Revision box
is disabled and you cannot specify a revision.
Note When the component is added to the structure and displayed
in Structure Manager, the actual revision is determined by
the revision (configuration) rule. If there is not a revision that
satisfies the revision rule, the revision is shown as ???.

o If the parent assembly BOM view revision is precise, you are creating
a precise occurrence. The Revision box is enabled and you can specify
a revision.

• Choose Component or Selected Assembly. For information about substitute

components, see Defining substitute components.

• Set the view type if there are multiple views of the component; you do not
want the default view type. You can select another view type from the list
of views created for the component.

• Specify any of the following occurrence attributes:

o Number of Occurrences
Specify the number of lines to add to the structure. The default selection
is 1.

o Quantity Per Occurrence

Specify the quantity associated with each line in the structure.

If the item has a unit of measure defined, the units are displayed next
to the Quantity per Occurrence box and you can enter a fractional
value (for example, 1.5). If the units are displayed as Each, the box
shows the number of parts and you must enter a whole number.

If the quantity box is blank, the default value is 1 for items that
have no unit of measure or 0 for items with a unit of measure. These
values are used in quantity rollups, for example, when lines in the
structure are packed.
Note You can enter the string A/R or a to specify a quantity value
of As Required.

o Find Number
Edit the find number if necessary.
Note Find numbers are automatically generated according to the
scheme defined for your site with the PS_new_seqno_mode
preference. The default scheme increments the find number by
10 as each new component is added.

4. If you specified an item ID that is shared by multiple objects, Teamcenter

displays the Select Unique Item dialog box.
Select the object you require from the list.

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Teamcenter returns to the Add dialog box.

5. Click OK or Apply to add the component to the assembly.

Paste a component
You can specify additional data about the use of a component as you add it to the
structure, for example, a quantity or find number.
• Choose the Paste Special command to insert an existing component that
you copied to the clipboard into the structure. Unlike Add..., Teamcenter
prepopulates the Component ID (Revision) and Name boxes of the Paste Special
dialog box with item or item revision information from the clipboard.

Copy multiple views

If you copy an item revision with more than one view type from another rich client
application and paste it into the structure in Structure Manager, Teamcenter uses
the following rules to determine the view type to which the new occurrence refers.
• If a specific view type is copied from the other application, Teamcenter uses
the same view.

• If no view type is copied, Teamcenter displays a list of all the available view
types for that item.

Use the Paste Special or Add... menu command or the Replace command when
copying an item revision with multiple views. This allows you to specify the required
view type manually. If you paste the item revision directly and none of the items
view types match the default view type, Teamcenter displays an error message but
attempts to complete the paste operation.
If you copy a line from the structure in Structure Manager that represents a specific
BOM view revision and paste it into another structure in Structure Manager, the
new occurrence references the same BOM view revision as you copied.

Create a new item or item revisions

You can create an item revision and structure it as an assembly, by adding new
components one item or part at one time. This technique is useful when doing
top-down modeling. You must have write access to the BOM view revision to create
the new item revision.
1. Select the parent assembly in the product structure tree.

2. Choose File→New→Item or File→New→Part.

Teamcenter performs the same checks as described for the Add... command
(see Add a component to an assembly) and displays the Create Item or Create
Part dialog box.

3. Enter the necessary parameters in the dialog box and click OK.
Teamcenter creates the new item or part (or its revision) and adds it as a
component of the selected assembly.

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Note If you add parts or part assemblies to an assembly, you can subsequently
publish links to the associated CAD designs, as described in the
Multi-Structure Manager Guide. This step is not necessary if you add items
or item revisions, as you can attach CAD designs directly.

Restructuring and editing the product structure

You can restructure a representation, including a BOM view, occurrence group,
structure context, or composition. You must revise a frozen product structure before
restructuring. Restructuring edits the product structure in downstream views
(for example, manufacturing) while preserving the derived occurrence structure
and data related to specific occurrences of parts and assemblies. Restructuring is
disabled for product structures that contain CAD designs because it can make the
CAD data invalid.
During restructuring operations, Teamcenter maintains the integrity of incremental
changes, classic or modular variants, and structure relationships. Teamcenter
displays warnings when it encounters absolute occurrences attributes and data.
If you have edits pending to a product structure, you must save the edits before you
open the structure in another application.
In addition to restructuring, you can edit individual properties on any line, subject to
the following limitations:
• Restructuring is not permitted on lines that have pending edits.

• Property edits are associated with a relative occurrence and are marked as
pending until they are saved to the database.

• Property edits are highlighted only if you use the column editor. If you use other
methods of changing properties (for example, the Properties dialog box), these
edits are not visually highlighted in the properties table. However, Teamcenter
still retains the details of such edits until you save or revert them.

• If any note in the list of notes is edited, the All Notes field shows a … symbol
with a red strike-through. It does not show the exact original value.

• Edits to the absolute or relative transformation matrix are not highlighted.

• You cannot edit the first property column (BOM Line).

• By default, if you cut or copy a line and then paste it to a new location,
incremental change elements (ICEs) are not copied. This may necessitate
significant manual recreation of data if you are cutting or copying many lines
together. To automatically copy ICEs, the administrator must set two Business
Modeler IDE constants:
o Fnd0EnableIceCarryOver business object constant
When moving, copying, or assigning a line from one location to another,
this constant determines if the ICEs are carried forward. You must set
this constant to true on both the source location’s parent and the target
location’s parent.

o Fnd0AttrICEsToExclude property constant

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Defines the occurrence attributes that Teamcenter does not copy to the
target location for occurrence attribute changes.

These settings apply to in-context changes made to structure lines, their

attachments, and their occurrence attributes.
Note Restructuring primitive actions include:
• Removing a level (removing a line and keeping child lines)

• Inserting a level (including pasting a line as a parent of selected lines)

• Moving a line to a new location (for example, cut and paste actions)

• Splitting an occurrence

• Replacing data in context

Only the last two actions make copies of the absolute occurrence data; the
other actions share the existing absolute occurrence data.

In certain cases, restructuring may cause valid reports of broken links, as shown in
the following examples:
Example Example 1:
A
+-----------B
+-----------C (APN1 in context of A)
+-------------D

If you remove level C, the structure becomes:

A
+-----------B
+-----------D

The link to C is lost. This is correctly reported as a broken link.

Example 2:
A
+---------E
+---------B
+---------C
+-----------D(APN1 in context of B)

If you move D to E, it is outside of the context of B and APN1 is lost.

This is correctly reported as a broken link.
Example 3:
A
+-----------B
| +-----------C
| +-------------D(APN2 in context of A)
+-----------B
| +-----------C
| +-------------D(APN1 in context of A)
+-----------D
+-----------D

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If you move C to D, the system cannot determine which D to move the

APN to without user interaction. It skips the APN and logs an error
message.
Example 4:
A
+-----------B
+-----------C
+-------------D(APN1 in context of B)

If you remove level B, it becomes:

A
+-----------C
+-----------D

The link to D is lost. This is correctly reported as a broken link.

Insert a level in the structure

You can create an item and insert it in the current structure as a new level below the
selected line. The number of relative occurrences of the children is preserved. If you
select more than one line, they must share the same parent.
1. Select the parent line of the new level and choose Edit→Insert Level.
Teamcenter displays the Insert Level dialog box.

2. Enter the item identifier and other attributes of the new item. If the inserted
item is new, you must insert it with a quantity of 1.

3. On completion, click OK or Apply.

Teamcenter creates the new item and inserts it as a new level. The selected
branches become children of the inserted level, while the inserted level becomes
a branch of the original parent. All existing variant conditions, notes, absolute
occurrences, and other data is moved down with the selected branches. The
default quantity of the new level is 1, meaning that no quantity change occurs.
Note In most cases, associations between objects (such as Connected To
relations) are correctly maintained or are reassociated. However, after
editing a Mechatronics structure, always choose the Fix In-Structure
Associations command to identify any invalid associations.
For more information, see Fix in-structure associations.
You cannot insert a level if the selected line represents a generic design
element (GDE).

Note You can only insert a level if the line represents a standard business object
type. If the line represents a custom type, copy it to the clipboard and choose
Paste Special. Teamcenter pastes it as a new level above the currently
selected line.

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Remove a level from the structure

1. Select the affected line and choose Edit→Remove or click Remove .

Teamcenter displays the Remove dialog box.

2. (Optional) Select Keep subtree to reattach the children of the removed level
to the next higher level parent line.

3. Click Yes to confirm removal of the line. The total number of instances is
preserved at the end of this action. Any options of the removed lines are moved
up and variant conditions are merged.

If you try to remove a level that would result in option definitions becoming
inconsistent (for example, options that are referenced by a parent line), Teamcenter
displays an error message.
Caution If you select a line for removal and edit tracking is enabled, the line is
displayed in red with a strike-through until you commit the edits. Do not
attempt to edit or work with this line, or you may obtain unpredictable
results. If you want to edit or work with a line that is marked for removal,
revert the removal of the line by choosing Edit→Revert Edit first.
Similarly, do not edit or work with a marked line in another structure
editor such as Multi-Structure Manager. Always complete and save
your work on the structure in Structure Manager before you open it
in another structure editor.
If you remove one of the lines that is the context of a Mechatronics
relation between primary and secondary lines, the relation itself is also
removed.

Note In most cases, associations between objects (such as Connected To

relations) are correctly maintained if you select Keep subtree or are
reassociated. However, after editing a Mechatronics structure, always
choose the Fix In-Structure Associations command to identify any invalid
associations.
For more information, see Fix in-structure associations.
You cannot insert a level if the selected line represents a generic design
element (GDE).

Move a node to another branch

You can move a selected node from one branch to another. All substructure and
occurrence data moves with the node.
1. Move a node using any of the following methods:
• Cut and paste using the Edit→Cut and Edit→Paste menu commands.

• Cut and paste using the Ctrl+X and Ctrl+V shortcut keys.
Caution Do not try to move a node by dragging the line to its new position.
Teamcenter performs a copy action when you drag a line.

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Teamcenter displays the Paste dialog box.

2. Do one or more of the following:

• Change the item ID and revision ID.

• Change the view type, if applicable.

• Select if the line should be pasted as a component of the selected assembly

line, as a substitute for the selected line, or as a new level above the selected
line.

• Specify the number of occurrences, quantity per occurrence, and find number.

3. Click OK or Apply to complete moving the line.

Caution If you cut a line and edit tracking is enabled, the line is displayed in red
with a strike-through until you commit the edits. Do not attempt to edit
or work with this line, or you may obtain unpredictable results. If you
want to edit or work with a line that is marked as cut, revert changes
to the line by choosing Edit→Revert Edit first.
Similarly, do not edit or work with a marked line in another structure
editor such as Multi-Structure Manager. Always complete and save your
work on the structure before you open it in another structure editor.

Note In most cases, associations between objects (such as Connected To

relations) are correctly maintained or are reassociated. However, after
editing a mechatronics structure, you should always choose the Fix
In-Structure Associations command to identify any invalid associations.
For more information, see Fix in-structure associations.
Any lines representing GDEs are renumbered after moving a node.
If you move both the primary and secondary lines of a mechatronics
relation out of context, the relation is removed. However, if you move
both the primary and secondary lines of a mechatronics relation to any
level below the context, the relation is not removed. It is listed in the
Fix In-Structure Associations dialog box when you choose Tools→Fix
In-Structure Associations, allowing you to fix the invalid association.
If you remove the secondary line of a mechatronics relation out of context,
the relation itself is removed. Refresh the primary line to see the updated
BOM column properties.
If the line has an associated variant condition and you move it out of the
scope of the option referenced in the variant condition, the variant condition
is not retained.
If you move a node that has absolute occurrence overrides out of the scope of
the context of the overrides, the system does not retain the override values
after the move.

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Replace a node
You can replace an item representing a node in the structure with another item. All
data associated with the original node is preserved.
Note Your system administrator sets the PS_replace_with_substructure
preference to determine if any substructure below the node is replaced. If
this preference is true, the node and its entire substructure (if any) are
replaced without prompting. If it is false, Teamcenter displays an error
message and does not complete the replacement action.

1. Select the line to replace and choose Edit→Replace Node or click .

Teamcenter displays the Replace Node dialog box.

2. Enter the item identifier and other attributes of the item that replaces the
existing item.

3. Click OK or Apply.
Teamcenter replaces the existing item.
If you have edit highlighting turned on, the number of the original part is shown
in red, strike-through text.
Note In most cases, associations between objects (such as Connected To
relations) are correctly maintained or are reassociated. However, after
editing a Mechatronics structure, you should always choose the Fix
In-Structure Associations command to identify any invalid associations.
For more information, see Fix in-structure associations.
If the child of the copied item includes RealizedBy, ImplementedBy, or
RedundantSignal as the primary association, the corresponding child in
the replaced assembly points to the secondary association of the original
(copied) assembly.
You can replace a line that represents a generic design element (GDE) with
another GDE line but not with a line that represents another object.
You can replace Mechatronics items with any type of item. However, Siemens
PLM Software recommends you use the same item type as the replaced
item or one of its subtypes for the replacement item. Use of incompatible
types may result in invalid relationships between occurrences in the product
structure. The following table lists possible Mechatronics items for replace
operations.

Mechatronics items for replace operations

Object Recommended types for replace
Functionality Functionality or its subtype
Connection Connection or its subtype
Network Network or its subtype
PSConnection PSConnection or its subtype

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Object Recommended types for replace

Signal Signal or its subtype
PSSignal PSSignal or its subtype
Message Message or its subtype
HRN_Accessory HRN_Accessory or its subtype
HRN_AssemblyPart HRN_AssemblyPart or its subtype
HRN_CavityPlug HRN_CavityPlug or its subtype
HRN_CavitySeal HRN_CavitySeal or its subtype
HRN_CoPackPart HRN_CoPackPart or its subtype
HRN_ConHousing HRN_ConHousing or its subtype
HRN_Fixing HRN_Fixing or its subtype
HRN_GenTerminal HRN_GenTerminal or its subtype
HRN_GeneralWire HRN_GeneralWire or its subtype
HRN_Harness HRN_Harness or its subtype
HRN_Module HRN_Module or its subtype
HRN_WireProtect HRN_WireProtect or its subtype
AppSoftware AppSoftware or its subtype
Calibration Calibration or its subtype
ConfigFile ConfigFile or its subtype
PriBootloader PriBootloader or its subtype
SecBootloader SecBootloader or its subtype
Processor Processor or its subtype

Split an occurrence
You can split a line that represents several occurrences into two branches. The new
branch and the original (changed) branch initially have the same notes, variant
conditions, and other data, but you can subsequently modify them independently.
The quantity on the original line before the split must be greater than 1.
1. Select the occurrence line and choose Edit→Split Occurrence.
Teamcenter displays the Split Occurrence dialog box.

2. Enter the quantity for the new line that results from the split and click OK
or Apply.

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Note You cannot split an occurrence if the line represents a logical object, for
example, Connection, Signal, or Software. You can split interfaces
and other Mechatronics objects, for example, HRN_GeneralWire and
Processor.
In most cases, associations between objects (such as Connected To
relations) are correctly maintained or are reassociated. However, after
editing a Mechatronics structure, you should always choose the Fix
In-Structure Associations command to identify any invalid associations.
For more information, see Fix in-structure associations.
If you split an occurrence line that represents a GDE, Teamcenter increments
the GDE number. The quantity of a GDE line must always be an integer.
If the child of the original occurrence includes RealizedBy,
ImplementedBy, or RedundantSignal as the primary association, the
corresponding child occurrence of the split occurrence points to the secondary
association of the original occurrence.

Fixing in-structure associations

When you manually edit a structure containing Mechatronics elements such as
signals and connections, you may inadvertently create invalid associations between
elements. To avoid multiple, potentially misleading warnings, Teamcenter does not
display error messages during the editing session. However, once you have completed
any editing session during which you chose the Insert Level, Remove, Move or
Replace commands, manually check for and remove any invalid associations.

Fix in-structure associations

1. Select the top line of the edited structure and choose Tools→Fix In-Structure
Associations→Current Level or Tools→Fix In-Structure Associations→All
Levels.
Teamcenter displays a dialog box containing a list of invalid associations. The
scope of the invalid associations depends on whether you chose the current level
or all levels.

2. Select the first invalid association and click Remove.

Teamcenter removes the selected association from the structure.

3. Repeat the previous step for each of the other invalid associations in turn.
Note Any associations that you do not remove manually remain in the
structure.

Performing on-demand validation

Your administrator can configure Teamcenter to enforce any rules imposed by the
organization on what types of content are allowed in the structure. You cannot add
content or make other structure edits that would violate the defined business rules.
The following types of restrictions on content within a structure are enforced:
• Only certain item classes or types may exist anywhere in a structure.

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• Only certain item classes or types may be children of others.

• Only certain item classes or types may be parents of others.

• Properties of the parent or child object must satisfy specified values or be NULL.

For allowable substitutes in a given BOM line, the same restrictions that apply to
the primary part occurrence are applied to the substitute.
Validations are provided for the following operations:
• Creating a new occurrence

• Adding a substitute for a given occurrence

• Cloning (duplicating) a structure

• Importing or exporting a structure

• Revise and baseline

Note Teamcenter validates only the first two operations in real time.

When you save edits, Teamcenter validates that they do not violate the defined
business rules and, if they do, displays an error message and does not save the
changes.
Optionally, you can perform an on-demand validation of property updates at any
time by right-clicking a top line with substructure and choosing Tools®Validate
Occurrences. If no issues are found, Teamcenter displays a confirmation and saves
a validation log. If issues are found, it displays a list of errors.
Note The administrator uses the Business Modeler IDE to define these business
rules on explicitly stated classes. Any subclasses or subtypes of these classes
inherit the same rules.
For more information, see the Business Modeler IDE Guide.
You must also create and set the following preferences:
• PS_Default_Rev_For_Occ_Cond_Validation
Defines the default revision rule when a child item is used for validation.

• PS_Bypass_Occurrence_Condition
Configures the system to bypass occurrence condition validation for
defined actions or operations.

Highlighting edits to the structure

If your administrator sets the PSE_Display_Pending_Edits preference to true,
edits to the product structure tabular display are highlighted visually until you save
them to the database.

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If necessary, you can override this preference setting locally for your current session
by selecting the Display Markups for pending edits command.
Highlighting edits feature is available only in Structure Manager, not other
structure editor applications.
Note This feature is not compatible with the BOM markup feature described
in Marking up the product structure, and you cannot use the two features
together.
Ensure you select this feature when you want to edit the BOM directly, not
when you want to create markups (propose changes).
You cannot convert pending BOM edits into markups.

Tip Enable highlighting only when you want to specifically track edits you are
making; otherwise, the display may become difficult to interpret.
Close all Structure Manager windows before changing this option to avoid
having open windows where edits are not highlighted. (Changing this option
does not affect existing windows.)

Edits indicated are as follows:

• Additions
Displayed in green italic font.

• Removals
Displayed in red with a strike-through line.

• Property edits
Displayed with the original values in red with a strike-through line.

If you have pending edits to the structure, you can do any of the following:
• Click Revert to undo all pending edits to the selected line.
All edit marks are removed from the line.

• Click Save to commit all pending edits to the database.

The structure is redisplayed with no edit marks.

• Click Revert All to cancel all pending edits.

The structure is redisplayed with no edit marks.

Note You cannot compare structures with pending edits with the BOM Compare
command. However, you can expand the structure manually to view the
effect of pending edits.
Likewise, you cannot highlight pending edits if you enable incremental
changes.

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Note You cannot create new associations (for example, a Connected To,
Implemented By or Embeds relation) to a line that is displayed in red
with a strike-through line.
When you save pending edits, any associations to deleted lines are also
deleted. If you revert pending edits, all associations are maintained.

Marking up the product structure

You can:
• Mark proposed changes on the product structure or an assembly.

• Save the markup in a persistent workspace object.

• Route the assembly with its markup object for review, and apply the proposed
changes.

• Add more proposed changes and comments to a previously marked-up structure

and save them in the existing markup object.
Note This feature is not compatible with the pending edit redlining feature
described in Highlighting edits to the structure, and you cannot use the two
features together. Ensure you select the BOM markup mode when you want
to create markups (propose changes), not when you want to edit the BOM
directly. You cannot convert pending BOM edits into markups.

The markup is related to the BOM view revision (BVR) of the structure. The BVR
may have multiple markups associated with it, but only one markup may be active;
once a markup is applied, it ceases to be active.
A markup change represents a single proposed change to the BVR or one of its child
lines. A markup change always references a markup, and a markup may include
multiple markup changes. The author and the date and time of each markup change
is tracked.
The following proposed changes to the structure can be included in a markup:
• Addition or removal of an occurrence.

• Addition or removal of a substitute for a line.

• Replacement of a line (a change to the item revision when in precise mode or

to the item when in imprecise mode).

• Change to the value of certain occurrence properties, for example, name, notes,
quantity, sequence number, unit of measure, reference designator, and variant
condition. The properties that are tracked in markups are defined in the
Fnd0BOMMarkupSupportedProperties global constant in the Business
Modeler IDE. You can add properties to this global constant, but you cannot
delete the default entries.

To allow users to work with markups, the administrator must set the
Fnd0BOMMarkupAllowed global constant to true in the Business Modeler IDE.
Set the following preferences to specify how markup actions are displayed:

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• BOM_MARKUP_ADD_FONT_STYLE
Specifies the font style in which added line markups are displayed. For example,
if this preference is set to 2, additions are shown in italic.

• BOM_MARKUP_ADD_FOREGROUND
Specifies the color in which added line markups are displayed. For example, if
this preference is set to 0,255,0, additions are shown in green.

• BOM_MARKUP_STRIKE_FOREGROUND
Specifies the color in which removed line and property markups are displayed.
For example, if this preference is set to 255,0,0, removals and changes are
shown in red.
Note Many editing actions are not supported in markup mode and the
corresponding menu commands are disabled.
The markup commands are not available if Teamcenter is tracking pending
edits to the structure in the active pane. Save or cancel any pending changes
before inserting the markup. Editing a structure with markups may obsolete
or remove impacted markups.
You cannot mark up changes to absolute occurrences; that is, if in-context
editing is turned on, the markup commands are not available.
You cannot propose changes to an existing markup change. You should
create a general markup with your comments or delete the existing markup
change and create a new one.
Changes to properties are limited to 160 bytes.

Enable markup mode

• To turn markup mode on, choose Tools→Markup→Markup Mode or click .

Teamcenter displays a check mark next to the menu command. Any existing
markups to the structure are loaded and displayed.
Note You can only turn on markup mode if your administrator has set the
Fnd0BOMMarkupAllowed global constant to true in the Business
Modeler IDE.
You cannot turn markup mode on if you have Display Markups for
pending edits enabled by your option (preference) settings. You must
save or cancel those edits first.
You cannot turn markup mode on if you have uncommitted changes. You
must save or cancel those changes first.

• To turn markup mode off, choose Tools→Markup→Markup Mode again or click

.
Teamcenter removes the check mark next to the menu command.

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Create and insert general markup

1. Ensure you are in markup mode, as described in Enable markup mode.

2. Select the structure line where you want to add the general markup.

3. Choose Tools→Markup→Show Markup View or click .

Teamcenter displays the BOM Markup view.

4. Click the Add General Comment button next to the Show changes for
this line pane.
Teamcenter adds a new line in the pane.

5. Enter an appropriate comment (for example, a general description of the

proposed change).
Teamcenter saves this general comment to the markup object.
Note You cannot mark up the first property column (Quantity).

Display markup properties

• In My Teamcenter, select the markup object whose properties you want to
display, and then choose View→Properties. Alternatively, you can right-click the
object and choose Properties.
Teamcenter displays the properties of the markup, including the following
details for markup changes:

o A numeric identifier (#)

Shows a unique identifier for grouping related changes. All changes with
the same number are related.

o Dependent?
Contains Y if there are dependent markup changes; otherwise it is blank.

o Markup Description
Displays the description of the markup that was entered by the user who
created it.

o Status
Shows the current status of the markup, for example, Working or Obsolete.

o Note

o Last Modifying User and Last Modified Date

Note The # and Dependent columns are populated for an ADD BOM line
markup change to allow you to visually relate the change information.
When you create an ADD BOM line markup change, Teamcenter creates
dependent property markup changes for the find number and quantity.

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Review and comment on markup

1. Select a line with a related markup and then choose Tools→Markup→Show
Markup View or click .
Note You can also choose Structure Manager→Window→Show
View→Other→Teamcenter→BOM Markup View to display the markup
view.

Teamcenter displays the BOM Markup view.

2. In Show markup for this level, type a text comment in the Comments box.
Teamcenter saves the comment to the markup object.
Note The BOM Markup pane shows markup information for the selected BOM
line. It shows only active markups and active markup changes, not obsolete
changes.
For an ADD change, it shows only the ADD BOM line markup change and
does not display the dependent property markup changes. Consequently,
the BOM Markup view corresponds exactly with the redlining shown in the
BOM panel.
The dependent markup changes are not redlined as property changes, but
are displayed as part of the ADD redlining. The dependent markup changes
are deleted as part of an ADD markup change deletion.

Validate access to apply markup

• Select a line with a related markup and choose Tools→Markup→Validate
Access to Apply Markups (all levels).
Teamcenter checks if you have the necessary access privileges to save the
changes in the markup and displays a confirmation message.
Note This check only identifies if you have access to the BVR associated with the
selected line. It does not check if you have access to the marked-up child
BOM lines.
You do not need write privileges to markup a structure, only to commit (save)
the changes included in the markup.

Apply markup
You can save (commit to the database) all changes recorded in the markup that
are related to the current line.
This does not affect any changes recorded in markup objects related to the child lines
below it. To save changes in markups related to child lines, see Apply all markups.
1. Select the line with the relevant markup and choose Tools→Markup→Apply
Markup (this level).
Alternatively, you can right-click the line and choose Apply Markup (this level).
Teamcenter displays a confirmation dialog box.

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2. Click OK and Teamcenter applies the changes in the markup to the structure.
Once a markup is applied, it ceases to be active and any future markups are
captured in a new markup object.
A markup cannot be applied more than once, although the results of an applied
markup are visible in the structure.
Note If you do not have write privileges to the selected line, Teamcenter displays a
dialog box asking if you want to create a new BVR. Click OK and Teamcenter
creates the necessary BVR.

Alternatively, you can apply a markup at the selected level as follows:

1. Select the line to which the markup is related and then choose
Tools→Markup→Show Markup View or click .
Teamcenter displays the BOM Markup view.

2. Review the details of the markup, then choose Tools→Markup→Apply markup

(this level).
Teamcenter applies the changes in the markup to the structure.

If the apply action causes full or partial errors, Teamcenter displays a dialog box that
lists the errors and the failed components. You must evaluate the error descriptions
and decide how to fix them.
For example, if the error results from access restrictions, you can ask another
user with suitable access rights to apply the markup or revise the item revision to
obtain access.

Apply all markups

You can save (commit to the database) all changes in the markup that are related to
the current line and also changes in any markups related to the lines below it. To
only save changes in the markup related to the current line, see Apply markup.
Caution Applying multiple markups to a large structure may take a considerable
time.

1. Select the top-level line with a relevant markup and choose

Tools→Markup→Apply Markup (all levels).
Teamcenter displays a confirmation dialog box.

2. Click OK and Teamcenter applies the changes in the markups to the structure.
Once a markup is applied, it ceases to be active and any future markups are
captured in a new markup object.
A markup cannot be applied more than once, although an applied markup
remains visible in the structure.
Note If you do not have write privileges to any of the child lines below the selected
line, Teamcenter displays a dialog box asking if you want to create new
BVRs. Click OK and Teamcenter creates the necessary BVR.

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If the apply action causes full or partial errors, Teamcenter displays a dialog box that
lists the errors and the failed components. You must evaluate the error descriptions
and decide how to fix them. For example, if the error results from access restrictions,
you can ask another user with suitable access rights to apply the markup or revise
the item revision to obtain access.

Carrying forward markups

Active markups may be automatically carried forward, depending on how you copy
the structure:
• Baselining or revising.
Markups are copied.

• Cloning.
Markups are not copied, because closure rules do not apply to a structure clone.

• Sequencing.
Markups are not copied.

• Saving the item or BVR using the Save As command.

Markups are not copied.

Delete markup
1. Select the line with the markup you want to delete and choose
Tools→Markup→Delete Markup (this level). Alternatively, right-click the line
and choose Delete Markup (this level).
Teamcenter displays a confirmation dialog box.

2. Click OK and Teamcenter deletes the active markup related to the selected line.
When a markup is deleted, all of its markup changes are also deleted.

Alternatively, you can delete a markup at the selected level as follows:

1. Select the line to which the markup is related and then choose
Tools→Markup→Show Markup View or click .
Teamcenter displays the BOM Markup pane.

2. Review the details of the markup, then choose Delete markup (this level).
Teamcenter deletes the active markup related to the selected line.

Creating markup review sample workflows

You can create workflow process to manage the review and approval of an active
markup to a product structure. Four sample workflows are described, as follows:
• Sample 1
Use this sample when there is one markup object related to a BOM view revision
(BVR) and it is active. The workflow routes this markup object for review.

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• Sample 2
Use this sample when there are multiple markup objects related to a BVR and
one object is active. The workflow selects the active markup object and routes it
for review. A user can copy and paste the active markup as a specific target in
the workflow process.

• Sample 3
Use this sample when there are multiple markup objects related to a BVR and
one object is active. The workflow filters the active markup object and routes
it for review. A revise operation on a BVR with multiple markup objects only
carries forward the active markup object.

• Sample 4
Use this sample when there are multiple markup objects related to a BVR and
one object is active. The workflow process filters the active markup and routes it
for review. The workflow also applies an approved status to the active markup
object.
This sample includes three processes and they must be invoked in the order
listed:

1. BOMMarkup_Review
Sends an item revision or BVR to a review task. After approval, it starts the
BOMMarkup_SplitTarget process.
The review task is a manual operation. The reviewer or approver must send
the workflow target (the item revision or BVR) to Structure Manager to
view the product structure. Markup mode must be switched on to see the
proposed changes.

2. BOMMarkup_SplitTargets
Adds the markup objects as targets. As there may be multiple
markup objects, the workflow sends each of them individually to the
BOMMarkup_AddStatus object to identify the active markup.

3. BOMMarkup_AddStatus
o Always has a single target object because the parent
BOMMarkup_SplitTargets process always spawns a new
BOMMarkup_AddStatus subprocess for each new target object.

o Checks if the target object is a markup object. If not, it must be an item

revision or BVR, and Teamcenter sends it to the Add BOMMarkup
Approved Status task.

o If the target is a markup object, checks if it is active. If so, Teamcenter

sends it to the Add BOMMarkup Approved Status task; otherwise,
no status is added.

For information about how to create the necessary processes, see the Workflow
Designer Guide.

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Note You can also use these samples as the basis of a workflow that applies
markups or permits a user to apply markup changes manually.

Sample 1

Use this sample if one markup object is related to a BVR and it is the active markup
object.
1. Use Workflow Designer to create the following workflow.

2. Open the Handlers dialog box and select the Start task.

3. Add the EPM-attach-related-objects handler, as follows.

This action adds the markup object as a target. You can send an item revision or
BVR to this workflow.

Sample 2

Use this sample if more than one markup object is related to a BVR and only one is
the active markup object.
1. Use Workflow Designer to create the following workflow.

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Note Do not add the EPM-attach-related-objects handler to the Start task

because the markup object is a target of the workflow.

2. Copy the active markup and paste it as a specific target of the workflow process.

Sample 3

Use this sample if more than one markup object is related to a BVR and only one is
the active markup object. If you revise the item revision, Teamcenter only carries
forward the active markup and you can submit the new revision to the workflow
process. For example, the following BVR is related to multiple markup objects, but
only one markup object is active.

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1. Use Workflow Designer to create the same workflow as described for sample 1.

2. Revise the item revision.

Teamcenter carries forward the active markup and you can submit it to the
workflow.

Sample 4

Use this sample if more than one markup object is related to a BVR and only one
is the active markup object. It provides a sample workflow process that accepts an
item revision or BVR with multiple markup objects for review, but only adds a BOM
Markup Approved status to the active markup object.
If you select the item revision as the initial target, Teamcenter adds BOM Markup
Approved status to the item revision, BVR, and the active markup objects. If you
select the BVR as the initial target, Teamcenter adds BOM Markup Approved
status to the BVR, and the active markup objects.

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Note A BVR may contain several markup objects, but only one of these objects can
be active, as shown in the following example.

BOMMarkup_Review process
1. Use Workflow Designer to create a new BOMMarkup_Review process. Place a
review task and a generic task between the Start and Finish tasks, as follows.

2. Select the Start task and click the Task Handlers button .
Teamcenter displays the Handlers dialog box.

3. Verify that the EPM_attach-item-revision-targets handler is attached as follows.

4. Select the Sub-process task and click the Task Handlers button .
Teamcenter displays the Handlers dialog box.

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5. Add the EPM-create-sub-process under Complete, as follows.

6. Make the template available for use by selecting the Set stage to available
check box.

BOMMarkup_SplitTargets process

1. Use Workflow Designer to create a new BOMMarkup_SplitTargets process.

Add a condition task, two generic tasks, and an OR task between the Start and
Finish tasks, as follows.

2. Select the Start task and click the Task Handlers button .
Teamcenter displays the Handlers dialog box.

3. Verify that the EPM-attach-related-objects handler is defined under Start as

follows. This action adds the markup objects as workflow targets.

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4. Create a Has Multiple Targets? condition task that counts the number of
workflow target objects and determines if there is more than one. Create this
condition task with workflow handlers and a query object, as follows:
a. In Query Builder, create the following query to check the value of the task
result.

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b. In Workflow Designer, select the BOMMarkup_SplitTargets template, and

then select the Has Multiple Targets? condition task.

c. Click the Attributes button .

Teamcenter displays the Attributes pane.

d. Click Condition Query.

Teamcenter displays the Condition Query dialog box.

e. Select BM-Has Multiple Targets? and Query Against - Task as shown, and
then click Assign to assign the query.

f. Close the dialog box.

g. Click Display Settings and ensure the Attributes dialog box shows the
following settings.

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h. Close the dialog box.

i. Ensure the Has Multiple Targets? condition task is still selected and click
the Task Handlers button .
Teamcenter displays the Handlers dialog box.

j. Add the EPM-set-task-result-to-property handler under Start as follows.

This reads the num_property task property and sets its value as the task
result.

k. Verify that the EPM-set-condition handler is defined under Start as follows.

(This handler was added in step b previously.)

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5. Configure the Single Target task to start the BOMMarkup_AddStatus

subprocess. Select Single Target and click the Task Handlers button .
Teamcenter displays the Handlers dialog box.

6. Create the EPM-create-sub-process handler under Complete as follows.

7. Configure the Multiple Targets task to start the BOMMarkup_AddStatus

subprocess for each target. Select Multiple Targets and click the Task Handlers
button .
Teamcenter displays the Handlers dialog box.

8. Create the EPM-create-sub-process handler under Complete as follows.

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9. Make the template available for use by selecting the Set stage to available
check box.

BOMMarkup_AddStatus process
1. Use Workflow Designer to create a new BOMMarkup_AddStatus task. Add
two condition tasks, two OR tasks, and an Add Status task between the Start
and Finish tasks, as follows.

2. Select the Start task and click the Task Handlers button .
Teamcenter displays the Handlers dialog box.

3. Verify that the EPM-attach-related-objects and

EPM-attach-item-revision-targets handlers are not defined under Start as
follows. It is not necessary to add or introduce more targets to the subprocess.

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4. Create a BM – Is Markup Object? condition task that checks if the target object
is a markup object. (The process expects only one target object.) It does this by
checking the object_type property value of the markup object with a query that
you create as follows.
a. In Query Builder, create the following query.

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b. In Workflow Designer, select the BOMMarkup_AddStatus template, and

then select the BM – Is Markup Object? condition task.

c. Click the Attributes button .

Teamcenter displays the Attributes pane.

d. Click Condition Query.

Teamcenter displays the Condition Query dialog box.

e. Select BM-Is Markup Object? and Query Against - Task as shown, and then
click Assign to assign the query.

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f. Close the dialog box.

g. Click Display Settings and ensure the Attributes dialog box shows the
following settings.

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h. Close the dialog box.

i. Ensure the BM – Is Markup Object? condition task is still selected and

click the Task Handlers button.
Teamcenter displays the Handlers dialog box.

j. Verify that the EPM-set-condition handler is defined under the Start folder
as follows.

5. The BM – Is Markup Active? condition task checks if the markup object is active.
It does this by querying the fnd0active property value of the markup object.
a. In Query Builder, create the query as follows.

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b. In Workflow Designer, select the BOMMarkup_AddStatus template, and

then select the BM – Is Markup Active? condition task.

c. Click the Attributes button .

Teamcenter displays the Attributes pane.

d. Click Condition Query.

Teamcenter displays the Condition Query dialog box.

e. Select BM – Is Markup Active? and Query Against - Target as shown, and

then click Assign to assign the query.

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f. Close the dialog box.

g. Click Display Settings and ensure the Attributes dialog box shows the
following settings.

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h. Close the dialog box.

i. Ensure the Is Markup Object? condition task is still selected and click the
Task Handlers button .
Teamcenter displays the Handlers dialog box.

j. Verify that the EPM-set-condition handler is defined under the Start folder
as follows.

6. The Add BOMMarkup Approved Status condition task adds the

BOMMarkup Approved status to the target object, which may be an item
revision, BVR, or active markup object.
Note BOMMarkup Approved is not a standard status type. It is created for
this workflow to ensure the system can write to the workflow’s target
objects after the approval process.

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a. In Workflow Designer, select the Add BOMMarkup Approved Status status,

and then click the Attributes button .
Teamcenter displays the Attributes pane.

b. Enter a Release Status of Fnd0BOMMarkupApproved as follows.

c. Ensure the Add BOMMarkup Approved Status status is still selected and
click the Task Handlers button .
Teamcenter displays the Handlers dialog box.

d. Verify that the EPM-create-status handler is defined under the Start folder
as follows.

7. (Optional) In Access Manager, create a write operation in the rule tree for
status=BOMMarkup Approved. This setting allows you to apply markups to
the product structure after the review and approval process.

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8. Make the template available for use by selecting the Set stage to available
check box.

Defining units of measure

Unit of measure is an attribute of the item. In Structure Manager, you specify the
value of the Quantity occurrence property in the units of measure for the component
item (for example, 1.5 L for an Oil item). Alternatively, you can specify the unit of
measure as each, that is, a numerical value. In this case, you must specify the value
as a whole number (for example, 500).
For more information, see Creating aggregate occurrences and defining quantity.
You can optionally specify a quantity for a structure line in a user-defined
unit of measure. To enable this option, the administrator sets the
Fnd0PSEQtyConversionDSName and Fnd0PSEEnableQtyConversionUOM
Business Modeler IDE constants and creates an XML file specifying all UOM
conversion rules that are valid at your site.
For more information, see Define unit of measure and Configure units of measure.
You cannot change the unit of measure after any revision of the item is released or is
used in the structure.
Note When you add a line to the structure, its unit of measure (UOM) is initially
the same as the default UOM for the corresponding item type. You can
subsequently change the UOM of the line, if appropriate.
If the default UOM of the item is not each, you cannot change the UOM of
the line to each.
Teamcenter considers the UOM of the line when displaying a quantity value.
If the UOM of the line is each, it displays the quantity value as an integer;
otherwise, it displays a floating (real) value.
By default, Teamcenter displays quantities with a maximum of two decimal
places. However, your administrator can change the number of decimal
places by editing the Displayed_Decimals_for_Qty preference.
When customizing Teamcenter, the special UOM value each is reserved. If
you add another each value, the default Teamcenter behavior may change.

For more information about adding units of measure to Structure Manager, see the
Business Modeler IDE Guide.

Define unit of measure

1. Double-click the Quantity property of the affected BOM line.
Teamcenter displays the Edit Quantity dialog box.

2. Type the required value in the Quantity box and select a UOM from the Unit
Of Measure list.
Teamcenter converts the value you entered to the default item UOM and
displays it for verification. For example, if the default item UOM is grams, when
you enter a quantity of 2 and select a UOM of lb (pound), it displays 907 grams.

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3. Click OK to save the quantity in the database. The quantity is stored in the
database in the item UOM, not the user-selected UOM.

Managing global alternates

A global alternate part is interchangeable with another part in all circumstances,
regardless of where the other part is used in the product structure. A global
alternate applies to any revision of the part and is independent of any views.
Parts and their global alternates are related only in a single direction. For example,
if part A has three global alternates (parts B, C, and D), then B, C, and D are each a
global alternate of A. However, part A is not an alternate of B, C, or D, as shown next.

Is NOT a Global
Alternate of
Part B
Is a Global
Alternate of

Is NOT a Global
Alternate of
Part A Part C
Is a Global
Alternate of

Is NOT a Global
Alternate of
Part D
Is a Global
Alternate of

Global alternates – single direction

One part can be a global alternate of more than one other part. For example, part
B may be a global alternate of parts E and F, as well as a global alternate of part
A, as shown next.

Is NOT a Global
Is NOT a Global Alternate of
Alternate of Part E
Part A Is a Global
Is a Global Alternate of
Alternate of
Part B
Is NOT a Global
Alternate of
Part F
Is a Global
Alternate of

Global alternates – multiple alternates

Global alternate relationships are not shared. For example, part C is not a global
alternate of part B, even though they are both global alternates of part A, as shown
next.

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Is NOT a Global
Alternate of
Part B
Is a Global
Alternate of

Part A Is NOT a Global

Alternate of

Is NOT a Global
Alternate of
Part C
Is a Global
Alternate of

Global alternates – nonsharing

Likewise, global alternate relationships are not chained. For example, if part B is a
global alternate of part A, and part C is a global alternate of part B, part C is not a
global alternate of part A, as shown next.

Is NOT a Global Is NOT a Global

Alternate of Alternate of
Part B Part C
Is a Global Is a Global
Part A Alternate of Alternate of

Is NOT a Global
Alternate of

Global alternates – chaining

List global alternates

1. Select a line in the product structure. If it has global alternates, this is indicated
by the symbol.

2. Click Global Alternates at the bottom of the pane.

Teamcenter displays the Global Alternate dialog box, which lists all the global
alternatives of the selected item. The preferred global alternate (if any) is
marked with a check mark.
Note You can also list global alternates in My Teamcenter.

Add global alternates

1. List the global alternates (if any) of the item for which you want to add one or
more global alternates, as described in List global alternates.

2. In the Global Alternate dialog box, click Open .

Teamcenter displays the Open by Name dialog box.

3. Search for the item that you want to define as a global alternate of the selected
item.

4. If you want to define more than one global alternate of the selected item, repeat
the previous step for each global alternate.

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Note You cannot add the same item as the global alternate more than once.
Teamcenter displays a Cannot create duplicate alternates of same item
message if you attempt this action.

Remove global alternates

1. List the global alternates of the item from which you want to remove one or more
global alternates, as described in List global alternates.

2. In the Global Alternate dialog box, select one or more global alternates to remove
and click Remove.
Teamcenter removes the selected global alternates from the list.

Note If you remove all the global alternates from an item, the corresponding line
in the product structure no longer shows the symbol.

Set or unset preferred global alternate

1. List the global alternates of the item from which you want to remove one or more
global alternates, as described in List global alternates.

2. In the Manage Global Alternates dialog box, select a global alternate and click
Prefer.
Teamcenter designates the selected global alternate as preferred and places a
check mark next to it in the list.

To remove the preferred designation from a global alternate, select it and click Prefer
again. Teamcenter removes the check mark next to it in the list of global alternates.

Changing components
Any modification you make to the product structure changes the BOM view revision
in the parent assembly. Modifications that change the BOM view include adding,
deleting, or substituting components; adding a substitute component; or changing
any of the occurrence attributes, for example, a note or find number.
You must have write access to the BOM view revision to make such modifications.
You may not have write access for one of several reasons, including:
• Another user is modifying the BOM view revision and the changes are not
yet saved. In this case, Teamcenter displays an error message, stating who is
currently modifying the BOM view revision.

• The BOM view revision is protected against write access, for example, because
it is released.

When you choose File→Save As for a selected item revision, Teamcenter creates a
physical copy of the BOM view revision.

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Remove components
1. Select the component or group of components to remove from the product
structure tree.

2. Choose Edit→Remove, or press Ctrl+R.

Teamcenter removes the selected components from the structure. If you select
a line that has substitutes, these are also removed.
Note This action does not place the selected line or lines on the clipboard.

Move a component to another assembly

1. Select the component or group of components to move to another assembly

2. Click Cut on the toolbar, choose Edit→Cut, or press Ctrl+X to place the
selected components on the clipboard. Teamcenter grays out the affected
component lines.

3. Select the target assembly.

4. Click Paste on the toolbar, choose Edit→Paste, or press Ctrl+P. New

component lines appear under the selected assembly, and the grayed-out lines
are removed from the structure.
Note Lines grayed out after a Cut command are not actually removed from the
structure until you paste them elsewhere in the structure. If you place
another object on the clipboard before pasting, the grayed-out lines are
restored to their previous state and are removed from the clipboard.

Replacing a component
You can make the following replacements in a product structure:
• Replace a component without losing the occurrence data.
You can change an item revision in an assembly by cutting out the old item
revision and pasting in the new item revision. However, this method breaks
the occurrence link to the old component, so you lose any occurrence attributes
including notes and the find number of the old component. A replacement
retains the occurrence data.

• Change the revision of a component item in precise assemblies.

• Change the view type.

If the component has multiple views and you want the parent assembly to
reference a different view, you can edit to the parent assembly to change the
view type.

You cannot replace one component with two or more components. However, you can
select multiple components and replace each with a single component.

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Note Teamcenter does not verify if the replacement request is valid for your
business data. If necessary, check the validity of the replacement action
with the Teamcenter administrator.

Replace a component
1. Select the component to replace in the product structure.

2. Optionally, copy the replacement component to the clipboard. This action

prepopulates the Replace Component dialog box with the item identifier and
revision of the replacement component.

3. Choose Edit→Replace....
Teamcenter displays the Replace dialog box. The lower pane of the dialog box
contains details of the selected component to replace.

4. In the upper pane of the dialog box, enter the item identifier of the replacement
component. If you copied the replacement component to the clipboard, the item
ID and revision boxes are already populated with those of the copied component.
You can change the identifier if required, but not the item name; the item name
is derived from the item identifier you enter.
Note If you specify an item identifier that is shared by multiple objects,
Teamcenter displays the Select Unique Item dialog box allowing you to
select the object you require.

You can specify a revision in some circumstances, depending on whether the

parent assembly BOM view revision of the component replaced is precise or
imprecise:

• If the BOM view revision of the parent assembly is precise, you can specify
a revision. In this situation, you can use the replace command to replace
one component item revision with another item revision or to replace the
component with a revision of a different item. If an item is taken from the
clipboard, Teamcenter determines the revision by the revision rule.

• If the BOM view revision of the parent assembly is imprecise, you cannot
specify the revision. In this situation, you use the replace command to
replace one component item with another item.
If there is not a revision that satisfies the revision rule when you add the
component to the structure, Teamcenter displays the revision as ???.

5. Optionally, use the bottom section of the Replace Component dialog box to
change the scope of the replacement by clicking one of the following:
• Single Component
Replaces only the selected component.

• All in Parent Assembly

Replaces all components of the selected item revision that are in the parent
assembly.

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If the component to replace has multiple views, Teamcenter uses the default view
type. If no default is defined, Teamcenter displays an error message and you must
specify a view type in the Replace... dialog box.
Alternatively, to replace one or more items (parts) or item elements for another:
1. Select one or more source lines that represent items or item elements, and
choose Edit→Copy.

2. Select target lines that represents the same types of item or item element and
choose Edit→Paste. If you copied more than one source line to the clipboard, but
only selected a single target line, Teamcenter displays the Select Object for
Replace dialog box. Otherwise, it replaces the targets with the sources and
updates the find numbers, as appropriate. If you attempt to replace an item or
item element with a line of another type, Teamcenter displays an error message
and does not replace any of the selected lines.

3. If Teamcenter displays the Select Object for Replace dialog box, select the
required source from those listed and click Replace.

Change add and delete operations to a replace operation

During prototyping or other changes, you may delete an item or part and
subsequently add another item or part in the product structure.
To convert the separate delete and add operations into a single replacement
operation during BOM comparison:
1. Open two product structure windows side-by-side and configure two different
BOM view revisions (BVRs) showing the individual operations. For example,
configure a BVR showing the deleted part in one window and a second BVR
showing the added part in the second window.

2. Select the deleted and added parts and choose Edit→Change To Replace.
Teamcenter converts the individual delete and add operations into a replacement
operation, replacing the occurrence thread of the added part with the occurrence
thread of the deleted part to keep the same occurrence thread.

Defining substitute components

Substitute components are parts that are interchangeable with a particular
component in an assembly. Substitutes are often defined for manufacturing
purposes, allowing use of the substitute if the preferred part is unavailable, for
example, due to a stock shortage.
You define a substitute for a single occurrence in an assembly and not for an item.
In general, you control a change to an item of this nature by making the changes
selectively for each assembly, using a where used search to identify each instance of
the item. Do not use substitutes to address marketing variations of a product—use
variants or modular variants for this purpose.
You can define more than one substitute for each component. One of the substitutes
is designated the preferred substitute and is displayed in the structure. You can see
the other substitutes by clicking the List Substitutes button. You can change the
preferred substitute at any time.

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When a primary part has one or more substitutes, you can display all the substitute
parts as siblings of the preferred structure line directly below the primary part.
You can then easily compare, edit, or remove the substitutes. You can enable the
display of substitutes on separate lines by setting the PSEShowSubstitutesPref
preference.
Note If you are working in NX and perform a rollup calculation (for example, cost
or weight), the calculation uses the preferred substitute.

If you add a substitute, you modify the BOM view revision and you consequently
must have write access to the BOM view revision. You can change the preferred
substitute any time during a session (for example, to view the change in NX), but
you can only save the change if you have write access to the BOM view revision.
Substitutes of one occurrence all share the same occurrence attributes, for example,
find number, quantity, and notes, as specified for the substituted part.
Substitute components are item revisions in a precise assembly and items for an
imprecise assembly. In an imprecise assembly, the revision rule selects the correct
revision of a substitute component.
If you drag and drop BOM lines and there are substitutes in the selection, the drop
operation ignores the substitutes and only copies the primary BOM lines.
When you pack BOM lines with substitutes, the substitute lines associated with the
pack master are displayed as its siblings. A group of BOM lines can be packed only if
they have the same set of substitutes. The pack count for the preferred BOM line
includes the substitutes. For example, if a packed BOM line contains three BOM
lines and each of the BOM lines has one substitute part, the pack count is shown as
six. If the primary BOM lines do not have the same substitutes, you cannot pack
those BOM lines.
When a BOM line is packed, adding a substitute to the packed line recursively add
the same substitutes to all of the occurrences. Likewise, removing a substitute from
the packed line recursively removes the substitute from all of the occurrences.
You cannot add substitute BOM lines to substitute groups.
BOM rollup report calculations exclude substitute lines.
When BOM markup is enabled, added or removed substitute lines are marked.

Display substitute components for a line

Teamcenter identifies the lines in the product structure with substitute components
by a symbol. If the line has substitute components, it has the Has Substitutes
property set to Y.
1. Select the line in the product structure tree.

2. Click List Substitutes .

Teamcenter displays the List Substitutes dialog box. This allows you to view the
available substitutes.

If a substitute part has an underlying structure, it is still represented as a leaf part

when displayed as a separate substitute line.

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Display substitutes as separate lines

1. Set the value of the PSEShowSubstitutesPref preference to 1.

2. Load the structure that has substitutes defined for primary items.
Teamcenter displays substitutes as separate lines at the same level as the
corresponding primary items. For example:

Create substitute component

1. Copy the substitute item revision to the clipboard in Structure Manager or
another application.

2. Select the line in the product structure in Structure Manager for which you want
to define this item revision as a substitute.
You can also add a substitute to more than one line in a single operation by
selecting all the necessary line. If the lines are packed, unpack them before
you select them.

3. Choose Edit→Paste Substitute to paste the substitute directly. You can also
choose Edit→Paste Special and click As Substitute of Selected Line in the
resulting dialog box.

You can also type in the item identifier of the substitute directly, by selecting the
line in the structure, choosing Edit→Add..., and clicking As Substitute of Selected
Line in the resulting dialog box.

Edit the properties of a substitute

If you display substitutes as separate lines, follow this procedure:
1. Load a product structure with substitutes defined for the primary items.

2. Select the substitute you want to edit, and make your modification in the data
pane.
Teamcenter saves the edited properties.
Note You must have necessary permissions to edit substitute parts.
For substitutes, there are no occurrence properties. You can only edit
properties for items, item revisions, and master forms.
You cannot make in-context edits or create incremental change data for
substitute lines.

Compare substitutes
If you display substitutes as separate lines, follow this procedure:

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1. Load the product structures with substitutes that you want to compare in two
separate BOM windows.

2. Choose Tools®Compare.
The BOM Compare dialog box appears.

3. Select the desired report options and the Single level (with substitutes) mode,
and then click Apply.
Teamcenter generates a BOM Compare report that compares the substitute
parts as well as the primary parts.
Note You can only compare substitute parts with other substitute parts, not
with primary parts.
If you choose any other comparison mode, the results may be incorrect.

Removing substitute components

You can remove a substitute part that has related substitutes from the product
structure. When you do this, Teamcenter:
• Notifies you about all the related substitute parts of the selected substitute.

• Notifies owners of the parent BVRs of all related parts by Teamcenter e-mail.

• Changes or removes all relations in which the selected substitute parts

participate to ensure consistency.

• Removes the selected substitute part from the substitute part list.

Remove a substitute component

If you do not display substitutes as separate lines, follow this procedure:
1. Select the required line in the product structure tree.

2. Click List Substitutes .

Teamcenter displays the List Substitutes dialog box.

3. Select the substitute component you want to remove and click (Remove) or
choose Edit→Remove.
You can also press Shift+Ctrl to select more than one substitute in the list for
removal. If you remove all listed substitutes, the line in the product structure is
no longer marked as having substitutes.

If you display substitutes as separate lines, follow this procedure:

1. Load the structure that has substitutes defined for primary items.

2. Select the substitute line and choose Edit→Remove.

A confirmation dialog box appears.

3. Click Yes.

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Teamcenter removes the substitute line from the structure.

This action only removes the substitute from the substitute list of the primary part.
It does not delete the underlying part.

Change the preferred substitute

1. Select the required line in the product structure tree.

2. Click the List Substitutes .

Teamcenter displays the List Substitutes dialog box.

3. Select the item to be the preferred substitute and click Prefer.

Teamcenter displays the item identifier of the selected substitute and adds the
original preferred substitute to the list.
Alternatively, you can right-click the required line and click Set Preferred
Substitute to display a list of the substitute components. Click the new preferred
substitute.

4. If you have write access to the BOM view revision, you can save this change
to the structure. If you do not have write access, Teamcenter warns that you
cannot save the preferred substitute but you can make a temporary change. The
ability to make a temporary change is useful if you want to visualize one of the
nonpreferred substitutes in the structure.

Managing substitute part relationships

You can define and edit substitute part relationships to manage dependencies
between substitute part selections. You can also define optional parts according
to size selections.

Relating substitute parts

If there are dependencies between substitute part selections, you can relate the
substitute part of one occurrence with substitute parts of the other occurrence. You
can define these relationships for any occurrence in any BOM view revision.
Such relationships are bidirectional. For example, you can relate substitute A of the
lower bearing in the product structure to substitute B of the upper bearing, if the
selection of B depends on the current selection of A. The same dependency applies to
the selection of B as the upper bearing; that is, A must always be the lower bearing
if B is selected as the upper bearing, and B must always be the upper bearing if
A is selected as the lower bearing. However, Teamcenter does not enforce this
relationship, if you choose to override it in a particular structure configuration.
To relate substitutes, you must have write access to the parent BOM view revisions
of the selected lines. If you do not have permission to modify either of the parents,
you cannot relate the substitute parts.

Relate substitute parts

1. In the product structure tree, select the two lines that represent the applicable
occurrences and choose Tools→Related Substitute→Relate.

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Teamcenter displays the View/Create Related Substitutes dialog box.

2. Verify the parent lines and selected substitute items are those you want to relate.
You can also click the Preview button to check the relation to be created.

3. When you are satisfied that the correct relationship is selected, click the Create
button to confirm the selection.
Teamcenter creates the relationship between the proposed substitutes and saves
it in the database; it is not necessary to explicitly save changes to the product
structure. If you create an incorrect relationship, click the Reset button to reset
the changes.
Note The Related Substitutes menu command is only visible if your site
administrator sets the PSE_enable_related_substitutes preference to
True.
When you save a product structure that includes related substitute parts as
a new structure, all substitute part relations are carried forward.

Relate substitutes with existing substitutes

1. Click the Preview button before you create the relation to verify if previous
relations exist and their effect on the relation you propose to create.
For example, the 000005 Substitute A for Lower Bearing line in the BVR is
already related to the 000014 – Substitute A for Fuel Pipe line. If you try to
relate the 000005 Substitute A for Lower Bearing line to another line, 000006
Substitute A for Upper Bearing, and click the Preview button, Teamcenter
displays the following new relation:
000002/A-view:000003:10 ->000005 – Substitute A for Lower Bearing
000002/A-view:000003:20 ->000006 – Substitute A for Upper Bearing
000012/A-view:000013:150 ->000014 – Substitute A for Fuel Pipe

2. Click the Create button to commit the relation. In the previous example,
Teamcenter relates substitute A for the lower bearing, substitute A for the upper
bearing and substitute A for the fuel pipe.

Edit a substitute part relationship

You can change or remove the relationship between substitute related parts, as
follows:
1. In the product structure tree, select a structure line with related substitutes and
choose Tools→Related Substitutes→Relate.
Teamcenter displays the View/Create Related Substitutes dialog box.

2. Click the Show Related button.

Teamcenter shows all the related substitute parts for the selected substitute in
the right-hand pane of the dialog box.

3. Select the relation to edit and click the Cut button to remove it, or click the
Modify button to change the relation.

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Note To modify substitute part relationships, you must have write access to
the parent BOM view revisions of the selected lines. If you do not have
permission to modify either of the parents, you cannot modify the substitute
part relationships.

View the related substitutes of a selected structure line

• Choose Tools→Relate Substitutes→View Related.
Teamcenter displays all defined relations in a dialog box for information
purposes; you cannot change the relations in this dialog box.

Exporting substitute data

• You can export substitute component data in a structure to an external
system. To do this, your administrator must add the appropriate closure rule
to the transfer mode, as described in the PLM XML/TC XML Export Import
Administration Guide. You must choose this transfer mode each time you export
substitute component data.

Add or remove optional parts

You can define optional parts for any occurrence and its substitute parts. Optional
parts are selected according to their size. A part may have both substitutes and
optional parts. A substitute part (including the preferred substitute) may have
optional parts.
Note Size-selected optional parts are attachments to an occurrence. You cannot
view or configure them into the product structure.

1. Choose Tools→Relate Substitutes→Optional Parts.

Teamcenter displays the Optional Parts dialog box that lists any lines with
previously defined optional parts.

2. To add an optional part, select the structure line, click the Add button and
Teamcenter displays the Add Optional Part dialog box. You can then enter or
browse for the item identifier and name of the component to add as an optional
part. To remove an optional part, select the line and click the Remove button.

Exporting a product structure containing related parts

You can export a product structure that contains related substitute parts or optional
parts in PLM XML format.
For details of PLM XML import and export, see the PLM XML/TC XML Export
Import Administration Guide.

Export a product structure to Briefcase

You can export a configured product structure in PLM XML format.

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If Data Exchange is installed at your site, you can export a configured product
structure to a Briefcase file to share with a partner or supplier.
You can export:
• Product structures that are configured by a revision rule, variant rule, and
incremental change.

• Product structures that are partially configured by only a revision rule and
a variant rule is not applied.

• Precise or imprecise product structures.

• Notes, attachments, absolute occurrences and overrides, alternates, substitutes,

and generic design elements (GDEs) included in the product structure.

• Systems Engineering and Mechatronics Process Management objects included in

the product structure, for example, trace links and signals.

1. Select the top line of the product structure to export and choose
Tools→Export→To Briefcase.
Teamcenter displays the Export To Briefcase Via Global Services dialog box.

2. Click in the bottom right-hand corner of the dialog box.

Teamcenter displays the TIE Export Configured Export Default dialog box.

3. Select the check box corresponding to each of the export options you want to
use and then click OK.
Teamcenter closes the TIE Export Configured Export Default dialog box.

4. In the Export To Briefcase Via Global Services dialog box, enter all the required
information including Reason, Target Sites, Option Set, Briefcase Package
Name, Revision Rule, and Variant Rule, and then click OK.
Teamcenter displays a Remote Export Options Setting confirmation dialog box.

5. Click Yes.
Teamcenter starts the export of the product structure using the options you
entered.

For more information about configuring export of configured product structures,

see the Data Exchange Guide.

Export datasets with structure information

You can export multiple dataset types in an assembly in one operation, as follows:
1. Open the assembly structure in the Structure Manager application and specify
the appropriate revision rule and variant condition.

2. Select the structure line representing the assembly in the product structure.

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To export without structure information, open the item or item revision. When
you choose an item, Teamcenter identifies the item revision from the default
revision rule.

3. Choose Tools→BOM→Export.
Teamcenter displays the Export to Connection dialog box.
Note The Export to Connection menu command is available in Structure
Manager only if at least one application is registered to which you can
export data.

4. Enter the following information in the dialog box:

Option Description
• Select an A root directory is shown according to the preset
existing preference for the root directory location. You
connection must define a unique connection name. Choose the
Select an existing connection command to use a
• Create a new previously-defined connection or choose the Create a
connection new connection to define a new connection.
Export Rule: • Add
Adds the primary file of the dataset to the
connection.

• Resend
Reexports the selected file and all secondary
files with attribute information to the connection
directory. Any existing files are overwritten. Only
use Resend if you made an error in modifying the
files and you want your export data identical to that
in Teamcenter.

• Refresh
Checks if the selected file is modified in Teamcenter
since the export to connection. If so, Teamcenter
exports the selected file and sends the latest
attribute information. It then ensures all the
components of the selected files are in the connection
by invoking Add for each component file.
Dataset Type Lists all the dataset types that are registered and can
be exported, if they appear in the assembly structure.
You can:
• Select a single dataset type to export.

• Select several dataset types to export.

• Select all dataset types to exported. Enter All to

export all known dataset types.

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Once you make the necessary selections, the top structure line appears. It can be
configured and expanded, if necessary.

5. Check the appropriate boxes in the dialog box and click OK to initiate the export
operation:
Skip Select none of the boxes. Teamcenter exports the selected
datasets under this line.
Export Select only the Export box. Teamcenter exports the
selected datasets under this line but does not check them
out (makes a read only copy).
Export+CO Select the Export and CO boxes. Teamcenter exports the
selected datasets under this line and checks them out
(makes a read/write copy).
Note A checkout can be performed only if you have write
access to the dataset.

Add parts to NX
You can add parts from the product structure and paste them into an assembly
in NX, as follows:
1. Find the parts to add to NX. These may be individual parts outside the context
of any assembly (items or item revisions) or parts in the context of an owning
assembly (structure lines).
To find individual parts, such as brackets or seals, and send then items or item
revisions to NX without any assembly context information:

a. Browse through your product structure or perform a Classification search to

locate the parts.

b. Select the required items or item revisions and copy them to the clipboard.

2. Copy the items, item revisions or structure lines from the Teamcenter clipboard
to the NX clipboard by right-clicking the clipboard symbol in the lower right
corner of the Structure Manager window and choosing Send clipboard contents
to NX.
The item revisions and/or lines on the rich client clipboard are then transferred
to the NX clipboard.
Note Only item revisions, not items, are sent to NX. If the clipboard contains
any items, Teamcenter identifies the latest working item revision
corresponding to each item and sends them to NX instead.

3. Once you transfer the parts to the NX clipboard, add them to an assembly
in NX using one of the NX paste options. The parts become components at
the currently selected level in the NX assembly. Because a structure line has
positioning information, the corresponding new components are positioned
according to the spatial information stored in Teamcenter and, consequently, the
parts are positioned correctly regardless of the currently selected level in the NX

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assembly. Items or item revisions have no inherent positioning information, so

the corresponding new components are positioned at a default location.
If the pasted item revision represents an assembly, Teamcenter Integration for
NX loads the corresponding assembly, and adds it as a subassembly under the
current NX assembly. Depending on the NX load options, this operation may
load any additional parts referenced by the pasted assembly.
For an example of how to add assemblies to NX, see the following figures. This
example assumes you load assembly A into NX and decide to add mounting
hardware. Having searched Teamcenter for the mounting hardware, you decide
assembly E is appropriate, and copy its item revision to the clipboard.
Note that you do not copy parts F and G to the clipboard, only part E.

Assembly A Assembly E

Sub Assy B

Part C Part D Part F Part G

Before pasting assembly E in NX

After sending E to the NX clipboard, you can paste it under assembly A, and the
result is the assembly hierarchy shown in the following figure. Note that E was
the only item revision explicitly pasted into NX; parts F and G were implicitly
loaded because they are referenced by E.

Assembly A

Sub Assy B Sub Assy E

Part C Part D Part F Part G

After pasting assembly E in NX

Using item elements

An item element (sometimes called a general design element) represents an
interface, characteristic or feature of a component in the structure. For example,
it may represent a weld point on a bracket that is welded to a parent assembly.
The item element is shown in the product structure as a separate line under the
associated component and is represented by the image.

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Create an item element

1. Select the assembly in the product structure with which you want to associate
the item element.

2. Choose File→New→Item Element.

Teamcenter displays the New Item Element dialog box.

3. Enter the name of the item element and click OK.

Teamcenter creates the new item element and adds it as an item element line in
the product structure.
Note You cannot create a new item element by copying an existing item element.
Consequently, the File→SaveAs and File→Save As→Bom View Revision
menu commands are not available when an item element is selected.

Remove item elements

1. Select the item element you want to remove from the product structure.

2. Choose Edit→Remove.
Teamcenter displays the Removing Lines dialog box.

3. Click OK to confirm removal of the selected item elements.

Copy and paste item elements

You can copy and paste item elements in the same way as other lines in the product
structure.
To copy an item element, choose Edit→Copy to copy a selected item element to
the clipboard.
To paste an item element, choose Edit→Paste to paste a copied item element from
the clipboard into the product structure.

Replace item elements

1. Select one or more item elements (source lines) from the structure and choose
Edit→Replace.

2. Select one or more (item elements) target lines in the structure and choose
Edit→Paste.
If you copied more than one source line to the clipboard, but only selected a
single target line, Teamcenter displays the Select Object for Replace dialog box.
Otherwise, it replaces the target item elements with the source item elements
and updates the instance numbers, as appropriate. If you attempt to replace a
target item element with a source item element of another type, Teamcenter
replaces only those lines where the source is a subtype of the target type.
Otherwise, it displays an error message and does not replaces any lines.

3. If Teamcenter displays the Select Object for Replace dialog box, select the
required source item element from those listed and click Replace.

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View notes on item elements

You can view a note associated with an item elements, select the item element and
choose View→Notes.

Creating connections and links

You can create connections or links between item elements in the product structure.
Connections can be revised if their characteristics change; links are nonrevisable
and cannot be updated.

Create a connection
To create a connection between lines with a PSConnection relationship:
1. Choose File→New→Connection→Revisable to create a revisable connection.
Teamcenter displays the New Connection wizard.

2. Choose the connection type and its options, then click Finish.
Teamcenter creates the connection as an item element.

3. Select the lines in the product structure you want to connect and the connection,
then choose Tools→Connection Manager→Connect.
Note You can also right-click the lines and choose Connect.

Create a link
To create a link between lines with a GDELinkLine relationship:
1. Choose File→New→Connection→Non-Revisable to create a non- revisable
connection (link).
Teamcenter displays the New Link wizard.

2. Enter a name and description, then click Finish.

Teamcenter creates the new link.

3. Select the lines in the product structure you want to link and the link, then
choose Tools→Connection Manager→Connect.
Note You can also right-click the selected lines and choose Connect.

Remove a connection or link

1. Select the lines in the product structure you want to disconnect. You cannot
remove a connection or link if the top line of the structure is connected.

2. Choose Tools→Connection Manager→Disconnect to remove the connection or

link between the selected lines. You can also right-click the lines and choose
Disconnect.

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Creating and editing notes

Teamcenter allows you to attach notes to items or item revisions. These notes
contain additional documentation about parts or documents. For example, a note
may contain the following instructions:
Round all sharp corners to [Radius: 0.01, 0.02, 0.03] inch
and heat-treat to [Temperature: 100,120,130] degrees Fahrenheit

The following types of note are available:

• Standard note
Contains information established by a standards engineering organization. It
conforms to the design practices of a program or project, is stored in a library,
and is available to all participating engineers. A standard note is sometimes
called a parametric requirement.

• Custom note
Contains information that is unique to an individual part or document. It is
not stored in a library. A custom help can only be attached to a single item
or item revision.
Note Do not confuse standard notes and custom notes attached to items or item
revisions with occurrence notes.
For information about occurrence notes, see Displaying occurrence notes.

For detailed information about how to view standard notes or custom notes, see
Define or edit custom note text.

Define or edit custom note text

1. Select a product structure line that represents an item or item revision with a
standard note or custom note attached to it.

2. Click the Show/Hide Data Panel button on the toolbar.

Teamcenter displays the data pane.

3. On the data pane, click the Attachments tab.

Teamcenter displays any attachments to the selected line, including standard
notes and custom notes.

4. Select the line that represents the note you want to define or edit.
If the note is saved in rich text (RTF), it opens in Microsoft Word; otherwise,
it is displayed as editable text fields.

5. For a standard note, make the necessary changes, then click Apply to save them.
For a custom note in text format, edit the Note Text field, then click File→Save
in Teamcenter.
For a custom note in RTF format, edit the content with Microsoft Word and save
the changes with Word’s Save command.

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Deleting items
You can delete a single selected item or you can recursively delete all items below
a selected line. You must have read-write permissions to the item to successfully
delete it.
Note Deleting an item occurs in two steps–removal of the line from the parent
in Structure Manager and then deletion of the item from the database. If
the deletion fails, the line is removed from the parent, but the item is not
deleted from the database. (Deletions typically fail because the user does
not have the necessary permissions.) You can search for the item, then copy
and paste it back into the structure.

Delete a single item from the product structure

1. Select the item in the product structure.

2. Choose Edit→Delete or press the Delete key.

Teamcenter displays a request for confirmation.

3. Click OK to confirm and remove the item from the product structure.
Note This action permanently removes the item from the Teamcenter database
if you have read-write permissions to the item.

Delete multiple assemblies or items

You can delete all items in the product structure below a selected line. This process
is called a recursive deletion and may be useful if you want to delete several nested
assemblies or items from the structure at the same time.
When you request a recursive deletion, Teamcenter verifies if the items below the
selected line can be deleted. You can only delete an item if it meets the following
criteria:
• The item or one of its revisions is referenced by an occurrence of any view of any
revision of any other item in the structure.

• The item and its revisions are not referenced by any other occurrences outside
the structure.

• You have delete permission for the item and all its revisions.

• Neither the item or any of its revisions is checked out or otherwise locked.
Caution Only use recursive deletions on product structures that do not contain
CAD data. CAD integrations, including the Teamcenter Integration for
NX, may track dependencies at the dataset level, as well as at the item
or item revision level. Such dependencies cause the recursive deletion to
fail because of referential integrity violations. For structures containing
CAD data, manually delete datasets and items from the top down in a
hierarchical fashion when necessary.

1. Select the line in the product structure below which you want to delete all items
and assemblies, then choose Edit→Delete or click the Delete button.

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Teamcenter displays the Delete dialog box.

2. Click the Recursive Delete button.

Teamcenter displays an Explore Selected Component dialog box. The Recursive
Delete button appears only if you select a single item for deletion.

3. Select any associated objects to delete (for example, datasets) in the Explore
dialog box and click OK.
Teamcenter displays the dialog box listing items and any associated objects
selected for deletion. The list of items includes both items that can be deleted
and items that cannot be deleted. If Teamcenter determines that an item cannot
be deleted, it displays the reason.
If you set suitable types or relations with the Type or Relation buttons,
Teamcenter automatically checks all these objects for deletion in the dialog box.
Alternatively, you can click the Select All button to select all objects for deletion.

4. Click Yes in the Delete dialog box to begin deleting all applicable items and
the selected associated objects.
Teamcenter shows the status of the deletion process in the status bar.
You can pause deletion process by clicking the Stop button at any time. You can
terminate the deletion process by clicking the Abort button.
When the deletion process is complete, Teamcenter displays an updated Explore
dialog box. This contains a flattened list of all the items in the substructure of
the originally selected item. Any duplicates are removed and any items that
Teamcenter could not remove are indicated.

Grading structures
Teamcenter allows you validate that the design represented by the product structure
contains only approved parts. This process is sometimes called BOM grading. Parts
approved for use in one project or locale may not be approved for another project or
locale. For example, a part may comply with a European standard but not a U.S.
standard. Tracking such approvals manually is time-consuming, and this feature
automates much of the effort.
Grading results are stored in a structure context associated with the validated
product or assembly, and may be retrieved when required.
The grading process checks that each part (item revision) is valid under all
conditions under the selected checker. If the structure contains subassemblies, it
checks each part in the context of each subassembly. It also checks generic design
elements (GDEs) if any are included in the structure.
For example, if you want to check that a product is valid for the U.S. market or
the Asia market, the administrator may create the checkAsiaComplianceRule,
checkUSComplianceRule, and CheckPartIsApproved conditions and assign
them to business objects using verification rules. These conditions may be included
in two separate checkers, as follows:
• Asia checker
checkAsiaComplianceRule and CheckPartIsApproved conditions

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• U.S. checker
checkUSComplianceRule and CheckPartIsApproved conditions

CheckPartIsApproved is a common condition and can be assigned to any checker.

For a checker to approve the entire structure, each part and subassembly must
pass validation. Depending on your company’s working practices, you may be able
to request a temporary or permanent override on a failed or unknown part or
subassembly to achieve an overall approval. Each such request must be authorized
by a designated person, for example, a project manager.
Note Before using this feature, the administrator must do the following:
• Create conditions and associate them with business objects using
verification rules in Business Modeler IDE. A condition contains multiple
expressions that evaluate part attributes to ensure they are approved.
For more information, see the Business Modeler IDE Guide.

• Add the conditions to a checker in Validation Manager. Create a checker

for every project, product, or locale against which you want to grade the
structure. Only one BOM grading agent is permitted and all checkers
must be included in that agent.
For more information, see the Validation Manager Guide.

• Set the necessary preferences.

For more information, see the Preferences and Environment Variables
Reference.

Run grading
1. Configure the product structure and select the line that represents the context
in which you perform grading. This may be the top line of the product or a
subassembly line.

2. Choose Tools→BOM Grading→Run.

Teamcenter displays the Validation Agent Selection dialog box.

3. Select the agent revision and desired checker, click , and then click OK to
begin grading.
On completion, Teamcenter displays the BOM grading viewer. The BOM
Result box shows the result for the complete structure, based on the results for
individual parts.

View grading results

Use the BOM grading viewer to identify results that are out-of-date, due to changes
to the checker, condition or assembly.
1. Select the structure line that was the context of the grading action and choose
Tools→BOM Grading→Show.

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Teamcenter updates the BOM grading viewer with the relevant validation
results.
Tip You can filter the validation results with the Checker, Target Type, and
Condition lists.
Examine the Validation Name and Condition Name property columns to
identify the validation agent and condition used for validation.

2. Examine the Result property column to determine the validation status of each
part, as follows:

Symbol Description
Pass.
Fail.
Unknown or no data. If you modify the
structure after running grading, the status
of the affected parts is shown as unknown.
This status may also indicate that the selected
checker does not contain any condition that
tested the part.

The Detail Information pane shows information about the cause of any failures.

3. (Optional) Filter the structure display by clicking one of the following buttons.

Filter overridden results in or out.

Filter unknown results in or out.

Filter pass results in or out.

Filter fail results in or out.

4. (Optional) Click to rerun the validation at and below the selected level,
rather than on the entire structure.

The results of a typical grading run are as follows.

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Override grading results

1. Right-click the result in the table you want to override and choose Create
Override.
Teamcenter displays the Create Override dialog box.

2. Choose the override type (for example, Temporary or Permanent), the requested
Override State (for example, Passed), the Override Category, the Override
Reason, and the Detailed Reason.
You must also choose the Override Decision User (any user with an Override
Approver role) and then click OK.
Teamcenter updates the Override To State column in the tree with the requested
state. It also sends a Teamcenter mail to the selected override decision user.

3. The designated override decision user receives the mail, right-clicks the folder in
the mail, and then chooses Send To→BOM Grading Viewer.
Teamcenter opens the structure and highlights the line for which a result has
an override request pending.

4. Right-click the result and choose Override→Review.

Teamcenter displays the Override Decision dialog box.

5. Choose Approve or Reject, type any optional comments in the Override Decision
Comments box, and then click OK.
Teamcenter sends a mail containing the decision to the requesting user and
updates the structure status. Similarly, if the override decision user updates or
deletes the override request, Teamcenter also sends a mail message.

6. Repeat the previous steps for each additional part for which you want to override
the grading status. You must request an override for one part at a time.

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Grading for substance compliance

You can grade a structure or BOM for compliance with one or more regulations
defined in a preconfigured compliance checker. Completing this task requires you
have Substance Compliance installed on your system.
For more information, see the Substance Compliance Solution Guide.

Initiate compliance check

1. Select a part or assembly, and then choose Tools®Initiate Substance
Compliance Check.
Teamcenter displays the Substance Compliance Check dialog box.

2. Select one or more of the predefined regulations listed in the dialog box, and
then click OK.
Teamcenter starts the compliance check process and sends the request to the
configured compliance checker.

Apply exemption from regulation

Note The compliance officer performs this procedure.

1. Select an item revision or structure line, and then choose Tools®Apply

Exemptions.
Teamcenter displays the Apply Exemptions dialog box.

2. Select one of the regulations listed in the dialog box, and then click OK.
Teamcenter starts the exemption workflow and adds a new task to the
compliance officer’s worklist.

3. In the workflow viewer, the compliance officer selects one or more exemption
with its expiry date, enters the reason for the exemption in the Comments box,
and then clicks Save to complete the exemption workflow.

View material and substance dashboard

• Select a structure line and choose Window®Show View®Other...®Material
Management®Material and Substance Dashboard.
Teamcenter displays a list of the constituent materials and substances of the
associated part or assembly.

View compliance dashboard

• Select a structure line and choose Window®Show View®Substance
Compliance®Substance Compliance Dashboard.
Teamcenter displays a summary report of the compliance status of the part
or assembly.

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Request substance declaration from vendor

1. Select one or more structure lines and choose Tools®Request Substance
Declaration.
Teamcenter starts a workflow that identifies all vendor parts associated with
the part or assembly.

2. The compliance officer receives and completes a workflow task to review the
vendor parts.
Teamcenter sends the selected vendors an e-mail with two Microsoft Office Excel
spreadsheets attached. One spreadsheet contains vendor part information and
the other a list of materials and substance information.
Note Sending the Excel spreadsheets with list of materials and
substance information is optional and is controlled by the
SUBSCMPL_send_materials_list preference. If this preference is set
to true, Teamcenter exports a list of all material revision instances,
together with the material substance declaration request.

3. The vendor reviews and completes the spreadsheets, and then e-mails them
back to the compliance officer.

Save structure change records

If you make changes to the product structure, you can save structure change records
in Change Manager in one of two ways:
• Clicking the Save button on the menu bar. This button is disabled until you
edit the structure.

• Updating the change record while opening the Supersedure dialog box as
described below.
To create structure changes records for an affected assembly sent to Structure
Manager, click the toolbar button to open the Supersedure Definition dialog
box; the assembly must be under change control. Teamcenter displays a dialog
box asking if you want to update the change records. You can then create or
update the existing changes, or leave them unchanged.

Link requirements
Use trace links to associate requirements with items, item revisions, and absolute
occurrences that satisfy the requirements. To create, view, or delete trace links, and
generate a traceability report, you must enable the trace link features.
For more information about requirements, trace links, and traceability reports, see
the Systems Engineering Guide.
Note This procedure sets the Tracelink_Edit_enabled preference to true. That
setting also enables the trace link features in other Teamcenter applications
such as My Teamcenter, Systems Engineering, and Multi-Structure Manager.

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1. Choose Edit→Options.
Teamcenter displays the Options dialog box.

2. Select Requirements Management.

3. Select the Tracelink Mode check box.

Create trace links

1. Select one or more source objects, for example, a requirement.
Note If you select only one source object, you can create trace links to multiple
target objects. If you select multiple source objects, you can create trace
links to only one target object.

2. Choose Tools→Trace Link→Start Trace Link, click the Start Trace Link
Creation button on the toolbar, or right-click the selection and choose Trace
Link→Start Trace Link.

You can also choose Edit→Copy, click the Copy button on the toolbar, or
right-click the selection and choose Copy.

3. Select one or more target objects, for example, an item, item revision, or absolute
occurrence.

4. Specify the trace link subtype and name by doing one of the following:
• To accept the default subtype and name, choose Tools→Trace Link→End
Trace Link, click the End Trace Link Creation button on the toolbar, or
right-click the selection and choose Trace Link→Trace Link→End Trace Link.

• To assign a custom subtype and name:

a. Choose Tools→Trace Link→End Trace Link..., click the End Trace Link
Creation with Subtype button on the toolbar, or right-click the
selection and choose Trace Link→End Trace Link....
The Create Trace Link with Subtype dialog box appears.

b. In the list of subtypes on the left, select the subtype to assign to each
trace link.

c. In the Name box, type the name to assign to each trace link.
In the Description box, you can type plain text as additional information.

A trace link symbol is shown for each defining and complying object. To view
a defining or complying path, generate a traceability report.

Generate a traceability report

A traceability report displays defining and complying relationships for an object. You
use this report to view the defining and complying paths of trace links.

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1. In the structure pane, select the object for which you want to generate the report.

2. Choose Edit→Traceability Report, click the Traceability Report button on

the toolbar, or right-click the object and choose Edit→Traceability Report.
The Traceability Report window appears.

Export a traceability report to Microsoft Office Excel

1. Choose Tools→Export→Objects To Excel.
Teamcenter displays the Export To Excel dialog box.

2. Under Output, do one of the following:

• For a standard Excel file that is not connected to Teamcenter, click Static
Snapshot.

• For an interactive live Excel file that is connected to Teamcenter, click Live
integration with Excel (Interactive).

• For a live Excel file that is not connected to Teamcenter, click Live integration
with Excel (Bulk Mode).
You can accumulate changes and later connect the file to Teamcenter.

• To export the data to an Excel file that also contains import processing
information on a separate sheet, click Work Offline and Import.

• To check out objects while exporting to live Excel, select Check out objects
before export.
Note The checkout applies to all objects being exported. Use this option
carefully if you are exporting a large set of objects or perhaps an
entire product structure.

3. Under Output Template:

a. Select Export All Visible Columns to export all the columns in the Structure
Manager view.

b. Select Use Excel Template to activate the template list.

In the list, select the template that specifies the data that you want to export.

For information about managing and creating Excel export templates, see the
Systems Engineering Guide.

4. Click Copy URL.

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Note • Copy URL is unavailable if you select more than one object to export.

• Copy URL is unavailable if you select any of the following dialog

box options:
o Work Offline and Import

o Export All Visible Columns

o Export All Objects in View

The export file is generated and the URL Generated message is

displayed, confirming that the URL is in your Windows Clipboard
and showing the URL details.

5. Click OK to generate the export Excel file.

Excel opens a temporary file. You can create a permanent file by choosing File→Save
As in Excel to display the Save As dialog box.
If you save a live Excel file, you can open it later in My Teamcenter to reconnect
it to the database.
Note Values that you cannot change in Teamcenter are unavailable in the cells
of the live Excel file.

Delete trace links

Caution If the defining or complying object for a trace link you attempt to delete is
included in a baseline structure, you may be prevented from deleting the
trace link. If this is the case, an error message appears. The message is
based on the value set for the Fnd0PreventTraceLinkDelete business
object constant.
The constant setting prevents deletion of trace links to the released object
revision, it does not prevent deletion of trace links to occurrences of the
object. Therefore, you can still delete trace links on object occurrences
in the baseline structure.
For more information about setting the Fnd0PreventTraceLinkDelete
business object constant, see the Business Modeler IDE Guide.

Note When deleting a trace link on an occurrence object, you must consider the
context of the occurrence.

Tip You can use the following procedure to delete trace links from one or more
workspace or occurrence objects at a time.

1. In the traceability report or the Traceability view, select the workspace or

occurrence object or objects with the trace links to delete.
Note For occurrence objects, be sure to select the occurrence object in the
correct context.

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2. Click the Delete Trace Link button at the bottom of the traceability report or
Traceability view or press the Delete key.

3. In the Delete dialog box, click Yes.

If the trace link has custom notes, the Delete dialog states the trace link has
custom notes.
The trace links are deleted from the selected workspace objects or from the
occurrence objects, in context.
Tip If trace link symbols are not removed from the primary view, you can refresh
the symbol display by doing either of the following:
• On the Traceability view toolbar, click the Associate this ‘Secondary’
view to a different ‘Primary’ view button, and then select another
primary view.

• Close the Traceability view, and then open a new one.

You can select an object in the primary view and choose Tools→Trace
Link→Traceability.
Or, you can double-click the symbol in the Trace Link column for an
object.

Creating trace links to absolute occurrences

You can create trace links between requirements and product structure objects. The
product structure object can be a regular structure line, or you can store the trace
link on an absolute occurrence. An absolute occurrence is an occurrence that contains
additional information that is only relevant in the context of another structure line
higher in the structure. Absolute occurrences are created by setting a higher level
line as the context of an edit and adding information specific to this relationship.
For more information about creating and editing absolute occurrences, see Managing
absolute occurrences (in-context editing).
If you create a trace link on an absolute occurrence, this trace link exists in all
structures containing both the context line and the trace link object in the same
hierarchical relationship. If multiple revisions of the structure containing the
related structures exist, the trace link exists in all the revisions. If you delete the
trace link from one revision, it is deleted from all revisions.
You can also create trace links between objects in Structure Manager and objects in
other structure applications, for example, Multi-Structure Manager.

Create trace links on absolute occurrences

The following procedure describes how to create a trace link between a source
absolute occurrence and a target requirement object. You can also create the link in
the opposite direction.
1. Right-click the structure line that is the context of the edit. This line must be an
ancestor of the structure line that is the source line of the trace link.

2. Choose Set In Context.

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Teamcenter displays the symbol in front of the line and colors the line green
to show that the item is the context for the creation of absolute occurrences.
In addition, Teamcenter grays out all siblings of the selected context and you
cannot create absolute occurrences for these lines. The in-context item is also
identified in the title bar of the structure tree.

3. Select the source line, or select multiple objects by using the standard Windows
functions.

4. Choose Tools→Trace Link→Start Tracelink, click Start Trace Link Creation

on the toolbar, or right-click the selection and choose Trace Link→Start Tracelink.

5. In the Requirements view of Systems Engineering, select the target requirement

for the trace link and specify the trace link subtype and name by doing one
of the following:
• To accept the default subtype and name, choose Tools→Trace Link→End
Tracelink, click the End Trace Link Creation button on the toolbar, or
right-click the selection and choose Trace Link→End Tracelink.

• To assign a custom subtype and name:

a. Choose Tools→Trace Link→End Tracelink, click End Trace Link
Creation with Subtype on the toolbar, or right-click the selection and
choose Trace Link→End Tracelink.
The Create Trace Link dialog box appears.

b. In the list of subtypes on the left, select the subtype to assign to each
trace link.

c. In the Name box, type the name to assign to each trace link.

d. (Optional) In the Description box, type additional information.

You can view trace links in the Traceability view of Systems Engineering or by
creating a traceability report.

Searching the data dictionary

In typical automotive and aerospace functional and logical design activities, key
building blocks or components of the designs are reused to save time and effort.
To facilitate reuse of these building blocks or components in multiple designs
across several projects or programs, Teamcenter provides a central organizational
repository for them. Designers can easily search for and find components based on
criteria and reuse them in their designs. Typically the organizational repository is
tightly controlled and the components or blocks in it have gone through a formal,
customer specific approval process. Once approved, the blocks or components are
labeled as ready to use. This central organizational repository is referred to as a
data dictionary. It allows you to organize data by your own criteria with the goal
of easy reuse.

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A data dictionary is modeled in the Classification application as a library. The

Classification administrator builds a customer-specific hierarchy under one or more
libraries for organizing data, for example, signals and interfaces. Depending on
access privileges, you can then:
• Create, modify, and delete data from the dictionary.

• Associate a project or program with one or more dictionaries. Typically, the

product design data is also associated with the same project or program.

• Search the dictionary for data meeting specified criteria.

• Add data from the dictionary to a functional, physical, or logical breakdown.

• Create signals in structures and associate them with interfaces and connections.

For more information, see the Classification Administration Guide.

You search for objects in the library using the Data Dictionary Search Dialog. This
dialog box provides access to the classification hierarchy where you can search for
objects to add to the structure you create. The Data Dictionary Search Dialog
provides a view to the Classification application.
For more information about using the Classification application, see the
Classification Guide.

Open the Data Dictionary Search Dialog

1. Select a line in the structure to which you want to add a signal or other library
object.

2. Click Add Signals from Library .

Teamcenter displays the Data Dictionary Search Dialog containing the classes
designated as libraries.
For more information on searching the data dictionary, see Find a library object.
For more information about setting up a data dictionary, see the Classification
Administration Guide.

Find a library object

1. Search the classification hierarchy.
When searching the hierarchy, you can:

• Search for a specific ID or part of an ID.

• Search for groups or classes.

• Search for objects possessing specific criteria.

2. Navigate through the search results, collecting objects of interest in the selection
box at the right of the pane.

3. Select the object you want.

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Searching the class hierarchy

When you are looking for a specific library object, there are several situations you
may encounter:
• You know all or part of the object ID. In this case, you can use the object ID
search feature. You can narrow this search using the search by type function.
This allows you to search, for example, only for library objects that classify
something, or only for objects that do not classify anything.

• You do not know the ID but would like to search within a specific group or class.
For this, you must know how to select a class. From within this class, you can
either search all objects in the class or search for objects matching specific
criteria.

• You do not know the ID but know that the library object should possess specific
attribute values. Use the attribute value search to perform this search. You
can narrow this search by first selecting a class, or specifying all or part of an
object ID.
Note There are two search buttons in the Properties pane:

• Click the search button to the right of the Object ID box to search
the entire classification hierarchy. You can narrow down this search
by entering a search type.

• Click the search button at the bottom of the Search pane to search
within a selected class.
This type of search can include any search refining features, such as
object ID, attribute value, or search by type.

Additionally, there is another search button below the hierarchy tree. This
is the quick search button.
For more information, see Use the quick search feature.

Search by object ID

If you know at least a portion of the object ID of a library object, you can use the
object ID search feature. An object ID search encompasses the entire classification
hierarchy and cannot be limited to the contents of a particular class or subclass.
1. Click the Search pane located to the right of the hierarchy tree.

2. Type the exact object ID or partial object ID and wildcard characters in the
Object ID box, located at the top of the Search pane.

3. (Optional) Narrow your search using the search by type feature.

4. (Optional) Click the revision rule hyperlink on the title bar to apply a revision
rule for the search. If you enter a specific revision in the Object ID box, the
search ignores the revision rule. If a revision rule is already set, it is displayed
in the revision rule link.

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For more information about configuring revision rules in the Data Dictionary
Search Dialog, see Apply a revision rule.
For a complete discussion of revision rules, see Using item revision configuration.

5. Press Enter or click the Search button to the right of the Object ID box.
The object ID search returns the objects found in alphabetical/numeric order
by object ID. The first object found is displayed in the Properties pane. When
navigating through the objects, the class and subclass to which the object belongs
are highlighted in the classification tree. The total number of objects found is
displayed in the Search Results box.

6. Navigate through the search results.

For more information, see Navigating the matches.

7. Select the desired library object and transfer it to Structure Manager.

For more information, see Select the desired library objects.

8. (Optional) Perform subsequent searches by clicking the Search tab, clicking

Clear and proceeding from step 2.

Search by type
You can search the classification hierarchy for library objects classifying specific
workspace object types:
1. In the classification tree, expand the desired class and select it by either:
• Double-clicking if it is a leaf node.

• Right-clicking and choosing Select if it is not a leaf node.

The class names are highlighted in the tree.

2. Type an ID, a class ID, or attribute values.

3. Click the Drag button . A list of workspace object types follows.

Click To
Search among all classification instances. This is the default search
method.
Search among all classification instances that classify a workspace
object.
Search among all classification instances that do not classify a
workspace object.
Search among all classification instances that classify an item.
Search among all classification instances that classify an item
revision.
Search among all classification instances that classify a process.

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Click To
Search among all classification instances that classify a process
revision.

Note The types available in this list are configurable.

For more information, see the Classification Administration Guide.

4. Select a type of workspace object to narrow your search. Only library objects
classifying this type of workspace object are found in the search.

5. (Optional) Click the revision rule hyperlink on the title bar to apply a revision
rule to the search. If you search by a type that excludes revisions (for example,
item or process), the search ignores the revision rule. If a revision rule is already
set, it is displayed in the revision rule link.
For more information about configuring revision rules in the Data Dictionary
Search Dialog, see Apply a revision rule.
For more information about revision rules, see Using item revision configuration.

6. Click the Search button at the bottom of the Search pane to list all matching
instances within the class.
The total number of instances that match the search criteria is displayed at
the bottom of the Search pane.
Note The Search pane displays no values upon completion of the search. You
must switch to the Properties or Table pane to navigate through the
results and display the values for a specific instance.

7. View the search results using one of the following methods:

• In the Table pane, double-click the instance to be viewed.
Its attributes are displayed on the Properties pane. The classification tree is
updated to show the class of the selected object.

• In the Properties pane, use the navigation arrows at the bottom of the pane
to browse forward and back through the list of items that matched your
search criteria. As different objects are selected, the classification hierarchy
is updated to show the class of the selected object.
Two modes are used for updating the classification hierarchy when
displaying the search results:
o Click the View in class stored button to display the class in which the
item is stored.

o Click the View in class searched button to display the class that you
selected as a basis for the search.

By default, View in class stored is active.

As you view your search results, also use the Viewer pane to display any image
associated with the current item. If you select multiple objects in the table and
switch to the Viewer pane, only these objects are available in the viewer.

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Selecting a class
The first step in searching the classification hierarchy is to find a class in which to
search. There are three methods to select a group or class:
• Navigate through the classification hierarchy manually, clicking the groups and
classes until you find your desired class.

• Use the quick search feature.

• Use the Search Class dialog box.

You can search for a class using any of the alias names shown in the class tooltip.

Use the quick search feature

1. In the search box located beneath the hierarchy tree in the Data Dictionary
Search Dialog, type text corresponding to the name of the group or class that
you want to locate. You can also search by ID by typing id=xxx in the box, where
xxx is the class ID.
The search text can be the exact name or ID of the group or class you are looking
for, a class alias name, or you can use character strings combined with wildcard
characters.

2. Press Enter to start the search.

The hierarchy tree expands to display the first object in the hierarchy that
matches the search criteria. The path of the group, class, or subclass is indicated
in bold text. If multiple objects are found, the arrow buttons at the bottom of
the hierarchy tree are enabled.

3. Click the left-arrow and right-arrow buttons to display the matching

objects, one at a time. This highlights the classes found in the hierarchy tree.
The right-arrow button moves down the hierarchy tree, and the left-arrow key
moves up the tree.
Note If you prefer to view a list of the results, you can display the Search
Class dialog box by clicking the magnifying glass button located beneath
the hierarchy tree.

4. Right-click the class in the hierarchy tree within which you want to search.

5. Choose Select.
The Search pane displays the attributes associated with the selected class, and
the images appear in the class image window.
Note If the class or subclass you select is a leaf node (lowest level node) in the
hierarchy, you can double-click the node to display it in the Search pane,
rather than use the right mouse button.

Use the Search Class dialog box

1. Click the Find Class button located beneath the hierarchy tree.

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The Search Class dialog box is displayed at the bottom of your window. To
move the dialog box, double-click the title bar and drag it to another location
on your desktop.

2. Define the search criteria by performing the following steps:

a. Choose a property from the list at the upper-left corner of the dialog box. The
available properties are Class ID, Name, Attribute ID, and Attribute Name.
Note You can use the Name and Class ID properties to search for groups
and classes. When searching by attribute, the results include the
class in which the attribute is defined and any subclasses in which
the attribute is used. Classes that inherit the attribute are not
included in the results.

b. Type search text corresponding to the selected property.

The search text can be the exact name or ID you are looking for, or you can
use character strings combined with wildcard characters.
Note The search box is case sensitive.

3. (Optional) If localization is enabled, select the language in which you want to

search.
For more information about localization, see the Localization Guide.

4. To start the search, either click the magnifying glass button located in the
upper-right corner of the dialog box or press Enter.
Teamcenter displays the results of the search in the message area of the dialog
box, sorted in the same order as the hierarchy tree display.

5. To display an object in the tree, double-click the entry in the results list.
The hierarchy tree expands to display the selected group, class, or subclass. The
path to the object is indicated in bold text.

6. Click the left and right arrow keys beneath the class hierarchy tree to
move through the search results to locate the desired class or group.

7. Right-click the class in the hierarchy tree within which you want to search.

8. Choose Select.
The Search pane displays the attributes associated with the selected class, and
the images appear in the graphics window.
Note If the class or subclass you select is a leaf node (lowest level node) in the
hierarchy, you can double-click the node to display it in the Search pane,
rather than use the right mouse button.

Search all objects in a selected class

1. Select the class in the hierarchy tree within which you want to search for objects.
For more information, see Selecting a class.

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2. (Optional) Click the revision rule hyperlink on the title bar to apply a revision
rule to the search. If you search by a type that excludes revisions (for example,
item or process), the search ignores the revision rule. If a revision rule is already
set, it is displayed in the revision rule link.
For more information about configuring revision rules in the Data Dictionary
Search Dialog, see Apply a revision rule.
For more information about revision rules, see Using item revision configuration.

3. Determine the scope of the search by clicking the Search Scope button. By
default, the scope is set to Hierarchy.
• Click Hierarchy to search within the selected class and all related child
classes.

• Click Class to search only within the selected class.

4. If you work in a multilanguage environment, select the language in which

to search.
Caution Changing the language also changes the value of the
TC_language_search preference interactively, which affects all
Teamcenter localization.

5. Click one of the following at the bottom of the pane to narrow down the search.

Click To
Search only in metric classes.
Search only in nonmetric classes.
Search in both metric or nonmetric classes.

Caution If you are searching in a different unit of measurement than the one
that you use to enter the attribute value, be sure to enter enough
digits after the decimal point to avoid rounding errors.
For more information, see the Classification Guide.

For more information about managing units of measurement, see the

Classification Administration Guide.

6. Click the Search button at the bottom of the Search pane to list all search
matches within the class.
The total number of objects that match the search criteria is displayed at the
bottom of the Search and Properties pane.
Note The Search pane displays no values upon completion of the search. You
must switch to the Properties or Table pane to navigate through the
results and display the values for a specific instance.

7. Navigate through the search results.

For more information, see Navigating the matches.

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8. Select the desired object and transfer it to your structure.

For more information, see Select the desired library objects.

9. (Optional) Perform subsequent searches within the same class or subclass by

clicking in the Search pane and repeating the process.

Search for library objects by attribute value

1. Select the class in the hierarchy tree within which you want to search for library
objects.
For more information, see Selecting a class.

2. Type values, including relational operators and wildcard characters, in the boxes
corresponding to the attributes by which you want to search.
You can:

• Narrow your search by specifying search criteria for multiple attributes.

For more information, see Using relational operators and Using wildcard
characters.

• Change the displayed unit of the value by clicking it or typing the unit in
the dialog box along with the value.
Teamcenter changes the unit for you automatically.
Note If the attribute or attribute value by which you want to search is not
available for searching, one of the following reasons may apply:
• It is a reference attribute.
For more information about assigning reference attributes, see the
Classification Administration Guide.

• It may already have a default value assigned in Classification

Administration.
For more information about assigning default values, see the
Classification Administration Guide.

• It may be encrypted in the database.

For more information about encrypting attributes, see the
Classification Administration Guide.

• One or more of the key-LOV’s values may be deprecated.

For more information about deprecating key-LOVs, see the
Classification Administration Guide.

3. (Optional) Click the revision rule hyperlink on the title bar to apply a revision
rule to the search. If you search by a type that excludes revisions (for example,
item or process), the search ignores the revision rule. If a revision rule is already
set, it is displayed in the revision rule link.

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For more information about configuring revision rules in the Data Dictionary
Search Dialog, see Apply a revision rule.
For a complete discussion of revision rules, see Using item revision configuration.

4. Determine the scope of the search by clicking the Search Scope button. By
default, the scope is set to Hierarchy.
• Click Hierarchy to search within the selected class and all related child
classes.

• Click Class to search only within the selected class.

5. If you work in a multilanguage environment, select the language in which

to search.
Caution Changing the language also changes the value of the
TC_language_search preference interactively, which affects all
Teamcenter localization.

6. Click one of the following to narrow down the search.

Click To
Search only in metric classes.
Search only in nonmetric classes.
Search in both metric or nonmetric classes.

For more information about managing units of measurement, see the

Classification Administration Guide.
Caution If you are searching in a different unit of measurement than the one
that you use to enter the attribute value, be sure to enter enough
digits after the decimal point to avoid rounding errors.
For more information, see the Classification Guide.

7. Click the Search button at the bottom of the Search pane to list all search
matches within the class.
The total number of objects that match the search criteria is displayed at the
bottom of the Search and Properties pane.
Note The Search pane displays no values upon completion of the search. You
must switch to the Properties or Table pane to navigate through the
results and display the values for a specific instance.

8. Navigate through the search results.

For more information, see Navigating the matches.

9. Select the desired library object and transfer it to your structure.

For more information, see Select the desired library objects.

10. (Optional) Perform subsequent searches within the same class or subclass by
clicking in the Search pane and repeating the process.

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Configuring revision rules for searching

You can apply revision rules to searches. This narrows down the number of search
results so that Teamcenter returns only the revisions you require. You can control
the default behavior of the revision rules with the following preferences:
• ICS_search_default_revision_rule_<application_name>
Sets the default revision rule for the specified application.

• ICS_search_use_revision_rule
Enables or disables revision rules for classification searches.

For a complete discussion of revision rules, see Using item revision configuration.

Apply a revision rule

1. In the Search pane, click the Revision Rule hyperlink. This link shows the name
of a revision rule, if one is set, or simply states Click to add a revision rule.
The View/Set Current Revision Rule dialog box is displayed containing all
existing revision rules.

2. Select the appropriate revision rule and click OK.

3. Click beside the revision rule hyperlink.

A list with configuration options appears.

4. Select one of the following.

Configuration option Description

Use revision rule Enables or disables the currently selected
revision rule for the search.

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Configuration option Description

Save as default Saves the currently selected revision
rule as the default rule for this
application. Teamcenter saves it in the
ICS_search_default_revision_rule_
<application> preference. The default revision
rule is directly selected and enabled for
the search the next time you launch the
application.
Restore default Selects and enables the saved default revision
rule. The Use Revision Rule menu command
is also automatically selected.

For more information about revision rules, see Using item revision configuration.

Using relational operators

Use the following relational operators to perform Classification attribute searches.

Relational
operator Definition For example, if you type
= Equal to =3.0 in the Corner Radius attribute box of the Taper
Shank End Cutter subclass, all library objects
within the subclass with a corner radius equal to 3.0
are found. You can achieve the same behavior by
typing a number. If no value is given after the equal
sign, the system searches for all instances where no
value is set for the attribute.
> Greater >3.0 in the Corner Radius attribute box of the Taper
than Shank End Cutter subclass, all library objects
within the subclass with a corner radius greater than
3.0 are found.
< Less than <3.0 in the Corner Radius attribute box of the Taper
Shank End Cutter subclass, all library objects
within the subclass with a corner radius less than
3.0 are found.
>= Greater >=3.0 in the Corner Radius attribute box of the Taper
than or Shank End Cutter subclass, all library objects
equal to within the subclass with a corner radius greater than
or equal to 3.0 are found.
<= Less than or <=3.0 in the Corner Radius attribute box of the
equal to Taper Shank End Cutter subclass, all library
objects within the subclass with a corner radius less
than or equal to 3.0 are found.
!= Not equal to !=15.00 in the Diameter attribute box, all library
objects with a diameter not equal to 15.00 are found.
If no value is given after the equal sign, the system
searches for all instances where any value is set for
the attribute.

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Relational
operator Definition For example, if you type
– Range 10.00 – 20.00 in the Diameter attribute box, all
library objects with a diameter within the range of
10.00 to 20.00 (including the values 10.00 and 20.00)
are found. A blank space must precede and follow
the hyphen.
| OR Walter | Kennametal in the Vendor attribute box
of the Taper Shank End Cutter class, all library
objects within the class with a vendor of Walter or
Kennametal are found.
You can use the wildcard character (*) in this type of
statement.
“” Exact string “blue or green”, Teamcenter searches for the string
blue or green. If you type “4 – 10”, Teamcenter
searches for the string 4 – 10, not the range 4–10.

Using wildcard characters

Classification employs the standard wildcard characters defined for your site. You
can use these in any text box.

Navigating the matches

After you perform a search, there are several methods to navigate the matches
returned by the search. You can:
• View the results in the Properties pane.

• View the results in the Table pane.

• View the results in the Viewer pane.

View search results in the Properties pane

When you view library objects in the Properties pane, the class it belongs to is
highlighted in the hierarchy. Two modes are used for updating the classification
hierarchy when displaying the search results:
• Click the View in class stored button to display the class in which the item
is stored.

• Click the View in class searched button to display the class that you selected
as a basis for the search.

You can see the active unit of measurement in the attribute values title bar in the
Properties pane using the following symbols.

Symbol Description
The library object is currently displayed and stored in a metric
system of measurement.

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Symbol Description
The library object is currently displayed and stored in a nonmetric
system of measurement.
The library object is currently displayed in metric, but was
originally stored in a nonmetric measurement system.
The library object is currently displayed in a nonmetric
measurement system, but was originally stored in a metric system.

View search results in the Table pane

You can view the data of the library objects found in the search collectively using
the Table pane.
Note If the measurement unit symbol at the beginning of each row contains an
exclamation mark, the library object is displayed in a unit system other than
the one in which it was stored. For example, if the symbol is displayed,
the library object was stored in a nonmetric unit system but is currently
displayed in a metric unit.

1. Perform one of the following actions:

• Click to load the next page of found library objects into the table.
The next library objects are appended to those currently displayed.
Note By default, the number of library objects displayed on a page is set to
5. Your administrator can change the default display by modifying
the ICS_table_pagesize preference.

• Click to load all matches into the table.

2. Use the scroll bars to move through the found library objects.

3. (Optional) Sort the table data; double-click the column header corresponding to
the property to switch between ascending, descending, and natural sort order.
Teamcenter can display different units of measurement in the same column. The
displayed unit depends on the optimized unit for each of the attribute values.
Teamcenter sorts these columns based on the attribute values in the storage unit.
For more information about optimizing attribute values, see the Classification
Administration Guide.

4. (Optional) Select a line in the Tree pane and click to view its properties.

5. Double-click a library object in the table to view it.

The system opens the object in the Properties pane and highlights its class in
the tree.

View search results in the Viewer pane

You can view all search results in the Viewer pane. You can move backward and
forward in the match list using the navigation buttons.

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Note If the object does not have an item attached, or if the item does not contain
a graphic, no image appears in the Viewer pane.

Select the desired library objects

While you navigate through the search matches, you can collect desired objects in
the selection box on the right of the dialog box. After you finish navigating the
matches, you select one or several library objects to return to Structure Manager.
1. Click the Properties, Table, or Graphics tabs.
Note The Graphics pane is only active for a library object that has an item
attached.

2. Navigate to the desired library object.

• In the Properties or Graphics pane, use the navigation arrows.
Teamcenter displays all attributes and values for each library object.

• In the Table pane, do one of the following:

o Select the library object by clicking it.

o Double-click the library object.

Teamcenter switches to the Properties pane and shows all attributes
and values for the selected object.

o Select multiple library objects.

3. (Optional) With library objects selected in one of the panes, click to add them
to the selection box on the right.

4. When you finish adding objects to the selection box, select the objects in the
selection box that you want to add to the structure and click OK.
The item or item revision classified by the library object is displayed in Structure
Manager. If a library object has no item or item revision attached, the system
creates one so that it can open that item in Structure Manager.
If you open multiple library objects at once by selecting several library objects
in the Data Dictionary Search Dialog, they are all transferred to Structure
Manager. The selected objects appear in the structure you are building in the
order in which they appear in the Data Dictionary Search Dialog table.

Releasing structures
You can release any complete product or subassembly structure using a Workflow
process defined for your site. You can release any of the following:
• Item revision with assembly

• BOM view revision

• Change revision

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• Item revision (assembly structure line)

Note Not all components in the structure need be released with the same
Workflow process. For example, you can release the connections in an
electromechanical design separately from the mechanical structure.

Release a structure
1. Select the appropriate top line in the navigation tree and choose Tools→Process
and Change Selector.
Teamcenter displays the Process and Change Selector dialog box. This dialog
box contains:

• An input tree in the top left of the box. This allows you to refine the selection
of the structure to release.

• A process tree in the bottom left of the box. This allows you to select the
required Workflow process, its targets and its references.

• A search pane in the top right of the box. This allows you to search for
objects to release.

• A result pane in the bottom right of the box, showing the results of the last
search.

2. In the input tree, select the revision you want to release.

Teamcenter loads the appropriate search pane selection boxes and you can select
the search parameters from the lists as follows:
• View Type
Lists all the BOM view revisions attached to the selected change.

• Revision Rule.
Lists all available revision rules.

You can also check one or both of the following check boxes to refine the search
results:

• Include GDE Lines

If selected, the search results include item elements. The types of item
element included are defined in the TC_releasable_logical_types
preference, which includes the PSConnectionRevision,
PSSignalRevision, and GeneralDesignElement types by default.

• Include BOM Lines

If selected, the search results include item revisions.

3. Click the Load button.

Teamcenter loads all the first level children of the selected object into the results
pane, according to the selections you made in the search pane. The objects
represented by the lines in the results pane may be:

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• Unreleased.

• Not a target of any workflow process.

• The target of a workflow process but not attached to a change.

4. If appropriate, you can start a separate process with selected result lines as
the target:
a. Ensure the correct process is selected in the process tree.

b. Select one or more lines in the results pane and click the Attach To Process
button.
Teamcenter displays the New Process dialog box with the selected lines
as the target attachments.

c. Click the Process Template tab, select the appropriate process template
and click OK.
Teamcenter creates the new process and updates the result pane in the
Process and Change Selector dialog box with the new status of the objects.

5. If your search criteria included structure lines, you can attach selected child
lines to a BVR process as follows:
a. Select one or more lines in the results pane and click the Copy button.

b. Select the appropriate Targets folder in the process tree and click the Attach
To Process button to paste the lines as targets of the process.

6. If you are using change management, you can include changes to items elements
(for example, GDEs, connections and signals) in controlled changes to the parent
assembly. Use the ECM-attach-components-to-change action handler to
identify all unreleased child revisions and GDEs at the first level of the affected
assembly to the change folder specified in the action handler. You can only use
this action handler in a process where the primary target is a change revision.
If you do not specify a revision rule, Teamcenter uses the default revision rule
specified in the TC_config_rule_name preference.
To do this, you must select a change revision in the navigation tree before
choosing Tools→Process and Change Selector. If you do this, the change
revision is highlighted in the input tree of the Process and Change Selector
dialog box. To attach the change revision to a change process:

a. Select one or more lines in the results pane and click the Copy button.

b. Select the appropriate change process Targets folder in the process tree
and click the Attach To Change button to paste the lines as targets of the
change process.

7. If you want to control new parts in a structure with a separate change process
(that is, parts that are not yet change controlled), select the relevant lines in the
result pane and click the Attach To Change button. (Do not select a process in
the process tree.)
Teamcenter displays a dialog box that allows you to search for the relevant
change revision. After you locate the change revision, you can copy the objects

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to attach from the left-hand pane into the appropriate change folder in the
right-hand pane.

BOM session recovery

If you are working with Structure Manager in a four-tier environment and a server
or network failure or time-out occurs, Teamcenter reassigns the client session to
another server. It also attempts to use the client cache to reconstruct the run-time
configured structure and minimize loss of information.
If the server connection is lost, Structure Manager displays two dialog boxes:
• Server Reassigned
Informs you that the server connection was lost. Click OK to log off Teamcenter
and attempt to log on to another server.

• BOM Session Recovery

Informs you that a BOM recovery session has started. Click OK to dismiss the
dialog box or click More to show detailed information about the recovery session.

On completion of the recovery session, Structure Manager appends Recovered

Session to the title of the BOM window and colors the title text red. Additional error
messages may appear, depending on the state of the recovered session.
The following limitations apply to BOM session recovery:
• BOM sessions are recovered only for the four-tier rich client. Thin client or
two-tier rich client session are not recovered.

• Sessions with CAD and third-party integrations such as Teamcenter Integration

for NX are not recovered.

• Teamcenter recovers the BOM session to a usable status, but not necessarily the
exact state before failure or time-out occurred. For example, if you expanded
multiple levels of the structure, Teamcenter recovers only the first-level
expansion of the structure.

• The recovery may take an appreciable time to complete, depending on the

quantity of data Teamcenter must process.

• Unsaved changes are lost. For example, if you made changes in normal editing
or pending edit mode, but did not save them, the changes are lost.

• If you were performing a complex action when the server terminated, Teamcenter
may not recover to the same step. For example, if you started to insert a level in
the structure, after recovery Teamcenter does not resume at the same step in the
wizard. Incomplete actions do not execute correctly; you should cancel them if
they do not terminate automatically.

• All dynamic (run-time objects) such as BOM windows and BOM lines are invalid
after reconnection even though the Structure Manager user interface may be
recovered to the previous state.

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• If you copied BOM lines to the clipboard before the server terminated,
Teamcenter removes them.

• If the server terminated after encountering bad data during expansion, the
recovery process may expand the same structure and encounter the same bad
data. You must resolve these data issues in the database manually.

• If the server terminated due to memory shortage when expanding the first
level of the structure, the recovery process may expand the same structure and
encounter the same memory shortage. You must resolve such memory issues
separately.

• If the data pane was open, Teamcenter closes it after recovery and it may no
longer function correctly.

Once Structure Manager is running in the recovered session, you should perform
any necessary cleanup tasks, and then continue working.

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5 Working with occurrences

Working with occurrences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-1

Occurrence elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-1

Creating precise and imprecise occurrences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2

Using absolute occurrences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2

Tracking changes to absolute occurrences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6

Managing absolute occurrences (in-context editing) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8

Interpreting absolute occurrence data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Show and hide the in-context line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Create absolute occurrences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Identify absolute occurrences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Change absolute occurrence override data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Remove absolute occurrence override data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Disable in-context editing mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Associate data with absolute occurrences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Associate a dataset or form with an absolute occurrence . . . . . . . . . . . 5-14
Associate a transformation with an absolute occurrence . . . . . . . . . . . 5-14
Associate an occurrence note with an absolute occurrence . . . . . . . . . . 5-14
Apply a variant condition to an absolute occurrence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-14
View attachments associated with an absolute occurrence . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-15
Data precedence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-15
Propagate override data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-16
Override data in multiple contexts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-16

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5 Working with occurrences

Working with occurrences

Teamcenter allows you to work with occurrences and absolute occurrences, according
to your product structure needs.
An occurrence consists of one component in an assembly including its relative
position with respect to its parent assembly. Occurrence types are representations
of the PSOccurrence business object.
For details about creating occurrence types, see the Business Modeler IDE Guide.
Occurrences may be suppressed in a CAD tool. If an occurrence is suppressed, the
CAD tool behaves as though the occurrence does not exist. The occurrence is not
displayed in the CAD system or the Structure Manager viewer. Positioning or mating
constraints related to a suppressed occurrence are ignored in geometric solves.
You can determine if an occurrence is suppressed by checking the following
properties:
• bl_is_occ_suppressed
Any line that has this flag set to true is hidden unless you choose the Show
Suppressed Occurrences command. This flag captures occurrence suppression
settings from the CAD tool, if you import a CAD structure. You can override this
flag in the context of another line for a specific arrangement.

• bl_is_suppressed
This read-only, runtime property indicates if a line is suppressed. A line
is considered suppressed if the variant state is suppressed, the line is
not configured, or the occurrence is explicitly suppressed by setting the
bl_occ_is_suppressed property. If any of these conditions is true, the
bl_is_suppressed property is true, otherwise it is false. The value of
the bl_is_suppressed property is not affected by the Show Suppressed
Occurrences or Show Unconfigured commands.

Occurrence elements
The following table lists elements of the product structure that are relevant to
occurrences, absolute occurrences, and managed occurrences.

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Chapter 5 Working with occurrences

Element Purpose
Absolute occurrence A relationship between a parent assembly and an item
one or more levels lower in the structure. The parent
assembly is the context in which the absolute occurrence
exists. You can define data on the absolute occurrence
that overrides the data stored on the item when you
select the context assembly and view the structure. Both
relative occurrence data (notes and transforms) and
attachments can be overridden with data on absolute
occurrences.
Each absolute occurrence can have one or more unique
attribute values that distinguish it from the other
absolute occurrences derived from the same single
occurrence.
Occurrence (relative) (Sometimes called relative occurrence.) A hierarchical
structure relationship between the immediate parent
assembly and its child component item (in an imprecise
assembly) or item revision (in a precise assembly). You
can use a find number to identify for an occurrence, but
this number may not be unique. Data can be stored on the
occurrence, including occurrence notes and transforms.

Creating precise and imprecise occurrences

When you add a component to an assembly, you create an occurrence of the item or
item revision in the assembly. Teamcenter displays the item or item revision as a
line in the product structure.
The occurrence is precise or imprecise, depending on whether the BOM view revision
is precise or imprecise in the parent assembly. Teamcenter applies the following
rules:
• If the BOM view revision parent assembly is precise, the occurrence references
the specific item revision for the component that you pasted. If you add an item,
the revision is chosen by the revision rule. If no revision is found that satisfies
the revision rule, Teamcenter displays an error message.

• If the BOM view revision parent assembly is imprecise, the occurrence references
an item for the component. The revision is determined by the revision rule.
Note If you try to paste an item revision with an imprecise BOM view revision
into an item revision that has a precise BOM view revision, Teamcenter may
display a warning message. If you paste an imprecise assembly into a precise
structure, it displays a warning. If you paste a precise assembly, Teamcenter
applies the precision of the parent assembly and does not display a warning.

Using absolute occurrences

You can use absolute occurrences to manage data that is unique to a specific use of
an item within a product structure. If you have ownership of and write access to a

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 Working with occurrences

particular BOM view revision, you can define a subset of BOM line properties that
other users can edit in the context of the BVR. You can also allow users to attach
forms or datasets in context, by configuring business rules that define the types of
primary and secondary objects for the relationships.
When a user enters in-context values or attachments, Teamcenter overrides certain
structural data associated with a relative occurrence in the context of a specific
higher level assembly. Data you can override includes:
• Occurrence notes

• Occurrence type

• Quantity

• Absolute transform

• Find number

• Variant condition

• Attachment, for example, a JT file for a different rendering

• Component item for a replacement

A BOM line represents an absolute occurrence with respect to the current top line
in the product structure. You can set occurrence attribute values on such a BOM
line, without those values appearing in the product structure everywhere the BOM
line’s parent appears. There are cases where a user needs to store values specific to
the BOM line with respect to the top line or some intermediate assembly between
the BOM line’s parent and the top line. Absolute occurrences are always created
in the context of a selected top line; the same absolute occurrence may not be in
context for another top line.
The following figure shows an example where two vehicles are built on the same
chassis. The chassis contains two occurrences of a suspension system, one for the
front of the vehicle and one for the rear; these occurrences are positioned relative to
the chassis by transforms T3 and T4, respectively. The suspension assembly contains
two occurrences of a wheel assembly, one for the left side of the suspension system
and the other for the right side of the suspension system. The wheel assembly
occurrences are positioned relative to the suspension assembly by transforms T1 and
T2, respectively. The wheel assembly is composed of a wheel, tire, and valve stem.
The occurrence of the tire is annotated with a recommended tire pressure of 30 PSI.

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Chapter 5 Working with occurrences

Vehicle-X Vehicle-Y

Vehicle-X/A Vehicle-Y/A

Chassis

Chassis/A

front rear
Z Z
= T3 = T4
X X
Y Suspension Y

Suspension/A

Axle

Axle/A

left right
Z Z
= T1 = T2
X X
Y Y

Wheel Assy

Wheel Assy/A

P=30psi

Tire Wheel Valve Stem

Tire/A Wheel/A Valve Stem/A

Sample product structure with relative occurrences only

Relative occurrences correlate directly to structure relationships. If the structure
relationship has a quantity associated with it, the number of relative occurrences
associated with the structure relation equals the quantity.
In the previous figure, when you display the product structure for vehicle Y, every
occurrence of the tire shows a recommended tire pressure of 30 PSI; that is, the value
set on the occurrence of the tire in the wheel assembly is propagated to all BOM
lines for the tire. Positioning information is derived in the same way. The position of
the wheel assembly in a vehicle is derived from transformation values specified on
the (relative) occurrences in the product structure, for example, the position of the
front left wheel is derived by multiplying T1 and T3.
Consider a case when the position of the front wheels must change so they toe-in
by 0.5 degrees or the case where the recommended tire pressure for the rear-tires
in vehicle X must change to 33 PSI. One way to accomplish this is to modify the
structure, but in most situations, this approach is not practical. Instead, you should

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 Working with occurrences

make context-specific modifications to BOM line properties without changing the

product structure. To permit such context-specific modifications, you can create
absolute occurrences. Creating absolute occurrences allows you to effectively flatten
the representation of a structure while knowing how to map back to the actual
product structure. The following figure illustrates this concept, expanding on the
preceding example.

Vehicle-X Vehicle-Y

Vehicle-X/A Vehicle-Y/A

Chassis

Chassis/A

front rear
left rear tire left-front
Z Z wheel assy
P=33psi = T3 = T4
X X Z
Y Y = T5
X
Y
right rear tire Suspension
P=33psi
Suspension/A right-front
wheel assy
Z
= T6
X
Axle Y

Axle/A

left right
Z Z
= T1 = T2
X X
Y Y

Wheel Assy

Wheel Assy/A

P=30psi

Tire Wheel Valve Stem

Tire/A Wheel/A Valve Stem/A

Sample product structure with absolute occurrences

The dashed lines in the figure represent absolute occurrences. In this case, the
absolute occurrences specify or override values in a specific context. In the example,

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Chapter 5 Working with occurrences

they override positioning information and recommended tire pressure. The context
of the override and the value is shown in the label on each dashed line.
Specifically, in the context of the vehicle-X, the front tires have a recommended tire
pressure of 30 PSI; this is derived from the relative occurrence of the tire in the
wheel assembly. However, the two rear tires have a recommended tire pressure of 33
PSI; this is explicitly set on the absolute occurrence in the context of the vehicle. The
value of 33 PSI on the absolute occurrence overrides the value of 30 PSI that appears
on the relative occurrence of the tire in the wheel assembly. Vehicle-Y, however, has
a recommended tire pressure of 30 PSI for all four tires.
Positioning information is derived in a similar way. The values specified on the
absolute occurrence override the values that are otherwise derived by catenation
of the transforms from the relative occurrences. That is, in the second figure, T5
overrides the value that would otherwise be derived from the multiplication of T3
and T1. Because this example specifies the transform overrides in the context of the
chassis, both vehicle-X and vehicle-Y use T5.
If you release an intermediate BOM line that represents a subassembly, the line is
locked and you do not have write access to it. However, you can still make changes
to its absolute occurrences in the context of a parent assembly whose BOM view
revision is also released, for example, to attach a dataset with associated JT files.

Tracking changes to absolute occurrences

The following figure shows how you can track changes to absolute occurrences with
incremental changes.

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Released
Unit 20-Up PSE Configured
for Unit 22

IC - 2

+ +
Z
Released A100/A
X
Unit 10-Up Y Note 1=15
T2

IC - 1
Z

+ X
Note 1=12
Y
T1
left right
Released Z Z
Unit 20-Up X X
IC - 3 A200 Y Y A200
T0 T4

+ F-3 F-2 F-2

Key
(Relative) Occurrence
(PSOccurrence)
Absolute Occurrence
Release PSE Note
Status
IC - 1 Form
Incremental
Change Transform

Tracking changes to absolute occurrences

The possible configurations of occurrence data on A200 (left occurrence) in assembly
A100 are as follows:
• Units 1 through 9: No incremental changes configured. Original occurrence
data: Transform=T0, Note 1=12, Form F-2.

• Units 10 through 19: Incremental change 1 configured. Transform=T1, Note

1=12, Form F-2.

• Unit 20 and above: Incremental change 1, incremental change 2 & incremental

change 3 configured. Transform=T2, Note 1=15, Form F-3. Form F-2 is still
attached to the right occurrence of A200.

There is no Remove change on the occurrence data, for example, for the transform
or note 1. You simply define a new value that overrides the value on the normal
relative occurrence. For example, the new value may define an end unit for an
incremental change.
For detailed information about incremental changes, see Managing incremental
changes.

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Chapter 5 Working with occurrences

Managing absolute occurrences (in-context editing)

An absolute occurrence is a specific instance of a component or assembly in a
structure. It may be independent of the top-level assembly and only meaningful in
the context of a lower level assembly. For example, you may have four occurrences
of a wheel in the design of a vehicle; you can label one of those occurrences as left
rear wheel, which is an absolute occurrence of the wheel. When you open a window
containing the structure, each absolute occurrence is represented by a single line.
To create an absolute occurrence, you edit the occurrence line in context with respect
to the assembly in which the absolute occurrence data is meaningful. Hence, the
creation of absolute occurrences is sometimes referred to as editing in context.
Note Absolute occurrences are not the same as appearances. Absolute occurrences
are generated when you build the structure (edit in context) and do not
have associated spatial information.

A component or subassembly that appears in more than one product structure can
have the same absolute occurrence in each structure.
You cannot create absolute occurrences directly, only by converting a relative
occurrence and editing its properties. Similarly, you cannot delete absolute
occurrences directly. You cannot create absolute occurrences on substitutes.
An absolute occurrence may appear more than once in the structure, depending
on the context in which you created it.
Note If you use absolute occurrences with product structures
that are not created in NX, see the description of the
PS_allow_plmxml_transforms_with_no_legacy_factor
preference in the Preferences and Environment Variables Reference. To avoid
conversion errors, set this preference to yes if you are configuring structures
for the first time and have no legacy data.

Interpreting absolute occurrence data

The following figure shows how absolute occurrences appear in the structure when
in context editing is enabled.

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 Working with occurrences

Absolute occurrences in a structure

Note the following lines in this structure:

Line Purpose
20487187/C (view) The immediate parent that is in context for
absolute occurrence edits.
The line is also color-coded in the structure
and in the title bar of the pane where the
current context is shown. The color is green
in this example but may be changed by your
administrator.
Lines that are not in the current context are
grayed out. Similarly, the out-of-context parts
corresponding to the grayed out lines may also
be grayed-out in the viewer. You cannot create
absolute occurrences from grayed-out lines in the
current context and you cannot edit an existing
property value on such lines.

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Line Purpose

Lines below 20487187/C (view) are generally not

grayed out and are in context.
20367635_101/B (view) This is a standard occurrence note. It is in
context and may be edited.
20367635_201/A This occurrence note is not in context because it
is not in all occurrences of the immediate parent
assembly.
20367635_3/A The overriding note value in the context of
20487187 only for this specific occurrence of the
parent.
To obtain more information about edited
absolute occurrence data, place the cursor over
any cell containing the symbol. The tool tip
banner shows the context in which the edited
data is valid.

By default, the assembly viewer highlights only those items in the assembly that are
in scope in the selected context; items that are not in context are shown grayed out.
The administrator may optionally change this behavior so that all items are shown.
The structure contains symbols that indicate the status of the structure lines as
follows:

Symbol Indicates
A line containing this symbol is the context for the
creation of certain absolute occurrences. The line is also
color-coded in the structure and in the title bar of the pane
where the current context is shown.
A line that contains this symbol has one or more of
the absolute occurrences edited in a context but not
necessarily the current context.
A property cell containing this symbol is already edited in
a context; the current absolute occurrence data is shown
in the cell. Each cell that contains data for a specific
absolute occurrence includes this symbol.
A line that contains this symbol before its name is a target
for editing data in the current context. Look for a
symbol in one or more properties cells of the same line to
identify if the necessary edits are already made.
Note This symbol identifies a target in the current
context. It may not appear in the same line if you
select a different context.
A line that contains this symbol has an in-context edit
made by an incremental change. The edit may be an add,
remove, or both.

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 Working with occurrences

Symbol Indicates
A cell that contains this symbol has an in-context edit
removed by an incremental change.
A cell that contains this symbol has an in-context edit
added by an incremental change.
A cell that contains this symbol has in-context edits added
and removed by an incremental change.

Show and hide the in-context line

You can show or hide the line that is the context of a particular in-context edit.
To do this, right-click an edited property of a line containing the edit and choose
Show/Hide In-Context BOM Line. This action toggles between showing and hiding
the relevant line. When shown, the in-context line is highlighted in yellow and the
editable property cells are highlighted similarly.

Create absolute occurrences

To create an absolute occurrence, you must enable in-context editing mode and edit
the properties of an occurrence, as follows:
1. If necessary, expand the structure by choosing View→Expand Below.

2. Select the top line that is the context of this edit and choose Edit→Toggle
In-Context Mode. You can also right-click the line and choose Set In-Context,
or click the button on the toolbar.

If a line in the displayed structure is marked with a symbol and colored

green, it is the item that is the context for the creation of absolute occurrences.
if a line is grayed out, it is not in the selected context and you cannot create
absolute occurrences for these lines. The in-context item is also identified in the
title bar of the structure tree.

• You cannot enable in-context editing mode for a line that has no children.

• You cannot create an absolute occurrence in the context of its immediate

parent.

• You cannot change the value of a property that is already overridden at a

higher level.

3. Click the cell in the lower line containing the property you want to enter or edit.
You must select one of the following supported properties:
• Suppressed
• Position constrained
• Suppression constrained
• Any GRM relation impacted by preferences
• Any occurrence note
• Quantity
• Find number
• Occurrence type

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• Variant conditions
• Variant formula
• Absolute transformation matrix
• Unit of measure
• Is designed in place
• Requires positioned design

Caution Ensure you have selected in-context editing mode. If this mode is not
selected, the change is made to every instance of the selected item
anywhere in the assembly.

4. Type the required new value and press the Enter key. A symbol on the line
indicates one of its property cells has an absolute occurrence override.

Note If you create an absolute occurrence override of a property and the same
property is already overridden at a lower level in the structure, the new,
higher level value replaces the existing value. Conversely, you cannot edit
an individual property value if the same property is overridden at a higher
level in the structure.

Identify absolute occurrences

You can assign identifiers to absolute occurrences and these identifiers are displayed
in two columns in the property table, as follows:
• ID In Context (Top Level)
Shows only the identifier assigned to the line in the context of the loaded
top-level line. You can add or edit an identifier by double-clicking in this cell and
typing the necessary value.
Note Any absolute occurrence identifiers defined at a lower level than the
currently selected top-level line are not visible.
If in-context editing mode is disabled, the top-level line is always
considered the in-context line.

• ID In Context (All Levels)

Shows the identifiers assigned to the line in all contexts. You cannot edit this
column.

Change absolute occurrence override data

You can change the override data for an existing absolute occurrence at any time.
For example, you may want to change the quantity assigned to a structure line to
correct a previous error. It is not necessary to enable context editing to make such
changes, ensure only the correct context is selected, then double-click the property
cell and edit the value.
Note If you want to define relative occurrence data for a property that is already
defined in context, remove the absolute occurrence data from the property
first.

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Remove absolute occurrence override data

You can remove override data from an absolute occurrence without entering
replacement data. To do this, right-click the property to remove (that is, select the
relevant cell) and choose the Remove In Context Override command.

Disable in-context editing mode

When you are not creating or editing absolute occurrence data, consider disabling
in-context editing mode to avoid inadvertent changes. Do this by choosing
Edit→Toggle In-Context Mode or clicking the button in the toolbar.

Associate data with absolute occurrences

During the design process, an engineer may attach data such as a CAD design file,
viewer (JT) file, classification information, and specifications to an item revision.
The actual usage of the item revision in the structure, including its transformation,
is tied to an occurrence.
You can attach data to a specific instance of an item revision in the structure, which
is represented by an absolute occurrence. You can attach data that is unique to the
absolute occurrence, or information that is already attached to the associated item
revision or occurrence. Examples of data that you may want to attach to a specific
absolute occurrence include:
• Cost data

• Transformations

• Quantity

• Variant conditions (not modular variant expressions)

• Viewer information

• Name and ID

• Occurrence note, type, or find number

• Instance number

• Find number

• Occurrence position constrained

• Occurrence suppressed

For example, you may want to attach a different occurrence note to each absolute
occurrence to specify additional assembly work instructions.
The level of the absolute occurrence in the structure determines the precedence of
data you attach to it. Data attached at a high or mid-level in the structure override
the corresponding data at lower levels; data attached to an absolute occurrence at
the lowest level does not override data elsewhere.

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Chapter 5 Working with occurrences

Associate a dataset or form with an absolute occurrence

1. Ensure you have selected in-context editing mode by choosing Edit→Toggle
In-Context Mode, right-clicking the structure line, and choosing Set In Context;
or clicking the button on the toolbar.

2. Select the line containing the absolute occurrence with which you want to
associate a new instance-specific dataset or form, then click the Attachments
tab in the data pane.

3. If you are associating a new dataset or form, create it by choosing

File→New→Dataset or File→New→Form, respectively.
If you are replacing an existing dataset or form, select it in the Attachments tab.
You can then search for and insert a replacement dataset or form.

Associate a transformation with an absolute occurrence

1. Ensure you have selected in-context editing mode by choosing Edit→Toggle
In-Context Mode, right-clicking the structure line, and choosing Set In Context;
or clicking the button on the toolbar.

2. Select the line containing the absolute occurrence for which you want to change
the transformation.

3. Click the Graphics tab and choose Graphics→Transformation→Persistent

Transformation.

4. Change the position of the affected component and save the changes.

Associate an occurrence note with an absolute occurrence

1. Ensure you have selected in-context editing mode by choosing Edit→Toggle
In-Context Mode, right-clicking the structure line, and choosing Set In Context;
or clicking the button on the toolbar.

2. Select the line containing the absolute occurrence with which you want to
associate an occurrence note.

3. Choose View→Notes, or click the Notes button on the toolbar.

Teamcenter displays the Notes dialog box.

4. Type the properties of the note and click OK.

Apply a variant condition to an absolute occurrence

1. Ensure you have selected in-context editing mode by choosing Edit→Toggle
In-Context Mode, right-clicking the structure line, and choosing Set In Context;
or clicking the button on the toolbar.

2. Select the line containing the absolute occurrence with which you want to
associate a variant condition.

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 Working with occurrences

3. Choose Edit→Variant Condition or click the Edit Variant Conditions button

on the menu bar.
Teamcenter displays the Variant Condition dialog box.

4. Add a new variant condition to the absolute occurrence or edit the existing
variant condition.

View attachments associated with an absolute occurrence

To view all the attachments associated with an absolute occurrence, select the line
containing the absolute occurrence and choose the Attachments pane. All the
attachments to the absolute occurrence are shown below the absolute occurrence.
Note If incremental change orders are used at your site, attachments associated
with unconfigured changes may be hidden. To view all absolute occurrence
data, choose View→Show Unconfigured Changes and set unconfigured
changes to on.

The Associated to Absolute Occ? column also shows if the data item is attached
to absolute occurrence.

Data precedence
You can associate data with an item revision or absolute occurrence. You can create
the absolute occurrence in the context of a top-level item.
The following figure shows how visualization (JT) files may be attached to items.

Attaching visualization files to items

In this example, you can see file1.jt in the viewer in My Teamcenter without any
context. However, when you view the same item revision (ItemRev1) in the context
of TopItem1, you see the JT file (file2.jt) that is associated with the corresponding
absolute occurrence (appr1) in the context of item TopItem1/A.
You can associate a different JT file as an override if TopItem1 is revised from
revision A to revision B.
Data is associated with an absolute occurrence in the context of a specified revision.
When you revise an item, the data associated with the previous revision is copied
and you can change it as necessary.

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Chapter 5 Working with occurrences

Propagate override data

You can associate data to absolute occurrences in the context of an intermediate

level, as well as in the context of the top level, as shown in the following figure.

Propagate override data

In this example, ItemRev1 has two override JT files, file2.jt and file3.jt. The
file2.jt file is added in the context of TopItem1/A, while the file3.jt file is added
in the context of S11/A. Consequently, if you view ItemRev1 in the context of
TopItem1/A, you see the file2.jt file.

Override data in multiple contexts

You can create absolute occurrence data on a single line in more than one context.
For example, you may want to override the find number in the context of the
top-level assembly and the quantity in the context of a lower level assembly. Make
these in-context edits in turn, ensuring you have selected the correct context (line)
each time. The system shows the relevant absolute occurrence data for the current
context and consequently data that applies to other contexts is hidden.
Note You cannot change the value of a property that is already overridden in a
higher level context.

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Chapter

6 Managing properties and notes

Managing properties and notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1

Displaying properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1

Creating and editing display names . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9

Create a display name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9

Managing column configurations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-10

Save column configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-10
Apply column configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-10
Update column configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-11
Delete column configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-11
Freeze columns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-12

View properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-12

Modify common properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-12

Editing a single property in place . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-14

Edit find numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-14
Edit quantities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-15

Adding a compound property . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-15

Displaying item master form attributes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-15

Creating structure properties rollup reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-16

Create a structure rollup report template . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-17
Create a structure rollup report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-18
View or edit a structure rollup report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-19
Export a structure rollup report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-19

Using the Variant Formula property . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-19

Displaying occurrence notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-22

Display a single note type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-22
Display the all notes column . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-22

Editing and copying occurrence notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-23

Set the value of an occurrence note . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-23
Remove a note . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-24
Copy a note . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-24
Viewing packed notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-24

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 Tracking occurrence note changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-24

Structure Manager Guide PLM00048 J

Chapter

6 Managing properties and notes

Managing properties and notes

Properties and notes contain information about items in the product structure that
does not necessarily appear in the CAD design. Examples of properties of a line in
the product structure may include find numbers for parts in an assembly, release
status, and cost. Your Teamcenter administrator can change or customize the list
of properties displayed in Structure Manager at your site according to business
requirements.
Occurrence notes contain information pertinent to occurrence of the part in the
structure, for example, the inflation pressure of a particular tire or the torque value
for a bolt. Your Teamcenter administrator creates and manages the occurrence note
types required at your site. You can then make use of any of the available note types
to specify a value for a particular line in the structure.
For more details about creating occurrence note types, see the Business Modeler
IDE Guide.

Displaying properties
The following table lists some of the columns available in the properties view of the
product structure and provides a description of their functions.
BOM line properties have display names or system names, and the system names
are in the format bl_xxx. Add or edit a display name for a system name using
Business Modeler IDE, as described in Creating and editing display names.
You can add or remove property columns in the table tree by right-clicking the BOM
window and choosing Insert Columns in the shortcut menu. By default, Teamcenter
displays selection lists of all available properties to add or remove that may contain
a large number of system and custom properties. To make the selection list more
manageable, the administrator can restrict the properties that are displayed by
group or role. You can also freeze commonly used columns so that they are always
visible.
You can save property column configurations at a user, site, or group level. The same
columns are then available for every session and for multiple users.
You can update the values of all the displayed properties in the BOM window by
pressing the F5 key. This feature may be useful if more than one user is working on
the structure and you want to synchronize to the latest information, for example, a
changed value or modified occurrence note.

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Chapter 6 Managing properties and notes

Note If you make a change to a persistent object (for example, an item, item
revision, item master, item revision master, GDE, or BOM view revision) in
My Teamcenter or a data pane, the BOM line that references the updated
property may not refresh automatically.

For more information about saving property column configurations and freezing
columns, see Managing column configurations.
You specify custom item or item revision classes to add as derived BOM line
properties. To configure the list of available properties of custom item or
item revision classes available to the end user, the administrator sets the
Fnd0BOMLineItemConfigProps and Fnd0BOMLineRevConfigProps Business
Modeler IDE constants and the BOM_Properties_For_Column_Selection
preference.
For more information about adding custom properties to columns, see the Business
Modeler IDE Guide.
In addition to the default and custom properties, your administrator may also create
customized note types.

Column Description Application Object

Absolute Shows the positioning CAD managers Structure line
Transformation transformation data.
Matrix
Affected IC Shows the effective Incremental Incremental
incremental change. change change/structure line
All Notes Combines all occurrence All Occurrence
notes into a single property
Architecture Shows the architecture Platform Designer Occurrence
Element ID element identifier.
bl_abs_xform_matrix Shows a run-time, Transformation Structure line
rolled-up non-PLM XML matrix
transformation matrix
value assigned to the part
occurrence.
bl_appearance Shows the appearance tag Appearances Structure line
ID assigned to the line by
the appearances system.
bl_appearance_path Shows the appearance Appearances Structure line
path node (APN) tag ID
assigned to the line by the
appearances system.
bl_bounding_boxes Contains a Spatial search Structure line
comma-separated array
that specifies the
dimensions of one or
more bounding boxes.

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 Managing properties and notes

Column Description Application Object

bl_is_occ_ If set to true, the line All Structure line
suppressed is hidden unless you
choose Show Suppressed
Occurrences. Occurrences
may be suppressed by a
CAD tool. This property
may be edited for a specific
arrangement.
bl_is_suppressed If true, the line is All Structure line
suppressed or not
configured.
bl_item_altid_list Shows the alternate ID of Alternate IDs Structure line
the item or item revision
represented by the line.
bl_item_ip_ Shows the intellectual All Structure line
classification property (IP) classification
attribute of the part
occurrence.
bl_markup_type Shows the markups (if any) All Structure line
that you can display for the
selected line.
bl_occ_xform_matrix Shows the non-PLM XML Transformation Structure line
transformation matrix matrix
value assigned to the part
occurrence.
bl_plmxml_abs_xform Shows a run-time, rolled-up Transformation Structure line
PLM XML transformation matrix
matrix value assigned to
the part occurrence.
bl_plmxml_occ_xform Shows the PLM XML Transformation Structure line
transformation matrix matrix
value assigned to the part
occurrence.
bl_substitute_id_ Specifies the ID of the Compare Substitute
compare selected substitute that is
used in comparisons.
bl_substitute_name_ Specifies the ID of the Compare Substitute
compare selected substitute that is
used in comparisons.
Changed by Current Set to Y if the item is Incremental Incremental
IC affected by the current change change/structure line
incremental change.
Changes Set by the BOM comparison Compare Display
utility to indicate the
nature of any changes
relating to this line.

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Chapter 6 Managing properties and notes

Column Description Application Object

CO - Checked out Set to Y if the item revision Teamcenter Display
is checked out. Integration for
NX
Configured IC’s Shows the currently Incremental Incremental
configured incremental change change/structure line
changes.
Default Unit of Shows the default unit of All Item
Measure measure for the item. It
may be overridden for an
individual occurrence.
Effectivity ID Shows the ID of the date Effectivity Occurrence
effectivity object on the
occurrence.
EOC - Effective Occ. Indicates if this occurrence Effectivity Display
Config’d is configured by the date set
in the current revision rule.
Set to Y for yes, blank for
no.
Find No. Find number of the line in All Occurrence
the structure. Editable.
GDELine Name Shows the item element All Display
name.
Generic Component Indicates if this is a generic Variants Item
component.
Has Substitutes Set to Y if the line has Substitutes Occurrence
substitutes; otherwise,
blank.
Has Children Set to Y if the line has any All BOM view revision
children; otherwise, blank.
HVD - Has Variant Set to Y if the item revision Variants Item revision
Data has any variant data
(options, defaults, or rule
checks).
Has Legacy Indicates if the occurrence Effectivity Occurrence
Occurrence has associated legacy
Effectivity effectivity.
Has Module Indicates if there is an Variants Display
associated module.
Has Notes Indicates if a standard note All Item or item revision
or custom note is attached
to the line.
Has Trace Link Indicates if the line is the All Item, item revision, or
source or target of a trace absolute occurrence
link.

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 Managing properties and notes

Column Description Application Object

Has Unified Indicates if the occurrence Effectivity Display
Occurrence has associated unified
Effectivity effectivity.
IC Effectivity Shows the effectivity of the Incremental Incremental
current incremental change change change/structure line
on the occurrence.
IC Intent Shows if the occurrence is Incremental Incremental
configured by the current change change/structure line
incremental change intent.
IC Release Status Shows the release status Incremental Display
of the relevant incremental change
change.
ID In Context (All Shows the occurrence All Display
Levels) identifier in the context of
all levels.
ID In Context (Top Shows the occurrence All Display
Level) identifier in the context of
the top-level item.
IOC configured Shows if the occurrence is Incremental Incremental
configured by the current change change/structure line
incremental change.
Is PublishLink Shows Y if the line Part-CAD Occurrence
Source represents the source alignment
occurrence of a publish link.
Is PublishLink Target Shows Y if the line Part-CAD Occurrence
represents the target alignment
occurrence of a publish link.
Item Classified Set to YES if the item is Classification Display
classified directly or to yes
if the classification data
is inherited from the item
revision. If blank, the item
is not directly or indirectly
classified.
Item Description Shows a description of the All Item
item.
Item ID Shows the ID of the item. All Item
Item Name Shows the name of the item. All Item
Item Revision Set to YES if the item Classification Display
Classified revision is classified directly
or to yes if the classification
data is inherited from the
item. If blank, the item
revision is not directly or
indirectly classified.

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Chapter 6 Managing properties and notes

Column Description Application Object

Item Revision Status Displays the release status All Item revision
of the item revision.
Item Revision Displays the name of the All Display
Subclass Name subclass to which the item
revision belongs.
Item Subclass Name Displays the name of the Classification Display
subclass to which the item
belongs.
Item Type Shows the business object All Item
type of the item.
Make/Buy Indicates if you All Display
manufacture a part or
purchase it from a supplier.
It is set to None if the line
does not represent a part
or if you do not use this
property. It cannot be set
on an occurrence.
MCVD — Has Classic Indicates if there is Variants Display
Variant Data associated classic variant
data.
MCE — Has Indicates if there is Occurrence Display
Occurrence associated occurrence effectivity
Effectivity effectivity data.
Occurrence Date Shows the range of dates Effectivity Occurrence
Range for which the occurrence is
effective.
Occurrence Shows if there is applicable Effectivity Display
Effectivity occurrence effectivity.
Occurrence Shows the identifier of any Effectivity Display
Effectivity ID occurrence effectivity.
Occurrence Name Displays a user-defined All Occurrence
name for the occurrence.
It cannot be overridden in
context.
Pack Count Shows the number of All Display
occurrences that a packed
line represents.
Packed Set to Y if the displayed line All Display
represents multiple packed
lines; otherwise blank.
Part Number Displays the identification All Display
number of a part.

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 Managing properties and notes

Column Description Application Object

Position Designator Shows a value that All Occurrence
represents the position
of a single part from a line
of usage. For example, if
the line of usage references
four wheels, there are four
position designators—one
for each wheel.
Precise Set to Y if this BOM All BOM view revision
view revision is precise,
otherwise blank.
Published Data from Set to TRANSFORM or Part-CAD Occurrence
Source SHAPE to indicate data alignment
that has been published
from the source occurrence.
Quantity Shows the quantity of the All Occurrence
item represented by this
line.
Qty Change Set by the structure Compare Display
comparison feature to
indicate a change in
quantity of an item between
two structures.
Ref Designator Displays a unique identifier All Display
for an occurrence of a part.
It cannot be overridden in
absolute occurrence mode.
Editable.
Requires Design Indicates if a part requires a All Part
CAD design. Certain parts
do not require a design, for
example, paint or glue.
Revision Shows the ID of the item All Item revision
revision.
Rev Change Set by the structure Compare Display
comparison feature to
indicate a change in
revision of an item between
two structures.
Rev Description Displays a description of All Item revision
the item revision.
Rev Name Shows the name of the item All Item revision
revision.
Rev Process Stage Displays the release process Workflow Item revision
stage of the item revision, if
it is in a process.

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Column Description Application Object

Rule configured by Shows the name of the Revision Display
revision rule that configures configuration
this item revision.
Structure Line Contains a combination All Display
of item ID, revision ID,
revision name, view name,
and quantity.
Structure Line Name Contains a combination of All Display
item ID, revision ID, and
revision name.
Structure Line Title By default, shows the same All Display
text as Line, but you can
edit the format.
Substitute Set to Preferred if the line Substitutes Occurrence
has any substitutes.
Unit of Measure Shows the unit of measure All Occurrence
for the occurrence.
Overrides the default
unit of measure for the
item.
Usage Address Displays the type of All Occurrence
object that occupies the
occurrence in the structure,
for example, wheel.
Variant Condition Shows the variant condition Variants Occurrence
under which the occurrence
is configured. Only used
with the old classic variant
model, as described in
Using the Variant Formula
property.
Variant Formula Shows the variant formula Variants Occurrence
under which the occurrence
is configured. Only used
with the new classic variant
model, as described in
Using the Variant Formula
property.
Vendor Parts Shows related vendor parts Vendor Item revision
and vendor location data, management
determined by the current
vendor part selection rule.
View Type Shows the type of the BOM All BOM view revision
view revision.

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Column Description Application Object

VOC - Variant Occ. Indicates if this occurrence All Display
Config’d. is configured by the current
variant rule. Set to Y for
yes, blank for no, or ? for
undefined.

Note You cannot edit or mark up the first property column (Quantity).

Tip You can use some of additional properties not listed in the table to determine
why a particular line is configured or hidden, for example:
• bl_is_occ_configured
Shows if the line is configured by the current occurrence effectivity.

• bl_ic_state
Shows if the line is configured by the current incremental change.

• bl_variant_state
Shows if the line is configured by the active variant.

Creating and editing display names

BOM line properties have both display names and system names, and the system
names are in the format bl_xxx. You should define a display name for a system name
if you add a custom business object type to your system.
Define a display name for a BOM line using
the BOMLineFormConfiguredProperties and
BOMLineRevFormConfiguredProperties global constants and compound
properties available on the BOMLine business object in the Business Modeler IDE.
Caution Siemens PLM Software recommends that you do not include a dot (.) in
the property name. Such names cannot be edited in Structure Manager.

Note In previous versions, the administrator could create or change display

names by editing the /textserver/xml files in the lang folder, for example,
system_property_names_locale.xml. Display names are no longer stored
in XML files, and you can now only create or edit them in the Business
Modeler IDE.

Create a display name

1. In the Business Modeler IDE, open the BOMLine business object and click the
Properties tab.

2. Select the property whose display name you want to create and scroll to the
Localization section.

3. Click Add.

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The Business Modeler IDE displays the Add or Modify Localization dialog box.

4. Enter the display name in the Value Localization box, select the locale, and
set the status to Approved.

5. Save the data model and deploy the template.

For more information on working with display names in the Business Modeler IDE,
see the Business Modeler IDE Guide.

Managing column configurations

You can save and apply column configurations available for your group and configure
your view of Structure Manager to view and edit only those properties that your
group deals with. Depending on your role, you can save column configurations.
• A site administrator can save configurations with the scope set to User, Group,
or Site.

• A group administrator can only save configurations with the scope set as User
and Group.

• If a site has multiple levels of groups, users can access the site configurations
and configurations for all groups to which they belong.

Save column configuration

1. Right-click the column header and choose Save Column Configuration.
The Save Column Configuration dialog box appears.

2. Type values in the Name and Description boxes.

Note Column configuration names should be unique.

3. Select the Scope option as User, Group, or Site.

Note The options you see enabled depend on your role. If you are a site
administrator, you see all three options enabled. If you are a group
administrator, you see the User and Group options enabled. If you are
not an administrator, no option displays and the column configuration
is saved at the user level.

4. Click Save.
Teamcenter creates a column configuration and saves it for the chosen scope.

Apply column configuration

1. Right-click the column header and choose Apply Column Configuration.
The Apply Column Configuration dialog box appears with the column
configurations available to you, your group, or site.

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2. Select the column configuration name you want to apply to the tree table and
click Apply.
Teamcenter applies the column configuration to the tree table and adjusts
the columns in the Structure Manager window according to the applied
configuration.

3. Close Structure Manager and then reopen it again to verify that the correct
column configuration is applied.

Update column configuration

1. Right-click the column header and choose Apply Column Configuration.
The Apply Column Configuration dialog box appears.

2. Select the column configuration name depending on your role.

Note If you are a site administrator, select the site column configuration
name. If you are a group administrator, select the group column
configuration name. If you are not an administrator, select the user
column configuration name.

3. Click Modify to modify the column configuration.

The Change Column dialog box appears allowing you to update the selected
configuration.

4. When you have updated the column configuration, click Apply.

Teamcenter updates the column configuration for the current and future sessions.

Delete column configuration

1. Right-click the column header and choose Apply Column Configuration.
The Apply Column Configuration dialog box appears.

2. Select the column configuration name depending on your role.

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Note If you are a site administrator, select the site column configuration
name. If you are a group administrator, select the group column
configuration name. If you are not an administrator, select the user
column configuration name.

3. Click Delete to delete the column configuration.

Teamcenter displays the Delete Column Configuration dialog box.
Click OK to confirm confirmation of the selected column configuration.

Freeze columns
You can freeze selected columns on the left of the pane, so they are always visible
when you scroll horizontally, for example, making the item name and number visible
while you browse other properties.
1. Set the BOM_Frozen_Column_Count preference to a positive integer–n
corresponding to the number of columns you want to freeze.

2. Launch Structure Manager.

The system displays n columns frozen on the left. You can scroll the remaining
columns horizontally.
Tip You always leave at least one column unfrozen, so that vertical scroll bars
are available. This configuration provides easier navigation, especially if
you are comparing structures in a split window. If you try to remove the
last unfrozen column, Teamcenter displays a Cannot delete the last column
outside of the frozen area error message.

Note If you reset the BOM_Frozen_Column_count preference to 0, no columns

are frozen.
This preference freezes a specified number of columns independently of the
selected column configuration. You cannot freeze specific columns.

View properties
• To view the properties of a selected line in the product structure, click Properties
on the toolbar or choose View→Properties.
Teamcenter displays the Properties dialog box containing the properties of the
selected line.

Modify common properties

1. Select the lines representing items or item revisions in the product structure
whose properties you want to modify and choose View→Properties.
Teamcenter displays the Common Modifiable Properties dialog box, as shown in
the following example.

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Note If you select a single structure line, Teamcenter displays the Properties
dialog box containing the properties of the selected line.

In the example, the Absolute Transformation, Item Description, and Item Type
properties are common and can be modified. The other properties are unique to
each line and cannot be modified here; however, you can modify them in place,
as described in Editing a single property in place.
It is not necessary to check out the source object if you want to modify properties.

2. Click the BOM Lines tab in the dialog box. This tab shows the common
modifiable properties of the items corresponding to the selected lines. Select the
property you want to change and enter its new value in the text box.
In the example, the Item Description property is selected and is modified to
the value of Test.

When the correct replacement value is shown in the text box, click the
button to complete the change. Alternatively, you can click the button to
clear (delete) the current value.

Click the button to display the Find/Replace dialog box that allows you to
search for any property value.

3. Click the Item Revisions tab in the dialog box. This tab shows the common
modifiable properties of the item revisions corresponding to the selected lines.
Repeat the process given in the previous step to update the values of common
modifiable properties of item revisions.

4. Click OK or Apply to update the properties of the selected items and item
revisions.

5. To commit the changes to the database, choose File→Save.

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Chapter 6 Managing properties and notes

Note The pending edit markup option highlights some occurrence property edits,
including edits to the occurrence name, find number, reference designator,
quantity, unit of measure, notes, variant conditions, and occurrence type.
However, absolute occurrence (in-context) edits are not highlighted.
For more information, see Highlighting edits to the structure.

Note If you select multiple lines, Teamcenter displays the common properties of
the selected objects. If you edit any of the common properties and then click
OK or Apply, Teamcenter saves the property changes to the database but
does not update the dialog box. To display the property changes, choose
View®Refresh window.

Tip If you want to modify a common property for several but not all lines, copy the
required value, right-click each line in turn, and then choose Paste Property.
If you have a large number of property columns to modify, it may be easier to
export the structure lines to Microsoft live Excel, make the necessary edits,
and then import the modified data back to Structure Manager.
For more information about editing structure data with live Excel, see the
Extensions for Microsoft Office Guide.

Editing a single property in place

You can edit a single modifiable property in place by double-clicking the appropriate
cell in the properties list and entering the new value. Changes made in this way
are immediately committed to the database, together with the associated item or
item revision.
Property values you can edit include the find number and reference designator.
Find numbers and reference designators can only be edited if the product
structure is unpacked. Teamcenter verifies a reference designator is in the
correct format after editing; examples of the acceptable formats are C1 or
SKA21. To verify the format and uniqueness of reference designators, set the
PS_Reference_Designator_Validation preference to on. By default, this
preference is set to off and no validation is performed.
Note Editing of certain properties may not be permitted, even though selection
of the associated cells is not disabled. If you try to edit such a property,
Teamcenter displays an error message, indicating the cell cannot be edited.
You cannot edit occurrence note types in this way.

Tip If you want to modify a common property for several, but not all lines, copy
the required value, right-click each line in turn, and then choose Paste
Property.

Edit find numbers

The components in a single-level assembly can be arranged by find number if you
click the appropriate column header in the properties table. If you edit a find
number in such a way that the order of the structure components must be changed,

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 Managing properties and notes

they are not reordered until you collapse and expand the particular structure or
open it in a new window.
If you change the find number of packed lines, this action changes the find number
of all the packed lines.

Edit quantities
If you edit a quantity, Teamcenter enforces the following restrictions:
• If the quantity is a property of an item that has no unit of measure defined or
has a unit of measure of Each, the value must be a whole number.

• If the quantity is a property of an item that has a unit of measure defined, you
can enter a whole number. You can also enter an A/R string (case insensitive) to
indicate as-required; you can abbreviate this entry to a.

• By default, you can specify quantities to two decimal places. However, your
administrator can edit the Displayed_Decimals_for_Qty preference to change
this restriction.

You cannot edit the quantity on lines that are packed.

For additional information, see Creating aggregate occurrences and defining quantity.

Adding a compound property

A compound property is a property on a business object that can be displayed as
a property of an object (the display object) although it is defined and resides on
a different object (the source object). A compound property uses Relation and
Reference properties to traverse from the source to the destination object. A
compound property creates the path that the property follows to display the source
object’s property on the display object, if the path exists for the two objects. For
example, you can use a compound property to display a custom property from a form
on a BOM line business object.
For more information about adding compound properties, see the Business Modeler
IDE Guide.

Displaying item master form attributes

You can configure attributes on the item master form, and then use compound
property rules so that the attributes are visible on item revisions. To achieve this,
you must define and set the following global constants in the foundation template
of the Business Modeler IDE:
• BOMLineFormConfiguredProperties
Adds the properties from the form types in the constant to the BOM line. This
configuration point was provided by the PSE_add_props_of_item_form_types
preference in previous versions.

• BOMLineRevConfiguredProperties

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Adds the properties from the revision form type to the BOM line. This
configuration point was provided by the PSE_add_props_of_rev_form_types
preference in previous versions.

For more information about setting global constants, see the Business Modeler IDE
Guide.
If either constant is set, all the form properties from the form type are added to the
BOM line. By default, the foundation template sets the values of the constants to
the item master and item revision master, respectively.
You can then add the attribute to display as a column, as described in Displaying
properties. The attribute name is shown in fully qualified format, for example,
if your item master attribute name is A_SPLM, the column name is shown as
bl_Item_Master_A_SPLM.
You can optionally change the displayed column name by
editing the system_property_names_locale.xml file in the
$TC_ROOT\lang\textserver\en directory. Add an entry for the display name in
the following format:
<key id=”bl_Item Master_A_SPLM”>A_SPLM_description</key>

A_SPLM_description is the required display name.

Creating structure properties rollup reports

A rollup is a recursive calculation of selected properties of all children of a selected
line in the structure. For example, you can create rollup reports of the mass, center
of mass, or moments and products of inertia for a particular assembly.
You can also create and view rollup reports periodically or in batches with the
bom_roll_up_report utility. Teamcenter creates these reports as XML files and
attaches them to a Roll Up Report dataset. The rollup process unpacks the BOM
before doing any calculations.
Tip You can generate mass and center of mass reports from Teamcenter from
data stored in NX, as an alternative to generating the report directly from
NX. To do this, you must first define the necessary compound properties
and rollup templates. (Teamcenter does not provide the necessary rollup
templates or store NX mass compound properties in the database.) You
may encounter issues if you try to create a rollup report using compound
properties that are defined on the BOM line. Consequently, Siemens PLM
Software recommends that you define the compound properties on the item
revision or on your custom item revision type.

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 Managing properties and notes

Tip Use the Input Accuracy column to determine if the properties of the line
being rolled up are used as-is or calculated from the rolled-up values of its
children (asserted). This column supports NX, but you can use it with any
other system that permits you to choose between asserted values at an
assembly level or values derived from the values of its children. NX allows
you to assert static mass property values on its parts.
If you do this, the accuracy property on the UGPartMassPropsForm
form that is attached to the UGMASTER dataset in Teamcenter is set
to -1.0. The value of the accuracy property determines whether the
rollup process calculates the values of specific assembly levels. To do this,
create a compound property that represents the accuracy property on the
UGPartMassPropsForm form and then apply that compound property to
the Input Accuracy column.
The Input Accuracy column is available on the Summation, Center of Mass,
and Inertia calculation tabs of the Roll up Report Templates dialog box.

Tip The formulas used to determine center of mass and moments/products

of inertia depend on the use of bl_plmxml_abs_xform in the
Input Transformation Matrix column in both the center of mass and
moments/products of inertia templates.
Use bl_plmxml_abs_xform in the Input Transformation Matrix column.

Note Use the ROLL_UP_QUANTITY_FLAG preference to define if the rollup

calculation takes the quantity into account. For example, if the quantity on a
line is 2, the value is doubled for both the line and the substructure. If this
preference is set to false, the quantity is included in the summation; if it
is set to true, the quantity is excluded. Quantity only applies to rollups
of mass.
Substitutes are not included in rollup reports.

Create a structure rollup report template

You create templates to define the standard content of rollup reports. To create a
template, you must be a member of the appropriate group:
• Site templates
You must belong to the DBA group to create, edit, or delete site templates.

• Group templates
You can create, edit, or delete group templates if you are a member of the group.

• User templates
You can create, edit, or delete your own user templates.
Note A member of the DBA group can create, edit, or delete group or user
templates if bypass is turned on

1. Choose Tools→Rollup Reports→Templates.

Teamcenter displays the Roll Up Template Manager dialog box.

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2. Optionally, select an existing template in the Templates list to use as the basis
of the new template. You can only select from templates that your group has
permission to modify.

3. Enter the template name or change the name of the preloaded template. The
template name must be unique within the group.

4. Enter a template description, which Teamcenter uses as the name of the rollup
dataset, for example, <Item_ID> <Rev_ID> <RT_name> <RT_date> <RT_Mass
Total>.

5. Check one of the Scope options to indicate users who have access to the
template—Site, Group, or User.

6. Enter the delimiter to use between data fields if this report is exported to a
text file. The default character is a tab.
Note To export rollup reports and open them in Microsoft Excel, change the
default delimiter character to a comma (,). If you leave the default
delimiter as a tab, the data columns do not display correctly in Excel.

7. Add or delete Summation, Center of Mass, and Moments/Products calculations

for any relevant structure line property.

8. Add or delete any other properties to include in the rollup report in the
Reference box. Referenced properties are not included in rollup calculations.

9. Click OK or Apply to save the new template in the database.

Create a structure rollup report

1. Select the top-level line of the product or assembly.

2. Choose Tools→Rollup Reports→Create.

Teamcenter displays the Create Roll Up Report dialog box.

3. Enter the name of the generated report in the Name box. By default, the name is
generated from that of the root item revision.

4. Optionally, edit the description of the report in the Description box. The
description is generated from the report template and typically is not changed.

5. Enter the delimiter to use if this report is exported to a text file. The default
character is a tab character.
Note If you intend to open the report in Microsoft Excel, change the default
delimiter character to a comma (,). If you leave the default delimiter as a
tab, the data columns do not display correctly in Excel.

6. Choose the name of the report template to use from the Template list.

7. Optionally, select the name of the destination directory for the report in the
Output Folder box. By default, this is blank.

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 Managing properties and notes

8. Click OK to generate the report.

Teamcenter saves it in a rollup dataset that it attaches to the item revision
of the root line of the report.

View or edit a structure rollup report

• Choose Tools→Rollup Reports→View/Edit and Teamcenter displays a list of
reports you can select.
The report contains the following data fields:
o Roll Up Reports
Lists all reports attached to the item revision. For each report, complete
information is shown for the top level line, allowing you to identify its
content without opening the report. To show the details in the selected
report, click Details.

o Details
Shows the detailed content of the selected report.

To create a new report based on the information in the current report, click
Create.

Export a structure rollup report

1. Choose Tools→Rollup Reports→View/Edit.
Teamcenter displays a list of available reports.

2. Select a report and click Export.

Teamcenter displays the Export dialog box.

3. Enter or browse to the desired destination directory, then click OK.

Teamcenter exports the content of the report in a text file to the operating system.

Using the Variant Formula property

Effective from Teamcenter 8.2, a new BOM line property with a system name of
bl_formula and a display name in the English locale of Variant Formula allows
you to view and edit variant expressions. To achieve best performance, Siemens PLM
Software recommends you reconfigure your list of displayed BOM line properties
in structure editor applications by replacing the existing bl_variant_condition
property (English locale display name Variant Conditions) with this new property.
Teamcenter continues to support the Variant Conditions BOM line property but,
to compute the property text value from new style variant expressions, it must
convert the new variant expression into the old variant data model. This conversion
eliminates the performance and memory footprint benefits of the new variant data
model. (If you avoid the computation of the old style variant expression data format
in this way, you typically reduce the number of objects in memory by several million).

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Chapter 6 Managing properties and notes

Note The new Variant Formula property is available only if you enable the new
data model.

You can edit the new Variant Formula BOM line property in the usual way, by
double-clicking the cell to display the Edit Variant Condition dialog window.
When you do this, Teamcenter converts the variant expression into the old data
model; however, the performance impact is more limited as only data for the selected
BOM line is converted.
The differences between the old and new BOM line properties are shown in the
following table.

Old Variant Conditions New Variant Formula

property property
English locale display Variant Conditions Variant Formula
name
Internationalization bl_variant_condition bl_formula
property name key
Operator precedence and All Boolean operators have the NOT (!) is higher than AND (&);
associativity same precedence. All operators AND (&) higher than OR (|).
are left-associative, that is, A OR That is, A OR B AND A = A OR
B AND A = (A OR B) AND A. (B AND A).
Internationalization Yes No. Operators are represented by
value static symbols.
English
I18N key value Equal =
k_variant_op_is_ = Not equal !=
equal Greater >
k_variant_op_not_ != than
equal Less than <
k_variant_op_gt > >=
Greater
k_variant_op_lt < than or
k_variant_op_gt_eq >= equal
Less than <=
k_variant_op_lt_eq <=
or equal
k_variant_op_and AND
AND &
k_variant_op_or OR
OR |
k_variant_op_not NOT
Not !

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 Managing properties and notes

Old Variant Conditions New Variant Formula

property property
Decodable text values No. A text value may not always Yes. A text value may be parsed
(bijectivity)? be parsed back into its variant back into its variant expression.
expression. For example, a value For example, you can enclose a
name of 4 AND[Item]Fam = val value name of 4 AND[Item]Fam
(a 21 character value) would give = val (a 21 character value) in
parsing errors. Also, it may give single quotes to pause special
syntax errors in locales other character interpretation when
than English. parsing. The text value uses the
following punctuation marks:

[ Left Begin option

square family name
bracket space (owning
item ID).
] Right End option
square family name
bracket space (owning
item ID).
( Left Begin
parenthesis overriding
normal
precedence.
) Right End
parenthesis overriding
normal
precedence.
’ Single Pause or
quote resume
interpretation.
\ Escape Do not
interpret next
character.
PSE_show_option_ The owning option item is The owning option item is
item_prefix preference suppressed if this preference is suppressed if this preference is
turned off. turned off and the variant option
family is unique in the context
of the top-level item revision of a
BOM window.
Note If you use the Variant
Conditions property,
the owning option item
is suppressed if this
preference is turned off.
If you use the Variant
Formula property, the
owning option item
is suppressed if this

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Old Variant Conditions New Variant Formula

property property
preference is turned off
and the variant option
family is unique in the
context of the top-level
item revision of a BOM
window.
Even when the preference
is turned off, the owning
option item may not be
suppressed in certain
situations to avoid
ambiguity in the resulting
formula expression. For
example, this may be
necessary when an
option is defined on an
intermediate assembly
but is not defined on the
top assembly.
PSE_show_option_ Not supported. The variant option family name
family_prefix preference is suppressed if the preference is
turned off and the variant option
value is unique in the context of
the top-level item revision of a
BOM window.

Displaying occurrence notes

You can display selected occurrence note types or the text of all available notes.
Note Do not confuse notes that are attached to an occurrence with standard notes
and custom notes attached to an item or item revision.

Display a single note type

You can configure the displayed columns to show only those containing those
occurrence note types you want to see, as described in Viewing product structure
properties. You can specify any of the note types created by your Teamcenter
administrator for the site.

Display the all notes column

Typically only one occurrence note is attached to each component. However, if you
use a large number of note types, providing a column for each note type occupies
a great deal of space in the window. In this situation, use the All Notes column to
display notes of any type.

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If a component only has one note, the All Notes column shows the text of the note,
preceded by the name of the note type and a colon. If the component has several
notes, the column shows a comma-separated list of the note types.

Editing and copying occurrence notes

Your Teamcenter administrator creates all the occurrence note types required for
your site, for example, a note type to contain assembly cost and another for a torque
value. You can make use of any of these note types to specify a value for a particular
occurrence line in the structure.
Notes are occurrence properties, and you should not use them to specify attributes of
an item, for example, revision or material.
Note There are a number of special occurrence note types that are used by
Teamcenter Integration for NX, for example, NX REF SET.
For information, see the Teamcenter Integration for NX Guide.

You can edit an occurrence note in the same way as any other property, except for
the All Notes property.

Set the value of an occurrence note

When you create an occurrence note in the Structure Manager window on a
particular line, Teamcenter populates the value of the corresponding note with the
default value of the note type, if one exists. If a list of values (LOV) is attached
to the note type, you can select a value from the list when you create a note.
Note You must have write access to the BOM view revision. Otherwise, you can
only browse existing occurrence notes not add, remove, or edit notes.

1. Select the appropriate line in the product structure.

2. Choose View→Notes or click the Add/Edit Notes button on the toolbar, or

double-click the All Notes column in the properties table.
Teamcenter displays the Notes editor.

3. In the Notes editor, choose the Existing Notes List of Values option and select
an existing note to view or edit. Alternatively, choose the Create List of Values
option to add a new note type.
If the note has a list of values (LOV), select the appropriate value from the list.
A default value may initially be selected in the LOV. The default value is not
set on the note until you actually create the note.
To change the default value of a note:

a. Select a structure line that represents an occurrence and the corresponding

column for the note.

b. Click the Add or Edit Notes button .

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Chapter 6 Managing properties and notes

Teamcenter displays the Notes dialog box.

c. In the Notes dialog box, set a value manually or choose from the LOV.

4. Enter a note of up to 160 characters, depending on the particular note type.

5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 for more note types if required.

6. Click OK to apply your changes or click Cancel to exit.

7. Choose File→Save to commit the changes to the database.

Remove a note
• Click Remove if you want to delete the currently displayed note.

Copy a note
1. Select the line with the note text you want to copy. You can select any point on
the line, not necessarily the note type cell itself.

2. Right-click the selected line over the cell containing the note you want to copy.
Teamcenter displays the structure line shortcut menu.

3. From the shortcut menu, choose Copy to copy the contents of the occurrence to
the clipboard. You can also use the Ctrl+C shortcut keys.

4. Right-click the cell of the note type of the target line where you want to copy
the occurrence.
Teamcenter displays the structure line shortcut menu.

5. From the shortcut menu, choose Paste Property to complete copying the
occurrence.
Note There is no shortcut for the paste action; you cannot use Ctrl+V.

Viewing packed notes

If a set of occurrences is packed and any of the occurrences has notes, any notes
columns display Packed notes for the packed line. You cannot edit the packed notes.

Tracking occurrence note changes

Teamcenter creates structure change records for occurrence note changes when
changes to the structure are saved, if the ECM_note_types_to_track preference is
set accordingly. Occurrences note changes are also tracked in the appearance cache
(if used) if you set mapped attributes.
For more information about viewing note change history, see Managing supersedure.

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7 Visualizing product structure

Visualizing product structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1

Using stand-alone Lifecycle Visualization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1

Viewing a structure in Lifecycle Visualization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-2

Using the embedded viewer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-2

Structure Manager viewer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-3
Configuring a viewer cache . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-5
Opening the structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-5
Refresh the embedded viewer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-6

Understanding the structure tree . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-6

Synchronizing the structure tree and the viewer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-7

Isolate parts for viewing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-8

Generate an outline image . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-8

Set outline preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-8

Manipulate graphics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-9

Save the current session . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-10

Working with product views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-10

Create and save a product view . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-11
Configure and manage product views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-12
Previewing product views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-15
Create product view preview manually . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-16
Manage unconfigured data in a product view . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-17
Retrieve and open an existing product view . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-18
Checking product views in and out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-19
Check out product view dataset . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-19
Check in product view dataset . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-19
Cancel checkout of product view dataset . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-19
Refresh a product view . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-19
Send a product view to an external viewer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-20
Delete a product view . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-20

Manipulating subcomponents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-20

View subcomponents in an assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-21
Display selected subcomponent in expanded part file . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-21

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 Merge subcomponents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-21

Structure Manager Guide PLM00048 J

Chapter

7 Visualizing product structure

Visualizing product structure

You can visualize the structure of the product from Structure Manager in one of
two ways—with the embedded viewer or the stand-alone Teamcenter lifecycle
visualization product. The embedded viewer allows you to visualize the product
structure in the same way as with the stand-alone Teamcenter lifecycle visualization,
but within the Viewer tab of the data panel. If you want to use the enhanced
Lifecycle Visualization capabilities of Teamcenter lifecycle visualization or the
embedded viewer, you must purchase and install the necessary additional licenses.

Using stand-alone Lifecycle Visualization

Depending on how stand-alone Lifecycle Visualization is installed and configured
for use with your rich client applications, one of the following levels of functionality
is available to you:
Teamcenter lifecycle visualization base

Teamcenter lifecycle visualization standard

Teamcenter lifecycle visualization professional

Teamcenter lifecycle visualization mockup

Lifecycle Visualization is integrated with the rich client and enables you to view 2D
formats, such as GIF, JPEG, CGM, and PNG files, as well as 3D formats, such as
JT files.
JT file translators are required to generate 3D-format JT files. For example, the
ugtopv translators shipped with the NX software translate UGMASTER datasets
and create JT files in the database.
You can view the following 3D format or 2D format files:
• DirectModel
Imported JT files or JT files created by the translators

• DirectModelMotion
Imported VisMovieCapture files.

• DirectModelMarkup
Captured image of a DirectModel dataset

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• DrawingSheets and Markup

Imported CGM files

• Image
Imported files in formats such as TIFF, GIF, and JPEG.

To view the properties of an assembly or component JT file, right-click the line to

which the file is attached and choose Show JT Attributes.

Viewing a structure in Lifecycle Visualization

You can open a structure in stand-alone Lifecycle Visualization (if installed) by
selecting the top-level assembly and choosing File→Open in Lifecycle Visualization.
When you use stand-alone Lifecycle Visualization, a viewing window opens
containing the structure or assembly. To the left of this viewing window is a project
workspace window that is a pane containing a tree display with buttons along the
bottom. These buttons allow you to choose the context in which you are working,
including assembly context (View Structure Tree), PMI context (View PMI Tree),
snapshot context (View Snapshots), and cross-section context (View Section Tree).
By default, the Open in Lifecycle Visualization button and menu command are not
visible in Structure Manager. You must set the TC_show_open_in_vmu_button
preference to on to make them visible.
Lifecycle Visualization must be purchased separately and is not provided with
Teamcenter.
Note If Lifecycle Visualization and Teamcenter are on same machine, a libsyss.dll
conflict can occur. To avoid this conflict, turn off Lifecycle Visualization
when you perform a batch run.

For more information about using stand-alone Lifecycle Visualization, see the
Lifecycle Visualization online help.

Using the embedded viewer

The embedded viewer is available when you click the Graphics tab in Structure
Manager and allows you to view graphics attached to assemblies and components
in the structure tree. The embedded viewer provides a similar visualization
capability as the View Structure Tree context in stand-alone Lifecycle Visualization;
consequently, you can complete most visualization procedures in stand-alone
Lifecycle Visualization or in the embedded viewer. Typically, you use the embedded
viewer in Structure Manager to visualize 3D assemblies or structures.
For information about how to view and manipulate 3D models, see the Working
with 3D models manual.
You can also view and mark up schematic diagrams in the viewer, including
electrical routing, hydraulic, and piping diagrams. To view schematics, you must
set the TC_Schematic_BOMView_types preference to the corresponding view
type, for example, Piping System View. If you do not set this preference, you can
only view 2D and 3D images.

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When in schematic mode, the following features are available:

• Selection
• Visualize components
Depending on your authoring tool, some parts of a schematic may be displayed
as JT geometries (blocks) that represent the components.
• Preferences
• Zoom
• Pan
• Seek
• View All
• Rubber band
• Image capture
• Product views
• Print
• Measure
• Markup

You can anchor markups to any appropriate component type.

The following standard Lifecycle Visualization features are not available in
schematic mode:
• Edit color/translucency
• Insert
• View control
• Export 3D
• Repositioning
• Rotation
• PMI
• Clearance analysis
• Cross section
• Navigation
• Visibility

Structure Manager viewer

The viewer embedded in Structure Manager is available within the Viewer tab
of the data pane. The viewer allows you to view JT files attached to assemblies
and components in the structure tree when you are viewing and editing a product
structure.
Visualization use cases
• View 3D assemblies or structures.

• View subcomponents in an assembly.

• Compare product structures.

• Create and save product views.

Visualization tools available

• 3D Alignment
Align parts with other parts in the viewing window.

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• 3D Appearance
Change the appearance of 3D models.

• 3D Clearance
Check the clearance of parts in 3D models.

• 3D Comparison
Compare the geometry of two sets of parts.

• 3D Coordinate System
Create and align parts to local coordinate systems.

• 3D GDT Markup
Create 3D GD&T markups.

• 3D Manipulators
Transform 3D models.

• 3D Markup
Create 3D markups.

• 3D Measurement
Perform 3D measurements.

• 3D Movie Capture
Capture your actions in the 3D viewing window as movie files.

• 3D Navigation
Pan, rotate, and zoom 3D models.

• 3D PMI
View and manipulate PMI in your model.
Note PMI functionality is available only when PMI is enabled on your system.
If PMI is enabled, you can right-click a part and choose one of the
following commands:
o Show PMI
Shows all effective PMI on the selected part or subassembly and
its children.

o Toggle in PMI Tree

Adds PMI from the selected part or subassembly and its children to
the PMI tree. Alternatively, if the part or subassembly is already in
the PMI tree, Teamcenter removes it.

• 3D Section

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Create 3D cross sections.

• 3D Selection
Select parts and pick part entities.

• 3D Standard Views
Examine your model from preset viewing angles.

• 3D Thrustline Editor
Create and manipulate thrustlines.

• 3D Visibility
Hide obscuring parts and clip areas of your model.

Configuring a viewer cache

To display structures in the embedded viewer, you must create the corresponding JT
file and store it in the Teamcenter file system. To optimize performance, Teamcenter
saves the JT file in a cache directory. Whenever you view the image after the initial
request, Teamcenter obtains the file from the cache directory, rather than recopying
it from the Teamcenter file system. By default, the cache directory is the Java
system temporary directory of the workstation, but you can specify a different cache
directory using the PortalViewer_Cache property. Typically, the cache directory is
set to a local directory, but it can be set to a shared directory (for example, an NFS
mounted directory) so that multiple users can share the same set of cached JT files.

Opening the structure

You can view a structure if a DirectModel dataset is attached to the associated item
revision by choosing View→Show/Hide Data Panel and clicking the Graphics tab.
Alternatively, you can click the Show/Hide Data Panel button on the toolbar.
The selected lines in the structure tree are now shown with a check box on the left of
the node. These check boxes allow you to control the lines that are displayed in the
viewer. By default, they are all unchecked. To modify the view, you can:
• Select the check box for the top-level line in the structure to load the graphics for
every line in the structure, that is, view the entire structure.

• Select the check boxes only on those lines for which you want to load the
graphics, that is, view a selected part of the structure.

• Select the check box on the line for a piece part to view only the part.

• Select the check box on a line representing an assembly to load the graphics
and view the assembly.

• Clear the check boxes to blank the graphics to hide the entire structure.
Note If you applied a variant rule to the structure and unconfigured components
are hidden, the graphics for the unconfigured lines are not loaded when you
select the check box for the top-level item or an assembly.

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When you edit the structure in the tree (for example, adding, removing, or
substituting a part or assembly), the view is updated to reflect the changes. When
you remove, replace, or substitute a part or assembly, Teamcenter unloads the
selected item from the viewer if it is loaded. When you add a part or assembly to the
structure, Teamcenter does not automatically display the selected item in the viewer,
but adds to the structure tree, allowing you to load it manually.
If a part occurrence has more than one design representation associated with it, the
primary published design is shown in the viewer.

Refresh the embedded viewer

You can refresh the viewer when the active 3D dataset or BOM line is modified
outside the rich client in an external application such as NX.
• To refresh a part or a subassembly, right-click the appropriate line and choose
Refresh.
If the current view is exploded, Teamcenter displays a confirmation dialog box,
allowing you to save changes. Otherwise, it updates the scene to reflect changed
parts, properties and referenced objects.
Note Only the selected line is refreshed, not the entire assembly.

• To refresh the geometry associated with the entire structure tree, choose
View→Refresh Window.
If the current view is exploded, Teamcenter displays a confirmation dialog box,
allowing you to save changes. Otherwise, it updates the scene to reflect changed
parts, properties and referenced objects.

Understanding the structure tree

When you open the structure in the embedded viewer, the structure tree contains
different symbols and information to that available when you select other tabs.
These symbols show the state of a node, as follows:

Symbol Indicates
The part or assembly is fully loaded and visible.
The part or assembly is loaded but not visible.
The part or assembly is not loaded.
Some parts are loaded and visible (assembly
only).
The assembly is loaded and some parts are
visible (assembly only).
No geometry is associated with the part.
New. This symbol may appear when you compare
the current assembly with an assembly that you
saved in a session file.

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Symbol Indicates
Deleted. This symbol may appear when you
compare the current assembly with an assembly
that you saved in a session file.

Select the check boxes next to the components in the tree that you want to display. If
you select the root item, the entire structure is displayed, for example:

Synchronizing the structure tree and the viewer

The viewer is synchronized to the structure tree, allowing you to visually associate
the geometry for a part or assembly with its location in the structure.
When the graphics are loaded, you can click an object in the viewer and Teamcenter
highlights the corresponding part or assembly in the structure tree. Similarly, you
can click a line in the structure tree and Teamcenter highlights the corresponding
part in the viewer.
Note You can use the Fly To Selected command on the shortcut menu in the
viewer to help locate a part. For example, if you highlight a line in the
structure tree, but cannot see the corresponding part in the viewer, choose
Fly To Selected and the viewer changes its scale and orientation so that the
selected part is prominent in the graphics window.

When you open 3D model files, two types of information are available: a textual
representation of the model assembly and a visual representation of the geometry.
The assembly structure appears in the tree and the geometry appears in the viewer.
When you open a DirectModel (JT) assembly file that consists of more than one
part, the model assembly is loaded, but the geometry is not automatically displayed
in the viewer. This is because assemblies often consist of hundreds or even thousands
of parts, and it often takes a long time to load the geometry of such complex models.
Because only the assembly is initially displayed, you can turn on only the parts you
want to view, and preserve system resources. When you open a model that contains
a single part, the part is loaded and displayed immediately.

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Isolate parts for viewing

You can remove unwanted parts from the viewer, isolating the part of interest:
1. Select one or more the parts you want to see in the viewer and deselect unwanted
parts.

2. Choose Graphics→Visibility→View Selected and Teamcenter blanks all

unwanted visible parts and shows only the selected parts. Alternatively, you can
right-click required parts in the viewer and choose View Selected.

Generate an outline image

You can generate an outline image of a 3D object in the viewer, as follows:
1. Click the Capture 2D Image button on the viewer toolbar and Teamcenter
displays the Image Capture dialog box.

2. In the Image Capture dialog box, select the type of 2D image file you want to
generate and click Apply or OK. Teamcenter calculates the 2D outline image and
an outline progress meter displays the current status during this process.
To create a hidden line image, select the Outline type from the File Type list,
enter a name for the dataset under which the outline image is stored, and
optionally enter an description of the dataset.

3. On completion, Teamcenter attaches the 2D outline image in a CGM (Computer

Graphics Metafile) file to a DirectModelMarkup dataset and places it in the
NewStuff folder. You can then view and mark up this dataset in My Teamcenter.
To view the 2D markup, you must first create a markup dataset on top of the 2D
image by clicking the Open File button on the toolbar.

Set outline preferences

You can set the various parameters Teamcenter uses to calculate the 2D outline
(hidden line) image:
1. Click the Capture 2D Image button on the viewer toolbar and Teamcenter
displays the Image Capture dialog box.

2. In the Image Capture dialog box, click the HLR Prefs button and Teamcenter
displays Outline Capture Preferences dialog box. This button is disabled unless
the file type is set to Outline.

3. In the Outline Capture Preferences dialog box, set the commands as listed in
the following table.

Menu command Description

Remove Hidden Lines If this command is selected, only the edges that
are visible in the front of the model are displayed
in the CGM image file. If this command is not
selected, all lines are displayed.

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Menu command Description

Preserve Colors If this command is selected, the lines in the CGM
image have the same colors as their associated
parts. If this command is not selected, the lines
are displayed with the default 2D background color
and line properties.
Line Thickness Enter an integer value between 0 and 5 for the
thickness of the outline; the larger the number, the
thicker the lines.
Include Lines for Select this command to draw rounded edges. If this
Rounded Edges command is not selected, the only lines drawn are
silhouette lines, horizon lines, and feature lines as
defined by the feature angle.
Feature Angle Enter a value between 0 and 180.
If the angle between the normals of two adjacent
surfaces equals or exceeds the specified feature
angle, the two surfaces are considered separate
features and the edge between them is drawn. If
the angle between the normals of two adjacent
surfaces is less than the specified feature angle,
the two surfaces are considered one feature and
the edge between them is not drawn.
To draw more edges, decrease the feature angle.

Manipulate graphics
Lifecycle Visualization provides a set of graphical manipulation tools that allow
you to repositioning parts or assemblies in the structure, including translation,
rotation and scaling.
You can perform two types of repositioning:

• Generate an exploded view for use in technical illustrations. You cannot

save the exploded view, but you can create an image capture of it. Choose
Graphics→Transformation→Temporary Transformation to generate an
exploded view.

• Edit the structure to modify the physical location of a part or assembly

in an owning structure. Choose Graphics→Transformation→Persistent
Transformation to modify the location.
Note If there are arrangements in the structure, by default
persistent transformations are applied to all of them. To limit
persistent transformations to the active arrangement, set the
TCVIS_reposition_all_arrangements preference to False.

The differences between creating an exploded view and editing the structure are
listed in the following table.

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When you create an

Functionality exploded view When you perform a structure edit
Permanence All changes Changes are permanent.
are temporary.
Teamcenter removes
the modifications when
you close the window.
Repositioning All options are All options are all permitted except
options permitted. scaling of a physical part.
Occurrences Occurrences are not Occurrences are repositioned, potentially
repositioning repositioned. updating multiple BOM lines.

The Temporary Transformation and Permanent Transformation dialog boxes provide

the same options and commands as the Lifecycle Viewer Part Transformation dialog
box. For more information about using the Part Transformation dialog box, see
Working with 3D Models.

Save the current session

You can save the current state of the viewer in a session file that you can reopen at a
later time to resume your work. The session file contains:
• The top-level item revision in the structure window.

• The effective revision rules.

• The visibility state of individual parts or assemblies.

• New locations of parts moved when creating an exploded view.

• The current 3D viewing orientation and scale.

To save a session file, choose File→Save Session. Teamcenter displays the Save
Session dialog box. You can specify the name and location of the new session file.
Session files are stored in the file system with an extension of .pses.
Note By default, you cannot save a session file. To enable saving of sessions, set
the enableSessionFile entry in your customer.properties file to true. If
this file does not already exist, you should create it.

To open a saved session file, choose File→Open Session. Teamcenter displays the
Open Session dialog box and an MRU (most recently used) list. Enter the name
of the session file to open and Teamcenter displays the structure in a new viewer
window that is configured in the same way as when the session file was originally
saved.

Working with product views

You can save data in the assembly viewer, including current items, zoom factor,
rotation angle, and pan displacements. You can retrieve a saved product view

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(sometimes called a 3D snapshot or snapshot view) during a subsequent session

or share it with other users. You can only save or retrieve product views when a
base view structure is displayed in the viewer. You cannot create product views of
occurrence groups.
You can create product views that contain one or more of the following:
• Collaboration contexts

• Structure contexts

• Configuration contexts

• Item revisions (structure lines)

• 2D and 3D NX CAD and Lifecycle Visualization files

• Motion (VFM) files

• Published documents, including work instructions

Each product view is stored in a dataset containing a thumbnail image file, a PLM
XML session file, 3D markup layers, and the top-level item of the view.
You can configure the structure with revision rules, effectivity, variant rules, and
similar techniques. If appropriate, you can use several Show Unconfigured menu
commands to hide unconfigured objects in the structure and in the viewer. When
product views are captured, these view selections are taken into account; otherwise,
potentially unbuildable combinations of parts may be displayed when the view is
restored. You can retrieve the original state of the menu commands and consequently
the original state of the view.
For more information about working with unconfigured objects in product views, see
Manage unconfigured data in a product view.
If the product view is attached to a structure and the structure is cloned, the product
view functions correctly in the new (clone) structure. Likewise, product views may
be attached to a structure that is shared with Multi-Site Collaboration.
You can also update product views in the Lifecycle Viewer or stand-alone Lifecycle
Visualization. You send a dynamic product view to one of these applications, and then
create a new product view or update and replace the existing one. When you send the
updated product view back to Teamcenter, you can open it in the assembly viewer.
Your Teamcenter administrator sets the size and presentation of the product
views with system properties and preferences, as described in the Preferences and
Environment Variables Reference.
Note In Teamcenter 8.0, the file format of 3D product views changed. If you open
a file that was created in an earlier Teamcenter version, it is automatically
converted to the new format.

Create and save a product view

1. Adjust the content of the viewer window using the pan, rotate, eyeball, and zoom
buttons to create the necessary scene.

2. Select an object in the structure base view window.

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3. If necessary, right-click in the viewer menu bar and choose Create Markup.
Teamcenter displays the Create Markup toolbar.

4. Click the Create 3D Product Views button on the Create Markup toolbar in
the assembly viewer.
Teamcenter displays the Product View Gallery dialog box, which contains
thumbnails of any previously saved product views that are associated with the
selected object.

5. Do one of the following:

• Click the New Product View button .

• Right-click in the window and choose Create New Product View.

You are prompted to enter a name for the product view if the
Vis_PV_Show_Name_Dialog preference is set to True. If it set to False,
Teamcenter generates a name automatically.
Teamcenter saves the product view and its configuration in a dataset. It also
adds a thumbnail of the view to the Product Views dialog box.
Note Thumbnails of all product views are not visible at all times, only for
those items related to the selected end item (the top entry in the
structure window).

Configure and manage product views

1. Choose Options®Visualization®Product View.
Teamcenter displays the Product View Creation Preferences pane.

2. Set the following preferences as required:

Preference Description
Geometry Asset Determines whether a geometry asset file is
added when a product view is created. This
file is required if you want to export a PLM
XML file of the product view. This option is
equivalent to the Vis_PV_Geometry_Asset
preference.
Show Product View name If selected, you are prompted for a name
dialog each time you create a product view. If not
selected, Teamcenter generates the name
automatically. This option is equivalent to the
Vis_PV_Show_Name_Dialog preference.
View Toggle Warning Level If selected, Teamcenter displays a warning
or prevents you from continuing if you try to
create a product view when one or more of the
View menu commands to show unconfigured
data is selected. This option is equivalent
to the Vis_PV_InvalidConfigWarnLevel
preference.

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Preference Description
View Toggles to consider Select the View menu commands to show
unconfigured data that are considered if
the View Toggle Warning Level option is
selected. This option is equivalent to the
VisPVBlockingViewToggles preference.
Image Capture Determines if Teamcenter saves a preview
image of the 3D product view when it
is created. If you choose Perform Image
Capture (Using Image Export Dialog), you are
prompted for the settings to use. If you choose,
Perform Image Capture (with preferences),
it uses values set in preferences. This option
is equivalent to the Vis_PV_ImageCapture
preference.
Image Format Depending on the setting of the Image Capture
option, these options may determine the file
Image Resolution format, resolution, and size of the preview
Width of image image. If Perform Image Capture (Using
Image Export Dialog) is set, these options
Height of image are disabled. These options are equivalent
to the Vis_PV_ImageCaptureType,
Vis_PV_ImageCaptureResolution,
Vis_PV_ImageCaptureWidth, and
Vis_PV_ImageCaptureHeight preferences,
respectively.
Thumbnail: Determine the size and resolution of
the thumbnail image created for each
Width product view. These options are equivalent
Height to the Vis_PV_ThumbnailWidth,
Vis_PV_ThumbnailHeight, and
Quality Vis_PV_ThumbnailQuality preferences,
respectively.
Play motion in current view If selected, any motion (VFM) file in the
current product view plays when the view
is selected. This option is equivalent to the
Vis_PV_Play_Motion preference.
Configuration rule to use Offers you two choices:
• Use configuration from the current BOM
ignores stored rules and preserves the
configuration that was active before you
applied the product view.

• Use configuration from product view

considers any arrangements, effectivity,
variant rules, and revision rules stored
with the product view when you apply it.

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Preference Description

This option is equivalent to the

Vis_PV_HowTo_Configure_BOM
preference.

Note Your administrator may configure these preferences with SITE or

GROUP protection scope, rather than USER protection scope. If so, you
may be able to view but not change the current settings.

3. Right-click a selected product view thumbnail in the Product View Gallery

dialog box.
Teamcenter displays a shortcut menu.
Note You can identify the currently selected product view by the green border
(if checked out) or red border (if not checked out) around its thumbnail.

4. Choose one of the following.

Command Description
New Tab Creates a new tab for the element currently
selected in the structure. This tab is
unavailable if no element is selected in the
structure base view window.
Refresh Tab Refreshes the currently selected tab in the
product view gallery to reflect structure
configuration changes.
Remove Tab Removes the current tab from the dialog box.
Refresh All Tabs Refreshes all the tabs in the product view
gallery to reflect structure configuration
changes.
Remove All Tabs Removes all tabs from the dialog box.
Add Creates a new product view from the current
contents of the viewer.
Apply Applies the configuration of the selected
product view to the viewer.
Delete Deletes the selected product view.

Update Refreshes the stored product view with

changes made in the viewer. This command is
enabled only if you check out the product view.
For more information, see Check out product
view dataset.

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Command Description
Rename Displays a dialog box that allows you to change
the name and description of the selected
product view. A product view name appears
below each button; the description appears
when the cursor is placed over the button.
If you rename a product view, the order in
which thumbnails are displayed in the Product
View Gallery dialog box changes. Teamcenter
generates the default name of a view from the
date and time it was initially created. It lists
available views in alphanumeric order. You
can choose an appropriate new name to move
the view up or down the list.
Enable Multiple Selection Allows you to select more than one product
view.
Options Displays the Product View Creation
Preferences pane.

Note If you right-click any part of the Product View Gallery dialog box (except
one of the buttons) and no product view is selected, the menu commands
to apply, update, rename, and delete the product view are unavailable.

Previewing product views

By default, Teamcenter provides a small 2D thumbnail image of the captured scene
in the product views gallery. Optionally, you can create a high-quality 2D image that
replaces the thumbnail and provides a higher resolution preview of the scene. The
size, resolution, and format of the image file are defined in the following preferences.
• Vis_PV_ImageCaptureWidth
Defines the width, in pixels, of the preview image created when you save a product
view. Teamcenter only uses this preference if the Vis_PV_ImageCapture
preference is set to CaptureUsingPrefs. The valid values are positive integers
from 1 to 1040, with a default value of 600.

• Vis_PV_ImageCaptureHeight
Defines the height, in pixels, of the preview image created when you
save a product view. Teamcenter only uses this preference if the
Vis_PV_ImageCapture preference is set to CaptureUsingPrefs. The valid
values are positive integers from 1 to 1040, with a default value of 400.

• Vis_PV_ImageCaptureType
Defines the format of the preview image created when you save a product view.
Teamcenter only uses this preference if the Vis_PV_ImageCapture preference
is set to CaptureUsingPrefs. Valid values are BMP 24bit, BMP 8bit, BMP
BW, JPEG 24bit (default), PNG 24bit, PNG 8bit, PNG BW, TIFF 24bit,
TIFF 8bit, and TIFF BW.

• Vis_PV_ImageCaptureResolution

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Defines the resolution of the preview image created when you save a product
view. Teamcenter only uses this preference if the Vis_PV_ImageCapture
preference is set to CaptureUsingPrefs. The valid values are positive integers
from 1 (lowest resolution) to 1040 (highest resolution), with a default value of
250.
Note The width and height you specify must be the same as the source image,
or you can increase or decrease both values by the same proportion.
Teamcenter always preserves the aspect ratio of the graphics window to
prevent distortion. Consequently, the resulting image dimensions may not
exactly match the height and width values set in the properties file.

You can create high-quality images in any of the following file formats and
resolutions:
• BMP 24-bit, 8-bit, or black and white

• JPEG 24-bit

• PNG 24-bit, 8-bit, or black and white

• TIFF 24-bit, 8-bit, or black and white

A high-resolution preview image can be captured automatically or manually, as

follows:
• If the Vis_PV_ImageCapture preference is set to CaptureUsingPrefs, a
high-quality 2D image is created automatically each time a product view is
created or updated. The size and resolution of the image is derived from the
preferences listed previously.

• If the Vis_PV_ImageCapture preference is set to CaptureUsingDialog,

Teamcenter prompts you to create a high-quality 2D image each time you create
or update a product view.
For more information, see Create product view preview manually.

If the Vis_PV_ImageCapture preference is set to NoImageCapture, no

high-quality images are created, and the thumbnail image is used in the gallery.
The preview image is stored in the snapshot dataset as a named reference.
When you update an existing product view, the old image is deleted. Depending
on the setting of the Vis_PV_ImageCapture preference, it may be replaced by
a new image.

Create product view preview manually

Note The menu commands described in this procedure are available only if the
Image Capture option is set to Perform Image Capture (using Image Export
dialog). If you do not select this option, you cannot manually adjust the size,
resolution and file format each time you create or update a product view.

1. Right-click a product view or the Product View Gallery tab and select Image
Capture.

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Teamcenter enables the capture of 2D images, as indicated by a check mark

next to the menu command.

2. Create or modify the product view.

For more information, see Create and save a product view.
If you selected Perform Image Capture (using Image Export dialog) previously,
Teamcenter displays the Image Export dialog box.

3. Change the size and file format of the image if necessary, then click OK.
Teamcenter creates the product view using the parameters you entered.

Manage unconfigured data in a product view

You can use several menu commands to show or hide unconfigured objects in the
structure and in the viewer, as follows:
• Show Unconfigured Variants

• Show Unconfigured By Occurrence Effectivity

• Show Unconfigured Changes

• Show GCS Connection Points

• Show Suppressed Occurrences

When product views are captured and restored, these view selections are preserved;
otherwise, potentially unbuildable combinations of parts may be displayed when the
view is restored. If you choose to update the configuration from the product view
when you reopen it, the saved view selections are retrieved; if you choose to use the
current configuration, the saved view selections are ignored.
The administrator can set the following preferences to determine how the system
creates a product view when unconfigured objects are shown:
• Vis_PV_InvalidConfigWarnLevel
If set to Warning, Teamcenter displays a warning message if any of the options
specified in the Vis_PV_BlockingViewToggles preference are on, but you can
still create or update a product view. If set to Prevent, Teamcenter prevents
you creating or updating a product view if any of the view configuration options
specified in the Vis_PV_BlockingViewToggles preference are on. If set to
Off, the state of the menu commands does not affect whether product views
are created or updated.
You can also set this preference with the Product View Creation
Preferences®View Toggle Warning Level option.

• Vis_PV_BlockingViewToggles
Specifies the view states that are evaluated when the
Vis_PV_InvalidConfigWarnLevel preference is set to show a warning or
prevent the creation of a product view.
You can also set this preference with the Product View Creation
Preferences®View Toggles to consider option.

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Chapter 7 Visualizing product structure

To evaluate the configuration of an existing product view:

• Right-click a product view in the Product View Gallery and choose Show
Configuration.
Teamcenter displays a dialog box that shows the assembly configuration when
the product view was created. The name of the product view is shown in the title
bar of the dialog box. The dialog box also lists any Show Unconfigured menu
commands that were active at the time the product view was created.

Retrieve and open an existing product view

• Open the product view in Teamcenter:
1. Select an object in the structure base view window and open the assembly
viewer.

2. Click the Create 3D Product Views button on the viewer toolbar.

Teamcenter displays the Product View Gallery dialog box containing
thumbnails of available product views of the selected structure. Only product
datasets associated with the currently selected end item are visible.

3. Right-click below the image area in the Product View Gallery dialog box and
select the configuration that you want to use for the product view.

Command Description
Options→Configuration rule Applies the product structure configuration
to use→Use configuration that is currently set to the product view
from Current BOM that you are loading.
Options→Configuration rule Adopts the configuration that was set at
to use→Use configuration the time the product view being loaded was
from product view created.

4. Do one of the following:

o Select the thumbnail of the product view you want to open and click
Apply.
Teamcenter opens the product view and retrieves the saved configuration
for the structure window and viewer. You can then click Cancel to close
the dialog box without opening the product view.

o Select the thumbnail of the product view you want to open and click OK.
Teamcenter opens the product view as before and closes the dialog box
immediately.

5. If the product view contains a motion file, replay it by right-clicking the

product view and choosing Load Motion File(s). If Play motion in current
view is selected, the motion file is played against the current structure;
otherwise, it is played against the original structure.

• Open the product view in stand-alone Teamcenter lifecycle visualization:

1. Select one or more product view datasets in the Attachments tab.

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 Visualizing product structure

2. Click the Send to Lifecycle Visualization button.

Checking product views in and out

After you create a product view (3D snapshot), you can check it into the Teamcenter
database to make it available to other users. To refresh or delete an existing
product view, you must first check it out to prevent other users from inadvertently
overwriting your changes.
You can identify a checked out product view by a green frame around the thumbnail
image in the Product View Gallery dialog box. Similarly, you can identify a checked
in product view by a red frame around the thumbnail.

Check out product view dataset

• Select a product view and choose Tools→Check-In/Out→Check-Out.
Teamcenter applies a checkout lock to the dataset, allowing you to refresh or
delete the product view. Other users cannot refresh or delete the product view
while you have checked it out.
Note If you close the Product View Gallery dialog box while you still have datasets
checked out, Teamcenter displays a request for confirmation that you want
to continue. If you do, all active checkout locks are cancelled.
The Check-Out command is enabled only if you select a product view that
is not checked out by another user.

Check in product view dataset

• Select the product view you checked out and choose
Tools→Check-In/Out→Check-In.
Teamcenter removes the checkout lock from the dataset, allowing other users
to update or delete the product view.

Cancel checkout of product view dataset

• Select the checked out product view and choose Tools→Check-In/Out→Cancel
Check-Out.
Teamcenter removes the checkout lock from the dataset, allowing other users
to update or delete the product view.

Refresh a product view

You can refresh a saved product view of the current structure at any time with
changes you make during the current session in one of the following ways:
• Right-click the product view gallery and choose Refresh Tab to update the 3D
snapshot in the selected tab to reflect any structure configuration changes.

• Right-click the product view gallery and choose Refresh All Tabs to update the
3D snapshots in all tabs to reflect any structure configuration changes.

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Chapter 7 Visualizing product structure

• Right-click the product view and click the refresh product view button, which is
the center graphical button in the middle row of buttons.

• Right-click the product view and choose Apply.

Note The Apply command and refresh button are only enabled if you check out
the product view, as described in Check out product view dataset.

Send a product view to an external viewer

• Select one or more product views in the structure tree and choose File→Open in
TcVis or right-click and choose Send to→Lifecycle Viewer.
The selected viewer opens the product view with a configured structure. If you
already have a 3D document active, Teamcenter allows you to open your product
view or merge it into the active document, if the formats are compatible.
Note This method is not available if an incremental change is applied to the
structure.

Note You can also select multiple product views in the product view gallery and
send them to the Lifecycle Viewer or stand-alone Lifecycle Visualization.
The product views open one at a time and any configuration of the original
structure is retained.

Delete a product view

1. Click the floppy disk button on the Viewer toolbar.
Teamcenter displays the Product Views dialog box.

2. Select the thumbnail of the product view you want to delete and click the delete
product view button, which is the right graphical button in the middle row of
buttons. Alternatively, you can right-click in the window and choose Delete.
Teamcenter deletes the product view and its associated dataset.

Manipulating subcomponents
An assembly imported into Teamcenter as a single part file without CAD models
may represent an assembly of individual solid objects. Teamcenter treats such an
assembly as a single line in the structure and, by default, you cannot expand it to
visualize the individual components. For example, if you import an assembly from a
non-NX CAD system, Teamcenter creates a single part file without the associated
CAD model within the structure.
Note In this instance, parts files are not necessarily devoid of CAD models and
structure. They may have NX or other CAD application models. However,
these files may have more than one solid or subcomponent within them. A
typical part file only has one subcomponent or solid in it.

To view the individual visualization components, you must specifically select the
affected and unpacked structure line and choose Show Subcomponents. You can
subsequently hide the subcomponents when you have viewed the assembly.

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 Visualizing product structure

If the assembly node has a monolithic DirectModel dataset associated with it

and the JT_File_OverrideChildren_Refsets preference is set appropriately,
Teamcenter uses the monolithic JT file to display the assembly. Assemblies
with monolithic JT files have a present symbol in the tree. If you use Show
Subcomponents to expand the structure in the monolithic JT file, you can
manipulate the individual subcomponents, control their visibility, and create product
views capturing the current state.

View subcomponents in an assembly

1. In the structure, select the BOM line node containing an assembly of solids.
The part file can be a root node or subassembly node. If it is a subassembly node,
the JT_File_OverrideChildren_Refsets preference must be set appropriately.
You can also select and expand nodes containing multiple part files.

2. Do one of the following:

• Choose Graphics®Show Subcomponents.

• Right-click the node and choose Show Subcomponents.

Teamcenter expands the part file to show the structure of the subcomponents.
You can display selected subcomponents in the viewer by selecting the
corresponding check boxes.

Display selected subcomponent in expanded part file

1. Unpack and select the leaf line node for the relevant subcomponent. You can
select more than one node.

2. Do one of the following:

• Choose Graphics®Show Subcomponents.

• Right-click and choose Show Subcomponents.

Teamcenter expands the node. If the node has a monolithic JT file, you can see
the structure of the subcomponents.
Check boxes appear in the tree for each node.

3. Select or clear the check boxes in the tree to show or hide the subcomponents
in the viewer.
You can control the solids independently, select them in the viewer or the
structure tree, and use transformation tools to reposition them.
After breaking down the solids, you cannot reload the monolithic JT file for
the line node.

Merge subcomponents
After manipulating the individual subcomponents, you can merge them back into
the subassembly.

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Chapter 7 Visualizing product structure

1. In the structure, select the leaf node or assembly node part file.
You can select multiple nodes.

2. Do one of the following:

• Choose Graphics®Hide Subcomponents.

• Right-click and choose Hide Subcomponents.

Teamcenter unifies the subcomponents within the parent part and removes the
tree from the structure. The subassembly behaves like a single part in the viewer.

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Chapter

8 Making where-used searches

Making where-used searches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1

Configuring for where-used searches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1

Perform a where-used search and obtain a graphical result . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-4

Perform a where-used search with the print wizard and obtain a printable
result . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ........ . . 8-5
Open HTML files in a Web browser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ........ . . 8-6
Print a text or HTML file . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ........ . . 8-6
Save output to an HTML or text file . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ........ . . 8-7

PLM00048 J Structure Manager Guide

Chapter

8 Making where-used searches

Making where-used searches

Where-used searches allow you to identify all the item revisions that use another
item revision of interest. For example, you can search for all assemblies that
contain a particular item or item revision. You can do this to assess the impact of
engineering changes to the product structure or to check if changes in one assembly
affect other assemblies. If you use Teamcenter product master management, the
results show all lines of usage that a part references.
Note You can perform where-used searches on configured precise or imprecise
structures.
Where-used searches do not identify any BOM view revisions (BVRs) where
the item or item revision occurs.

There are two methods of performing where-used searches. The first method
produces a graphical representation of the assembly or assemblies in which the item
or item revision is used. The second method uses the Referencers print wizard and
produces a report of the where-used results.
The results of where-used searches can be viewed in the Referencers pane. If the
ReferencersPane_Shown preference is set to off, this pane is hidden.

Configuring for where-used searches

A where-used search can take into account the revision rule when searching the
product structures and you can choose one of the following outputs:
• All revisions
Reports all item revisions that have an occurrence of the target item revision.
This search result displays all combinations of usage that can possibly occur;
when a particular set of revision rules is applied, not all paths may be realized.

• Only the revision configured by a selected revision rule.

Reports all item revisions that have an occurrence of the target item revision
when the selected revision rule is applied.

Use the REV_RULE_WHERE_USED_DEFAULT_VALUE preference to set the

default revision rule for where-used searches. This preference is not available by
default, and you must create it. Teamcenter populates the Impact Analysis pane
with this revision rule.

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Chapter 8 Making where-used searches

By default, the search results include all parent item revision objects, regardless of
whether they are themselves configured by the revision rule. With this setting, you
can (for example) make a where-used query on Part1–A to identify every occurrence
where Part1 is used with A as its configured revision. You obtain the same results
whether you query one level at a time or all levels simultaneously, including with
mixed precise and imprecise structures.
With precise or mixed structures that have a large number of item revisions, the
standard mode may return many results that can be difficult to interpret. In this
case, you can configure the results to omit parent item revision objects that are
not themselves configured by the revision rule. That is, this mode reports all
intermediate items or item revisions that configure the target.
Note This alternative mode is an enhancement of the behavior in Teamcenter
Engineering 9.1 and earlier releases. It is no longer necessary to expand all
levels to obtain a valid result.

To configure this alternative mode, set the PS_wu_configd_imprecise_only

preference to true. This preference has no effect if the selected revision rule contains
any precise entries.
To appreciate the differing results obtained by these modes, consider the following
structure and the results of a where-used search on item 100–A. With the preference
set to false, item 500–A is reported in the search results; if it set to true, the same
item is not reported because it is not configured by a precise rule.

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 Making where-used searches

Where-used search results

PLM00048 J Structure Manager Guide 8-3

Chapter 8 Making where-used searches

Perform a where-used search and obtain a graphical result

1. Choose View→Show/Hide Data Panel or click the Show/Hide Data Panel button
on the toolbar to display the data pane.

2. Click the Referencers tab.

3. Select an item or item revision in the tree or properties table, and drag or copy
and paste it to the Referencers pane.

4. Set the following search parameters in the Referencers pane:

• Select Used in the Where option list, located in the upper-left of the pane.

• Select a rule from the Where-Used Rule list. This rule provides parameters
to locate the assemblies in which the item or item revision is used. For
example, if you select the Any Status; Working rule, only the latest
released revision of the assembly is retrieved if one exists; if not, the latest
working revision is retrieved.
If you modify the current revision rule in Structure Manager, you can also
select the modified rule as the basis of the search. To do this, select From
Structure Manager from the Where-Used Rule list.
Note In the Referencers pane in Structure Manager, the rule defaults to
the current revision rule in the Structure Manager window.

• Choose one of the following options in the Depth list located in the
bottom-right corner of the pane:
o One Level to report immediate parent assemblies only

o All Levels to report all parent assemblies up to the top level

o Top Level to report the top-level assembly or product only

5. Double-click the item or item revision in the Referencers pane to start the
search.
If the item or item revision is not part of an assembly that matches the selected
revision rule, Teamcenter displays a message to that effect. If the item or item
revision is part of a configured assembly, the structure is displayed in graphical
format in the Referencers pane. The results can be used as a basis for another
where-used or where-referenced search or they can be formatted and printed.
You can change the item revision properties that are shown in the results by
selecting the required properties from the Display list. Teamcenter remembers
your selection for future sessions.
You can also filter the results to show only selected item types. To do this, select
the Filter by Item Type check box and select the required item type and filter
level from the lists. You can also select the Include Subtypes check box to
include both item revisions whose item is of the specified type and any subtype of
that type. You can further refine the selection by showing the results only for the
top level of the structure or for all levels below the selected top level. To rerun
the where-used search with changed criteria, double-click the target node.

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 Making where-used searches

Perform a where-used search with the print wizard and obtain a

printable result
1. Choose View→Show/Hide Data Panel or click the Show/Hide Data Panel button
on the toolbar to display the data pane.

2. Click the Referencers tab.

3. Select an item or item revision in the tree or properties table, and drag or copy
and paste it to the Referencers pane.

4. Click the Report Wizard button on the toolbar.

Teamcenter displays the Referencers print wizard.

5. (Wizard step 1) Select the Where-Used option to generate a where-used report

and click Next.

6. (Wizard step 2) Select one of the following Depth options and click Next:
• One Level to report immediate parent assemblies only

• All Levels to report all parent assemblies up to the top level

• Top Level to report the top-level assembly or product only

7. (Wizard step 3) Select a Where-Used Rule revision rule and click Next. This rule
provides parameters to locate the assemblies in which the item or item revision
is used. For example, if you select the Latest Working rule, only the latest
working revision of the assembly is retrieved. Released assemblies and earlier
versions of the assembly is not retrieved when this rule is selected.
If you modify the current revision rule in Structure Manager, you can also select
the modified rule as the basis of the search. To do this, select From Structure
Manager from the Where-Used Rule list.

8. (Wizard step 4) Select the item or item revision properties to include in the
report and click Next.
Note The preselected properties are those used when you last ran the wizard.
You can change them as necessary.

9. (Wizard step 5) Select an item type to filter the search results by and click Next.
You can also select the required filter level, either Top Level Only or All Levels.
Teamcenter displays the item or item revision and selected revision rule that
will be the basis of the search, together with report generation options.

10. Confirm that the required items, item revisions and revision rule are shown
correctly, then choose one of the following report generation options:
• Generate the HTML/Text report
Presents the where-used results in HTML format in the Print dialog box.
From this dialog box, you can format the report and either print it or save it
to a file.

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Chapter 8 Making where-used searches

• Generate the structure report

Presents the where-used results in tree format.

11. Click the Yes button.

Teamcenter runs the where-used search and displays the results. At this point,
you can format, save, and print your report, as follows:

• Optionally, change the print format to Text or HTML Table. HTML is the
default print format; HTML table format allows easier interpretation of
large lists of property values.

• Optionally, format the report by performing the following steps:

a. Click the Set Result Format button in the upper-right corner of the
Print dialog box.
Teamcenter displays the Print Format dialog box. The formatting options
vary depending on the type of object selected and whether you are
printing in HTML, HTML table or text format.

b. Modify the result format.

c. Click Update to apply your changes.

d. Close the Print Format dialog box. Teamcenter activates the Print dialog
box.

• To save the file or send it to a printer, complete the process that is

appropriate to the file type and desired output format.

Open HTML files in a Web browser

1. Click the Open in Web Browser button.
The HTML file is displayed in your default Web browser.

2. Execute your browser’s print command.

3. Return to the Teamcenter window and click the Close button to dismiss the
dialog box.

Print a text or HTML file

1. Click the Print button located in the lower-right corner of the Print dialog box.
Teamcenter displays the system Print dialog box.

2. Define the printer to which the file will be sent. You can accept the default printer
that is displayed in the Name box or select a different printer from the list.

3. Click OK to print the file and dismiss the dialog box.

4. Click Close to dismiss the Print dialog box.

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 Making where-used searches

Save output to an HTML or text file

1. Click the Save button located in the lower-right corner of the Print dialog
box and the Save dialog box appears.
Teamcenter displays the system Save dialog box.

2. Navigate to the directory location where you want to save the file.

3. Enter the name of the file, including the .htm, .html, or .txt extension, in the
File name box.

4. Click Save to save the file and dismiss the dialog box.

5. Click Close to dismiss the Print dialog box.

PLM00048 J Structure Manager Guide 8-7

Chapter

9 Making spatial and attribute

searches

Making spatial and attribute searches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-1

Configuring spatial searches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2

Perform a search . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4

Enter search criteria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Enter Classification or family attributes search criteria . . . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Enter occurrence note search criteria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-7
Enter spatial filter search criteria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-7
Define a proximity filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-8
Define a spatial filter with a 3D box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-8
Use target parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-11
Filter search with form attributes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-12

Managing search results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-13

Manage search results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-13
Examples of managing search results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-13
Managing the search results panes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-14
Manipulate search results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-14
Limiting search results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-15

PLM00048 J Structure Manager Guide

Chapter

9 Making spatial and attribute

searches

Making spatial and attribute searches

You can search large products with spatial criteria or with a combination of spatial
and attribute criteria. Spatial searches are particularly useful for end items that
represent large products containing a large number of lines, allowing you to focus
quickly on a particular area or part of the product. For example, if you are designing
a ship, you may want to identify all pipes that pass through a selected compartment,
but not pipes that are routed around its perimeter.
It is not necessary to create caches of product structure data or to install a separate
database.
The spatial search can function with CAD data from two sources:
• NX
NX calculates the bounding box for a part and stores it in Teamcenter as a
UGPART-BBOX named reference in a UGMASTER dataset. It can also be
configured to create TruShape data for the part and store it as a Trushape-Data
named reference in the UGMASTER dataset.
The accuracy of the search depends on the cell size you configure in NX. A small
cell size provides more accurate search results, but the TruShape files are larger
and response times slower.

• Other CAD systems capable of saving JT files

Teamcenter uses the Dispatcher Server and JtToBboxAndTso translator to
create the necessary bounding box and TruShape data.
The accuracy of the search depends on the voxel size you configure in Teamcenter.
A small voxel size provides more accurate search results, but the TruShape files
are larger and response times slower.
Note The bounding box and TruShape data generated for a JT dataset are
ignored if an NX dataset exists for the same item revision.

You enter search criteria as numerical values by manually creating a bounding

box in the embedded viewer or by specifying minimum and maximum coordinates.
You can also construct a bounding box from selected target parts. Teamcenter
displays the results of the search as a list of matching items and item revisions. The
results include any object that has partial or complete geometry inside, outside,
or intersecting the box. Selecting an entry in the list highlights the item or item
revision in the structure tree pane and in the embedded viewer.

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Chapter 9 Making spatial and attribute searches

If the results contain packed lines, the relevant lines are unpacked and displayed.
The remaining lines remain packed and are shown as a pack master with a corrected
total of lines or with pruned siblings.
You can refine spatial searches with other attributes as follows:
• Scope
You can select an assembly as the scope of the search, rather than searching
the entire product.

• Item and item revision attributes

You can refine the search by including attributes of the item or item revision.
Typically, this is the item ID, but you can use any attributes stored on the item
master or revision master forms.

• Classification data
If the items are classified, you can refine the search with classification attributes.
This is called a classification ad hoc search. You can search through classified
data and find objects contained within a class you specify and containing
attribute values that you specify.

• Occurrence notes
You can refine the search with values for occurrence attributes (occurrence
notes).

• Attributes of forms
You can refine the search with the attributes of forms that are attached to an
item, item revision, or their subclasses.

You can save search criteria for future use, if you perform the same search frequently.
You can also create and save searches using the Query Builder application.

Configuring spatial searches

The following installation and configuration steps must be completed before you
can run spatial searches:
• Install the Spatial Search feature when you run Teamcenter Environment
Manager (TEM).
For more information, see the Teamcenter Environment Manager Help.

• If you have not already done so, install Dispatcher translation services with
Teamcenter Environment Manager (TEM), including the Spatial Search Indexer
and Spatial Search Translator features. If you are creating JT files on the same
system as Teamcenter is installed on, ensure you install these services before
creating JT files to search.

• Install a license key that includes an RDV (Context Management) license.

• To enable the cacheless search mechanism, set the QS_QSEARCH_ENABLED

preference to True. If you use appearance searches, set this preference to False.

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 Making spatial and attribute searches

• To enable spatial (box or proximity) searches, set the QS_SPATIAL_ENABLED

preference to True.

• To enable automatic updates of spatial indexes, set the

QSEARCH_update_enabled preference to True. If it is set to
False, you cannot make spatial searches.

• If you search against TruShape files that Teamcenter creates from CAD data,
you must also set the QS_TRUSHAPE_GENERATION_ENABLED preference
to True. This enables the generation of the TruShape data required for spatial
searches; the generation process may take an appreciable time when first
enabled. Set this preference to False if you use the Teamcenter Integration for
NX, as TruShape files are automatically saved in the NX datasets. (NX must
also be configured to save TruShape data.)

• If you search against existing JT files, you must also set the
QS_BBOX_GENERATION_ENABLED preference to True. This enables the
generation of the bounding box data required for spatial searches; the generation
process may take an appreciable time when first enabled. Set this preference
to False if you use the Teamcenter Integration for NX, as bounding boxes are
automatically generated. However, set this preference to True if you use non-NX
CAD integrations or several CAD tools.

• If you are upgrading from a previous release of Teamcenter, use the

create_or_update_bbox_and_tso utility to convert your existing data for
spatial searching. This utility creates bounding box and TruShape data from
CAD data files or JT files.

• To specify user-defined units for spatial searches, set the

RDV_user_defined_units_of_measure preference to METERS,
MILLIMETERS, INCHES, or UNKNOWN. If you specify UNKNOWN, the
search is performed in the units of the assy_units property set on the top level
BVR. If this property is not set, the search is performed in the units specified in
the PS_assume_legacy_transform_units preference.

• If you want to perform spatial searches from target part selections, set the
RDV_set_default_use_selections_from_tree to true to use selections from
the tree or false to use selections from the table.
For more information, see Use target parts.

• Set the RDV_set_default_3DBox_search preference to true to set the 3D box

search option as default or false to set the proximity search option as default.

• Set the RDV_set_default_3DBox_dimensions preference to set the default

option for 3D box dimensions, 0 for centroid and size, 1 for origin and size, or 2
for maximum and minimum extents.

• Set the RDV_set_default_true_shape_filtering_ON preference to true to

turn TruShape filtering on by default or false otherwise.

• Set the RDV_default_find_intersecting_parts preference to true to specify

whether parts intersecting with the 3D bounding box during a spatial search are
included in the results by default or false otherwise.

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Chapter 9 Making spatial and attribute searches

• Set the RDV_default_find_inside_parts preference to true to search parts

inside the 3D bounding box during a spatial search by default or false to search
parts outside.

• Set the StructureManagerIncludeSubComponentsForSpatialSearch

preference to determine if the components of subassemblies are considered as
targets. If it is set to true, all components of the selected subassembly are
included as targets of a proximity search, in addition to the subassembly itself.
If it is set to false, only the subassembly is the target of a proximity search, not
any of its components. Typically set to false if you want to search for parts
in the vicinity of geometry at the assembly level (for example, in the case of
wire harnesses).

• Set the RDV_show_targets_on_results_dialog preference to true to specify

if the target parts table is displayed in the results dialog box after a proximity
search or false otherwise.

• Set the RDV_show_targets_on_spatial_dialog preference to true to specify

if the target parts table is displayed in the spatial search dialog box after a
proximity search or false otherwise.

• Set the RDV_set_default_slider_increment preference to the default

increment of the slider, for example, 0.01.

• Set the RDV_set_default_3D_Manipulator_ON preference to true to have

3D manipulators on by default or false otherwise.
Note If you change the settings of any of these site preferences, you must restart
the server to clear cached data and restart the services.
For more information about configuring cacheless searches, see the Cacheless
Search Deployment Guide.
For more information about other spatial search preferences, see the
Preferences and Environment Variables Reference.

Perform a search
1. Open the product structure and select the top line against which you want to
search.

2. Click the Search button on the toolbar.

Teamcenter displays the Search pane directly below the structure tree.

3. If appropriate, click the Clear All button to reset any previously specified
criteria.

4. Use the Search pane to specify one or more of the following search criteria:
• Scope
You can search an assembly, rather than the entire product, to obtain results
more quickly. To set an assembly as the scope of the search, click the ...
button next to the Search Scope box and browse to the desired assembly.

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Teamcenter displays the name of the selected assembly in the Search Scope
box.

• Item identifier
Tip You can search for items whose identifiers, names, attributes or
types match a specific pattern. For example, you can type 57h* into
the Item ID box to find all items whose ID start with 57h. Select the
appropriate arithmetic function in the leftmost box to obtain the
desired results, for example, = to obtain an exact match.

• Classification family or attributes

For more information about specifying Classification search values, see Enter
Classification or family attributes search criteria.

• Occurrence notes
For more information about specifying occurrence note search values, see
Enter occurrence note search criteria.

• Spatial information using 3D boxes or proximity values.

For more information about specifying spatial search values, see Define a
spatial filter with a 3D box.

• Form attributes
For more information about specifying form attribute values, see Filter
search with form attributes.

To specify search criteria, click the ... button to the right of each box and enter
information in the resulting dialog box. All the criteria you enter are combined
so that you can, for example, search for all bolts whose name starts with bo and
are within 3 centimeters of another part.
For more information about entering specific search criteria, see Enter search
criteria.

5. Click the Search button on the pane to begin the search.

Teamcenter starts the search and loads the lines into the Search Results dialog
box in batches. It displays a progress bar indicating the number of structure
lines found as a percentage of the likely results. You can click the Pause button
to the right of the progress bar at any time to halt the search. Click the button
to the left of the progress bar to load all the results.
Select a line in the Search Results dialog box to highlight the corresponding item
or item revision in the structure tree and the embedded viewer. You can also click
Display or Display in New Window to view a selected item from the results list.

You can hide the Search pane when it is no longer needed by clicking the Search
button in the toolbar again.

Enter search criteria

You can enter one or more of the following search criteria:

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• Search scope

• Classification or family attributes

• Occurrence notes

• Proximity or 3D spatial filters

• Target parts

Enter Classification or family attributes search criteria

1. Click the ... button to the right of the Classification box.
Teamcenter displays the Classification dialog box.

2. Click to open the classification hierarchy.

3. Double-click a class name to select it from the tree.

Teamcenter adds a line to the table containing the name of the class you select.

4. Specify the system of measurement.

The systems available (metric, nonmetric, or both) depend on the system in
which the class is stored in the Classification Administration application.

5. In the Property Name column, click the cell containing the name of the class.
Teamcenter displays a list of all the attributes within the class.

6. Select the class and attribute with which you want to search.

7. Click the cell containing the = sign and select an operator.

8. In the Searching Value column, select the cell and type a value for the attribute
for which you want to search.

9. (Optional) Click to create an additional search parameter.

The lines of the table, each representing an individual search parameter, are
joined by the AND operator.

10. Click OK.

Teamcenter displays the classification search parameters in the General search
pane.

If you select a single Classification class, you can further refine the search criteria
to include specific attribute values. For example, if you select the Bolt class, you
can then:
1. Click the Bolt line in the Family Attributes dialog box to define classification
attribute criteria.

2. Click Add to specify additional attribute criteria. For example, you can set two
classification attribute criteria—thread=.25 and Lock_Wire=1.

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If your site has not configured Classification, you cannot search by classification
attributes criteria.

Enter occurrence note search criteria

• Click the ... button to the right of the Occurrence Notes box and you can search
for specific occurrence note values. Your administrator can define occurrence
notes and associate them with particular structure lines. You can use these
mapped occurrence notes as search criteria.
For example, a mapped occurrence note may contain an interior/exterior flag
that indicates if a given part is used on the interior or exterior of the product.
You could then search for all parts on the exterior of the product or, by refining
the search with other criteria, for all exterior brackets.
Similarly, a mapped occurrence note may contain a number that references an
illustration in a service manual that describes how to disassemble the part. You
can search for all parts illustrated in the appropriate section of the manual.

Enter spatial filter search criteria

1. Click the ... button to the right of the Spatial Filter box.
Teamcenter displays the Spatial Criteria dialog box, allowing you to define one of
two types of spatial filters and optional target parts.
Note The spatial filter option is disabled if Teamcenter is not configured for
cacheless searches or if the necessary NX or JT files are not available.

2. (Optional) Select the Use selections from table check box above the Target Parts
table if you want to search against specified target parts.
For more information about searching against target parts, see Use target parts.

3. Use the Proximity and 3D box radio buttons in the Spatial Criteria dialog box to
select a search type, and then click OK to save the selections.
• Proximity
Limits the search to parts within a specified proximity distance, for example,
all parts within 10 centimeters of part X.
For more information about specifying proximity search criteria, see Define a
proximity filter.

• 3D box
Allows you to define a three dimensional box in the embedded viewer and
search for parts completely inside, completely outside or intersecting the
box. Use the Spatial Criteria dialog box to define the coordinates and size of
the box.
For more information about specifying 3D box search criteria, see Define a
spatial filter with a 3D box.
Note If you are making appearance searches, you can only search inside
and intersecting the box when TruShape filtering is selected.

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Note You can use altreps (alternative representations) to define different physical
configurations or shapes of a flexible part such as a tube or hose. Spatial
searching takes into account an alternate geometric shape of a flexible
part by searching the dataset that corresponds to the altrep defined on the
occurrence object.

Define a proximity filter

1. In the Spatial Criteria dialog box, select the Proximity button.

2. (Optional) Select Valid overlays only and Teamcenter loads otherwise physically
mutually exclusive parts, filtering out those known to never coexist in any
possible variant combination with any one of the target parts. It determines the
minimum number of variant rules that cover all product variants in which the
target components can exist. This selection requires that classic variants are
configured at your site.

3. (Optional) Select True Shape filtering if you want to test items with intersecting
bounding boxes to identify if they have TruShape volumes that intersect
the TruShape volumes of the selected objects. Depending on the TruShape
parameters configured, Teamcenter displays the geometry of each object as
regular cubes (voxels) to provide a simplified representation of the actual shape.
TruShape searches return more accurate results but may take longer to complete.

4. Define a proximity value in the Distance box in the Spatial Criteria dialog box
and click OK.

Teamcenter limits the search to those parts within the defined proximity of the parts
selected in the viewer or structure tree. A part is considered within the proximity
if any portion of it is within the specified distance; the part may not be completely
within the specified distance.

Define a spatial filter with a 3D box

Note This procedure requires a mockup license for the viewer and is not available
with the base license.

1. In the Spatial Criteria dialog box, select the 3D box button.

Teamcenter displays a brown bounding box at a default location in the viewer.

2. (Optional) Select True Shape Filtering if you want to test items with intersecting
bounding boxes to identify if they have TruShape volumes that intersect
the TruShape volumes of the selected objects. Depending on the TruShape
parameters configured, Teamcenter displays the geometry of each object as
regular cubes (voxels) to provide a simplified representation of the actual shape.
TruShape searches return more accurate results but may take longer to complete.

3. Make the following selections to define the location and size of the 3D box:
• Slider increment
Specifies the actual distance equivalent to one increment of the Maximum
and Minimum sliders and spinners.

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• Extents
Determines how Teamcenter constructs the bounding box from the values
you specify, as follows:

o Centroid and size

Allows you to specify the bounding box with coordinates of the centroid
and lengths in X, Y, and Z directions. It is oriented with respect to the
global axes of the end item.

o Origin and size

Allows you to specify the bounding box with coordinates of the origin and
lengths in X, Y, and Z directions.

o Minimum and Maximum

Allows you to specify the bounding box with minimum and maximum
coordinates. This is the default selection.

• Maximum and Minimum sliders and spinners

Allow you to manually define the maximum and minimum extents of the
bounding box.

• Find Parts
Allows you to specify if parts returned by the search are fully contained
inside or fully outside the bounding box.

• Include parts intersecting the box

If checked, the search returns parts that intersect the bounding box, as well
as parts that are fully inside or outside it. This option is enabled only if you
select the True Shape filtering option.
Note If you use appearance searches, this option is always checked.

• Enable 3D manipulators
If checked, drag handles are displayed on the bounding box, allowing you
to move and resize it manually. You can then drag the 3D manipulator to
resize or reposition the bounding box.

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4. (Optional) Do any of the following to move and resize the bounding box with
the manipulators:

To Do this
Move the manipulator parallel to a
Drag the face of the manipulator.
face.
Move the manipulator perpendicular
Press Ctrl as you drag the face.
to a face.
Constrain the move to one axis. Press Shift as you drag a face.
Resize the manipulator uniformly. Drag a corner of the manipulator.
Press Ctrl as you drag a corner of the
Resize the manipulator along one axis.
manipulator.

5. (Optional) Click Build from selections to construct a bounding box containing all
target parts specified in the Target Parts table, or selected in the tree or viewer.

6. Click OK to save the search criteria.

The 3D box remains visible while the search is active, even if the Spatial Criteria
dialog box is not open.

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Note You can visualize mixed unit assemblies in the Spatial Search dialog box,
that is, assemblies composed of parts defined in both Imperial (English) and
metric units. The dialog box uses the appropriate units when you type in
dimensional values, for example, spatial distance in the Spatial Criteria
dialog box.

Defining granularity of spatial searches

By default, spatial searches return piece parts, that is, parts rather than assemblies.
However, you may want the search to return a higher level assembly. For example,
if you have small assemblies consisting of parts welded together, you may want to
treat the assembly as a unit, rather than returning some of its individual parts.
You can change the search granularity by modifying the TruShape voxel size in NX
to only return larger assemblies. You can also disable TruShape voxel searches
completely, if the results still provide useful information. The coarser the search
results, the more quickly they are displayed.
You can also set the QSEARCH_types_to_avoid_processing preference to avoid
indexing certain types of items (occurrences) that do not define the structure but
do carry some spatial data, for example, work instructions or other manufacturing
process-specific items. Such items are not useful in the context of spatial search
results. By default, all items with geometry are indexed.

Use target parts

As an alternative to manually generating the spatial search bounding box with the
spinner and slider controls, you can construct a bounding box quickly and accurately
from a table of target parts. You can use this method for proximity or 3D bounding
box searches.
Note Generic objects such as GDE elements, GDE link lines, interface definitions,
and processes are not valid participants in spatial searches. Consequently,
they are not added to the target parts table. If you try to add a generic object
to the target parts table, Teamcenter displays an error message indicating
the BOM line is invalid.
However, you can add valid generic objects such as signals and designs to the
target parts table. If you select these objects in the table or perform a search
on them, Teamcenter displays a warning message indicating that they do
not have associated bounding boxes.

Note The target parts table is not available if you are making appearance-based
searches.

1. By default, the target parts table is hidden. If necessary, show the target parts
table by setting the RDV_show_targets_on_spatial_dialog preference to true.

2. Select the Use selections from table check box.

Teamcenter enables the Target Parts table and its associated buttons.
Note If you select Use selections from table, any selections in the tree or
viewer are ignored.

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3. Select target parts in the structure tree or viewer, and then click the + button to
add them to the Target Parts table.
To remove a target part, select it in the table and click the – button.
To clear the table of all entries, click .

4. Once all the required target parts are listed to the table, click OK. Alternatively,
if you are defined a 3D box search, click Build from selections.
Teamcenter draws a bounding box enclosing all the target parts in the viewer.

5. Perform a spatial search, as described in Perform a search.

Teamcenter displays the Search Results pane containing the results of the
spatial search.

6. (Optional) Select the Show targets table check box to display a list of the target
parts of the search.

7. (Optional) Select one or more BOM lines in the list of target parts or select
Select all targets, and then do one of the following:
• Click Display to show the target parts in the tree and viewer in the same
window.

• Click Display in New Window to open a new window to show the target
parts in the tree and viewer.

Filter search with form attributes

You can filter searches using the criteria of forms attached to the items or item
revisions.
1. Click the ... button to the right of the Form Attributes box.
Teamcenter displays the Form Attributes dialog box.

2. Enter the form attributes for the search, including any mathematical operators.

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Teamcenter displays the form type and search values as a string in the format
similar to the following example:
“ItemRev:BVRSyncInfo:last_struct_mod=value1 AND ItemRev:BVRSyncInfo:last_Sync_date=value2”

Managing search results

The same part may be listed many times in the search results if it has multiple
occurrences in the end item that match the search criteria. For example, the same
bolt may be used seven times in the end item and, if all seven usages satisfy the
defined proximity filter, the bolt appears seven times in the search results.
The search results always displayed shows individual lines without indication
of any structure.
When Teamcenter displays the result of a search, the children of the node you
searched for may be hidden so the search results are displayed quickly. Each hidden
node is represented by a … (pruned siblings) symbol enclosed in a box. You can click
in this box to load and view the hidden children.
If the results contain packed lines, the relevant lines are unpacked and displayed.
The remaining lines remain packed and are shown as a pack master with a corrected
total of lines, or with pruned siblings.
The search results contain lines that may not be configured by the variant rules in
effect to minimize the time needed to generate the search results.

Manage search results

To manage the search results, you can:
• Sort the list by clicking the header of a column in the properties table. By default,
the search results table includes the same columns as the product structure tree.

• Customize the columns that are displayed by right-clicking in the column header
and Teamcenter displays the Insert Columns dialog box. You can click the +
button to add a column (for example, In Validity) to the search results or click the
– button to remove unwanted columns.

• Save the list to a file or print it by right clicking in the column header. When
saving the results list to a file, you can specify whether to use HTML or text
format. The text file contains comma-separated values (CSVs), and you can
import data in this format into Microsoft Excel or similar applications.

• Click Display or Display in New Window to open the currently selected lines in a
separate Structure Manager window for examination.

• Click Copy to copy the currently selected lines for subsequent pasting into
another Structure Manager window.

Examples of managing search results

Because a single search may potentially return thousands of BOM lines, you can
control how many search results are listed in the table. If the search finds only a
few lines (less than five), Teamcenter lists all of them in the table. If there are more

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lines, Teamcenter lists only the first five and you can click the Display button in the
Search Results pane to add the next group of five to the list.
The information label in the title bar of the Search Results pane identifies the end
item, view, or effective revision rule in effect.
You can view the search results in a new window, if required, by clicking the Display
in New Window button. You can then perform another search in that window to
refine the results.

Managing the search results panes

The search results pane contains an individual tab for each set of search results
and a new tab can be added by each new search. Each tab has a label to indicate
the configuration rules (for example, revision rule or effective date/unit) in effect
when you performed the search.
Having the results in individual tabs allows you to manage and retain distinct lists
of search results that might have resulted from:
• Different search criteria

• Different configurations (revision rules)

• Different end items

Your first search results are listed in a tab named Result 1 by default. Any
subsequent search results are added to the current tab. This allows you to merge
the results of separate searches. For example, if you want to find all brackets that
are on the interior of the product or within 2 cm of part X, you could perform two
searches and merge them.
Alternatively, you can lock the results tab causing the next search results to create a
new tab—Result 2.
To lock a results tab, right-click the tab and choose Lock/Unlock from the shortcut
menu. You can lock any number of tabs.
If the configuration of the end item changed since the last search, Teamcenter
automatically adds a new tab rather than merging the next set of search results into
the current tab. For example, if you changed the revision rule since the previous
search, the next search results create a new tab. This ensures that all lines in a
given tab correspond to the same configuration of the end item.

Manipulate search results

To manipulate search results, use the following buttons at the bottom of the search
results pane:
• Display
Highlights in the viewer and tree all lines that are selected in the search results
list. You can then perform another search to refine the results.

• Display in New Window

Displays all lines that are selected in the search results list in a new window.
You can then perform another search to refine the results.

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• Copy
Copies to the clipboard all lines that are selected in the search results list.

You can also select the Select All check box to select all lines in the search results list.
You can right-click one of the lines in the search results list and Teamcenter displays
a shortcut menu. You can choose any of the following commands:
• Display
Displays the line.

• Copy
Copies the line to the clipboard.

• Send To
Sends the line to another application.

• Properties
Lists properties of the selected line.

Limiting search results

You can remove extraneous lines when displaying search results to keep the
structure tree compact and manageable.
For example, you perform a search that finds a single line that is 10 levels deep
in the structure. If you fully expand the branch from the root down to the line of
interest, you may also display hundreds of other lines (all of its ancestors and the
siblings of itself and its ancestors). To avoid this, you can prune the branch of the
tree and not display any sibling lines (and potentially none of its ancestors).
When you select lines in the search results pane to display, the following occurs:
• If the Show unconfigured variants option is turned off, Teamcenter applies
the current variant rules to the selected structure lines. If any lines become
unconfigured as a result of the variant rules in effect, Teamcenter displays a
Lines are unconfigured due to Variant rules message.

• The remaining lines are displayed in the tree and pruned as described previously.

• If the viewer is active, the lines are displayed in the viewer.

This assumes that the revision rules associated with the search results match the
revision rules in effect in the structure. If not, Teamcenter evaluates each line in the
search result to see if it is valid in the context of the currently configured end item.
If it is valid, the line is displayed as before. Otherwise, it is displayed in a separate
section of the tree called Unconfigured Objects.
If you do not have read access to an item that satisfies the search criteria, the
corresponding line is not listed in the search results table. If this occurs, the count
of lines in the search results is reduced to exclude any lines to which you do not
have read access.

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10 Comparing product structures

Comparing product structures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-1

Understanding product structure (BOM) comparisons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-1

Choose a comparison mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
Single-level mode comparisons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
Multilevel mode comparisons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Lowest level mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Comparing logical structures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Performing a comparison and interpreting the results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Configure the structures for comparison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Initiate the comparison process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-5
Interpret comparison results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-5
Example result of a structure comparison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-6
Clear comparison results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-6

Understanding graphical comparisons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-7

Configuring graphical comparison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-7
Change comparison results colors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-7
Initiating the graphical comparison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-8
Show and hide common parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-8
Change the revision rule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-9

Comparing structures under change management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-9

Select comparison information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-10
Viewing and comparing revisions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-11
Using the comparison sliders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-12
Example of graphical history . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-13
Controlling a graphical comparison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-13
Showing and hiding supersedure links . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-14
Using the supersedure pane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-14
Display comparison results in the structure trees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-15
Show supersedures graphically . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-16
View an individual supersedure link . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-16
Define structure change colors, slider colors, and position . . . . . . . . . 10-16
Create related revision histories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-16
Create disparate revision histories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-18
Create detail part histories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-18
Viewing supersedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-19
Using the supersedure toolbar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-19
Using supersedure lists in the Supersedure pane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-21
Interpreting supersedure symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-21
Managing supersedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-23
Browse supersedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-23

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 Display a different supersedure in the context of a parent
assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-24
Create a new supersedure with respect to a different top-level
product . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-24
Create a transfer supersedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-25
Commonly encountered supersedure examples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-26
View a supersedure in Structure Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
Create a structure change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
Create a structure change using dynamic revision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30
Create the CM base configuration form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-31
Create a BOM change based on dynamic revision rules . . . . . . . . 10-31
Create structure quantity changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-31
Attach a form to structure change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-32
Create delivered change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-33
Creating a custom supersedure form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-34
Enable custom forms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-34
Associate a custom form with a supersedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-34
Track history of variant changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-35

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10 Comparing product structures

Comparing product structures

You can compare two structures to identify changes or differences between two
product structures, for example, to:
• Identify component changes between assemblies

• Test for consistency between multiple views of the same item

• Find differences between differently configured structures

You may only be interested in the immediate components that have changed in a
single-level assembly. Conversely, you may want to identify the differences between
all the piece parts in the complete product structures (for example, between related
multiple views or different variants of the product).
Teamcenter allows you to compare structures in two ways.
• You can compare two product structures (BOMs) in separate Structure Manager
windows.
The differences are highlighted in the product structure trees.

• You can also perform a graphical comparison of two structures.

Teamcenter highlights differences in the viewer.

You can optionally compare product structures that are controlled by change
management, as described in Select comparison information.

Understanding product structure (BOM) comparisons

You compare the displayed state of the product structures (BOMs), that is,
everything that is currently visible in the two compared structures. Collapse
assemblies if you do not want to include them in the comparison.
You must set the appropriate revision rule and variant rule (if any), to configure
the structure in each window. If you apply a variant rule, ensure you hide the
unconfigured components. You can also compare loaded view types.
The comparison also identifies differences between supporting objects, including:
• Item elements (also called GDEs or general design elements).

• Connections

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• Signals

• Reference designators

• Find numbers

• Vendor parts, if the optional vendor management solution is installed.

Choose a comparison mode

You can compare product structures in one of four standard modes:
• Single-level mode comparisons compare only the first level of the product
structures. You can choose to include one of find numbers, substitutes, or
reference designators in the comparison or exclude them.

• Multilevel mode comparisons perform a single-level comparison at the top level

of the structure. Teamcenter then makes further single-level comparisons of any
subassemblies that appear in the two product structures. You can choose to
include find numbers in the comparison or exclude them.

• Lowest level mode compares only the lowest level items of the product structures,
ignoring all intermediate assemblies.

• Every level mode compares each line of every level of the product structure.

Your Teamcenter administrator may define other comparison modes appropriate

for your site.

Single-level mode comparisons

Single-level mode compares only the first level of the product structures. Two
components or subassemblies match if they are the same item and have the same
revision and quantity. If there is more than one occurrence of the same item, they
are rolled up for the purposes of the comparison. Consequently, one occurrence
with a quantity of 2 is the same as two occurrences with a quantity of 1. You can
optionally include any one of find numbers, reference designators, and substitutes
in the comparison.
In this mode, Teamcenter reports the following differences:
• Additions to one of the product structures

• Quantity changes

• Revision changes

• Addition, revision, and removal of commercial parts

• Addition, revision, and removal of vendor parts

• Change to the preferred status of a vendor part

If included in the comparison, find number changes result in a new item and the
comparison reports such changes as additions.

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If included in the comparison, reference designator changes result in a new item and
the comparison reports such changes as additions.
If included in the comparison, substitute part changes result in a new item and the
comparison reports such changes as additions.

Multilevel mode comparisons

In multilevel mode, if the comparison process matches two subassemblies in the two
product structures, it proceeds to compare the two subassemblies. This process
continues down the product structure until it reaches the bottom of the structure or
there are no matching subassemblies left.
The subassemblies match if they are the same item and have the same revision,
quantity, and find number (if included).
In this mode, Teamcenter reports the following differences:
• Additions to one of the product structures

• Quantity changes

• Revision changes

• Addition, revision, and removal of commercial parts

• Addition, revision, and removal of vendor parts

• Change to the preferred status of a vendor part

If included in the comparison, find number changes result in a new item and the
comparison reports such changes as additions.
If included in the comparison, reference designator changes result in a new item and
so the comparison reports such changes as additions.
Use this mode to find differences between two configurations of the same product,
for example, when variants are applied.
The extended multilevel comparison mode continues until it finds a difference in
item or find number. It reports differences in quantity or revision but continues
with the comparison.

Lowest level mode

Lowest level mode compares the lowest level items in the two product structures,
ignoring the intermediate structure. Teamcenter totals the quantities of each item
in the product structures before comparing them. Find numbers are not considered
in this mode.
In this mode, Teamcenter reports the following differences:
• Additions to one of the product structures

• Quantity changes

• Revision changes

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Use this mode to compare multiple views, such as a design view that may have a
different structure to a manufacturing view, while maintaining the same set of
piece parts.
For more information, see Multilevel mode comparisons.

Comparing logical structures

A logical structure (LBOM) contains GDE lines that represent signals and
connections, as well as items and items revisions. Teamcenter compares GDE lines
using their names, signals and connections. When necessary, it compares signals
using their source port and destination port attributes. (Not all lines in a logical
structure have source and destination ports.)
For such structures, Teamcenter uses single level, multilevel, and lowest level modes
to compare the following properties:
• Item ID for item lines

• Revision for item lines

• Name for GDE lines

• Endpoints for connections

• Source, target, and transmitter lists for signals and process variables

• Process variable associations for signals

• Quantity for functionalities

To allow comparison of two different configurations or views of the same LBOM

structure, Teamcenter supports occurrence-based and nonoccurrence-based
comparisons in single-level and multilevel modes.

Performing a comparison and interpreting the results

You must open the two structures to compare in separate Structure Manager panes
and configure them before you initiate the comparison process.

Configure the structures for comparison

You compare two configured structures displayed in separate Structure Manager
panes. Open the source structure in the left pane and the target structure in the
right pane.
1. If the structures are not already open, do the following to open the first structure:

a. Select the BOM view revision and click the Open By Name button . You
can also double-click the BOM view revision or use your MRU list to open
the required structure.
Teamcenter opens the Open By Name dialog box.

b. In the ID box of the Open By Name dialog box, type the identifier of the item
you want to compare and click Find.

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c. Click the Load all button.

Teamcenter displays the results.

Alternatively, you can right-click an item, item revision, or BOM view revision,
and then choose Send To→Structure Manager to open it.

2. Click the Split BOM button .

Teamcenter open a second pane, adjacent to the current pane.

3. Select the second pane and repeat step 1 to open the second structure.

4. Select the correct top-level line in each structure to use for the comparison.

5. Configure the structures by setting the revision rule and variant rule in each
window.

6. Expand and collapse assemblies to define the scope of the comparison. You can
compare only the visible structures displayed in the windows.

7. Hide unconfigured variants by choosing View→Show Unconfigured Variants.

Initiate the comparison process

When you have configured the two structures in separate panes:
1. Choose Tools→Compare....
Teamcenter displays the BOM Compare dialog box.

2. In the dialog box, select the mode of operation for the comparison from the Mode
list. These modes are described in Choose a comparison mode.

3. Check the Report check box if you want to display the report pane summarizing
the differences between the structures. The report pane is described in Example
result of a structure comparison.

4. Click OK to begin the comparison.

Interpret comparison results

Teamcenter presents the results of the comparison in the following ways:
• In the structure trees
Teamcenter highlights each of the lines in each Structure Manager pane that
differ between the two structures. By default, additions in the target with respect
to the source are highlighted in red and changes in quantity or revision are
highlighted in orange. Your Teamcenter administrator can change these default
colors by changing the PSEAdditionColorPref and PSEChangedColor
preferences, respectively.
To view details of the changes (for example, revision or quantity changes),
examine the Changes column in the structure properties table. If this column is
not visible, you can add it to the table, as described in Viewing product structure
properties.

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• As a report
Teamcenter displays an additional pane at the bottom of the window, listing the
differences. You can select a line in the report to highlight the corresponding
changed lines in the two Structure Manager panes. This helps you locate where
in the structures the changes took place.
The pane indicates the type of change: Added for additions, Qty for quantity
changes, and Rev for revision changes. A comma-separated list appears if more
than one change occurs on the same line.

o In single-level mode and lowest level mode, the reports are flat lists of
differences.

o In multilevel mode, the report is an indented output showing the parent

assemblies of any changed items.

Example result of a structure comparison

The following figure shows the result of a single-level comparison between two
revisions of the same structure.
Notice that a single item (000124/A) is added to the target view in the right-hand
pane and this addition is highlighted in a different color. The difference is also
listed in the report pane.

Example results of structure comparison

Clear comparison results

• Choose Tools→Clear Compare.

Teamcenter clears the highlighting colors and the compare columns in the two
panes. It also closes the report pane.
Note If you start a new comparison before clearing the results of the previous
comparison, the existing results are automatically cleared.

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Understanding graphical comparisons

You can compare two revisions of a part or assembly and view differences in the
embedded viewer pane. Teamcenter displays any differences by color coding parts or
assemblies to indicate the type of change made. The differences are also shown in
the product structure tree by icons. You can also compare two occurrence groups
to identify differences.
You can compare both revision controlled and nonrevision controlled assemblies (for
example, configured by effectivity) graphically.
You can compare:
• An assembly with another assembly.

• A part with another part.

• An occurrence group with another occurrence group.

• Supersedures.
If you compare two assemblies under change management (where one assembly
is a problem item and the other is an affected item of an engineering change
object), Teamcenter displays a list of supersedures.
Note You must implement change management if you want to define and use
supersedures. For more information, see Comparing structures under
change management.

You cannot compare multilevel structures by this method.

Configuring graphical comparison

You must ensure the Lifecycle Visualization license level is set to the Advanced
level if you want to use graphical comparison. If this is not set correctly, the
Tools→Graphical BOM Compare menu command is not visible.

Change comparison results colors

1. Click the Icons/Colors Legend button.

Teamcenter shows your current change color settings.

2. Choose Edit→Options.
Teamcenter displays the Options dialog box.

3. In the Options dialog box, expand the Change Management folder and click the
BOM Tracking entry.
Teamcenter displays the colors representing the different structure change types.

4. Double-click the type of comparison whose color you want to change and
Teamcenter displays the Color Chooser dialog box.

5. Choose a new color with the Swatches, HSB, or RGB color selector and click OK.

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Teamcenter uses the new color to identify the selected type of comparison
everywhere structure changes are displayed in the rich client, including the
Structure Manager Supersedure pane. For information about how to change the
default colors and positions of the sliders, see Define structure change colors,
slider colors, and position.

Initiating the graphical comparison

To access graphical comparison feature, load the two parts, occurrence groups,
or configured structures in separate Structure Manager windows, and choose

Tools→Graphical BOM Compare or click the button (if you added this button
to the toolbar).
Teamcenter displays the Graphical BOM Compare dialog box, allowing you to
manipulate the results.
After running the comparison, Teamcenter highlights the following differences
between the two windows in the viewer:
• Adds
Objects that are in the target window but not the source.

• Cancels
Objects that are in the source window but not in the target.

• Moves
Objects that are in different positions in the source and target windows (the
transformation matrix has changed).

• Reshapes
Objects that have an alternative representation between the source and target
windows, as identified by an UGALTREP note.

You can use the comparison sliders in the Graphical BOM Compare dialog box to
dynamically view the changes. Parts that are added, canceled, moved, or reshaped
from one revision to another move across the window as the respective slider is slid
from one revision to another.
Also, the parts are color-coded, depending on whether they are added, canceled,
moved, or reshaped.
For information about changing the color associated with each type of change, see
Change comparison results colors.
After you create the graphical history, you can capture it to export or print.

Show and hide common parts

Certain common parts may remain unchanged between the two structures. By
default, Teamcenter does not display these common parts in the viewer, allowing you
to more easily distinguish changed parts. Hiding these common parts also allows
Teamcenter to load the assembly more quickly.

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When required, you can display the common parts to more easily see the changes
in context of the larger assembly. To show common parts when required, select the
Show Common Parts check box.
Note You can only use common parts if you compare two revisions of the same
assembly, not different assemblies. Do not use this option if one assembly is
a subassembly of the other assembly in the comparison.

To always display common parts, you can change the CM_show_common_parts

preference, as follows.
1. Choose Edit→Options.
Teamcenter displays the Options dialog box.

2. In the dialog box, expand the Change Management folder and click Graphical
History.
Teamcenter displays the Graphical History Settings pane.

3. In the Graphical History Settings pane, select the Show Common Parts check
box.

Teamcenter now displays common parts during the initial loading of graphical
history. If required, you can hide common parts by clearing the box after the history
is loaded.

Change the revision rule

To use a different revision rule from the revision rule applied before you began
the comparison:
1. Select the affected structure pane and click the Revision Rule button.
Teamcenter opens the View/Select Revision Rule dialog box.

2. In the dialog box, select the desired revision rule from the list on the left-hand
side and click OK or Apply.
Teamcenter sets the selected revision rule for the structure pane. It recalculates
the graphical comparison result and resets all the sliders and buttons in the
control pane to their default positions.

If you want to change the revision rule for the both structure windows, repeat these
steps in the other window.

Comparing structures under change management

If the structures you compared graphically are under change management, you can
view additional information about the change status (genealogy) of your product
structure or its components. Structure Manager can exchange data with Change
Manager.
When change management is enabled and you save product structure changes
in Structure Manager, Teamcenter generates add and cancel information for the
affected assembly. You can define the supersedure relationships between the various

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adds and cancels when you save the changes or later. Change management also
allows you to display the genealogy of a component in the assembly.
Supersedure relationships are always created manually in Change Manager. You
copy the old item revision to the Impacted Items folder and the new item revision to
the Solution Items folder to establish the relationship.

Select comparison information

Select information about the change-managed objects you compared by clicking the
Revisions and Graphical Compare tabs of the Change History dialog box.
The Change History tab includes the following two panes:

• Revision list pane

The Revision List pane displays the item revisions belonging to the selected
item. The item revision nodes are color-coded to convey the change revision
information of each revision. If a revision has an associated change, it is
displayed in pink, otherwise it is displayed in black.

• Progression pane
The Progression pane displays all the revisions of the parent structure
in a vertical multibranched tree. The tree displays one of the two
following relationships between child and parent objects, depending on the
CM_progression_tree relation preference setting.

Types of relationship displayed in

Preference value the progression tree
EC_affected_to_problem_relation In the problem/solution relationship,
the selected revision is the solution
revision. The problem revision is
shown as a parent revision.
This relationship is only displayed in
the progression tree if the selected
revision is part of a change process.
This is the default setting of the
preference.
TC_based_on In the based on relationship, the
revision upon which the selected
revision was based is shown as the
parent revision.
Note This relationship does not
depend on the selected revision
being included in a change
process.

The Graphical Compare dialog box includes the following controls and boxes:

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Component Description
Progression and Revision Choose the required mode of the revision list. By
buttons default, the revision list includes all revisions in
a color-coded format. If a revision has change
associated, it is displayed in pink; otherwise, it is
black.
If you click the Progression button, revisions are
displayed sequentially.
Compare With combination Selects the revision with which you want to compare
box the selected revision in the left side tree. By
default, the problem revision is selected if a change
object created the selected revision. Otherwise (for
users not using Change Management), the Based
On revision is automatically selected.
View Type combination box Chooses a particular BOM view type in case the
selected revision has multiple BOM view revisions
associated. Your default BOM view type is selected
automatically. If you are not using multiple BOM
view types, the correct type is automatically shown.
Set Revision Rule button Chooses the revision rule to configure the selected
change revision.
Change button Opens the associated change revision in Change
Manager.
Effectivity Data table Displays the effectivity data attached to the selected
revision. If no effectivity is attached, the table is
blank. If the revision is effective for multiple end
items, all end item effectivity entries are displayed.
If you want to compare the selected revision with a
Paste button
revision of another item, you can copy the revision
from another application and paste it into the
Compare With box.
Status pane The status pane at the bottom of the dialog box
gives status information (for example, loading
parts).

Viewing and comparing revisions

When you select a revision from one of the revision trees and click the Graphical
Compare tab, Teamcenter displays the graphical history in the right pane. This tab
has two tabs at the bottom, the Controls tab and the Structures tab.
If the selected revision has change associated with it and has a problem revision,
Teamcenter displays the current configuration in the embedded viewer. The viewer
includes a number of control sliders and buttons that allow you to see the differences
between the problem and affected configuration.
If the revision does not have a problem configuration, you can choose another
revision for comparison.

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Using the comparison sliders

When you select a revision and click the Graphical Compare tab, the graphical
configuration is displayed with five slider controls. Use these comparison sliders
to dynamically view the changes between the selected revisions. Parts that are
added, canceled, moved, or reshaped from one revision to the other move across
the screen as you move the slider is slid from one revision to the other. The parts
are color-coded according to their status.
Use the sliders to view the histories of the following modifications:

Slider Views the following modifications

Adds Objects that are on the target assembly but not on the
source (added).
Indicates parts that are added to the revision. This
addition corresponds to the addition tracked in any related
structure comparison or supersedure.
By default, these parts are colored blue.
Cancels Objects that are on the source assembly but not on the
target (removed).
Indicates parts that are removed from the revision. This
cancellation corresponds to the addition tracked in any
related structure comparison or supersedure.
By default, these parts are colored red.
Moves Objects that are repositioned (transform matrix changed)
between the source and target assembly.
Indicates parts that are repositioned. A move is not
considered an addition or a cancel in related supersedures.
In a structure comparison, the move is tracked with the
defined move image.
You create a move to track the relocation of a component
between the problem and affected assembly. This change is
made using an ALTREP note type in the two assemblies.
Supersedures do not track this type of comparison.
By default, these parts are colored green.
Reshapes Objects that have an alternate representation (identified
by an UGALTREP note) between the source and target
assembly.
Indicates parts whose shapes are changed. A reshape is
not considered an add or cancel in any related supersedure.
In a structure comparison, the reshape is tracked with the
defined reshape image.
You create a reshape to track the relocation of a component
between the problem and affected assembly. This change is
made using an ALTREP note type in the two assemblies.
Supersedures do not track this type of comparison.

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Slider Views the following modifications

By default, these parts are colored light blue.

Common Objects that are in both source and target assemblies.
All Shows all of the modifications described previously at the
same time.
Triangular slider The triangular slider is situated under the standard
sliders. It adjusts the speed of the moving parts when you
interact with the standard sliders. For example, when
parts are large compared with the viewer size, they may
move too quickly out of the viewer. Use this slider to reduce
the speed to obtain a better transitional effect. Similarly,
when parts are too small, you can increase the speed.

Note
You can modify the comparison colors by clicking Icons/Colors Legend
to view and change the currently defined color for each type of comparison.

The All comparison slider moves all the comparison slider bars simultaneously. In
the far left position of the slider, the assembly is the problem assembly before any
parts were modified.

Example of graphical history

Assume an assembly named Revision B (that is based on Revision A) contains Part

B, which replaced Part A. Assume all the comparison sliders are set under Revision
A. At the same time, Part C was moved 10 degrees from its previous location and
Part D’s curve now begins 9 millimeters higher. Assume all the comparison sliders
are set under Revision A.
• Moving the Adds slider from Revision A to Revision B causes Part B (colored
blue) to move across the viewer and overlay Part A.

• Moving the Cancels slider from Revision A to Revision B causes Part A (colored
red) to pull out of the assembly and move out of the window.

• Repositioning the Moves slider from Revision A to Revision B causes Part C

(colored green) to change its location in the assembly.

• Moving the Reshapes slider from Revision A to Revision B causes the curve in
Part D (colored light blue) to start 9 millimeters higher on the part.

Moving the All slider causes all of these changes to occur simultaneously.
After you create the comparison, you can capture the image to export or print.

Controlling a graphical comparison

You can use the following controls on the Graphical Compare tab to manage the
comparison process of change-managed structures:

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Function Description
Show Common Parts Use this check box to control if Teamcenter displays
common components between the two assemblies.
Show Supersedure link Use this check box to control if Teamcenter displays
supersedure links between added and canceled
components.
Show These buttons allow you to display other
configurations, without returning to the revisions
tab and selecting another revision. Use the three
buttons provided to display one of the following
configurations:
• Previous revision as configured by creation date

• Next revision as configured by creation date

• Latest working according to site settings

Display pane Shows the list of supersedures (if any) associated
with the currently displayed affected assembly.
Structure tab Displays a color-coded structure tree for both the
configurations. Buttons are provided to allow you to
set the variant and revision rules.

Showing and hiding supersedure links

There may be several supersedures between the added and canceled parts that are
displayed in the blue and red colors respectively. If you want to identify the added
parts that are related to certain canceled parts by a supersedure, select the Show
Supersedure Links check box in the control pane. Teamcenter shows a graphical
band link between the added and canceled parts of each supersedure associated with
the displayed affected assembly. By default, the Show Supersedure Link check
box is not selected.
Note To aid identification, added parts are shown in blue and canceled parts are
shown in red.

When you show supersedure links, Teamcenter draws a white band between added
and canceled components. When supersedures contain several added or canceled
components, Teamcenter draws a polygon connecting the center points of all
concerned parts. If you move the All comparison slider to the maximum left or right
position, the bands disappear automatically and the Show Supersedure Link check
box is not selected.

Using the supersedure pane

The supersedure pane at the bottom left corner of the Graphical Compare→Control
tab shows the list of supersedures associated with the currently displayed affected
assembly.
If you expand a supersedure, Teamcenter shows the relevant added and canceled
parts. Select a particular add or cancel to highlight the corresponding graphics
in the viewer.

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If the affected assembly was not created under a change order, the Supersedure
pane and the Supersedure Link check box are hidden.

Display comparison results in the structure trees

You can view the differences between the two revisions in tree format as well as in a
graphical display. To do this, click the Structures tab at the left bottom corner of the
Graphical Compare tab and Teamcenter displays two structure trees. It shows any
modifications (adds, compares, moves, or reshapes) to the selected lines that were
detected by the comparison in the appropriate colors.
Use the following buttons to set the effectivity for revision rules and the variant rule.
• Set Date/Unit/End Item button
If you select a dynamic revision rule in the Revisions tab before you display the
comparison results, the structure tree remains unconfigured and no parts are
visible in the viewer.
A revision rule is dynamic if Teamcenter requires end item, date, or unit entries
to correctly configure the structure against that rule. If Teamcenter uses a
dynamic revision rule to load a structure, it requires the unit number and end
item to load the structure correctly.
To set the correct configurations in this situation:

1. Select each structure pane and click Calender .

Teamcenter displays the Set Date/Unit/End Item dialog box.

2. Enter the unit number or end item values and click OK in both structure
panel.
Teamcenter configures the structures and displays the comparison results
in the viewer.
When you load a new revision rule, Teamcenter recalculates the comparison
results and the control sliders return to their default positions.

• Set Variant Rule button

If the two structures you compare contain components with variant conditions,
the comparison results include all the lines, irrespective of the associated
variant conditions.
To limit the comparison to a set of variant rules:

1. Select each structure pane and click the Variant button.

Teamcenter displays the Variant Rule dialog box.

2. Enter the required variant rule and click OK in both structure panels.
Teamcenter hides the nonconfigured components in the graphical display
and the structure tree.
When you load a new variant rule, Teamcenter recalculates the comparison
results and the control sliders return to their default positions.

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Show supersedures graphically

When browsing through the replacement history of a component in the context of an
item in the Structure Manager Supersedure tab, you can view the graphical history
of the changes of a particular replacement record (part to part supersedure).

To do this, select a supersedure from the trail and click Change History . The
Change History dialog box opens with the changed components shown in their
respective colors. Teamcenter hides the following Show Common Parts and Show
Supersedure Link controls and tabs.
You can use the comparison sliders to view the revision changes.
Note The PV_Viewer_PSE property determines the availability of this
functionality. By default, this property is set to False and Teamcenter does
not display the button in the toolbar. Set this preference to True in the
rich client user.properties file to enable this functionality.

View an individual supersedure link

While the Show Supersedure Link command helps you identify the various
supersedures in a comparison, it can be difficult to identify a single supersedure in
a part-to-part supersedure. In this situation, highlight a single supersedure link,
rather than all supersedure links, as follows.
1. Click the Controls tab on the Graphical Compare pane.

2. On the Graphical Compare pane, select the Show Supersedure Link check box.

3. Move the Adds comparison slider to the center or right.

4. Move the Cancels comparison slider to the center or left.

5. In the Supersedure pane, select the supersedure whose link you want to view.
Teamcenter shows a single supersedure link in the viewer, corresponding to the
selected supersedure.

Define structure change colors, slider colors, and position

You can set your own preferences for the colors of structure changes and for the
default color and position of the sliders, as follows.
1. Choose the Edit→Options menu command.
Teamcenter displays the Options dialog box.

2. In the Options dialog box, select the desired color for any structure change type.

3. In the Options dialog box, modify the initial location of the slider. (The default
initial slider position is 100.)

Create related revision histories

You can compare the graphical histories of two revisions of the same assembly.

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Note For instructions about viewing a graphical comparison of two revisions that
do not belong to the same assembly, see Create disparate revision histories.

1. Select an assembly line in the structure tree and click the Graphical History
button.
Teamcenter displays the History dialog box.

2. In the dialog box, click the Revisions tab.

Teamcenter displays the Revision pane.

3. On the Revision pane, choose two assemblies to compare. Click Revision List
to show all the revisions associated with the parent assembly in a tree-format
structure. Click Progression for a tree-format display of associated revisions.

4. In the Revision List view, select one of the revisions to compare.

5. From the Compare With list, select the second revision. This list includes all the
revisions associated with the selected parent assembly.
By default, Teamcenter populates the Compare With box with the problem
revision if the revision you selected in step 3 is in a change process.

6. If the parent assembly has multiple BOM view revisions associated with it,
select a view from the View Type list.

7. Optionally, click Change to open the associated change in Change Manager.

8. Review the effectivity data table for any effectivity data defined for the selected
revision. If no effectivity data is defined, the table is blank. If multiple
effectivities are defined for the revision, Teamcenter displays all end item
effectivity entries.

9. Click the Graphical Compare tab to display the comparison pane.

Teamcenter displays the revision selected in step 3 in the viewer. The names of
both the selected revisions are listed in the comparison sliders pane, with the
revision selected in step 4 to the right. By default, the comparison sliders line
up under this revision.

10. Check Show Common Parts to load all the parts common to the two assemblies
in the viewer.

11. View the history of adds, cancels, moves or reshapes by moving the appropriate
slider. To see all changes simultaneously, move the All slider.

12. To compare the histories of other revisions without returning to the Revisions
tab and choosing another set of revisions to compare, click one of the following
buttons:
• Click Previous to display the previous revision based on creation date.

• Click Next to display the next revision based on creation date.

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• Click Latest Working to display the latest working revision, based on your
site’s definition.

13. To view the comparison information in tree format, click the Structures tab
at the bottom of the dialog box. The comparison controls are replaced by two
structure tree diagrams, indicating the modifications (adds, cancels, moves,
reshapes) to each revision by icons and color coding.

Click the Icons/Colors Legend to view the meanings of the icons and colors. In
this view, you can also set options for variant rules, view current revision rules and
set the current rule and set effectivity information.

Create disparate revision histories

You can compare the graphical histories of two revisions that do not belong to the
same parent revision:

1. Select an assembly line in the structure tree and click Graphical History .
Teamcenter displays the History dialog box.

2. Click the Revisions tab to display the Revision pane.

Use the Revision pane to select two objects to compare. Select Revision List to
view all the revisions associated with the parent assembly in a tree structure.
Select Progression to view a graphical display of associated revisions.

3. In the Revision List view, select the revision you want to compare with a revision
not related to this assembly.

4. Locate the other revision from your Home folder or by searching for the revision
in the database. Copy it to the clipboard.

5. Paste this second revision into the Compare With box. This list always includes
all the revisions associated with the selected parent assembly. It now lists all the
associated revisions plus the disparate revision you inserted.

6. Continue with the compare process as described in Create related revision

histories, beginning with step 5.

Create detail part histories

Use the History dialog box to generate a graphical history of revisions of detail parts.
You can compare two revisions of the same detail part or two revisions of different
parts. Teamcenter displays the differences graphically in the viewer and uses color
coding to indicating the type of changes performed on the parts. You can also view
the differences in a tree-format structure with color-coded icons indicating the types
of changes performed upon them.
Use a standard view, tricolor mapping, or distance mapping to view the changes
between detail parts.

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Use this view To

Standard view Display two detail parts side-by-side. The part colors
correspond to the current legend settings.
Tricolor mapping Display the two detail parts at the same position. Click the
Preferences button to set the color of common material
and of each of the two part group materials.
Distance mapping Display the distance comparisons between two detail parts
at the same position. Click the Preferences button to set
the base color and the colors of the high and low values.

To create a comparison between two revisions of a detail part:

1. Select the concerned part in the structure tree and click Graphical History .
Teamcenter displays the History dialog box containing similar information as for
assemblies, except that the configuration switches (BOM view type and revision
rule) are not available.

2. From the Compare With list, select a different revision of the same part or
a different part.

3. Click the Graphical Compare tab to view the differences between the two part
revisions.
Only one control slider is provided and you can use it to move between the
affected and problem revision of the detail part.

Viewing supersedure
Supersedure allows you to view a graphical representation of the replacement
history of a given occurrence in the product structure.
Parts and assemblies are often added to and deleted from a product structure during
its construction or modification. Some of these additions and deletions can be
grouped together as a replacement action. For example, two added parts may replace
the form and functionality of one canceled component, making a replacement.
To view and manage the supersedure of the selected line, click the Show/hide data
pane button , and then click the Supersedure tab.
The supersedure tree shows the history of such replacements graphically, starting
from the selected part.
Note Before you can view the supersedure of a component, you must create a
supersedure that defines the replacement. You cannot create a supersedure
in Structure Manager.
For information about how to create a supersedure, see the Change Manager
Guide.

Using the supersedure toolbar

The following buttons are available on the toolbar on the Supersedure pane.

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Button Button title Description

Expand screen Expands the supersedure pane to full
size, or decreases the full-sized screen to
partial size.
New node Displays a different supersedure for
the selected component in the context
of a different parent assembly. Select
the alternate parent assembly from
the Where Used search pane below the
supersedure layout.
Automatic/Manual When activate, changes supersedure
Layout layout mode to automatic. Teamcenter
lays out nodes are automatically and
ensures that no intersections between
the nodes and the supersedures occur.
When inactivate, changes supersedure
layout mode to manual. You can lay out
nodes manually.
The supersedure’s current layout and
motion mode is displayed in the status
bar below the supersedure layout.
Single Node When active, only a single node can be
moved in the display. When inactivated,
a supersedure can be moved.
This button is active only when the
Automatic/Manual Layout button is in
manual mode. This button’s current
mode is displayed in the status bar below
the supersedure layout.
Watch Box Displays the item properties of the
selected component in the Item
Properties dialog box that opens when
this button is clicked. If you select
a change node, the watch box shows
customer-defined properties of the
associated supersedure component.
Note History Select a structure line and click this
button to display the Note Change
History dialog box. This dialog box
displays the trail of note changes for the
selected part or assembly.
Structure change records for occurrence
note changes are created when changes
to the structure are saved. To permit
this, set the ECM_note_types_to_track
preference.

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Button Button title Description

Variant History Displays the Variant Condition Change
History dialog box.
Graphical Displays the Graphical Supersedure
Supersedure dialog box.

Using supersedure lists in the Supersedure pane

Supersedure list Description

Product List Select a product from the list to generate a new
supersedure for the selected part in the context of
the selected product.
Layout Displays search results in horizontal, vertical or tree
layout.
Find Performs a query for the part or assembly shown in
the text box.
Where-Used Rule Performs a where-used search on the selected part or
assembly. For information on performing where-used
searches, see Configuring for where-used searches.
Where-Used Depth Sets the depth of the where-used search. One level
searches immediate parent assemblies. All levels
searches all assemblies up to the top-level product.
Top level searches the final product. For more
information, see Configuring for where-used searches.

Interpreting supersedure symbols

Symbol Symbol title Description

Component Node Displays the item name corresponding
to the change.

Selected Component Displays the currently selected

Node component node.
Quantity Node Shows supersedures created between
quantity changes. These are displayed in
the Supersedure pane.
In this example, EC01\A changed the
quantity of part C from 1 to 3.

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Symbol Symbol title Description

Change Node Connects the component nodes and
displays change information.
Component nodes listed above the
change occurred before the change was
created. Component nodes listed below
the change occurred after the change was
created.
A tool tip lists the parent structure and
the component’s effectivity when you
place the cursor over the node.
Pure Add Shows the supersedure trail associated
with part C, as displayed in the
Supersedure pane.
In this example, part C resulted from
EC01/A.
Pure Cancel Shows the supersedure trail associated
with part C, as displayed in the
Supersedure pane.
In this example, part C resulted from
EC0/A, but was canceled by EC03\A.
Selected Change If red, the selected part or assembly is
Node the currently selected change node.
Transfer Change Shows a T to indicate the change node
Node is a transfer supersedure. Transfer
supersedures involve the transfer of a
part from one level of an assembly to
another level of the same assembly.
Delivered Product Displays if the supersedure was created
Change as part of a delivered product change.
For this type of supersedure, the arrow
line appears in red.
Duplicate Displays if the selected component has
Supersedure Flag a supersedure that is already displayed.
The supersedure does not continue from
this point as this would produce an
infinite loop.
Additional Displays if there are additional
Supersedures supersedures in the history to display.
Latest Supersedure Displays if there are no more additional
supersedures in the history to display.
Move Green highlights a part or assembly
that has moved. You cannot create
supersedure for move changes.

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Symbol Symbol title Description

Reshape Green highlights a part or assembly
in the structure that is reshaped. You
cannot create supersedure for reshape
changes.

Managing supersedure
The supersedure tree starts from a selected part and shows the visual path of the
subsequent superseded parts. The supersedure tree also shows related product
information.
Navigate through the supersedure tree by double-clicking component nodes. Clicking
a node expands it to show the next supersedure in the sequence.
You can use the supersedure tree to:
• Browse the supersedure of the selected part.

• Create a new supersedure based on a different parent assembly.

• Create a new supersedure based on a different top-level product.

Browse supersedure
The supersedure tree graphically displays the replacement history of the selected
part or assembly using rectangular and oval elements to represent components
and changes.
Only part numbers are displayed in supersedure, not revision numbers. You cannot
create supersedures for revisions; they are assumed to be interchangeable in form,
fit, and function.
To view the supersedure of a part or assembly:
1. In the product structure. select a line that represents a part or assembly that
has an associated supersedure.

2. Click Show/Hide Data Panel .

The window divides to show the structure tree on the left, and the data pane
on the right.

3. In the data pane, click the Supersedure tab.

Teamcenter opens the supersedure view containing the replacement history of
the selected component in the context of its parent assembly. It generates the
supersedure for the item you specify in the Where-Used pane located below
the Supersedure pane.

4. Optionally, place the cursor over a change to show a tool tip that lists the parent
assembly item revision and effectivity of the selected change.
Note A part may be used in more than one assembly and each assembly has its
own supersedures. Thus, a part may have more than one supersedure trail.

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Display a different supersedure in the context of a parent assembly

An item revision may have several supersedure trails, if it has occurrences in

different assemblies. The Supersedure pane shows the history of the selected part
or assembly in the context of the current assembly. To see the supersedure of the
selected part or assembly in another parent assembly, you must generate a new
supersedure with respect to the other assembly.

1. Minimize the Supersedure pane, if necessary, by clicking Expand .

2. Perform a where-used search in the search pane below the supersedure display.
For information on performing where-used searches, see Making where-used
searches.

3. Select the required different parent assembly in the graphical display of the

search results and click New Node .

Structure Manager displays a new supersedure in the context of the newly
selected parent assembly.

Create a new supersedure with respect to a different top-level product

A part or assembly may be used in more than one top-level product. Such a part or
assembly may eventually be removed from one or more of the top-level products as
the products move through their life cycles. When you define the deletion of a part
or assembly in a supersedure, the Supersedure pane shows the component in red
with a line through the label. The red line indicates the part or assembly is no
longer used anywhere in the selected top-level product.
If you select a new top-level product from the product list, Teamcenter creates a new
supersedure of the selected part or assembly with respect to the newly selected
product.
Note By default, the capability to show redlined items
is disabled. To display redlined relations, go to the
java\com\teamcenter\rac\pse\genealogy\genealogy_user.properties
file and set useProductList.FLAG=true.

To show a different supersedure of the selected part or assembly in the context

of a different top-level product:

1. Select the part or assembly whose inclusion in various top-level products you
want to view.

2. From the product list, select a different product.

Teamcenter shows a new supersedure in the context of the newly selected
top-level product. The new supersedure starts with the first supersedure.
Any component that has a never-used relationship in the context of the selected
top-level product is shown in red and underlined.

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Create a transfer supersedure

Transfer supersedures are generated when a component is moved from one assembly
to another. Transfer supersedures require at least two affected items and two
problem items, one for each assembly level.
When a transfer supersedure is viewed in the supersedure window, Transfer shows
next to the supersedure. A transfer supersedure is viewed in the Supersedure pane,
as shown.

1. Delete a Problem component from a subassembly:

a. Send the pertinent change to Change Manager.

b. Select the desired subassembly item revision from the Affected Item folder.

c. Right-click the item revision, choose Send To, and send the item revision
to Structure Manager.
Note There must be at least two item revisions in the Affected Item
folder, and one item revision must belong to a subassembly of the
other.

d. Structure Manager opens and the selected subassembly is displayed.

e. Select the component you want to delete. Click Delete Line.

f. Click Save.

g. Structure Manager saves the assembly, then displays the supersedures view.
• The left pane displays the contents of the Affected Item folder.

• The right pane displays the contents of the problem items folder.

• The file name and revision rule of each item revision are displayed at the
top of the respective panes.

• The bottom pane displays the supersedure once it is created.

• Items that are deleted from the affected item revision display in red in
the right pane. In other words, components of the problem item revision
(displayed in the right pane) that are deleted from the solution item
revision display in red.

2. Transfer the component to a parent assembly:

a. Return to Change Manager and select the parent assembly from the
Affected Item folder. Right-click the item revision and choose Send To.
Send the item revision to Structure Manager.

b. In Structure Manager, select the level of the assembly where you want the
component added.

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c. Select the component you want to add and click Copy. You can select this
item revision from My Teamcenter.

d. Return to Structure Manager and click Paste.

e. Click Save.
Structure Manager displays the split window. The left pane displays the
contents of the Affected Item folder. Items that are added to the affected
item revision display in blue in the left pane.

f. Select the appropriate subcomponent assembly from the Sub-Assembly list

below the right pane. The assembly is displayed in the right pane. Items
that are deleted from the assembly are shown in red.

g. Click Transfer.
A transfer supersedure is created.

Commonly encountered supersedure examples

Description Image
Regular supersedure

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Description Image
Quantity supersedure, from 1
to 2

Regular supersedure plus

pure add

Pure add with quantity

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Description Image
Add supersedure plus pure
cancel

Regular supersedure plus

pure cancel

Quantity supersedure

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View a supersedure in Structure Manager

Viewing a supersedure displays the additions and deletions to the selected affected
item.
1. Right-click an affected item in Change Manager and choose Send To. Send the
item revision to Structure Manager.
Note If Structure Manager displays a Do you wish to update BOM Changes
(needed only if structure is edited outside change control)? message,
click Yes. This ensures you can manage the BOM changes that are now
being managed in Structure Manager, outside of change control.

2. Click Supersedures Environment .

The supersedures folder is displayed in the supersedures view in the bottom
pane. The Adds folder displays additions to the assembly with a to the
left of the component name.
The Cancels folder displays deletions from the assembly with a to the left of
the component name.

3. View the supersedure of the same affected item with a different problem item by
selecting a different problem item from the list below the right pane. This list
displays any other problem items that have been used to create a supersedure
with the selected affected item revision.

4. A new supersedure appears, displaying the additions and deletions of the new
supersedure.

Create a structure change

In Structure Manager, perform the necessary modifications (additions, deletions,
moves, reshapes) by adding and deleting structure lines, then click Save.
Note You must have write access to the assembly.

Change management compares the selected affected item with the associated
problem item in the change by displaying two panes. The left pane displays
modifications to the affected item assembly, the right pane displays modifications
from the problem item assembly.
By default, additions are blue, deletions are red, moves are green, reshapes are
light blue, quantity changes are orange, and so forth. Click Icons/Colors Legend
to view the currently defined color for each type of comparison. You can select
the comparison colors by choosing Edit→Options→Change Management→Bom
Tracking and changing the colors.
If the change contains more than one problem item, change management applies the
following rules to select the appropriate problem item:
1. Choose the item revision with the same ID as the selected affected item.

2. If there is no item revision with the same ID, or if there are multiple revisions
of the item revision, you are prompted to select one from those listed in the
Problem Items folder.

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Note If the selected assembly is a new part, or else not an affected item (for
example, you are only making structure change modifications, not creating a
supersedure), choose No Problem Item at the prompt. BOM Change objects
of the type Add are created for every component.

In the example, the left pane displays the additions to Assy100/B, and the right pane
displays the deletions from Assy100/A, as shown.

Left pane: Right pane:

Additions to Assy100/B Deletions from Assy100/A
P10 P10
P21 P11
P15 P15
P25 P18
P19
Assy200/A Assy200/A
P30 P30
P21 P11

This completes the first stage of making a supersedure—creating structure changes.

These same changes can now be viewed from the BOM Changes view in Change
Manager by selecting the affected item. The BOM Changes view displays the
modifications (adds, cancels, moves, reshapes) with the specified buttons in the
Icons/Colors Legend .
The convenience of viewing color-coded changes to a structure might be sufficient
for your change management requirements and you have no need to create
supersedures.
Note When creating structure changes, the only changes processed are additions,
deletions, moves, reshapes, and quantity changes. Changes to other
component properties, for example, sequence number, occurrence notes) are
not included. Variant components are treated as any other component.

Create a structure change using dynamic revision

You can use dynamic revision rules to track a particular change. A dynamic revision
rule is dynamic when it requires end item, date, or unit number input to generate
correct configured revisions.
When defining a dynamic revision rule to track a change, Teamcenter uses the
revision rule set in the TC_config_rule_name preference.
Use the CM Base Configuration form to determine the product unit or date that
causes the change to go into effect. This form can be attached during the definition
of the change object using the Business Modeler IDE application. Alternatively, the
form can be attached by using the ECM-create-base-revrule-form action handler
at the beginning of the change process.
If a configuration form is attached to the change, the revision rules are modified
according to the form’s effectivity entries.

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Create the CM base configuration form

A structure change based on dynamic revision rules requires a change containing
the CM Base Configuration form. This form must be manually created before the
dynamic revision rule functionality can be used. Before the form can be created,
the form type must be defined.
To create a new form, choose File→New→Form. The New Form wizard appears to
create the CM Base Configuration form.
Use the following information to create the form and class in step 1 of the New
Form wizard:

Form Name: CM Base Configuration

Class Name: CMBaseRevRuleForm

Use the following information to complete the form fields in step 2 of the New
Form wizard:

Name Type Size Null

end_item_str String 128 Check
unit_no Integer N/A Check
from_date Date N/A Check

Note It is important that the form fields are defined exactly as shown in the
table. If the definitions are altered the dynamic revision rules will not work
correctly, and once the forms are created, they are not easily revised.

To complete the setup of the dynamic revision rule functionality, the

ECM_base_revrule_relation relation type must be created.
Create the relation type using the Business Modeler IDE application.
For additional information, see the Business Modeler IDE Guide

Create a BOM change based on dynamic revision rules

A run-time override folder is created for the revision rule of the affected assembly
that contains all the affected and solution revisions set in the first entry of the folder.
This ensures that the revisions created as part of the change are displayed as the
configured revision, irrespective of the effectivity entries.

Create structure quantity changes

A quantity change for an assembly or a component-level item revision must be based
in the context of Change Manager.
1. Select a change revision master and send it to Change Manager, using the Send
To command.

2. From Change Manager, select the item revision under the Affected Item folder
and send it to Structure Manager, using the Send To command.

3. In Structure Manager, make sure the Quantity column is displayed.

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4. If the Quantity column is not displayed:

a. Choose Edit→Options.

b. Select Structure Manager.

c. Select Hidden Columns→Quantity to place it in the Shown Columns list.

d. Once Quantity is in the Shown Columns list, click Up. or Down to

position its display in the Structure Manager window columns.

e. Click OK.

f. When you have verified the Quantity column is displayed in Structure

Manager, return to Change Manager.

g. Select the same item revision and send it to Structure Manager again, using
the Send To command.
The Quantity column is displayed.

5. In Structure Manager, select the component for which the quantity needs to
be changed.

6. Click the quantity in the selected structure line; the Quantity cell is outlined.

7. Type in the quantity, then press Enter.

8. Click Save. A split window displays the item(s) whose quantities have been
changed in orange.

The quantity for item revisions can also be viewed from the Properties information
dialog box.

Attach a form to structure change

You can associate a form with a structure change from Change Manager. Once a
form is associated with a structure change, it displays in the Form pane of the BOM
Changes tab. Its fields can be used to indicate the purpose behind the change or
other change information, such as comments, requirements and so forth.
Use the Form pane with the BOM Changes tab to associate a form to a selected
structure change. The type of form associated with the structure change is
determined via the ECM_bomchange_formtype preference. By default, this
preference is set to associate the BOM Change form with structure changes. A
system administrator can change this setting; one or more valid Teamcenter form
types can be defined for this preference.
For additional information about this preference, see the Preferences and
Environment Variables Reference.
To associate a form with a structure change:
1. In Change Manager, select the item revision whose structure changes you want
to associate with a form.

2. Click the BOM Changes tab.

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The item revision is displayed in the Revision tree of the BOM Changes tab.

3. Click + to expand the View folder.

Any structure changes made to the item revision appear.

4. Select the structure change to which you want to associate a form.

5. Click Create.
The form type specified in the ECM_bomchange_formtype preference displays
in the Form pane.

6. Type the requested information into the available text boxes.

7. Click OK.
The information is saved to the database and the form is associated with the
structure change.

8. After the form has been associated with the structure change, click Display at
any time to display the form and its contents.

9. Click Modify to modify the contents of the form.

10. Click Delete to delete a structure change form.

Note To create structure changes, the changes performed in Structure Manager
must be made in the context of an change for a given assembly. The item
revision must be selected from the Affected Item folder from within Change
Manager and then sent to Structure Manager.

Create delivered change

A change, rework, or re-identification of an original part that is assigned Delivered
status can be tracked from the original item revision by creating a parallel revision
sequence using the Save As command. For example, a parallel revision sequence for
the delivered assembly Assy100/C can be based on the site number of the customer to
whom the product was delivered, for example, #3382. This allows the item revision
to continue the revision progression in a parallel path.
You can perform a delivered product change and named design progression using the
same change. The change process must be configured so that the delivered change
is assigned special release status which is used to display delivered changes in
supersedure.
1. In Change Manager, select the item revision you want to change.

2. Choose File→Save As.

The Save Item Revision As dialog box is displayed.

3. Type the new Revision ID sequence. In the previous example, change the
existing sequence of Assy100 to 3382.

4. Optionally, type a description of the change.

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5. Click OK.

6. Click Apply to save the changes to the database and leave the dialog box open
for additional changes.

Creating a custom supersedure form

You can associate a custom form with a supersedure and use the form to track
supersedure attributes, such as effectivity or interchangeability. Your site must
first assign a particular form to use with supersedures and enable the custom form
functionality. Once the functionality has been enabled, you can associate the form
with any supersedure. Only one form can be associated with supersedures.

Enable custom forms

To enable the custom form functionality, your administrator must change a change
management default property so that the Create Form button appears in
Structure Manager.
1. In the rich client root directory, find the
com\teamcenter\rac\ecmanagement\ecmanagement_user.properties
file.

2. In this file, add the enableSupercedureForm property and ensure it is set

to true.

3. Set the value of the supercedureFormType property to the name of the form
type to use as the supersedure form.

The custom form button now appears in the vertical toolbar of the
Supersedure pane. When a user completes the form, it is saved and associated
with the selected supersedure by the ECM_supercedure_to_form_reln
relation.
Note If you later need to determine the form that is associated with a
supersedure, query the value of the untyped reference run-time property
custom_form_tag for the Supersedure type.

Associate a custom form with a supersedure

1. Select a supersedure and click the Custom Form button . Teamcenter

displays the Supersedure form.
Your Teamcenter administrator selects the custom form associated with
supersedures. For details, see Enable custom forms.

2. Complete the form and click Apply.

Teamcenter saves the form and associates it with the selected supersedure. Once
the form is associated with a supersedure, it cannot be detached.

Once a form is created for a supersedure, it displays in the Supersedure pane

whenever the supersedure is selected. You can modify the form at any time and
save changes by clicking Apply.

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Track history of variant changes

Your Teamcenter administrator enables tracking of variant changes by setting the

ECM_track_variant_condition_changes preference to ON. This preference is
effective only if the ECM_set_genealogy preference is set to ON.
When you save changes to a structure containing variants, if this preference is
ON for the current change type, Teamcenter tracks variant changes between the
affected item and the problem item.
To view variant change history:

1. Open the data pane by clicking the Show/Hide Data Panel button on the
toolbar.

2. On the data pane, click the Supersedure tab.

3. On the Supersedure pane, click the Variant Change History button.

Teamcenter displays the Variant Change Details dialog box, showing variant
conditions for the problem item and affected item of the chosen occurrence.

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11 Using item revision configuration

Using item revision configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-1

Understanding revision rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-1

Evaluating revision rules for read access . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-2
Configuring precise assemblies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-3
Elements of a revision configured product structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-5

Configuring privileged and unprivileged users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-6

Creating a revision rule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-6

Create a rule entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-6
Modify a rule entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-7
Delete a rule entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-7
Edit the entries within a rule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-7
Modify the current revision rule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-7

Defining revision rule entries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-8

Defining a Working entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-8
Example of a Working entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-8
Example of a Working entry with current user/group . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-9
Defining a Status entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-9
Example of status hierarchy in a revision rule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-10
Example of effective date configuration in a revision rule . . . . . . . . . 11-10
Defining a Latest entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-11
Example of a revision rule with latest by creation date entry . . . . . . . 11-11
Defining a date entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-12
Defining a unit number entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-12
Defining an end item entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-12
Defining grouped entries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-13
Example of revision rule with grouped entries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-13
Grouping revision rule entries by item type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-13
Creating Has Item Type entries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-14
Create and group revision rule entries by equal precedence . . . . . 11-15
Create and group Has Item Type revision rule entries . . . . . . . . . 11-15
Group existing revision rule entries by item type . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-16
Ungroup combinations of item type entries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-16
Modify the item types in existing revision rule entries grouped by item
type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-16

Applying a revision rule to a Structure Manager window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-18

Set a revision rule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-18

PLM00048 J Structure Manager Guide

 Set date/unit/end item . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-18

Set an override folder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-19

Viewing revision rule information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-20

Displaying and editing revision effectivity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-21

Display revision effectivity data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-21
Edit revision effectivity data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-21
Reuse components in different products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-22

Releasing multiple item revisions in a single workflow process . . . . . . . . . . . 11-23

Managing nested effectivity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-23

Configuring nested effectivity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-24
Creating a configuration item . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-24
Creating a revision rule for nested effectivity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-25
Create effectivity mapping on a configuration item . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-27
Managing product generations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-28
Defining end item revisions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-28

Using revision rules from My Teamcenter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-29

Managing occurrence to part relationships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-29

Show occurrences of superseded item revision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-29
Update precise occurrences of superseded item revision . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-29

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Chapter

11 Using item revision configuration

Using item revision configuration

You can create and apply revision rules to select the appropriate revision of
components in the product structure. A revision rule sets the criteria for selecting
the revision, for example, whether to load working revisions or determining the
released revisions that are loaded. This allows you to configure a structure as it was
or will be on a particular date, for example, by utilizing effectivity data on each
item revision (release status).
For additional information, see Understanding revision rules.
Users can use combinations of effectivity data to do the following:
• Create and set date and optional end item revision effectivity.

• Create and set unit number and end item revision effectivity.

• Share an existing effectivity between structures.

• Create and share a named effectivity.

• Protect an effectivity so that only certain users can apply it.

Both unit number and date ranges can be closed or open-ended. For open-ended
ranges, UP and SO (stock out) values can be specified. Ranges can be discontinuous,
for example, unit numbers 1, 5, 10–UP.
A privileged user (typically, the system administrator) creates the revision rules that
are then made available to other users. Consequently, nontechnical users do not
have to understand the full complexity of revision configuration but simply apply
the appropriate revision rule.
Before creating or implementing item revision configuration, see Getting Started
with Product Structure, which includes additional information.

Understanding revision rules

Item revision configuration allows you to create and apply revision rules that select
the appropriate revision of parts and assemblies in the product structure. A revision
rule:
• Selects working revisions and (optionally) specifies the owning user or group.

• Selects revisions by status (according to status precedence) or the latest revision

with any status using release date.

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• Optionally specifies the effectivity against which the revisions are configured.
Effectivity may be specified by date or unit number.
Note Do not confuse the effectivity in the revision rule with the actual effectivity
data visible on item revisions.
For more information, see Displaying and editing revision effectivity.

• Select revisions in a specified override folder.

• Select the latest revisions according to the revision ID by alphanumeric,

numeric, or creation date order. This selection does not depend on whether
revisions are working or released.

You define each of these criteria with a revision rule entry. A revision rule may
contain any number of rule entries, each of which attempts to select a revision
according to the specified criteria, for example, the status that the revision should
have or the user or group that owns the revision.
Teamcenter evaluates rule entries in order of precedence until a revision is
successfully configured. You can include some entries more than once to define an
order of precedence, for example, Status:
Working (Owning Group = Project Y)
Has Status (Production, Effective Date)
Has Status (Pre-Production, Effective Date)

You can modify the order of the rule entries to change the precedence Teamcenter
uses when evaluating the revision rule. Certain rule entries can also be grouped so
they are evaluated with equal precedence.
For more information, see Defining grouped entries.
Teamcenter always enforces a revision rule when you open a structure in a Structure
Manager window.

Evaluating revision rules for read access

By default, Teamcenter applies a revision rule to configure a product structure
before it applies any rule filter that is set in Access Manager. As a result, if a
higher revision rule entry configures a particular revision of an item and the user
has no read access to this revision, the structure line in Structure Manager shows
an UNREADABLE stub entry.
You can optionally configure Teamcenter to continue evaluation when expanding
the structure against the revision rule until it encounters a revision of the item to
which the user has read access. However, if it finds no accessible item revision for
any of the entries, it shows an UNREADABLE stub, as before. To allow Teamcenter
to continue revision rule evaluation by making read access checks in this way,
set the PSE_check_read_access_for_Rev_Rule_entry preference to TRUE.
Structure Manager shows the next item revision to which you have access. If this
preference is set to FALSE, evaluation stops when the first inaccessible configured
item revision is encountered.
You can use any of the following revision rule entries to show configured item
revisions to which the user has read access:
• Latest Working

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• Status

• Latest Revision

• Override

You can include more than one of these entries in the same revision rule to find
accessible item revisions.
This behavior applies only to imprecise structures and does not affect the evaluation
of precise structures. Similarly, there is no effect if you configure a structure by
unit number or date effectivity.

Configuring precise assemblies

If an assembly is precise and the revision rule contains a precise entry, the assembly
is configured according to that entry. However, if the assembly is precise and the
revision rule does not contain a precise entry, the assembly is treated as imprecise.
If the assembly is treated as imprecise:
• If a revision is configured by a Working revision rule entry that is not accessible
to the user, Structure Manager continues to evaluate the next matching
readable revision. This behavior is not affected by the presence or value of the
PSE_check_read_access_for_Rev_Rule_entry preference.

• If a revision is configured by any other (imprecise) revision rule entry that is not
accessible to the user, and the PSE_check_read_access_for_Rev_Rule_entry
preference is not present or is FALSE, Structure Manager displays
<UNREADABLE>. If the preference is TRUE, Structure Manager continues to
evaluate the next matching readable revision.

For example:
• You have an item called Part1 with two revisions, Part1/A is Working and
Part1/B is also Working.
A precise assembly Asm is created containing Part1/B. That is:
Asm
|--Part1/B

If User2 is denied read access to Part1/B and opens Asm in Structure Manager
with an AnyStatus;Working revision rule, the system performs the following
evaluation:
1. The AnyStatus entry does not configure any revisions.

2. The Working entry configures in Part1/B but access rules make this revision
<UNREADABLE>.

3. Regardless of the setting of the

PSE_check_read_access_for_Rev_Rule_entry preference, evaluation
continues. The next revision is Part1/A, and access rules do not deny access
to it, so the final result is Part1/A.

If User2 then changes the revision rule to Latest by Alpha Revision Order,
the system performs the following evaluation:

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1. The Latest by Alpha Revision entry configures in Part1/B but access rules
make this revision <UNREADABLE>.

2. The system continues evaluation only if the

PSE_check_read_access_for_Rev_Rule_entry preference is TRUE.
The next revision is Part1/A, and access rules do not deny access to it, so
the final result is Part1/A.

• You have an item called Part1 with three revisions, Part1/A is released with a
TcReleased status, Part1/B is released with a TcBaseline status, and Part1/C
is released with a TcReleased status.
A precise assembly Asm is created with Part1/C. That is:
Asm
|--Part1/C

If User2 is denied read access for the TcReleased status and opens Asm in
Structure Manager with a AnyStatus;Working revision rule, the system
performs the following evaluation:

1. The AnyStatus entry configures in Part1/C but access rules make this
revision <UNREADABLE>.

2. The system continues evaluation only if the

PSE_check_read_access_for_Rev_Rule_entry preference is TRUE. The
next revision with status is Part1/B, and access rules do not deny access, so
the final result is Part1/B.

• You have an item called Part1 with two revisions, Part1/A is released with a
TcReleased status and Part1/B is working.
A precise assembly Asm is created with Part1/A. That is:
Asm
|--Part1/A

If User2 is denied read access for status TcReleased and opens Asm in
Structure Manager with a AnyStatus;Working revision rule, the system
performs the following evaluation:
1. The AnyStatus entry configures in Part1/A but access rules make this
revision <UNREADABLE>.

2. The system continues evaluation only if the

PSE_check_read_access_for_Rev_Rule_entry preference is TRUE.
Because no other revisions have status, the next rule entry of Working
configures in Part1/B. Access rules do not deny access, so the final result is
Part1/B.

If User2 changes the revision rule to Latest Working, the system performs the
following evaluation:

1. The LatestWorking rule contains a Precise entry, that configures the

revision saved with the assembly, namely, Part1/A.

2. Because access rules make Part1/A unreadable for User2, the final result
is <UNREADABLE>.

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The PSE_check_read_access_for_Rev_Rule_entry preference does not

affect the result because the structure and the revision rule are precise.

Elements of a revision configured product structure

The following elements may appear in a product structure that is controlled by
revision configuration.

Element Purpose
Baseline A copy of the currently configured structure at the
time the baseline was created. Baselining configures a
completely released structure and thereby guarantees
that the models are always the same as when the baseline
was created.
End item A product, system, or module with respect to which you
can configure the structure by effectivity. For example,
you can configure the structure of unit number 110 in
product X400, where X400 is the end item.
For more information about end items, see Displaying
and editing revision effectivity.
End item revision The configured revision for the selected end item.
Imprecise assembly A single-level assembly that has items (not item
revisions) as the components. Teamcenter determines the
applicable revision from the revision rule settings.
Override list A mechanism that allows a user to override the revision
that would normally be loaded by the revision rule. The
user places item revisions in a workspace folder, and the
revision rule is overridden by the rule specified in the
override list.
The folder provided for the override list may contain
multiple nested folders. The item revision in the topmost
folder is configured.
Precise assembly A single-level assembly that has specific item revisions as
the components. When Teamcenter applies the revision
rule, the precisely specified item revision is configured by
a precise entry in a revision rule.
Release status An object assigned to an item revision after it is
successfully released. Item revisions can be configured
according to their status. The status may optionally
contain effectivity data for revision configuration (not
occurrence effectivity configuration).
Revision rule The parameters set by a user that determine which
revision of an item at a particular time. You can also save
a revision rule as a workspace object.
Rule entry A revision rule comprises an ordered list of rule entries.
Each type of rule entry is concerned with a particular
type of configuration.

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Element Purpose
Snapshot You can save a configured product structure as a
snapshot. The snapshot folder contains all revisions of
the structure, and you can use it to redisplay a saved
structure at any time.
Working revision An unreleased version of the structure. Any user
with write privileges can freely change this revision.
Teamcenter maintains no record of intermediate states
of a working revision.

Configuring privileged and unprivileged users

User privileges determine if a user can create and modify revision rules, or only apply
rules created by others. Specifically, privileged users have access to all the revision
rule menu commands, while unprivileged users have access only to a subset of the
commands. Consequently, unprivileged users cannot create or delete revision rules,
and have only limited ability to modify revision rules without saving the changes.
Your Teamcenter administrator can restrict user access to these menu commands.
Use the Command Suppression application to determine those roles that are
privileged and so restrict access to the Revision Rules menu commands.
For more details, see Administering the product structure.

Creating a revision rule

If you are a privileged user, you can use two dialog boxes to create or edit a revision
rule:
• The Modify Current Rule dialog box to create temporary revision rules.

• The Create/Edit Rules dialog box to create persistent revision rules.

Both dialog boxes contain the Revision Rule Editor, which comprises two main panes.
• The upper pane lists all the entries in the rule, with buttons you can use to
manipulate the entries.

• The lower pane allows you to create or edit an entry, and add it into the rule.

Create a rule entry

1. In the Revision Rule Editor, select the type of entry you want to create. By
default, the combination box shows Working. Teamcenter updates the entry
boxes appropriately.

2. Enter values into the boxes and click one of the following buttons:
• Click Append to add your entry at the end of the list of rule entries.

• Click Insert to add your entry above the selected entry.

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• Click Replace to replace the selected entry with your entry.

Syntax for revision rule entries is given in Defining revision rule entries.

Modify a rule entry

1. Select an entry in the list of entries.

2. Click Copy. Teamcenter copies the entry into the editing area and displays
the appropriate entry type and boxes.

3. Edit the values of the entry and click Replace with the original entry still
selected. Teamcenter replaces the old entry with the new entry.

Syntax for revision rule entries is given in Defining revision rule entries.

Delete a rule entry

1. Select an entry in the list of entries.

2. Click Remove and Teamcenter removes it from the rule.

Edit the entries within a rule

You can use the arrow buttons to move entries up or down within the rule.
You can use the Group/Ungroup command to add entries to a group or remove them
from a group.

Modify the current revision rule

Users can make modifications to the window’s current revision rule. This does not
affect the saved revision rule, but instead, Teamcenter creates a copy of the rule,
modifies it as specified, and applies it to the window. To modify the current rule,
choose Tools→Revision Rule→Modify Current; Teamcenter displays the Modify
Current Rule dialog box.
Use the Modify Current Rule dialog box to modify the current rule with the Revision
Rule Editor. The editor contains a copy of the saved revision rule that is applied
to the product structure window. The name of the copied rule is the name of the
original rule with (Modified) appended. You cannot edit the Name box, but you
can change the Description box.
After you edit the revision rule, apply your changes by clicking OK or Apply.
If you have write access to the original rule, you can save your changes back to the
original rule by clicking Save.
Syntax for revision rule entries is given in Defining revision rule entries.

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Defining revision rule entries

A revision rule is made up of a sequential list of entries. Evaluation of the rule
involves evaluating each of the entries, in order, until a configured revision of the
item is successfully obtained. A rule may be made up of entries of the following types.

Defining a Working entry

Use a working entry to select working item revisions; that is, those items revisions
without any release status. By default, Teamcenter selects the latest working
revision of the item according to the date it was created. You can select a more
specific revision with one of the following settings:
• Owning user
If you specify an owning user within a working entry, Teamcenter configures
the latest revision owned by the specified user, if there is such a revision. You
can also set the owning user to Current, and Teamcenter configures the latest
revision owned by the current user.

• Owning group
If you specify an owning group within a working entry, Teamcenter configures
the latest revision owned by the specified group, if there is such a revision. You
can also set the owning group to Current, and Teamcenter configures the latest
revision owned by the current user’s group.
Tip There may be more than one working entry within a revision rule. For
example, a rule may configure the current user’s working revision and, if
none is found, configure the current group’s working revision instead. If a
user changes group, it is necessary to reapply the revision rule to configure
the appropriate revisions for the new group.
However, in many circumstances, it is good practice to limit the number of
working revisions, typically to a single revision. Do this in Business Modeler
IDE, as follows:
1. Right-click the item revision business object on which you want to limit
the working revisions and choose Open.

2. Click the Operations tab, open the Operations folder, scroll down to the
bottom of the Operations folder, and open the Legacy Operations folder.

3. Select the ITEM_copy_rev operation.

4. In the Pre-Condition pane, choose Add and select checkLatestReleased.

5. Add an argument that specifies the number of working revisions allowed.

6. Save and deploy the modified configuration.

For more information, see the Business Modeler IDE Guide

Example of a Working entry

An example of Working entries in a revision rule follows:

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Working( Owning User = John )

Working( Owning Group = Project X )

Assume you configure the following two items with this rule:
Part1/A : Status = Production
Part1/B : Working, Owning User = John, Owning Group = Project Y
Part1/C : Working, Owning User = Jane, Owning Group = Project X
Part2/A : Status = Production
Part2/B : Working, Owning User = Jane, Owning Group = Project X

Teamcenter configures Revision B of Part 1, because it is owned by John. The

owning groups are not relevant.
Teamcenter configures Revision B of Part 2, because it is owned by Project X. There
is no revision owned by John.
Note If John or by Project X owned more than one revision, Teamcenter would
configure the latest created of the matching revisions.

Example of a Working entry with current user/group

An example of a current user/group entry in a revision rule follows:
Working( Owning User = Current )

Assume you configure the following item with this rule:

Part1/A : Status = Production
Part1/B : Working, Owning User = John, Owning Group = Project Y
Part1/C : Working, Owning User = Jane, Owning Group = Project X
Part1/D : Working, Owning User = Jane, Owning group = Project Y

This rule configures a revision that depends on the identity of the user logged
into Teamcenter.
• If Jane is logged in, Teamcenter configures Revision D.

• If John is logged in, Teamcenter configures Revision B.

Assume you use the following rule to configure the same item:
Working( Owning Group = Current )

The revision configured by this rule is dependent on which group the user is logged
into Teamcenter.
This rule configures a revision that depends on the group in which the user logged
into Teamcenter.
• If the user is logged into Group Project X, Teamcenter configures Revision C.

• If the user is logged into Group Project Y, Teamcenter configures Revision D.

Defining a Status entry

Use a status entry to select item revisions that are released with a particular status.
The following settings are available for status entries:
• Any release status
Teamcenter configures the latest item revision with a released status, regardless
of the actual status.

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• Selected status
Teamcenter configures the latest item revision with a selected status type. This
setting allows you to configure a structure that contains only item revisions
with a specified status.
For details about configuring release statuses for your site, see the Business
Modeler IDE Guide.

• Released date
Teamcenter selects the latest item revision according to the date the revision
was released (that is, the date the particular status was added).

• Effective date
Teamcenter selects the latest item revision according to effectivity dates defined
on the release status. Privileged users define effective dates as described in
Displaying and editing revision effectivity.

• Effective unit number

Teamcenter selects the latest item revision according to unit numbers defined
on the release status.

Example of status hierarchy in a revision rule

The following example shows how to use status hierarchy in a revision rule:
Has Status( Production, Configured by Date Released )
Has Status( Pre-Production, Configured by Date Released )

Assume you configure the following three items with this rule (dates are release
dates):
Part1/A : Status = Pre-Production [1-Apr-2007]
Part1/B : Status = Production [1-Jun-2007]
Part1/C : Status = Production [1-Aug-2007]
Part1/D : Working
Part2/A : Status = Pre-Production [1-May-2007]
Part2/B : Status = Production [1-Jul-2007]
Part2/C : Status = Pre-Production [1-Sep-2007}
Part3/A : Status = Pre-Production [1-Aug-2007]
Part3/B : Working

Teamcenter configures Revision C of Part 1, because it is the most recently released

revision with Production status.
It configures Revision B of Part 2, because it is also the most recently released
revision with Production status. The later preproduction revision is not configured.
It configures Revision A of Part 3. There is no revision with Production status, so it
configures the latest Pre-Production revision.
Note The rule in this example creates a status hierarchy. If possible, the rule
configures a Production release, but if one is not available, it configures
a Pre-Production release.

Example of effective date configuration in a revision rule

The following example shows effective date configuration in a revision rule:

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Has Status( Production, Configured by Effective Date )

Assume you configure the following item with this rule (dates are effective date
ranges):
Part1/A : Status = Production [1-Apr-2007 to ... ]
Part1/B : Status = Production [1-Aug-2007 to ... ]
Part1/C : Status = Production [1-Nov-2008 to ... ]

If today’s date is sometime in 2007, Teamcenter configures Revision B, because it has

Production status and also has the later effective start date of the two revisions
effective in 2007.

Defining a Latest entry

You can specify a latest entry to select the latest item revisions regardless of whether
they are released. For this entry, Teamcenter does not differentiate between working
revisions and revisions with status. The following settings are available for Latest
entries:
• Creation date
Teamcenter selects the latest item revision according to the date the revision
was created.

• Alphanumeric revision ID
Teamcenter selects the latest item revision in alphanumeric order by revision
ID. It selects any numeric revision IDs in numeric order by their first digit,
for example, 1, 10, 2, 21, and so on. It selects any alphabetic revision IDs in
alphabetic order, for example, a, aa, b, and z.

• Numeric revision ID
Teamcenter selects the latest item revision in numeric order by revision ID. It
does not configure revisions with nonnumeric IDs.

• Alpha and number revision ID

Teamcenter selects the latest item revision first in order of any initial alphabetic
characters, then any following numeric digits, for example, a, a2, a5, b2, b23,
aa12, aa123, bc22, aaa0, and aab.

Example of a revision rule with latest by creation date entry

The following example shows a revision rule that configures with the latest by
creation date:
Latest( Creation Date )

If you configure the following item with this rule (dates are creation dates):
Part1/A : Status = Production [1-Apr-2006]
Part1/B : Working [1-Jun-2006]

Teamcenter configures Revision B because it was created later than revision A. It is

not relevant if the revision is working or has status.

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Chapter 11 Using item revision configuration

Defining a date entry

Use a date entry to specify a date to configure the structure against. You can only
use this entry type with other entries. These types of entry find the latest entry
before the specified date:
• Status entry – released date or effective date

• Latest entry – creation date

You can set the date in a date entry to Today, and Teamcenter evaluates the
configuration criteria against the current date and time.
You cannot configure working revisions against a date in the past. Teamcenter
does not maintain information about the revisions that were in a working state at
a particular time in the past.
Note If no date entry is present in a revision rule, Teamcenter evaluates the date
by default to today’s date.
You can qualify date effectivity with an end item entry.

Defining a unit number entry

A unit number entry specifies a unit number to match when configuring item
revisions with status using unit number effectivity. You can only use this entry type
with other entries. If no unit number entry is present in a revision rule, Teamcenter
configures all status entries that configure by effective unit number.
Typically, a unit number is a property of the end product or a major module of a
product. As Teamcenter may manage many units, you typically qualify a unit
number entry with an end item entry.

Defining an end item entry

Use an end item entry to qualify the unit number or the effective date specified in
the revision rule.
The unit number you specify refers to a unit or serial number of the item identified
by the end item entry. This item is typically the end product, a major module, or
subsystem of a product, if it has its own unit number serialization.
You can also use an end item to qualify date effectivity, so you can make an item
revision effective in different products at different times.
If you put an end item entry in a rule, you force the application of the end item
in all uses of the rule. If you omit the end item entry, users can specify an end
item to configure the structure at runtime by choosing Tools→Revision Rule→Set
Date/Unit/End Item. You can also add a button to the toolbar to implement the Set
Date/Unit/End Item menu command.
Teamcenter interprets revisions with date effectivity and no qualifying end item as
effective for all possible end items. Therefore, when Teamcenter processes a rule
with date effectivity and an end item entry, it considers only revisions having date
effectivity with no end item, and those having date effectivity qualified by the end
item specified in the rule. Only those revisions with date effectivity qualified by a

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different end item are excluded. If the rule does not specify an end item, Teamcenter
only considers revisions with date effectivity and no end item qualification.

Defining grouped entries

You can group status entries and working entries for equal precedence. In the case of
status entries, you can group two or more different statuses with equal precedence.
In the case of working entries, you can group different owners with equal precedence.
You can also group entries according to item type.
Teamcenter does not allow you to group different types of entries. Consequently, the
following are not valid combinations for grouping:
•
Latest
Has Status, ConfiguredBy ReleaseDate

•
Has Status ( TCM Released ), Configured By EffectiveDate
Has Status ( Pending ), Configured by ReleaseDate

Example of revision rule with grouped entries

An example of a revision rule that uses grouped entries to obtain equal precedence
of status types follows:
[ Has Status( Production, Configured by Date Released )
Has Status( Pre-Production, Configured by Date Released ) ]

Assume you configure the following three items with this rule (dates are release
dates)
Part1/A : Status = Pre-Production [1-Apr-2007]
Part1/B : Status = Production [1-Jun-2007]
Part1/C : Status = Production [1-Aug-2007]
Part1/D : Working
Part2/A : Status = Pre-Production [1-May-2007]
Part2/B : Status = Production [1-Jul-2007]
Part2/C : Status = Pre-Production [1-Sep-2007}
Part3/A : Status = Pre-Production [1-Aug-2007]
Part3/B : Working

Teamcenter configures Revision C of Part 1, because it is the latest released revision

with either Production or Pre-Production status.
Teamcenter configures Revision C of Part 2 for the same reason.
Teamcenter configures Revision A of Part 3, again for the same reason.
For details about grouping revision rules by item type, see Grouping revision rule
entries by item type.

Grouping revision rule entries by item type

You can modify the order of precedence of revision rule entries by grouping revision
rules by item type. Teamcenter evaluates any revision rule under the item type group
for configuration of item revision only if the item type of the revision rule group and
underlying item revision matches. By using this grouping mechanism in a product

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structure that has item revisions of different item types, you can create revision
rules that selectively apply the revision rule entries according to the given item type.
For example, you may use an item to manage parts and equipment, but need to
distinguish between a production part and the equipment used to manufacture the
part. Each of these item types may have the same status but can be configured in a
different way, for example, by unit or date released. To achieve this, you can define a
revision rule with a clause that restricts some of the entries to certain item types.

Creating Has Item Type entries

Create a Has Item Type entry in a revision rule in the following format:
Has Item Type (<item type 1, item type 2, etc) {

<Entry 1>

<Entry 2>
etc.}

For example:
Has Item Type (Part) }
Has status (Approved, Configured with Released Date) }
Has status (Production, Configured with Unit Number)

In this example, the Has status ( Approved, Configured with Released Date)
revision rule entry configures the product structure only if the item type is Part. For
all other item types in the product structure, Teamcenter applies the Has status
(Production, Configured with Unit Number) revision rule entry. If neither of
these entries applies, the part is not configured by this revision rule.

Grouping entries for multiple item types

Each Has Item Type entry may have one or more item type arguments, but
cannot be left blank, that is, you cannot create a revision rule entry for Has Item
Type (Any). To include more than one item type argument, use the syntax in the
following example:
Has Item Type ( Prototype, Virtual Build ) {
...}

Grouping combinations of item type entries

You can only use one level of grouping and may not create nesting inside an existing
group entry, as shown in the following examples:
• Single revision rule entry grouped for item type:
Has Item Type ( Prototype ) {
entry 1 }
entry2

• Multiple revision rule entries grouped for item type without equal precedence:
Has Item Type ( Prototype ) {
entry 1
entry 2 }
entry3

• Multiple revision rule entries grouped for item type with and without equal
precedence:

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 Using item revision configuration

Has Item Type ( Part ) {

[Status (Released, Configured Using Release Date) }
Has Item Type ( Module, Incremental Change ) {
[Status (Released, Configured Using Unit No) }
Working

This example shows how you can use the same status type in both situations,
but configured differently—in this case, by date for parts, but by unit number
and incremental change for modules.
You can only group Working and Status entries with equal precedence.

Create and group revision rule entries by equal precedence

1. Choose Tools→Revision Rules→Create/Edit.
Teamcenter displays the Revision Rules dialog box.

2. In the dialog box, click the Create/Edit button.

Teamcenter displays the Revision Rule dialog box with any existing revision
rule entries.

3. In the dialog box, define and select the entries of the same type you want to
group and click the Group button.
Teamcenter displays the Group Entries dialog box.

4. In the dialog box, click the Group Entries by Equal Precedence button.
Click OK and Teamcenter updates the Revision Rule dialog box with the newly
grouped revision rule entries.
Note When grouping by equal precedence, you should only group Working
entries with other Working entries and Status entries with other
Status entries. Do not group other combinations of entries.

5. In the Revision Rule dialog box, complete the definition of the revision rule
and click OK.
Note To remove an equal precedence entry from a revision rule, you must
highlight all the lines of the entry in the dialog box.
You can also group revision rule entries using engineering change types.

Create and group Has Item Type revision rule entries

1. Choose Tools→Revision Rules→Create/Edit.
Teamcenter displays the Revision Rules dialog box.

2. In the dialog box, click the Create/Edit button.

Teamcenter displays the Create New Revision Rule dialog box with any existing
revision rule entries.

3. In the dialog box, define and select the entries you want to group and click the
Group button.
Teamcenter displays the Group Entries dialog box.

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4. In the dialog box, click the Group Entries by Item Types button, and then select
the item types you want to group in the Available Item Types list. You can
transfer the selected item types to the Configure By→Has Item Type box in the
dialog box or remove them by clicking the + or – buttons, respectively.
Click OK to update the selected item types in the Configure By→Has Item Type
box of the dialog box, with a partially created Has Item Type revision rule
entry. It also updates the Revision Rule dialog box with the newly grouped
revision rule entries.

5. In the New Revision Rule dialog box, complete the definition of the revision
rule and click OK.

Group existing revision rule entries by item type

1. Choose Tools→Revision Rule→Create/Edit.

Teamcenter displays the Revision Rule dialog box.

2. In the dialog box, select one or more revision rule entries and click the Group
button.
Teamcenter displays the Group Entries dialog box.

3. In the dialog box, click the Group Entries by Item Types button or the Group
Entries by Equal Precedence button, then select the item types you want to
group in the Available Item Types list. You can transfer the selected item types
to the Configure By→Has Item Type box in the dialog box or remove them by
clicking the + or – buttons respectively. Click OK when you have grouped the
entries.
Teamcenter updates the selected item types in the Configure By→Has Item Type
box of the dialog box, with a partially created Has Item Type revision rule entry.
Note You can only group Working and Status entries with equal precedence.

Ungroup combinations of item type entries

1. Choose Tools→Revision Rule→Create/Edit.

Teamcenter displays the Revision Rule dialog box.

2. In the dialog box, select one or more Has Item Type revision rule entries that
are grouped by item type, and click the Ungroup button.
Teamcenter removes the selected entries and updates the dialog box.

Modify the item types in existing revision rule entries grouped by item type

1. Choose Tools→Revision Rules→Create/Edit.

Teamcenter displays the Modify Revision Rules dialog box, as shown in the
following example.

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2. In the dialog box, select one or more Has Item Type revision rule entries and
click the Edit button or double-click a single line.
Teamcenter displays the Group Entries Item Type Edit dialog box, similar to
the following example.

3. The item types that are currently grouped in the selected revision rule entry are
displayed in the Configure By-Has Item Type list. To add a selected item type
from the Available Item Types list, click the + button. To remove a item type,
select it in the Configure By-Has Item Type list and click the – button. When the
list of item types is shown correctly, click OK to update the revision rule.
Note You must check at least one item type; otherwise, Teamcenter displays
an error message.

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Applying a revision rule to a Structure Manager window

Each Structure Manager window has an associated revision rule that Teamcenter
applies to the displayed structure. The name of the revision rule appears in the
banner at the top of the window. Setting a revision rule in one window does not affect
the revision rule that is applied in another window. When you open a new Structure
Manager window, Teamcenter applies your default revision rule to the structure.
If you do not want to use the default rule, you can set a revision rule for your current
Structure Manager session by clicking the Revision Rule button on the toolbar
or choosing Tools→Revision Rule→View/Set Current. If there are existing windows
containing previously opened structures, Teamcenter uses the revision rule of the
current window when you open a new structure; otherwise, it uses the default
revision rule.
For more information, see Set a revision rule.
A revision rule is always in effect when a Structure Manager window is open. The
revision rule allows Teamcenter to determine the specific revision of each part and
assembly to configure in the structure. You set your default revision rule by choosing
the Edit→Preferences menu command.
When a new revision rule is set on a window already containing a structure, the
revision rule only reconfigures the child lines; the top line of the window is not
changed. If the top line was revised and you want to set the latest revision as the top
line, you should open the latest revision in a new window.
Note Unlike a revision rule, a variant rule is optional and no default is applied.

Set a revision rule

• Set a revision rule by clicking the Revision Rule button on the toolbar or
choosing Tools→Revision Rule→View/Set Current.
Teamcenter displays the Set Revision Rule dialog box containing a list of
revision rules that were configured by a privileged user. The right side of the
dialog box shows the details of the selected revision rule. To set a revision rule,
you select the required rule and click OK or Apply. If you are a nonprivileged
user, you do not need to understand the complexity of the rule syntax, but should
understand the appropriate rule to apply in a particular circumstance.
Tip You can save a default revision rule by choosing the Edit→Options
menu command.

Set date/unit/end item

• To set the date, unit number, and/or end item of the currently active revision
rule, choose Tools→Revision Rule→Set Date/Unit/End Item.
Teamcenter displays the Set Date/Unit/End Item dialog box into which you can
enter a date, a unit number, and an end item for the current revision rule.
The first time you make a change to a saved revision rule (including setting
a date, unit number, or end item), Teamcenter creates a modified copy of the

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rule and applies it to the window. This is the rule to which you make the unit
number change.
If any date, unit number, or end item has been explicitly set in the current rule,
you cannot change the value in this dialog box and the relevant boxes are grayed
out.
Tip You can add a button to the toolbar to initiate the Tools→Revision
Rule→Set Date/Unit/End Item command, by right-clicking the toolbar,
choosing Customize, and selecting the required button.

Note If you specify an end item identifier that is shared by multiple objects,
Teamcenter displays the Select Unique Item dialog box, allowing you to
select the object you require.
You can create or modify a revision rule in applications other than
Structure Manager, for example, in 4G Designer. Structure Manager
does display such revision rules and their entries, and you can use them
to configure the structure based on the displayed entries. However, a
product structure in Structure Manager and a collaborative design in 4G
Designer may have different data conditions. If so, the configurations in
the applications are different, even if you use the same revision rule.

Set an override folder

To add an override folder into the currently active revision rule, choose
Tools→Revision Rule→Set Override Folder. This command is available to
unprivileged users, but is only active for revision rules that contain a special empty
override entry (no folder specified). Thus privileged users who define the revision
rules should place an empty override entry into a revision rule if they want to allow
unprivileged users to use their own override folders with the rule.
The Set Override Folder dialog box allows you to set an override folder and also to
see the folder that is currently set. The dialog box has the following boxes:
• A Name box into which you can enter a case sensitive search string to find the
required override folder. Click the Find button next to this box to perform
the search.

• The search results box. Double-click the folder you want to set.

• A Folder box that displays the folder currently used as the override folder in
the revision rule.

To use the existing override folder, simply click OK or Cancel.

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Note • The first time you make a change (such as setting an override) to a saved
revision rule, Teamcenter creates a modified copy of the rule and applies
it to the window. This is the rule to which you then make the override
change.

• When you make a change to a folder (for example, adding an item

revision to it when Teamcenter Integration for NX is active) and open an
assembly configured by a rule that uses the override folder, Teamcenter
does not automatically reevaluate the revision rule. Consequently,
it does not take into account the change to the override folder. This
rule is reevaluated only if you choose File→Options→Load Options in
Teamcenter Integration for NX. Click OK before opening the part file.

Viewing revision rule information

Use the Rule Configured By column in the product structure window to interpret
how a particular line is configured. The values that may appear are:
• Working ( Owning User = user, Owning Group = group )
This appears if the item revision is working and thus configured by a Working
entry in the revision rule. The owning user and owning group arguments only
appear if they are specified in the revision rule.

• Has Status ( status, Configured Using ... )

Shows the status specified in the revision rule that configured the item revision.
If Any Release Status is specified, Any Release Status is shown. The Release
Status column shows the status of the configured item revision.
The method of configuration (Configured Using) is also displayed and may be
Released Date, Effective Date, or Effective Unit No.
Additionally, this column shows the date or unit number used in the
configuration, as follows:

o Date ( Today ) or Date ( 1-Jan-2007)

The date specified in the revision rule. Used to configure historical revisions
with status.

o Unit No.( 4 )
The unit number specified in the revision rule.

o End Item ( item object id )

Identifies the end item specified in the revision rule.

• Override Folder ( folder )

The override list folder name is shown if the override list caused the item
revision to be configured.

• Precise
This appears if the occurrence is precise and is configured as such.

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 Using item revision configuration

• Latest ( ... )
This appears if the item revision is configured by a Latest entry in a revision
rule. The method of latest configuration can be Creation Date, Rev ID Numeric,
or Rev ID Alphanumeric.

• Not Found
This is shown if no revision meets the revision rule criteria. Teamcenter displays
??? to represent the revision.

Displaying and editing revision effectivity

By default, revision effectivity data is not displayed in the Structure Manager
properties table. Before editing revision effectivity, you must first display the data.
If you are working with revision effectivity, you may want to display the Revision
Effectivity property, as described in Displaying properties.

Display revision effectivity data

1. Select the line whose item revision effectivity data (ranges of dates or unit
numbers for which the revision is effective) you want to view.

2. Choose Tools→Effectivity→Revision Effectivity.

Teamcenter displays the Revision Effectivity dialog box. This dialog box lists all
the effectivity ranges for each status attached to the item revision.
Note While you can set date effectivity without an end item, unit effectivity
must always have an end item.

Edit revision effectivity data

Note For easier access to editing functions, consider adding an Edit Revision
Effectivity button to the toolbar by right-clicking the toolbar, choosing
Customize, and selecting the required button.
If you previously released two or more items or item revisions simultaneously,
when you edit the effectivity of one such item or item revision, you also edit
the effectivity of any associated items or item revisions. You can identify any
such affected items by sending the structure line to the Workflow Viewer to
see the other targets of the process that share the same release status and
whose effectivity will also change.

1. In the Revision Effectivity dialog box, select the appropriate revision effectivity
line and click Edit, or double-click the line.
Teamcenter displays the Edit Revision Effectivity dialog box.
Note You can also edit revision effectivity in My Teamcenter. Double-click the
item status and change the displayed value.

2. In the Create or Edit Effectivity dialog box, choose Units or Dates effectivity, as
appropriate, and define the effectivity data.

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If defining unit effectivity, type the desired effectivity range in the Units box.
Use the - character within a continuous range, and the , character to separate
discontinuous ranges. For example, the unit range 1-5,7-9 defines effectivity for
units 1 through 5, and 7 through 9 (but not effective for unit 6).
If defining date effectivity, select a cell in the From or To column, select a date
from the calendar (and optionally enter a time), and click Set Date to place that
date in the selected cell. Click the Clear Date button to remove the date from the
currently selected cell. Repeat these steps for additional date ranges until you
have entered all the desired date ranges.

• Click the UP button to add the and up (open-ended effectivity) condition to

the end of the unit or date effectivity range.

• Click the SO button to add the stock out condition to the end of the unit or
date effectivity range.

• Select the Apply Access Manager effectivity protection check box to apply
the predefined Access Manager rules to this effectivity.
Note Teamcenter interprets UP and SO conditions as open-ended for revision
configuration purposes. The revision is considered effective for any value
greater than or equal to the unit or date value immediately preceding
the UP or SO. Stock out indicates that existing stocks of a component
revision should be used up before the next revision.

3. Optionally, for date effectivity, use the Edit Revision Effectivity dialog box to
define an end item to qualify the effectivity range. You must use this with
unit effectivity to specify a product, module, or subsystem that carries the
unit number to which this effectivity refers. You can select an end item in one
of the following ways:

• Clicking Find adjacent to the End Item box and searching for an item
by identifier and/or name.

• Copying an item to the clipboard before opening the Revision Effectivity

dialog box and clicking Paste adjacent to the End Item box.

• Clicking MRU adjacent to the End Item box.

Note
If you want to remove the entered end item, click Clear adjacent to
the End Item box.

4. Click OK to save the effectivity data you entered.

Reuse components in different products

To support reuse of the same components in different products, you can define
multiple effectivities on the same status of an item revision, if each effectivity
specifies a different end item. To create an additional effectivity on a status that
already has effectivity:

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1. In the Revision Effectivity dialog box, select the appropriate line and click
Create. Teamcenter displays the Edit Revision Effectivity dialog boxes, with
blank effectivity ranges.

2. Define the new effectivity, as described in steps 2 and 3 of the previous procedure.

Releasing multiple item revisions in a single workflow process

Teamcenter creates a single release status object and attaches it to all child item
revision that are selected as a group and have a revision effectivity applied. Because
they share the same release status object, if you change the revision effectivity on
any child item revision, the change affects all the child item revisions. For example:
Top_Assy/A
|_Part1/A
|_Part2/A
|_Part3/A
If you select all of the child parts at the same time and apply a release status, they
are all associated to the same release status object and have the same revision
effectivity. Therefore, updating the revision effectivity of the Part3/A component
applies the same revision effectivity to the other components (Part1/A and Part2/A).
If each child item revision requires a separate revision effectivity, select a component
by itself and apply the release status to each one separately.
Caution Do not attempt to release multiple item revisions of the same item
simultaneously. This action would apply the same release status object
to all revisions and cause unpredictable configuration. Teamcenter may
also apply incorrect revision effectivity—because the same release status
object is attached to each item revision, it applies the same effectivity
details to each of them. Always release item revisions of the same item
individually.

Managing nested effectivity

A product structure may include a product that has its own effectivity that is
separate from that of the product structure. For example, the product structure of a
car may include an engine that is obtained from an external supplier. In this case,
the effectivity of the engine differs from the effectivity of the car. You can use nested
effectivity to change the end item context when you configure the car, as only one
effectivity can be set in a revision rule; in this example, you must set the effectivity
from car to engine at the engine.
Note You can use nested effectivity with date or unit number effectivity.

To accommodate variations of effectivity within a product, you create a configuration

item to attach to each assembly that is configured by a different end item to the
top-level item. In the previous example, you would create a configuration item for
the engine and the effectivity of the configuration unit defines the engine assemblies.
A configuration item is where the effectivity context of the structure changes; it
defines a new end item for the affected substructure.

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Tip Use the CFMEffConfigItemProperties preference to specify the properties

and values that identify an item as an effectivity configuration item.

You can create a mapping table to define the ranges of dates or unit numbers in the
top-level product that configure a particular unit number or effective date in the
lower level assembly. When you expand the product structure and apply a revision
rule, the unit number or date set at the top level is converted to the scheme defined
in the mapping specified for the assembly.
For more information about nested effectivity, see Getting Started with Product
Structure.

Configuring nested effectivity

To configure nested effectivity, your Teamcenter administrator must set the
EffectivityConfigurationItemProperties preference. This preference contains
the item properties that identify configuration items. For example, the following
entry defines the name of the type of item as the identifying attribute:
isConfigurationItem
object_type:object_name
Each entry in the list must be followed by the corresponding values. For example,
the following example states that a configuration item is of the Product or Vehicle
item type:
EffectivityConfigurationItemProperty.isConfigurationItem=true
EffectivityConfigurationItemProperty.object_type.object_name=
Product
Vehicle

Creating a configuration item

You do not create a configuration item separately, but can identify an item as a
configuration item when you create it. To do this, ensure the Configuration Item
check box is selected on the New Item wizard before you click Finish.
Alternatively, you can convert an existing item to a configuration by right-clicking
and choosing Configuration Item.
Note The Configuration Item check box appears on the New Item wizard only if it
has been enabled using the Business Modeler IDE:
1. In the Business Modeler IDE, open the item business object type.

2. Click the Operation Descriptor tab and select the CreateInput tab.

3. Select the is_configuration_item property.

4. On the Property Constants tab, select the Visible property constant.

For more information about using the Operation Descriptor tab to make
properties visible on creation wizards, see the Business Modeler IDE Guide.

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Creating a revision rule for nested effectivity

When you create a revision rule for a nested effectivity scheme, ensure you select
the Nested Effectivity check box. This action adds a Nested Effectivity entry to
the revision rule and ensures that Teamcenter modifies the revision rule according
to the mapping on any configuration items it encounters. If you do not check this
check box, Teamcenter ignores any configuration items. The position of the Nested
Effectivity entry in the rule is not significant and never changes.
The following example structure has date effectivity and an end item defined on
the item revision of each part:

Item Status, effectivity Note

NE-A1000/A (CI) – Product
X

NE-A2000/A (CI) Released, EI: NE-A1000, 15 Rev Effect wrt

July-UP NE-A1000 – Product X
NE-A100/A Released, EI: NE-A2000, 20
July-UP
NE-A200/A Released, EI: NE-A2000, 20
July-UP
NE-PP30/A Released, EI: NE-A2000, 20
July-UP
NE-PP10/A Released, EI: NE-A2000, 20
July-UP
NE-PP20/A Released, EI: NE-A2000, 20
July-UP
NE-A3100/A (CI) Released, EI: NE-A1000, 16 Rev Effect wrt
July-UP NE-A1000 – Product X
NE-A400/A Released, EI: NE-A3100, 23
July-UP
NE-PP70/A Released, EI: NE-A3100, 25
July-UP
NE-PP60/A Released, EI: NE-A3100, 25
July-UP

NE-A5000/A (CI) – Product

Y
NE-A2000/A Released, EI: NE-A5000, 15 Rev Effect wrt
July-UP NE-A5000 – Product Y

The resulting configuration item effectivity mappings are:

• Mapping on NE-A2000 (CI):
NE-A1000 (CI) – Product X : NE-A2000 (CI)
NE-A5000 (CI) – Product Y : NE-A2000 (CI)

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Chapter 11 Using item revision configuration

• Mapping on NE-A3100 (CI):

NE-A2000 (CI) – Product Y : NE-A3100 (CI)

If you apply the following revision rule, the structure is configured as shown in
the following figure:
Status = Released, Configured by Effective Date
Working
Nested Effectivity
EI = NE-A5000
Date = 27 July 2006

Nested effectivity 1
Conversely, if you apply the following revision rule with no nested effectivity entry,
the structure is configured as shown in the following figure:
Status = Released, Configured by Effective Date
Working
EI = NE-A5000
Date = 16 July 2005

Nested effectivity 2
Teamcenter ignores the mappings, so the end item does not switch from A5000
to NE-A2000/NE-A3100 at the configuration items. Consequently, none of the
components below the configuration items are configured, as the end item on the
effectivity is not NE-A5000.
If you apply the following revision rule, Teamcenter applies effectivity mapping due
to the Nested Effectivity entry and the structure is configured as shown in the
following figure. However, some of the components are not effective on 23 July and
have no configured revision; Teamcenter marks these components as ???.
Status = Released, Configured by Effective Date
Working
Nested Effectivity
EI = NE-A5000
Date = 23 July 2005

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 Using item revision configuration

Nested effectivity 3

Create effectivity mapping on a configuration item

Effectivity mapping allows you to modify the parameters of the revision rule
(for example, the end item, date and unit number) as you cross the borders of
configuration items. Teamcenter attaches a mapping table to the revisions of the
configuration item, and each entry in this table defines an optional end item and
an optional effectivity range that defines the effectivity of the mapping itself. A
mandatory subeffectivity entry defines the effectivity parameters used in the
configuration item’s substructure.
To view or define the effectivity map for an item, select the item corresponding
to the configuration item in the product structure tree and choose
Tools→Effectivity→Effectivity Mapping. Teamcenter displays the Effectivity
Mapping dialog box allowing you to view any defined mappings for the configuration
item or create new mappings.
To create a new effectivity map in the Effectivity Mapping dialog box:
1. Select an end item to which the effectivity map applies. The end item is not
normally the configuration item.

2. Optionally, select the Use Shared Effectivity check box to use an effectivity
map and share it with another end item. You can also select the Create New
check box to create a new effectivity map and make it available to share with
other end items.
Note You can share any effectivity type, not just effectivity maps.

3. Define a date or unit effectivity in the usual format.

4. Define the subeffectivity.

Optionally, you can select the Use last release date check box to set the
subeffectivity date to that one which the configuration item is released. This
allows you to configure the released substructure without needing to specify
the exact date.
Note A blank entry in the mapping table indicates ALL.

To create a new effectivity map, select an item revision in the Effectivity Mapping
dialog box and click the Create button. Teamcenter displays the Create Effectivity
Mapping dialog box, allowing you to define the parent product effectivity and the
subeffectivity of the item revision.
Similarly, to edit an existing effectivity map, select an item revision in the Effectivity
Mapping dialog box and click the Edit button. Teamcenter displays the Edit

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Chapter 11 Using item revision configuration

Effectivity Mapping dialog box, allowing you to modify the parent product effectivity
and the subeffectivity of the item revision.

Managing product generations

Instead of referencing a specific configuration item when you define an effectivity
map, you can reference a separate entity—the generation item. The following figure
shows a simplified product structure in which the effectivity statements referenced
separate generation items (2005–MY and Generation2), rather than a specific
configuration item. These generation items are items that can exist independently
of a product structure.

Car/A (CI) EndItem = 2005_MY

Engine/A (CI) Status: alpha, effective for 2005_MY from 1 Feb 2004 onwards
EndItem = Generation2

Gearbox/A Status: alpha, effective for Generation2 from 1 Feb 2004 onwards

Product generations
The effectivity map of this structure is as follows:

End
item/revision Effectivity range Subeffectivity
2005_MY Gen2
2006_MY Gen3
002585–Truck Jan 2007 – Apr 2007 Jan 2007
002997–Truck May-2007 – Onward Gen2, Apr 2007

In this example, the 2005_MY parent end item configures the Gen2 end item when
you enter the Engine/A assembly. Similarly, 2006_MY configures Gen3.
The final line of the example shows how you can transform multiple parameters
(End Item and Date) in a single mapping.

Defining end item revisions

To implement product generations, you can create end item revisions. You define end
item revisions in the same way as end items, but additionally specify a revision of
the end item. For example, you define the following effectivity:

Release status Unit/date range End item/revision

Production 10-Feb-2007 00:00 to 002988–Car/A
UP
Production 01-Apr-2007 00:00 to 002988–Car/B
UP

In this example, the effectivity of a component may have a different effectivity,

depending on the revision of the car that is configured. The component is effective
from 10–Feb in Car/A and from 01–Apr in Car/B. If you create a revision rule

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 Using item revision configuration

that defines an end item revision and Teamcenter encounters an object that has
effectivity based on the end item (not the revision), it successfully matches if the end
item revision is a revision of the end item.
You can also pack or collapse all effectivity entries that share the same release status
and unit or date range into a single line by selecting the Packed check box in the
Effectivity dialog box.

Using revision rules from My Teamcenter

You can create revision rules and save them as workspace objects. These workspace
objects can be referenced by folders in other applications, for example, My
Teamcenter. You can copy a revision rule into My Teamcenter.
You can also search in My Teamcenter to locate a particular rule. You can then
reference a rule within a particular item or revision for configuration purposes.
You can view the contents of a revision rule in My Teamcenter by clicking the Viewer
tab. This displays the list of entries in the rule.

Managing occurrence to part relationships

By default, an occurrence automatically references a particular item revision,
depending on the revision rule currently in effect. Optionally, you can set the
occurrence to unconditionally reference a precise revision of the part. You can then
detect any precise occurrences that reference an out-of-date revision and manually
upgrade each occurrence to an approved revision of the referenced part. This option
is available only with a precise structure.
Note This functionality is only available if you work with supersedures in a
change management environment.
The administrator defines the valid approved status of an item revision in
the TC_ValidApprovedStatus preference.

Show occurrences of superseded item revision

• When you create a new item revision and it is approved, the occurrences of older
revisions are not automatically updated with the new revision if the structure is
precise. To identify superseded item revisions, right-click a line with children
and choose Edit→Show Superseded. Teamcenter places the superseded item
revision symbol ( ) against each child with an approved later item revision.

Update precise occurrences of superseded item revision

• To update an occurrence with an old revision to the new approved revision,
right-click the occurrence and choose Update Superseded. Teamcenter shows
the Update dialog box listing all the approved revision of the item, and you
should select a revision and click OK. You can update all the applicable
occurrences in the parent assembly or just the currently selected component.

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Chapter

12 Capturing configurations

Capturing configurations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-1

Using snapshots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-1
Create a snapshot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-2
Open an existing snapshot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-2
View a snapshot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-3
Using baselines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-3
Define baseline naming rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-4
Create a baseline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-5
Using smart baselines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-7
Finding the baseline folder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-8
Creating a dry run . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-8
Hiding and viewing baselines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-8
Hide baselines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-8
View hidden baselines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-9
Using intermediate data captures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-9
Capture structure lines into IDC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-9

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12 Capturing configurations

Capturing configurations
Teamcenter provides the following formats for persistently capturing the
configuration of a structure:
• Snapshots containing only the configured product structure (item revisions), not
the associated data. Consequently they require relatively little disk space.
You can redisplay the saved structure at any time by sending the snapshot folder
to Structure Manager. However, any item revisions that are not released are
subject to change, including the associated data and CAD models.
Note If the Baseline_create_snapshot_folder preference is set to 1, when
you create a baseline of a structure, Teamcenter creates a snapshot
folder under the baselined revision.

• Baselines containing a copy of the complete working data for the structure.
Baselines occupy a significant amount of disk space, as you create a copy of the
structure each time you baseline it. Many new revisions might be created and
(with them) copies of the associated data and CAD designs.

• Intermediate data capture (IDCs). IDCs are similar in purpose, but save the
configuration in PLM XML format. You can create IDCs in Structure Manager
and view them in the Multi-Structure Manager application.

• Product view. When you click the floppy disk button on the Viewer menu bar,
Teamcenter saves a PLM XML file that contains a visual representation of your
current viewer session. The session file may subsequently be reopened to show
the saved product view.

Using snapshots
A snapshot captures all the item revisions contained in a configured product
structure. You can use the snapshot to redisplay the structure as saved.
When you create a baseline, you can configure Teamcenter to also create a snapshot
folder by:
• Setting the Baseline_create_snapshot_folder preference to 1.

• Choosing Edit®Options®General®Item Revision, and moving Snapshot from

the Available Relations column to the Shown Relations column.

• Choosing Edit®Options®Related Objects®Item Revision, and moving

Snapshot from the Available Relations column to the Shown Relations column.

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Tip Snapshots and baselines are separate features that are normally used for
different purposes.

You cannot create snapshot folders for precise baselines, only imprecise baselines.
The Baseline_create_snapshot_folder preference is ignored if you create a
precise baseline.
When you create a baseline of an imprecise structure, Teamcenter:
• Creates the baseline item revision.

• Creates a snapshot folder with the baseline job name under the baselined item
revision.

• Populates the snapshot folder with references to the item revisions included in
the structure when you created the baseline.

For more information about creating baselines, see Using baselines.

Create a snapshot
1. Configure the structure you want to save by applying the appropriate revision
rule.

2. Choose File→New→Snapshot.
Teamcenter displays the Create Snapshot dialog box.

3. In the dialog box, type a name for the snapshot and (optionally) a description.
To track snapshots and what they refer to, name them carefully. Use the Name
and Description boxes to do this. You may want to record the name of the
revision rule used to construct the snapshot in the Description box.

4. Click OK.
Teamcenter create the snapshot and folder, persisting the root item information
in the folder.
This action performs a full expansion of the structure, which may take some time
for a large structure.

5. (Optional) Attach the snapshot to an item revision.

a. Select the folder and choose Edit®Copy.

b. Select the item revision and choose Edit®Paste Special.

Teamcenter displays the Paste Special dialog box.

c. Select Snapshot and then click OK.

Teamcenter pastes the snapshot under the item revision.

Open an existing snapshot

1. Select the snapshot folder in My Teamcenter.

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2. Drag-and-drop the snapshot folder into the Structure Manager application. The
structure is displayed as you saved it in the snapshot.
The ad hoc revision rule applied in this Structure Manager window uses the
snapshot folder as an override list. It also configures precise references.

View a snapshot

• You can view the item revisions stored in a snapshot by expanding the snapshot
folder in My Teamcenter.

Note You should protect snapshots against modification of their contents using
the Access Manager rule tree as described in Controlling access to snapshots.

Using baselines
During the development of a product design, you may want to share your working
design with other users. You may also want to save an interim version of your design
for future reference. To do this, you can create a baseline of the work-in-progress
(WIP) design. When you request a baseline, Teamcenter creates a new revision for
each unreleased revision in the structure and releases it with a predefined status,
for example, TC_Baseline. It also links the new revision with the WIP revision
using an IMAN_baseline relation. This method configures a completely released
structure and thereby guarantees that the models are the same as when the baseline
was created.
When you create a baseline, Teamcenter observes deep copy rules when copying
datasets, forms, and other attachments associated with the item revision. Siemens
PLM Software recommends you use CopyAsObject in deep copy rules as the
baseline process takes a snapshot of objects in their current state.
For more information about defining deep copy rules, see the Business Modeler
IDE Guide.
If the baseline finds an invalid item type or the current user does not have write
access to any of the items, the baseline operation is rolled back. You define invalid
item types in the Baseline_restricted_item_types preference, as described in .
For example, you may not want to baseline engineering changes and documents.
For more information, see the Preferences and Environment Variables Reference.
Before creating a baseline, Siemens PLM Software recommends you first perform
a dry run mode to identify invalid conditions. Set the Baseline_dryrun_always
preference to true to always perform a dry run before creating the baseline.
The baseline process always starts from the top line of the current window, regardless
of the selected line. The baseline operation processes lines that are configured out by
variants or occurrence effectivity. Substitutes and packed lines are always processed.
However, if the structure has suppressed components, you can optionally process
them by selecting Show Suppressed Occurrences. If the structure has incremental
changes, Siemens PLM Software recommends you use incremental change baselines.
To view the completed baseline, load it into Structure Manager after applying the
appropriate revision rule.

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Chapter 12 Capturing configurations

Note Before creating baselines, you must configure this feature as follows:
• Use the Business Modeler IDE to create the appropriate baseline naming
rules for your site and attach them to the appropriate item revision
types. You must also create a Baseline status type in the Business
Modeler IDE.
For more information, see Define baseline naming rules.

• Set the Baseline_precise_bvr preference, which controls whether a

precise or imprecise baseline is created.

• If your company shares baselines between different sites with

Multi-Site Collaboration, your Teamcenter administrator sets the
Baseline_auto_remote_checkout_allowed preference to true to
define if the checkin and checkout process is automatic. If this preference
is set to false, you must manually check out replicated items owned by
other sites when you create the baseline.

• If you want to release the baseline immediately after creation,

create the necessary workflow and add the workflow name to the
Baseline_release_procedures preference. A baseline release process
must adhere to a quick release template. Quick release templates are
process templates that define a zero-step release procedure, allowing the
baseline to become a released object that cannot be modified.
For more information, see the Workflow Designer Guide.

• Set the Baseline_allow_edits preference to ON to allow users to edit

the item ID of items that are baselined. Once the item is released, the
item ID can no longer be modified.

• If you are working with NX, Teamcenter may synchronize (refile) the
assembly to NX before creating the baseline. This action is optional
and depends on the setting of the Baseline_nxmanager_refile
preference. You may also set the Baseline_refile_required_dstypes
and Baseline_refile_not_required_item_types preferences to refine
the refile operation.

• If the latest revision is the baseline revision, Teamcenter generates the

next revision ID based on the ID of the revision of the baseline revision.

You can also create a baseline of a single item revision in My Teamcenter. In this
case, a new copy of each BVR of the WIP revision is created. The precision of the
new BVR is the same as that of original BVR, irrespective of the setting of the
Baseline_precise_bvr preference.

Define baseline naming rules

Teamcenter provides a default baseline suffix rule with a pattern of "."NNN, an
initial value of .001, and a maximum value of .999.

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Use the Business Modeler IDE to create the appropriate baseline naming rules for
your site. The following example shows how to format a naming rule in the Business
Modeler IDE for baselines of items:
Item Rule
A Rev
A.001
A.002
A.003
B Released Rev
B.001
B.002
C Working Rev

To establish this rule:

1. Create an item business object (type) called ItemPDR, if it does not already exist.

2. Create a naming rule called Baseline rev rule (any name can be used) with
the following pattern:
"."NNN

Ensure you also select the Generate Counters check box.

3. Attach the Baseline rev rule naming rule to the baseline suffix property on the
ItemPDR item business object.

For information about using the Business Modeler IDE, see the Business Modeler
IDE Guide.

Create a baseline
1. Ensure you are logged on to an account that has Author privileges.

2. In the product structure tree, display the top line item revision of the structure
you want to capture and choose Tools→Baseline.
Teamcenter displays the Baseline dialog box.

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3. In the dialog box, fill in the following boxes:

• Baseline Rev ID
This is generated according to naming rules defined in the Business Modeler
IDE. You cannot change the displayed value.

• Description
Type a description that is stored with the baseline.

• Baseline Template
Select a release procedure template from the list. The available
release procedures are defined by the administrator with the
Baseline_release_procedures preference. The list does not show
templates that are in edit mode. The default Workflow process is TC
Default Baseline Process. The workflow process used for baselines must
not include any signoffs.

• Job Name

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Teamcenter generates this name in the format

Baseline_ItemID_BaselineRevID.

• Baseline Label (optional)

Enter an alphanumeric string that represents the baseline label. Teamcenter
uses the label you enter as the name of the baseline folder. This box is
displayed only if your site uses baseline labels.

• Job Description
Enter a description of the baseline job.

4. In the dialog box, select one or more of the following check boxes, and then click
OK to create a baseline or dry run:

• Open on Create
Opens the baseline automatically after it is created.

• Dry Run Creation

Creates a report.
For more information, see Creating a dry run.

• Precise Baseline
Selects the type of baseline to create—precise or imprecise. Your site may be
configured to allow only precise baselines, depending on the setting of the
Baseline_precise_bvr preference.

If the Baseline_create_snapshot_folder preference is set to 1 and you created an

imprecise baseline, Teamcenter also creates a snapshot folder under the baselined
item revision.

Using smart baselines

The standard baseline process may be time-consuming and use significant disk space
as it may create many new revisions and (consequently) copies of all the associated
data and CAD designs. To avoid this, you can create a smart baseline, reusing a
baseline revision whose work in progress revision is unmodified since its last baseline
was created. You can only create smart baselines of assemblies. To enable smart
baselines, your administrator sets the ITEM_smart_baseline preference to ON.
If you try to create a smart baseline of an assembly that has not changed since
the previous baseline, a new baseline is not created. No informational message is
displayed in Structure Manager to indicate this.
Note If you make changes to an occurrence property (for example, quantity) the
last modified date of the parent BVR changes and Teamcenter therefore
considers the parent item revision as a candidate for a new baseline.
However, the item revision of the BOM line on which changes were made
does not qualify for the new baseline.

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Finding the baseline folder

After creating a baseline, Teamcenter places all the baseline item revisions in the
structure in a baseline folder if the Baseline_create_snapshot_folder preference
is ON. It attaches this folder to the top level of the structure using a Snapshot
relation.
Caution If you expand the baseline item revision, Structure Manager displays
the snapshot folder. If you then expand the snapshot folder, Structure
Manager shows the item revisions that were captured in the snapshot. If
you then expand the baseline revision in the snapshot folder, Structure
Manager shows the snapshot folder again. Be aware that if you expand
baseline data below a certain level, Structure Manager displays duplicate
objects.

Note You must set the Snapshot relationship on the item revision to make the
snapshot folder visible. Do this by choosing Edit→Options→General→Item
Revision and adding Snapshot to the Available Relation column.

Creating a dry run

Performing a dry run of a baseline allows you to validate the data associated with
the base item revision or structure before you create the actual baseline. This avoids
the necessity to roll back the baseline, if Teamcenter encounters errors during its
creation.
The dry run generates a report that contains error messages, if Teamcenter
encountered any problems while traversing the structure.
Your administrator can configure Teamcenter to always make a dry run, by setting
the value of the baselineDryRun and Baseline_dryrun_always preferences.

Hiding and viewing baselines

Teamcenter lets you control the display of baseline revisions.

Hide baselines
1. Choose Edit→Options.
The Options dialog box appears.

2. Select Item.

3. Click the Display tab.

4. Select the Show displayable revisions only check box.

The Select Revision Relation dialog box appears.

5. Select Displayable Revisions and click OK.

6. Specify the order and rule for revisions display.

For example, when the released status on baseline item revisions is Pending,
you display the latest baseline revisions by setting the rule, Released Status,

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equal to the condition, Pending, and set the limit to the maximum number of
baselines you want to display.

7. Select Descending as the display order.

8. Click OK.
The hierarchy tree pane displays the latest baselines up to the limit set.

View hidden baselines

When there are more baselines created than are displayed, the hierarchy tree pane
displays a More button under the item.
1. Click More.

2. Select the required baseline revision from the list.

The baseline is displayed in a separate pane.

Using intermediate data captures

An IDC is a PLM XML file that contains the definitions of all the objects in the
captured structure. You can manage the PLM XML file in the same way as any other
workspace object, including assigning it to a workflow, assigning it a release status
and controlling access privileges with Access Manager.
You can create intermediate data captures (IDC) that contain the configuration of
a structure at the time the IDC is created. An IDC may contain any configured
structure including a collaboration context, structure context or group of structure
lines. You can view IDCs with the Multi-Structure Manager application.
You can create an IDC that stores the current state of the selected root object and
any related objects, such as structure lines or attachments. You cannot capture
workspace objects that are not in the structure.

Capture structure lines into IDC

1. Select the root object in the structure and choose Tools→Intermediate Data
Capture.
Teamcenter displays the New Intermediate Data Capture dialog box.

2. Select IntermediateDataCapture from the list of IDC types at the left of

the dialog box.

3. Enter the name and optional description of the intermediate data capture, choose
a transfer mode name from the dropdown list, and then click OK or Apply.
Teamcenter validates the objects in the structure you selected. If any of the
objects cannot be captured, it displays an error message, otherwise it creates
the PLM XML file containing the IDC.
Note Ensure you select a transfer mode that is appropriate for the data you
want to capture, for example, ConfiguredDataExportDefault or
BOMwriterExport. The displayed list shows all transfer modes that
are available in the system.

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Chapter

13 Managing incremental changes

Managing incremental changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-1

Elements of incremental change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-1

Setting up incremental change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . 13-3

Create new change types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . 13-3
Controlling access to incremental changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . 13-3
Examples of rules for controlling access to incremental changes ... . . 13-3
Configuring release status for incremental change effectivity . . . . .... . . 13-4
Setting a revision rule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . 13-5
Example of revision rules for incremental changes . . . . . . . . . .... . . 13-5
Setting independent incremental change contexts . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . 13-6
Copying or cutting structure lines with incremental changes . . . . .... . . 13-6

Creating an incremental change baseline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-6

Baselining structures with active incremental changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-7
Determining active changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-7
Carrying forward or rolling up active changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-8
Dropping inactive changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-9

Viewing properties of incremental change data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-9

Adding property columns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-10

Using incremental change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-10

Using the incremental change toolbar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-10
Using the attachments and information panels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-11
Using the incremental change menus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-11

Enable and disable incremental change management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-12

Turn off incremental change tracking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-12

Customize buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-13

Create a new incremental change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-13

Showing unconfigured changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-15

Control display of unconfigured changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-15
Identify changes made in the current context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-15

Find and make active an existing change object . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-15

View or edit information about an incremental change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-16

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 View incremental changes for a structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-16

Find recently used change objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-17

Track attachments with incremental changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-17

Track changes to an attachment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-18
Track the creation or deletion of an attachment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-18
Track creation of an attachment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-18
Track deletion of an attachment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-18

Track changes retrospectively . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-18

Remove incremental changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-19

Remove an individual change from the incremental change information
pane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-19
Remove changes from an item with the Remove Changes command . . . . . 13-19

Split an incremental change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-20

Exporting and importing incremental change data . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-20

Export incremental change data using a briefcase file . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-21
Import incremental change data using a briefcase file . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-21
Export incremental change data using PLM XML . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-22
Import incremental change data using PLM XML . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-22

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13 Managing incremental changes

Managing incremental changes

Teamcenter supports two methods of controlling changes to product structures,
incremental change (described here) and revision configuration.
For conceptual information about these methods and how to choose between them,
see Getting Started with Product Structure. For more information about revision
configuration, see Using item revision configuration.
An incremental change collects together a number of structure changes to a
component such as addition or removal of components or changes to attachments
(data). Effectivity can be applied to incremental changes to configure the associated
changes. This method of change control allows several independent structure
changes to be made concurrently, including the addition or removal of unrelated
components. Those changes can be implemented in any sequence. This method of
change control is suitable for large, flat structures without nested subassemblies or
components. The revisioning approach is not suitable for this type of structure, as a
separate revision is required for every permutation of change.
To enable incremental changes, the Teamcenter administrator must set the
Incremental_Change_Management preference to true.
Caution Siemens PLM Software recommends you do not use the Cancel Checkout
command on item revisions that contain changes tracked by incremental
change. This action causes permanent loss of incremental changes that
are tracking structure edits.

Note You cannot manage changes to substitute parts with incremental changes.

Elements of incremental change

The following table describes product structure elements that may participate in
an incremental change.

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Chapter 13 Managing incremental changes

Element Purpose
Absolute occurrence A relationship between a parent assembly and an item
one or more levels lower in the structure. The parent
assembly is the context in which the absolute occurrence
exists. You can define data on the absolute occurrence
that overrides the data stored on the item when you
select the context assembly and view the structure. Both
relative occurrence data (notes and transforms) and
attachments can be overridden with data on absolute
occurrences.
Each absolute occurrence can have one or more unique
attribute values that distinguish it from the other
absolute occurrence derived from the same single
occurrence.
Attachment A form, dataset, or folder related to an item revision.
Baseline (Incremental change baseline.) A new revision of
the parent assembly that has the occurrences and
attachments as configured in Structure Manager when
the incremental change baseline was created. There are
no incremental changes and all unconfigured occurrences
are removed.
Change An individual change to a component (occurrence) or
attachment. A change may be an add or a remove.
Incremental change A collection object that contains the individual changes.
(IC) An IC is modeled as an item of the EngChange type. You
can release an incremental change and apply effectivity
to it by attaching a release status. Incremental change
(revisions) are configured by the revision rule, as are the
components (occurrences) and attachments associated
with the changes on the incremental change. You can
revise incremental changes if required, in which case the
changes are copied (this is not typically required).
Intent A named object that represents an alternate solution.
You can apply one or more intents to an incremental
change to signify that the incremental change is valid
for those intents. The user sets one or more intents in
the revision rule that configures the incremental changes
with those intents and, consequently, the associated
changes. Intents are only available with incremental
change, not with standard revision configuration.
Occurrence (Sometimes called relative occurrence.) A hierarchical
structure relationship between the immediate parent
assembly and its child component item (in an imprecise
assembly) or item revision (in a precise assembly). You
can use a find number to identify for an occurrence, but
this number may not be unique. Data can be stored on the
occurrence, including occurrence notes and transforms.

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Setting up incremental change

Before using incremental change, you must complete several setup procedures,
including creating the necessary change types, providing users with access, defining
releases statuses, and writing revisions rules.

Create new change types

To create a new change type, use the Business Modeler IDE.
For more information about creating change types, see the Business Modeler IDE
Guide.
Note When creating incremental change, Teamcenter does not distinguish
between change types for change management and incremental change. It is
therefore advisable to name the change types clearly.

Controlling access to incremental changes

To create an incremental change, you must have write access to the incremental
change revision. Your Teamcenter administrator controls this access with Access
Manager. If your site requires a different access policy on incremental changes to
regular engineering changes, other rules may be required, for example, the naming
convention for incremental change identifiers.
Your administrator can use an In IC Context rule to allow Structure Manager
or another structure editor application to control access to operations tracked by
incremental change. This rule is unlike other rules because it does not depend on
the properties of the object. If there is an active incremental change in the structure
editor and the operation performed by the user is tracked by incremental change, the
In IC Context (true) rule is satisfied, and Teamcenter applies its associated ACL.
In this situation, applicable structure edits include edits to occurrences, occurrence
notes, transforms, and attachments in structure context.
Caution Always use this rule with the true argument. The false argument
applies to all objects, regardless of whether the structure is edited.

Examples of rules for controlling access to incremental changes

You can place the In IC Context rule at the top level of the rule tree as follows:
Has Bypass
In IC Context (true) → IC ACL
Has Status
Has Object

In this example, if there is an active incremental change and the operation performed
by the user is tracked by incremental change, the In IC Context rule applies and its
associated named ACL applies to objects affected by the operation. However, if there
is no active incremental change, the subsequent rules apply.
You typically use this rule to relax a restriction, such as only allowing edits to a
released structure for a specific status. For example:
Has Status () → Vault
Has Status (Pre-Released) → () (No ACL)
In IC Context (true) → Incremental Change Access

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In addition, the user requires write access to the incremental change itself.
Note There is no mechanism of enforcing that an incremental change is used
when making structure edits.

You can also configure the In IC Context Access Manager rule as follows to allow
write access to released structures at a specified status. This allows incremental
change to track changes at prereleased stages of the structure (BOM view revision).
Has Status () → Vault
Has Status (Pending IC) → Incremental Change Access (or Working)
Has Status (Pre-Released) → () (No ACL)
In IC Context (true) → Incremental Change Access (or Working)

The purpose of these rules follows:

• Has Status ()®
®Vault
This standard rule ensures released parts cannot be modified.

• Has Status (Pending IC)®

®Incremental Change Access (or Working)
This rule allows you to apply a status of Pending IC to an incremental change
so that you can apply effectivity. This allows changes to be configured for
the incremental change. However, designers still require write access to the
incremental change to add changes.
It may be sufficient to use the general working access control list (ACL).
Alternatively, you may want to restrict editing of incremental changes to certain
roles, in which case you should use a different ACL (for example, Incremental
Change Access). When an incremental change is finally released (for example
with Released status), it can no longer be modified due to the Has Status
()®
®Vault rule.

• Has Status (Pre-Released)

In IC Context (true)®
® Incremental Change Access (or Working)
These rules ensure that when a status of Pre-Released is applied to an item
revision, changes can only be made to the structure or the item revision with
an incremental change. Prior to this, there is no status and the structure or
item revision (attachments) can be edited by any user with suitable permissions
defined in Access Manager.
When an item revision and the BOM view revision are finally released, for
example, with a Released status, the structure can no longer be modified due to
the Has Status ()®
®Vault rule.

Configuring release status for incremental change effectivity

Your Teamcenter administrator sets the Incremental_Change_ReleaseStatus
preference to define the release status that Teamcenter attaches to an incremental
change when it is created. Defining a release status in this way allows you to
specify effectivity as soon as the incremental change is created. If you do not set this
preference, you release the incremental change after it is created. The choice of
which of these approaches to implement depends on your business practices. For
example, you might set this preference to Pending IC.

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The status defined in the preference must already exist. You must also create an
Access Manager rule that allows write access to objects with this status or you
cannot create changes in the incremental change.
Note The status is applied only to incremental change if the effectivity is supplied
when it is created.

Setting a revision rule

When you apply a revision rule in Structure Manager, it configures both the structure
item revisions and the incremental change revisions. This consideration is important
if you use incremental change in combination with traditional revision configuration
of structure item revisions. If you want to configure the structure item revisions and
incremental change revisions independently, you must apply a separate status.
The revision rule you create depends on whether the incremental changes are
configured by unit or date effectivity, or simply by release date. It also depends
on the release status to apply.

Example of revision rules for incremental changes

For an example of how the Pre-Released status can be applied to the item revisions
and the IC in Process status to the incremental change revisions, see Getting
Started with Product Structure.
The revision rule needed for that example is as follows:
Has Status = IC in Process, Configured by Unit:
Has Status = Pre-Released, Configured by Unit:
Has Status=Released, Configured by Unit
Has Status = Released, Configured by Release Date
Has Status = Pre-Released, Configured by Release Date
Working
The purpose of each entry in this revision rule is as follows:
Has Status = IC in Process, Configured by Unit:
Has Status = Pre-Released, Configured by Unit:
Allows Teamcenter to configure both the incremental change and the structure
revisions by unit number. Having separate statuses allows Access Manager
to apply different access controls to the item revision and BOM view revision
and to the incremental change.

Has Status=Released, Configured by Unit

Ensures the upper levels of the structure are configured correctly by standard
revision configuration, as well as any finally released revisions at lower levels.

Has Status = Released, Configured by Release Date

Has Status = Pre-Released, Configured by Release Date
Working
Configure item revisions that do not have unit effectivity applied or are
unreleased, that is, working.

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Setting independent incremental change contexts

You can make independent edits in different Structure Manager windows using a
different incremental change in each window. This process is referred to as setting
independent incremental change contexts. Use the IC Context column in the list of
available windows to identify the incremental change context in each window.

Copying or cutting structure lines with incremental changes

By default, if you cut or copy a line and then paste it to a new location, incremental
change elements (ICEs) are not copied. This may necessitate significant manual
recreation of data if you are cutting or copying many lines together. To automatically
copy ICEs, the administrator must set two Business Modeler IDE constants:
• Fnd0EnableIceCarryOver
Defines item types of the source and destination parent BOM line under which
ICEs should be copied while copying, cutting, and pasting. For example, by
default, the constant value for MEProcess is set to true, and if the source and
destination parent BOM line are both MEProcess, Teamcenter copies any ICEs.

• Fnd0AttrIcesToExclude
Defines the occurrence attributes which Teamcenter does not copy to the target
location for occurrence attribute changes.

These settings apply to in-context changes to structure lines, their attachments,

and their occurrence attributes.
Note For structure changes, only remove changes associated with the original line
are carried forward to the new location. Teamcenter does not consider add
structure changes; otherwise, two occurrences appear at the same time at
two different locations. Teamcenter copies attribute changes made in the
immediate parent context, but higher level contexts are excluded. The new
ICEs created are associated to the original IC revision.

Creating an incremental change baseline

You should periodically create a new baseline revision for an item that is tracked
by incremental change after a certain number of incremental changes are created.
By default, all outstanding incremental changes are rolled into the new revision.
This approach reduces the amount of data in the new revision and reduces the time
needed to configure the assembly. Use of incremental change baseline may affect the
revision rules applied, as described in Getting Started with Product Structure.
When you create an incremental change baseline, the new revision of the parent
assembly has the occurrences and attachments configured by the revision rule or
unit effectivity set when you created the incremental change baseline.
When you create an incremental change baseline, by default any active incremental
changes are not carried forward to the baseline, as described later. However, you
can optionally configure your system to roll up or carry forward active incremental
changes. (Active changes are any changes that are currently effective or will be
effective in the future.)

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Do not simply revise a structure that has incremental changes on any of the
components because the incremental changes are not copied and the structure is not
configured as expected. You must create the incremental change baseline first.
Ensure the baseline cannot be modified by applying a status to apply vaulting to the
BOM view revision, rather than the item revision. Do not use the status on the item
revision for this purpose because the status is also used for configuration.
You must have access to the incremental changes to create an incremental change
baseline. If Teamcenter determines that you do not have the necessary access, it
rolls back the baseline operation and does not create the new item revision.
Note Do not confuse incremental change baselines with creating standard
baselines of item revisions as described in Using baselines. With standard
baselines, if the item is an assembly, you can automatically create a new
revision of any unreleased components throughout the substructure. With
incremental change, the baseline is applied only to the product structure,
not to the components.

It is good practice to apply unit number effectivity to the assembly item revisions,
even if the components are configured by incremental change. This approach
identifies the effectivity of the new incremental change baseline revision, and also
configure it appropriately. There should be no incremental changes on components
in the new incremental change baseline revision that are effective prior to the unit
number at which the incremental change baseline revision was created.

Baselining structures with active incremental changes

Optionally, when you create an incremental change of an item revision, any
incremental changes that are active are carried forward or rolled up. An active
change is any incremental change that has an out effectivity equal to or greater
than the baseline effectivity, including any open-ended effectivity.
When you carry forward a change, the affected object of the change is copied to
the new item revision. The copy of the affected object is qualified to the same
incremental change. Consequently, the old and new copies of the affected object
share the same change effectivity.
When you roll up a change, only the affected object of the change is copied forward.
The qualification is not present on the new item revision.
By default, this enhancement is not configured and you must set the following
preferences to use it:
• IC_baseline_carry_forward_active_changes
Set to True to carry over active incremental changes when creating a baseline.

• IC_baseline_carry_forward_status
Defines a list of status names to consider when carrying forward active
incremental changes. The default value is pending.

Determining active changes

Teamcenter drops, rolls up, or carries forward changes to the new item revision,
depending on the following conditions. (X indicates the baseline, which may be
a unit number or date.)

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Drop, roll up, or

Lower end Higher end carry forward? Explanation
<X <X Drop The change was effective
in the past with respect to
the baseline and will not be
effective in the future. The
change is dropped.
<=X >=X Carry forward The change is effective and
remains effective to a certain
point in the future. Beyond
that point, the change is not
configured and is therefore
carried forward.
<=X UP Carry forward if The change is effective and
Pending status or remains effective in the
roll up if Secured future. It can be rolled
status. up into the next revision.
However, if the incremental
change is not released, it can
be edited and such edits may
be reverted. Therefore, if the
status is Pending, changes
are carried forward.
>X >X,UP Carry forward The change is effective in the
future, so is carried forward.

Note Teamcenter supports discontinuous effectivity, with multiple out

effectivities. If any of the effectivities is equal to or greater than the baseline
effectivity, the change is considered active.

When you create the baseline, changes that are past effective are dropped,
irrespective of status. For example, if you create a baseline at unit 25, there may
be changes on an incremental change with effectivity on units 5 to 15. All these
changes are dropped because they are past effective. If you subsequently change the
effectivity of this incremental change to span or cross baseline unit 25, you must
recreate the baseline to take the effectivity change into account.
Teamcenter determines if an effectivity is applicable in the current context. An item
revision under incremental change may have several status objects attached to it,
and the objects may be different types. A revision rule may have several entries
configured by effectivity, and the entries may specify different status and effectivity
types. To determine if an effectivity statement on an incremental change revision
applies to the revision rule, Teamcenter checks that the combination of status type
and effectivity type (date or unit) match an entry in the revision rule.

Carrying forward or rolling up active changes

Teamcenter carries forward active changes if:

• The change is currently active and the qualifying incremental change is not
released, or

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 Managing incremental changes

• The change will be configured in the future.

It copies the affected object to the new item revision. It also connects the new copy of
the affected object by an incremental change element (ICE) to the same incremental
change as the original affected object.
Teamcenter rolls up active changes if the change is currently active and the
qualifying incremental change is released. It copies only the affected object to the
new item revision.
ICEs link affected objects to revisions of incremental changes. As an incremental
change evolves, the affected object may be qualified by several ICEs to multiple
revisions of the same incremental change. If you do not assign explicit out
effectivities, but supersede them with later in points (for example, A: 1–UP, B:
10–UP, C: 20–UP), multiple revisions of the same incremental change may be
considered active. If the baseline effectivity is equal to or more than 20, the latest in
rule determines that C is the currently configured revision. However, as you may
subsequently change any effectivity, Teamcenter carries forward the affected object
with ICE qualification to all of these active incremental change revisions.

Dropping inactive changes

If Teamcenter determines that a change is not active, it is dropped from the new
item revision. If the affected object is added by the incremental change, because the
relevant change is no longer active, Teamcenter omits the affected object from the
new item revision. If the object is removed by the incremental change, the removal is
reversed and the affected object is copied forward without the incremental change
qualification.

Viewing properties of incremental change data

You can display the Associated ICs property for any line in the structure that has a
change. This property shows the incremental change that resulted in the change. If
there is more than one add or remove change on a given line, the incremental change
associated with each change is listed.
You can also view the following properties in the Attachments pane:
• Incremental changes of relations
Displays incremental changes that caused the attachment to be added to or
removed from the item revision.

• Incremental changes of objects

Displays incremental changes that caused the attachment to be created or
deleted.

• Attachment root node (Al_absocc_rootline_string)

Displays the root line of the attachment. If this is not the same as the item
revision at the top of the Attachments pane, the attachment does not apply to all
occurrences of the item revision, but to a specific (absolute) occurrence that may
be the parent assembly or a higher level assembly.

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Adding property columns

Note Adding properties in this way may slow the loading of the structure. The
properties are populated only for structure edits and do not apply to changes
made to occurrence attributes, replacements, or attachments.

Several structure line properties that contain information about incremental change
are not shown by default and you may want to display these properties when you
work with incremental changes, as described in Displaying properties. Consider
displaying some of the following properties:
• Configured ICs
Lists the incremental changes that affect each structure line that is configured
by the current revision rule. + and – symbols in the cells indicate adds and
deletes, if applicable.

• IOC – Incremental Change Occurrence Configured

Shows if the structure line is configured with incremental change.

• IC Effectivity
Lists the incremental changes that affect each structure line and their
effectivities. + and – symbols in the cells indicate adds and deletes, if applicable.

• IC Release Status
Lists the incremental changes that affect each structure line and their release
statuses. + and – symbols in the cells indicate adds and deletes, if applicable.

• IC Intent
Lists the incremental changes that affect each structure line and their intents. +
and - symbols in the cells indicate adds and deletes, if applicable.

Using incremental change

Using incremental change management is optional. To use it, your administrator
must set the Incremental Change Management preference to true. When this
preference is set to false, the incremental change toolbar is not visible and any
loaded items or relationships under incremental change control display in a different
color.

Using the incremental change toolbar

Use the incremental change toolbar to create, find, and manage incremental changes.
The toolbar is located at the bottom of the Structure Manager application window if
your Teamcenter administrator has set the Incremental_Change_Management
preference to true.
Note If this preference is changed, you must exit and start a new session to see
the incremental change buttons.

The toolbar is grayed out if no structure is loaded. When you load a structure,
Teamcenter activates the toolbar buttons.

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You can drag the incremental change reference from the toolbar and drop it into
an application such as Change Manager or My Teamcenter. For example, you can
do this to release the incremental change or introduce it into a workflow. The
incremental change window includes the following toolbar buttons.

Button Function
Creates a new incremental change.

Searches for an incremental change order.

Displays the MRU list containing the most recently used incremental
changes.
Displays the incremental change Information dialog box.
Clears the active incremental change and turns off incremental change
tracking.

Using the attachments and information panels

You can view the Attachments and Incremental Change Information panes when
the data pane is displayed. To display the data pane, click the Show/Hide Data
Panel button.
If you display the Associated ICs property, you can easily identify the incremental
change that added or removed a structure line. You can sort the structure on
this column to identify all the structure changes to a given assembly that are
implemented by a specific incremental change.
• The Attachments pane allows you to view attachments (forms or datasets) to
the item revision that corresponds to the selected line. It also allows you to
add, remove, or create attachments and track these changes with an active
incremental change.

• The Incremental Change Information pane allows you to identify the incremental
changes that affect the selected line. This is useful if there are several changes
(adds or removes) associated with a single line, and each change is attached to a
different incremental change.
You can drag-and-drop incremental changes from the data pane to set
incremental change context.

• The Incremental Change Info pane allows you to undo (remove) individual
changes from the selected line.

Using the incremental change menus

Use the following commands available on the Tools→Incremental Change menu to
manage incremental changes.

Menu command Function

Add Retrospectively creates an add change and attaches it to the
active incremental change.

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Menu command Function

Remove Retrospectively creates a remove change and attaches it to
the active incremental change.
Create on Object Establishes a create change to the attachment.
Delete on Object Establishes a delete change to the attachment.
Edit Attachment Allows you to edit an attachment (dataset or form) and track
the changes with the active incremental change.
Remove Changes Removes (undoes) changes on the active incremental change.
Incremental Change Revises the parent assembly to create an incremental
Baseline change baseline.
Split Allows you to split some of the changes from the active
incremental change into another existing incremental
change.
Display Icons Allows you to configure how Teamcenter displays
incremental change icons by selecting one or more of the
following options:
• None

• Current Context

• All Contexts

• Hide Remove Icons

If you are not showing unconfigured changes and are not
interested in changes that are not actually configured,
select the Hide Remove Icons option.
Tip Consider adding these icons to the toolbar to allow
you to more easily change the context. To do this,
right-click the toolbar, choose Customize from the
shortcut menu, and choose the incremental change
icons.

Enable and disable incremental change management

Using incremental change management is optional. To use it, your administrator
must set the Incremental_Change_Management preference to true. When this
preference is set to false, the incremental change toolbar is not visible and any
loaded items or relationships under incremental change control display in a different
color.

Turn off incremental change tracking

• Click the button in the incremental change toolbar.

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Teamcenter changes the Active IC box to display No Active IC. No edits are
tracked.

Customize buttons
Incremental changes are displayed by symbols at the beginning of a structure line.
When you add or remove a structure line, Teamcenter displays a plus or minus
symbol in front of the respective line.
• Customize when incremental change symbols are displayed by choosing
Tools→Incremental Change→Display Icons and selecting the contexts in which
you want to see the symbols.

• Choose Tools→Incremental Change→Display Icons→Hide/Remove Icons to

always hide the display of the symbols in the tree structure.

• If your administrator sets the MoveICCreationToMenu preference to True,

the button on the incremental change toolbar is hidden. If this button is not
visible, use the Incremental Change→Create menu command to create a new
incremental change, unless this command is suppressed.

Create a new incremental change

1. Click the Create Incremental Change button on the incremental change

toolbar.
Teamcenter displays the Create/Revise Incremental Change dialog box.

2. Click the IC Attributes tab and set the following incremental change attributes:
• Type an ID and revision for the change object. Alternately, click Assign to
let the system assign this information for you.

• (Optional) Type a description for the incremental change.

• Select a change type from the Incremental Change Type list. Note that some
of these types may be for general changes, not incremental changes.

3. Click the Effectivity tab and specify whether to set effectivity for the incremental
change using unit serial numbers or dates by doing one of the following:

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Note You cannot specify an effectivity until the incremental change is

released. An incremental change may be released by a workflow process
that is specific for your company or site.
If you do not specify an effectivity, Teamcenter creates the change object
without a status.
The administrator determines the initial release
status of all new incremental changes by setting the
Incremental_Change_ReleaseStatus preference. If this preference is
not set, you must specify it later when releasing the incremental change.
If the Incremental_Change_ReleaseStatus preference is not set,
you cannot set effectivity while creating the incremental change. You
must release the incremental change (revision) separately with the
appropriate process. Once the release status is attached, you can set the
effectivity on the incremental change.

• Click Units and specify the range of serial numbers to which the effectivity is
to be applied. You can also click one of the following buttons:
o UP button to define an unlimited effectivity from a starting number. For
example, typing 1-UP means the change is effective from unit 1 upward.

o SO button to define an effectivity until all stock is exhausted. For

example, typing 1-SO means the change is effective from unit 1 until no
stock remains.
Tip The tooltip provides you with more information about the formatting
for this entry.

• Click Dates to set effectivity based on calendar dates. Multiple date ranges
can be entered. To set a date:
o Type the start and end dates for the effectivity period into the From Date
and To Date cells in the date table.

o Select a date in the calendar table and click Set Date to specify both the
From Date and the To Date entries.

When the correct effectivity is shown, click OK.

4. If unit effectivity is set, populate the End Item box on the Effectivity tab using
one of the following methods:
• From the list of most recently used end items

• Using the Search function to open an item by name or ID

• By pasting an item from the clipboard

5. Click OK to finish creating a new incremental change and close the dialog box, or
click Cancel to cancel the operation.
Teamcenter creates a copy of the new incremental change in your New Stuff
folder.

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6. At an appropriate time, the designated user or a workflow process approves the

change object by adding the release status. The change object is now locked and
you cannot use it to track further changes to the process or operation.
Note You can use a Workflow handler that renames the status and retains the
effectivity, for example, the add_status handler with a –remove option.

Showing unconfigured changes

You can configure the display of the tree table to show the following:
• All components and attachments.

• Only those components and attachments that are configured by the current
revision rule.

Control display of unconfigured changes

• Choose View→Show Unconfigured Changes to toggle between showing all lines
or only those set by the current revision rule.
Note You can add a button to implement this function to the toolbar, allowing
you to easily see the current mode. To do this, right-click the toolbar,
choose Customize, and click the required button.

Identify changes made in the current context

• Click the Changed by Current IC Edit Context column header to re-sort the
structure into changed and unchanged lines. This allows you to more easily
identify the changes made to the structure in the current context.

Find and make active an existing change object

When an incremental change is active, all edits are made in the context of that
incremental change. Teamcenter shows the ID and name of the incremental change
in the incremental change toolbar. If the Incremental Change pane states No Active
IC, no incremental change is active.

1. Click the Select an Incremental Change context button at the bottom

of the dialog box.
Teamcenter displays the Select an Incremental Change context dialog box.

2. Type either the name or ID of the change object to be displayed. You can use
wildcard search characters, if necessary.

3. Click Find.
All change objects matching your selection criteria are displayed in the dialog
box. Use the navigation buttons at the bottom of the dialog box to navigate
the list.

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Chapter 13 Managing incremental changes

4. To select an incremental change object for display, double-click the change object
in the dialog box list.

View or edit information about an incremental change

• Do one of the following:
o Click the View/edit current IC information button .

o Click More IC Info in the Incremental Change data tab.

Teamcenter displays the View/edit Change dialog box, which includes the
following tabs:
o IC Attributes shows the change object name, description, and tag type.

o Incremental Changes shows the individual changes to components,

attachments, created/deleted data, and occurrence notes that are tracked
against this incremental change.
Note A replacement is shown as an override.

o Effectivity allows you to view and edit the effectivity of the change object.
Double-click a specific release status to open a dialog box containing all the
effectivity information for the selected release status.
Note To apply effectivity, your administrator must use Access Manager to
assign you to the appropriate group and role.

o Intents displays the intents for which the incremental change is valid.
You can create a new intent by clicking the Intent button and typing the
appropriate information in the Create Intent dialog box. You can then add
the intent to the incremental change by ensuring it appears in the Intent to
add box and clicking +. You can also search for existing intents and add them
to the incremental change.
Note To make the Intents tab visible, set the EnableIntents preference
to true.

You can also use the symbols on a structure line to identify adds, removes, and
absolute occurrences. For attachments, these symbols are displayed in the
Attachments pane, not the main pane.

View incremental changes for a structure

To view all the incremental changes associated with a structure, select a line in
the structure and click the Incremental Change Info data tab. For each line, this
pane lists:
• Type
For attachments only, specifies the type of incremental change, create, delete,
add, or remove. Note that edits to attachments are shown as create types.

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 Managing incremental changes

• IC Context
Specifies the incremental change objects affecting the structure, listed in the
order they are applied.

• Release Status
Specifies the release status of the incremental change object, for example,
Production.

• Effectivity
Specifies the date or unit number effectivity of the incremental change.

• IC Configured By
Specifies the revision rule that configures the incremental change for this
structure. This allows you to see if an incremental change is configured and, if
so, how it is configured.

For attachment changes, the affected lines and changed relationships are also listed.
For occurrence attribute changes, the affected attributes and changed values are
also listed.
To see more information about an incremental change, double-click the line in this
pane; Teamcenter displays the changes made by the incremental change.

Find recently used change objects

• Click the Most Recently Used button ( ) to display a list of previously used
incremental changes from which you can choose.

Track attachments with incremental changes

You can create an attachment to an item revision and track its status with an
incremental change object, as follows:
1. Ensure you have created the appropriate incremental change object and that it
is active. The active incremental change is shown in the Incremental Change
Edit Context box in the incremental change toolbar.

2. Click the Attachments pane.

3. Select the structure line corresponding to the item revision under which you
want to create the attachment.

4. Select the root node (item revision) in the Attachments pane.

5. Create a new attachment by choosing File→New→Dataset/Form.

Alternatively, you can attach an existing object by copying the dataset or form to
the clipboard, then pasting it to the root node (item revision) in the Attachments
pane.

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Chapter 13 Managing incremental changes

Track changes to an attachment

To track changes (edits) made to an attachment, select the attachment (dataset or
form) and choose Tools→Incremental Change→Edit Attachment.
Teamcenter also tracks edits if you double-click the dataset or form. With a dataset,
the change is tracked when you open the form to edit; with a form, the change is
tracked only when you click OK or Apply. Teamcenter tracks the changes by creating
a copy of the dataset or form.
The Attachments pane displays the appropriate version of the attachment according
to the configured incremental change against which the edits were tracked.
Note You can view the original, unchanged attachment in My Teamcenter.

Track the creation or deletion of an attachment

You can track the creation of a dataset or form against an incremental change, so
that the attachment itself has an effectivity that is derived from the effectivity of the
incremental change; this is in addition to the effectivity applied by the incremental
change that attaches the attachment to an item revision. This feature may be useful
if the attachment is attached to more than one item revision.
• To track the creation of an attachment, select the attachment in the Attachments
pane and choose Tools→Incremental Change→Create on Object.

• To track the deletion of an attachment, select the attachment in the Attachments

pane and choose Tools→Incremental Change→Delete on Object.

Track creation of an attachment

• Select the attachment in the Attachments pane and choose Tools→Incremental
Change→Create on Object.

Track deletion of an attachment

• Select the attachment in the Attachments pane and choose Tools→Incremental
Change→Delete on Object.

Track changes retrospectively

If you forgot to activate an incremental change, you can retrospectively track
changes by making the incremental change active and doing one of the following:
• Select the item or attachment that you wanted to track as added and choose
Tools→Incremental Change→Add.

• Select the item or attachment that you wanted to track as removed and choose
Tools→Incremental Change→Remove.

Teamcenter saves edits immediately to the database. It is not necessary to choose

the Save Changes command.
You can only make changes to the active incremental change, that is, the one shown
in the Incremental Change Edit Context box in the incremental change toolbar. If

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 Managing incremental changes

you try to edit an incremental change that is not configured by the current revision
rule, Teamcenter displays an error message.

Remove incremental changes

You can remove individual incremental changes one of two ways, from the
Incremental Change Information pane or with an Incremental Change menu
command.
Note You require write access to edit structures with incremental changes in
this way.

For structure and attachment changes:

• If the corresponding change is a remove, Teamcenter deletes it.

• If the corresponding change is an add and the user has write access to the parent
BVR, Teamcenter deletes the add but not the occurrence. If you want to remove
the occurrence, choose Edit→Remove. If the user does not have write access, the
deletion request fails.

For occurrence attribute changes, if the change to undo is an add and it is the only
change to the attribute, the change and the override value are both deleted. In
other cases, only the change is deleted.

Remove an individual change from the incremental change

information pane
1. In the Incremental Change Information pane, select the structure line of the
occurrence or attachment whose changes you want to remove.

2. Select the change to undo and click Undo Change, depending on the change type
that you want to remove. You can undo multiple changes in a single operation.

Remove changes from an item with the Remove Changes command

1. To remove changes to an occurrence, select the corresponding structure line.
To remove changes to a dataset or form, select it in the Attachments pane.

2. Choose Tools→Incremental Change→Remove Changes.

Teamcenter displays the Remove Incremental Changes dialog box.

3. Select the check box next to each change you want to remove, or click Select All
to remove all changes, then click OK.
Note Occurrence attributes are not displayed in the Remove Incremental
Changes dialog box; you can only undo them from the Incremental Change
Information pane.

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Chapter 13 Managing incremental changes

Split an incremental change

You may want to change the effectivity of some of the incremental change elements
in an incremental change. As all elements of an incremental change have the same
effectivity, you can only accomplish this by moving some of the incremental change
elements into a different incremental change. To do this, choose Tools→Incremental
Change→Split. You can move the incremental changes to an existing change object
or create a new change object for the purpose.

Exporting and importing incremental change data

You can export changes (deltas) to the structure if they are tracked by incremental
changes in two formats—TC XML using a briefcase file or PLM XML. Teamcenter
allows you to export the structure changes alone (not the entire structure) without
needing to create a new revision. The exported changes contain all the relevant
data required by the importing site to achieve the same structure configuration as
exists at the exporting site. You can export multiple independent, dependent, or
overlapping incremental changes in a single action.
When you use this feature, you must ensure the structure is configured with the
required effectivity and revision rules before initiating the export. Effectivity and
revision rules are not exported with the changes; you must ensure they are identical
in the exporting and importing sites separately.
Teamcenter tracks and exports the following changes when they are tracked by
incremental changes:
• Adding a new or existing line to the structure

• Adding a new or existing subassembly to the structure

• Removing a line or subassembly from the structure

• Modifying relative occurrence properties

• Creating or modifying absolute occurrence properties

• Adding a new or existing attachment to a line, for example, a form or dataset

• Deleting an attachment

• Modifying an attachment

When exporting incremental change data using PLM XML:

• The structure must be fully configured.

• Any related changes that are not tracked by an incremental change are not
considered for export.

• Changes in the context of incremental changes are considered as export

candidates. For example, if you add, modify or remove a structure line in the
context of an incremental change, all of its parents up to the top level are
exported in addition to the affected line. However, the siblings of lines affected
by the incremental changes are not exported.

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 Managing incremental changes

• If you add, modify, or remove a subassembly under an incremental change,

its children exported even though they are not directly affected under the
incremental change.

You can create an incremental baseline for a structure that was already exported.
This action creates a new revision of the structure. As active changes are carried
forward into the new incremental change baseline revision, you may add new
incremental change elements (ICEs) affecting the new structure revision to the
incremental change revision that is the parent of the original active ICEs. (This
incremental change revision may already be exported for the original structure.)
Because the new ICEs do not affect the revision of the structure that was exported
when you perform a TC XML export, they are exported as a stub. The incremental
baseline action has no additional effect on the export of the original structure and
the incremental change revisions that affect it.
For more information, see the PLM XML/TC XML Export Import Administration
Guide and the Data Exchange Guide.

Export incremental change data using a briefcase file

1. Choose Tools®Export®To Briefcase.
Teamcenter displays the Export To Briefcase Via Global Services dialog box.

2. Click the Display/Set export options button in the bottom right-hand corner
of the dialog box.
Teamcenter displays the TIE Export Configured Export Default dialog box.

3. Select the check box corresponding to each of the export options you want to
use and then click OK.
Teamcenter closes the TIE Export Configured Export Default dialog box.

4. In the Export To Briefcase Via Global Services dialog box, enter all the required
information including Reason, Target Sites, Option Set, Briefcase Package
Name, Revision Rule, and Variant Rule, and then click OK.
Note Ensure you select the TIEConfiguredExportDefault transfer option set to
export incremental change based deltas.

Teamcenter displays the Remote Export Options Setting confirmation dialog

box.

5. Click Yes.
Teamcenter starts the export of the product structure using the options you
entered.

Import incremental change data using a briefcase file

1. Choose Tools®Import®From Briefcase.
Teamcenter displays the Import from Briefcase Without Global Services dialog
box.

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Chapter 13 Managing incremental changes

2. Navigate to or type the path and file name of the briefcase file in the Briefcase
File box. Select TIEConfiguredImportDefault from the Option Set list.

3. Click the Display/Set export options button and select the desired options.

4. (Optional) Select the Site Check-In after import box. If you select this box, all
objects that are checked out to the unmanaged site are checked in during the
import process. Otherwise, you must check them in individually after they are
imported.

5. Click Yes to begin the import.

Note The importing site does not verify it has the same base structure against
which the delta was calculated.
If you select a collaboration context for export of incremental change deltas,
the export file includes the structure context and configuration contexts
contained in it, as well as the configured incremental change data.

Export incremental change data using PLM XML

1. Choose Tools®Export®To PLMXML.
Teamcenter displays the PLMXML Export dialog box.

2. Enter the required export directory, file name, choose the appropriate IC delta
transfer mode (for example, ConfiguredDataExportDefault), and then click OK.
Teamcenter displays a confirmation message if the export is successfully
completed. It generates the output PLM XML file in directory the location shown
in the PLMXML Export dialog box.

Import incremental change data using PLM XML

1. Choose Tools®Import®From PLMXML.
Teamcenter displays the PLMXML Import dialog box.

2. Enter the name of the PLM XML file to import, choose the appropriate IC delta
transfer mode (for example, ConfiguredDataImportDefault, select the required
incremental change context, and then click OK.
Teamcenter displays a confirmation message if the import is successfully
completed. It imports only changes to the structure, as captured in the exported
PLM XML file.

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Chapter

14 Configuring structures by
occurrence effectivity

Configuring structures by occurrence effectivity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-1

Understanding occurrence effectivity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-1

Editing occurrence effectivity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-2
Defining mutually exclusive effectivity ranges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-3
Validating effectivity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-3

Associate existing effectivity to an occurrence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-3

Create effectivity on multiple occurrences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-4

Modify the effectivity of an occurrence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-4

Remove effectivity from an occurrence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-5

Copying occurrences with effectivity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-5

Setting the date for occurrence effectivity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-6

Combining occurrence effectivity and variant configuration . . . . . . . . . . . 14-6

Configuring occurrences with multi-unit configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-6

Create a new effectivity group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-7
Capture a multi-unit configuration and save it to an effectivity group . . . . 14-7
Set an effectivity group to configure occurrences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-8

Customizing occurrence effectivity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-10

PLM00048 J Structure Manager Guide

Chapter

14 Configuring structures by
occurrence effectivity

Configuring structures by occurrence effectivity

You can associate an effectivity range with an occurrence. Teamcenter uses the
date, unit, or unit and date combination specified in the revision rule to configure
occurrences by their effective dates or units.
You can use date effectivity, unit number effectivity, or both, depending on the setting
of the CFMOccEffMode preference. If this preference is set to legacy, you can only
use date effectivities. If it is set to maintenance, you can create new effectivities
in either scheme, but Teamcenter does not upgrade existing definitions. If it is set
to upgrade, Teamcenter converts all existing definitions to allow you to configure
any structure with date or unit number effectivity. Unit occurrence effectivities are
only supported in maintenance and upgrade modes.
Occurrence effectivity is frequently used by manufacturers of military and aerospace
products. The end item may correspond to a serial number or the tail number of an
aircraft. If you do not split effectivities, you can optionally use the Configuration Item
check box to indicate the end item, although Teamcenter does not enforce this use.
Note The import or export of a structure containing legacy occurrence effectivities
is not supported. If you require individual structure nodes to have effectivity,
consider using incremental change instead of occurrence effectivity.
Structures managed with incremental change can be imported and exported
using Multi-Site Collaboration.

Understanding occurrence effectivity

Occurrence effectivity information is stored in an effectivity object that one or more
occurrences may reference. This object stores:
• The effective date or unit number ranges.

• The user who created the effectivity.

• When the data was created.

Each effectivity object has a unique identifier, which is displayed in the ID column of
the structure properties table.
Several occurrences may share an effectivity object. When you edit the effectivity
range on one occurrence, Teamcenter applies the change to all occurrences. (This is
generally the reason for sharing effectivity.)

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Chapter 14 Configuring structures by occurrence effectivity

You can also pack occurrences if they share the same unit or date range and Access
Manager protection status. Packed occurrences are displayed in a similar way to
packed structure lines.
For more information, see Packing or unpacking structure lines.
You cannot import or export structures containing occurrence effectivity. If you
require individual structure nodes to have effectivity, consider the use of incremental
change.
For information about incremental change, see Managing incremental changes.
If an occurrence does not have an associated effectivity object, Teamcenter assumes
it is always effective and it is configured regardless of the date or unit number set
by the revision rule, as shown in the following figure.

Effectivity can be shared between

Effectivity Object occurrences (and can have
multiple ranges)

ID: 12345 A100/A ID: 12340

From date To Date From date To Date
6 Aug 04 7 Jul 05 1 May 05 -
Created by: Jim, on 1 Jan 04 Created by: Joe, on 1 Jan 05

No effectivity defined
- that is, always valid
A20 P10 P20 P30

Occurrence Effectivity Rule

Date = 1 Apr 05 Configured
Component

Occurrence effectivity rule

When you create an effectivity condition on an occurrence, you change the parent
BOM view revision. Consequently, you must have write access to the BOM view
revision. However, you can make subsequent changes to the effectivity range if
you have write access to the effectivity object, allowing you to edit effectivity data
after the structure is released.

Editing occurrence effectivity

You can edit occurrence effectivity data outside of the change management process
only if the WSOM_only_edit_effectivity_in_ecm preference is set to yes, as
described in the Preferences and Environment Variables Reference.
To edit occurrence effectivity data, your Teamcenter user name must be included
in the appropriate effectivity user group and role that the administrator defines
with Access Manager.
For more information, see the Access Manager Guide.

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Defining mutually exclusive effectivity ranges

If you intend to define occurrences as mutually exclusive, manually check that they
do not have overlapping effectivity ranges. For example, in the following figure,
there are two different types of dynamo and it would be wrong to configure two
dynamos at the same time.

Bike

A10

Effective In: 1 Jan 94 Effective In: 1 Jan 95

Effective Out: 31 Dec 94 Effective Out: -

A20 A25
Hub Dynamo Rim Dynamo

Mutually exclusive effectivity ranges

When specifying effectivity, you can make the association between the occurrences
clearer by using the same find number or attaching a special effectivity note to each.

Validating effectivity
You should check that effectivity ranges are consistent within the whole structure,
ensuring that effectivity ranges lower down the structure lie within ranges higher
up. You may not be aware of the constraints higher up the structure when you
initially specify effectivity ranges at lower levels.
Teamcenter does not perform this validation automatically but you can include it
as part of a workflow process that approves the effectivity ranges. In certain cases,
this validation may not be appropriate, for example, when the structure is shared
between different products.

Associate existing effectivity to an occurrence

Note Use this approach only when you want the effectivity to be the same for
all occurrences sharing this effectivity object. If you edit the effectivity
object’s date or unit number ranges, Teamcenter applies this change to all
occurrences that reference it.

1. Select the line in the structure representing the occurrence with which you
want to associate effectivity.

2. Choose Tools→Effectivity→Occurrence Effectivity→View, Create and Edit.

Teamcenter opens the Occurrence Effectivity dialog box.

3. In the Effectivity ID box, type the identifier of the effectivity object you want to
associate with the occurrence, and press the Enter key. Alternatively, you can
search for the effectivity object by clicking Search adjacent to the Effectivity
ID box.

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Chapter 14 Configuring structures by occurrence effectivity

Teamcenter populates the date or unit number table with the ranges from the
effectivity object.

4. Click OK and Teamcenter associates the effectivity with the occurrence.

Create effectivity on multiple occurrences

• Create and associate the same effectivity with several occurrences by selecting the
appropriate line in the structure and choosing Tools→Effectivity→Occurrence
Effectivity→Create on Multiple BOM Lines. The effectivity may be:
o Shared
Shared effectivity must have an ID. If you are creating shared effectivity,
ensure the Use shared effectivity check box is selected.

o Unshared
Unshared effectivity has no ID. If you are creating unshared effectivity,
ensure the Use shared effectivity check box is cleared.

Modify the effectivity of an occurrence

Note Any changes you make affect all occurrences sharing the same effectivity
object.

1. Select the line in the structure representing the occurrence whose effectivity
you want to modify.

2. Choose Tools→Effectivity→Occurrence Effectivity→View, Create and Edit.

Teamcenter opens the Occurrence Effectivity dialog box.

3. In the Occurrence Effectivity dialog box, choose Units or Dates effectivity, as

appropriate, and define the effectivity range.
• If defining unit effectivity, type the desired effectivity range in the Units
box. Use the - character within a continuous range, and the , character to
separate discontinuous ranges. For example, the unit range 1-5,7-9 defines
effectivity for units 1 through 5, and 7 through 9 (but not effective for unit 6).

• If defining date effectivity, select a cell in the From or To column, select a

date from the calendar (and optionally type a time), and click Set Date to
place that date in the selected cell. Click the Clear Date button to remove the
date from the currently selected cell. Repeat this step for additional cells
until you have entered all the desired date ranges.

• Click the UP button to add the and up (open-ended effectivity) condition

to the end of the unit or date effectivity range. If you are defining date
effectivity,

• Click the SO button to add the stock out condition to the end of the unit or
date effectivity range.

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 Configuring structures by occurrence effectivity

Note Teamcenter interprets UP and SO conditions as open-ended for

revision configuration purposes. The revision is considered effective
for any value greater than or equal to the unit or date value
immediately preceding the UP or SO. Stock out indicates that
existing stocks of a component revision should be used up before the
next revision.

• Check the Apply Access Manager effectivity protection check box to apply
the predefined Access Manager rules to this effectivity.

• (Optional) For date effectivity, use the End Item dialog box to define an end
item to qualify the effectivity range. You must use this with unit effectivity
to specify a product, module, or subsystem that carries the unit number
to which this effectivity refers. You can select an end item in one of the
following ways:
o Clicking Open by Name adjacent to the End Item box and searching
for an item by identifier and/or name.

o Copying an item to the clipboard before opening the Occurrence

Effectivity dialog box and clicking Paste adjacent to the End Item box.

o Clicking MRU adjacent to the End Item box.

Note
If you want to remove the entered end item, click Clear adjacent
to the End Item box.

4. Click OK to save the occurrence effectivity data you entered.

Remove effectivity from an occurrence

1. Select the line in the structure representing the occurrence whose effectivity you
want to remove.

2. Choose Tools→Effectivity→Occurrence Effectivity→View, Create and Edit.

Teamcenter displays the Occurrence Effectivity dialog box.

3. Click Remove to clear all boxes, including the identifier.

4. Click OK and Teamcenter removes the effectivity object from the selected
occurrence. Any other occurrences sharing this effectivity retain their references
to the effectivity object.

Copying occurrences with effectivity

When you save a BOM view revision with a different name (perform a Save As
action), Teamcenter copies any occurrences that reference an effectivity object to
the new BOM view revision. Thus, the same effectivity ranges apply to the copied
structure.

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Chapter 14 Configuring structures by occurrence effectivity

When you copy, cut or paste, Teamcenter does not reproduce any references to
effectivity objects in the copy occurrences.

Setting the date for occurrence effectivity

Teamcenter configures the occurrence effectivity by the date defined in the current
revision rule. Teamcenter uses an explicit date entry, if the current rule contains
one. If the rule has no date entry, the effective date defaults to today, but you can
manually set a different date using the Tools→Revision Rule→Set Date/Unit/End
Item menu command.
For more information, see Defining a date entry and Set date/unit/end item.
You can choose to show only the configured occurrences, or all occurrences. You
can toggle this setting by choosing View→Show Unconfigured by Occurrence
Effectivity. If you display the EOC - Effective Occ. Config’d column in the structure
properties, occurrences that are configured show a Y. If the occurrences are not
configured, the column is blank.
Occurrences are configured if:
• The effectivity range encompasses the date specified by the current revision rule.

• They have no effectivity object. Such occurrences are always configured,

regardless of date.

Combining occurrence effectivity and variant configuration

Variant and occurrence date effectivity are occurrence-based configuration methods
that operate independently. The View menu includes separate commands to show
or hide occurrences that are unconfigured by the two methods. In some cases, you
may want to view a specific variant of the product at a particular effective date. In
this case, you hide occurrences that are unconfigured by both date and variants.
Similarly, you may want to view a generic product at a particular date, in which case,
you would hide occurrences unconfigured by date only. To show how a single variant
changes with effective date, you can hide unconfigured variants only.

Configuring occurrences with multi-unit configuration

Teamcenter allows you to configure product structure occurrences of an assembly
based on specified multiple end items and the unit effectivity ranges for each of those
end items. You can do impact analysis and eliminate the duplicate work required to
maintain different product structures and complicated manual reconciliation.

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 Configuring structures by occurrence effectivity

Note A combination of multiple end items and range of units for each end
item used to configure product structure occurrences is referred to as a
multi-unit configuration. To enable the creation of multi-unit effectivities,
the administrator must set the Fnd0EnableMultiUnitConfiguration
global constant to true at each site with the Business Modeler IDE.
This feature allows you to:
• Specify multi-unit configurations and save them as effectivity groups.

• Save a combination of effectivity groups and revision rule as a

configuration context. You can use the saved configuration context to
apply the effectivity groups and revision rule to configure occurrences.

• View the configured structure in Lifecycle Visualization, CAD tools, and

the embedded viewers of appropriate rich client applications.

• Configure occurrences by matching the occurrence effectivity with the

multi-unit configuration.

• Configure occurrences that are added and deleted by incremental

changes by matching the incremental change effectivity with the
multi-unit configuration.
Note Teamcenter displays the Revision Rule Entry value for an
incremental change (IC) configured by a multi-unit configuration
as Effectivity Group. Therefore, ignore the status of this check
box in the IC Information pane.
When an occurrence has occurrence effectivity and it is removed
in the context of an IC, the occurrence is not configured if the
multi-unit configuration matches the effectivity of the removing
IC. This occurs whether the occurrence effectivity matches
partially or completely with the multi-unit configuration.
Multi-unit configuration does not support nested effectivity and
effectivity mapping.

Create a new effectivity group

1. In My Teamcenter, choose File→New→Item.
Teamcenter displays the New Item dialog box.

2. Select Effectivity Group, enter the necessary name, description, and identifier,
and then click Finish.
Teamcenter creates the base revision of the new effectivity group. (Effectivity
groups cannot be revised, and you are unable to create further revisions of the
new group.)

Capture a multi-unit configuration and save it to an effectivity group

1. In My Teamcenter, right-click an effectivity group revision and choose View/Edit
Multi-Unit Configuration.

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Chapter 14 Configuring structures by occurrence effectivity

Teamcenter displays the View/Edit Multi Unit Configuration dialog box with the
View/Edit Multi Unit Configuration pane visible.
Note The Most Recently Used option is not available in this dialog box. Also,
the Open By Name box is not available on the Effectivity Groups pane
in this dialog box.

Caution This is a modeless dialog box. It allows you to copy items from other
locations, such as your Favorites folder, and paste them into the
dialog box. However, it also allows you to perform other actions,
such as Revise and Close commands in My Teamcenter with the
dialog box open.
If you open this dialog box using View/Edit in the Set Date/Unit/End
Item dialog box (Effectivity Groups tab), the dialog box is modal and
does not allow you to paste between applications.

2. Enter the necessary end item and unit range information, and then click Add,
Edit, Remove, or Undo to update the effectivity group, as follows:
• To add an end item unit range, enter the end item ID and the effective unit
range and click the Add button. You can also search or browse for an end
item to populate the End Item box. You can also copy the end item from
your Favorites folder in My Teamcenter and paste it here. You can specify a
combination of units or unit ranges in comma-separated format.

• To remove an end item unit range, select it in the table and click Remove.

• To edit an end item unit range, select it in the table and the system populates
the End Item ID and Unit Range boxes from the selected entry. After you
make the required changes, click Modify.

• To revert the last change made in the dialog box, click Undo.
Note Undo allows you to go back one level to the previous state in the
dialog box. Thereafter, any subsequent clicks on the Undo button
cause the dialog box to toggle between its current state and previous
state.

Note You can view and edit effectivity groups with certain limitations. Use the
View/Edit button in the Effectivity Groups pane of the Set Date/Unit/End
Item dialog box to add or modify the end items by manually typing the
necessary data. You cannot search for or copy and paste end items here.

Set an effectivity group to configure occurrences

You set an effectivity group or groups to configure the product structure occurrences
in addition to the revision rule.
1. Load the assembly to configure and choose Tools→Revision Rule→Set
Date/Unit/End Item.
Teamcenter displays the Set Date/Unit/End Item dialog box.

2. Enter the effectivity group identifier in the Effectivity Group box, and then click
Replace, Insert, or Append to update the list of groups.

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 Configuring structures by occurrence effectivity

Note To remove an effectivity group from the list, select it and click Remove.

3. (Optional) To view the multi-unit configuration on an effectivity group, select it

and click View/Edit. The system displays the View/Edit Multi Unit Configuration
dialog box, as described previously. If you have the necessary access privileges,
you can also modify the configuration.

When you apply the configuration, the system matches the occurrence effectivities
configured for each occurrence with the multi-unit configuration set in the effectivity
groups. Any occurrence whose occurrence effectivity is valid for any of the end
item and unit range entries in the effectivity groups is displayed. An occurrence is
loaded only once even if its effectivity matches more than one end item entry in
the effectivity groups set in the session.
Caution You can configure product structures with incremental changes using
effectivity groups. However, only limited support is provided to configure
occurrences with incremental changes using multi-unit configuration
and the following limitations apply.
• You can configure only the addition and deletion of occurrences using
effectivity groups. Other edits in the context of incremental change
cannot be configured.

• An add occurrence edit is effective if the multi-unit configuration

partially overlaps the effectivity of the incremental change.

• A remove occurrence edit is effective if the multi-unit configuration

completely overlaps or is within the limits of the effectivity of
the incremental change. That is, a partial overlap is sufficient
to configure the remove edit. If there are multiple remove
incremental changes, Teamcenter compares each of them with the
multi-unit configuration separately. (It does not calculate the total
remove effectivity and compare a single value with the multi-unit
configuration.)

• Teamcenter evaluates the configuration of an occurrence based on an

incremental change independently of its occurrence effectivity.

• If Teamcenter finds competing incremental changes (one adding the

occurrence and the other removing it) and both can be configured
with effectivity groups, it gives precedence to the add occurrence edit.

The following examples show how occurrence effectivity and incremental

change interact.

Occurrence Effectivity on Multi-unit

Structure effectivity removing IC1 configuration
line (explicit or and removing set on BOM
number Type implied) IC2 window Result
1 Component EndItem(1-20) IC1(-) ® EndItem1(1-9) Occurrence not
EndItem1(1-9) configured.
IC2(-) ®
EndItem(10-20)

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Chapter 14 Configuring structures by occurrence effectivity

Occurrence Effectivity on Multi-unit

Structure effectivity removing IC1 configuration
line (explicit or and removing set on BOM
number Type implied) IC2 window Result
2 Component EndItem(1-20) IC1(-) ® EndItem1(1-20) Occurrence
EndItem1(1-9) configured as
IC2(-) ® Teamcenter
EndItem(10-20) checks occurrence
effectivity,
multi-unit
configuration, and
each incremental
change
individually.

Customizing occurrence effectivity

You can customize Teamcenter behavior when the user applies or sets occurrence
effectivity on a BOM line.
To allow customization of the behavior when setting effectivity on an occurrence,
the bl_occ_effectivity BOM line property is modifiable, and a setter method is
provided on this property. Use the setter method of the property to attach an
extension point if required.
To use this enhancement, the CFMOccEffMode preference must be set to upgrade
or maintenance, not to legacy.
For more information about how to define and attach extension points to a setter
method on a run-time BOM line property, see the Business Modeler IDE Guide.

14-10 Structure Manager Guide PLM00048 J

Chapter

15 Configuring structures by
classic variants

Configuring structures by classic variants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-1

Elements of classic variants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-2

View and edit variant data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-2

Configure to load . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-3

Using classic variants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-4

Example of using classic variants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-4
Creating basic variant data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-5
Setting a variant rule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-5
Storing variant data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-7
Placing variant data on a structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-8

Configuring mandatory choices and accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-8

Identifying unique variant data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-9

Identifying unique options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-9

Placing variant data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-10

Managing variant data by control change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-11

Changing the allowed values of an option . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-11

Sharing structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-12

Configuring complex variant conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-13

Creating a separate item for a particular variant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-14

Using saved variant rules or default and derived values . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-15

Creating substitutes of a variant component . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-15

Populating variant data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-15

Find the location of variant data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-17

PLM00048 J Structure Manager Guide

 Working with options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-18
Create options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-18
Change option values . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-19
Create new options from existing options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-19
Rename an option . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-20
Remove an option . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-20
Deleting an option . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-20

Working with variant conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-20

Create variant conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-21
Modifying variant conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-23
Insert a clause before another clause . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-23
Replace a clause . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-23
Copy a clause . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-23
Remove a clause . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-24
Move a clause . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-24
Group a clause . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-24
Copy variant conditions to other occurrences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-24
Remove a variant condition from an occurrence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-25

Working with variant rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-25

Setting variant rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-25
Showing and hiding unconfigured components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-26
Showing unconfigured components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-26
Hiding unconfigured components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-26
Set or unset the required variant rule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-26
Set a variant rule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-26
Unset an option value . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-26
Working with derived default values . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-27
Working with variant rule checks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-27

Working with variant rules in the database . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-27

Store variant rules in the database . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-27
Save a variant rule in the database . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-28
Load variant rules from the database . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-28
Modifying saved variant rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-29
Copy variant rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-30
View variant rules in My Teamcenter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-30

Working with variant rule checks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-30

Set variant rule check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-30
Modify a rule check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-31
Delete rule checks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-31

Working with option defaults . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-31

Understanding default precedence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-32
Specify fixed option defaults . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-32
Specify derived option defaults . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-33
Modify option defaults . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-33
Delete option defaults . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-34

Saving, refreshing, and copying variant data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-34

Working with variant items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-34

Structure Manager Guide PLM00048 J

 Creating variant items for classic variants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-35
Configuring variant items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-37

PLM00048 J Structure Manager Guide

Chapter

15 Configuring structures by
classic variants

Configuring structures by classic variants

Teamcenter supports two methods of variant configuration, classic variants and
modular variants. For information about how to choose between these two methods,
see Getting Started with Product Structure. Siemens PLM Software recommends
that you do not create both classic variants and modular variants in the same
product structure, as this may cause in unpredictable results.
Classic variant configuration allows you to create options (for example, color) and
allowed values for each option. You can then associate these options with an item
revision. For example, you might create an option called color with allowed values
of red and blue. You usually implement variant configuration against a top-level
assembly, but it is possible to implement them anywhere in the structure. You can
then define a variant condition on those occurrences subject to variant rules. A
variant rule is a set of options and values (for example, color = red, material =
cotton) that is stored in the database. For example, you can specify only load IF
option color = value red in the variant rule for the example option and allowed
values. To configure a particular variant of the assembly or product, you must set
the appropriate variant rule.
To prevent users from specifying illegal option values or combinations, you can set
default option values, for example, color = blue, in the variant rule. You can also
create variant rule checks, for example, error if color = green AND material =
cotton.
You control changes to variant data by associating it with item revisions and BOM
view revisions.
If you install the Teamcenter Integration for NX, classic variants do not synchronize
with NX expressions. However, you can configure saved variant rules from NX,
although you cannot interactively set variant rules. Also, unlike configuration in
Structure Manager, you can apply multiple saved variant rules from NX. Classic
variants suit situations where the user chooses one option value from a set of values.
Only text option types supported.
Classic variant configuration supports:
• Options that are a mandatory choice or an accessory.

• Components that may be configured by more than one option.

• Variant assemblies that may be shared between products.

Classic variant configuration does not support:

PLM00048 J Structure Manager Guide 15-1

Chapter 15 Configuring structures by classic variants

• Automatic creation of variant item.

• Updating of existing variant items.

Note These capabilities are supported in modular variant configuration.

Elements of classic variants

The following table lists elements that may appear in a structure that is managed
by classic variants.

Element Purpose
Constraint An expression that sets an option value according to the
values of other options, that is, derived defaults.
Derived default A default value that depends on a certain condition
(for example, radio = stereo IF car type = GLX). A
derived default is attached to an item revision but applies
globally to a loaded structure.
Option default A specific default value for an option (for example,
engine = 1200). A fixed default is attached to an item
revision but applies globally to a loaded structure. It can
be used internally to set private from public option values
or to set public option values on the child module.
Option A parameter of variability. Options have a string type
and a name.
Variant (structure) A specific structure that is configured by applying a
variant rule.
Variant condition A condition that an engineering user sets on an
occurrence to specify the option values that configure the
occurrence (for example, Load IF engine = 1200). More
complex condition statements may also be defined.
Variant rule A collection of option values, typically set by a marketing
user, to determine the variant of the structure to
configure (for example, car type = GLS, engine = 1200,
gearbox = manual). A saved variant rule is a persistent
database object.
Variant rule check A condition that specifies any option values or
combinations of values that are not allowed. A variant
rule check is attached to an item revision. Also called an
error check.

View and edit variant data

• To view and edit classic variant data, display the data pane by clicking the
Show/Hide Data Panel button , then clicking the Variants tab.

15-2 Structure Manager Guide PLM00048 J

 Configuring structures by classic variants

The upper part of the Variants pane shows the variant data tree, presenting
any variant data stored on the item revision represented by the structure line
currently selected in the structure. The tree has three branches:
o Options

o Option defaults

o Rule checks

If the item revision has variant data, the branch has a + (plus) symbol and you
can expand the branch to view the data.
The lower part of the pane allows you to create and edit variant data for the
selected data, if you have write access to the item revision. You can also view
further details of specific variant data, for example, the allowed values of an
option.
Tip Use the PSE_show_option_item_prefix preference to show or hide
the owning item ID as a prefix to the option name. For details, see the
Preferences and Environment Variables Reference.

Configure to load
You can eliminate the loading of unconfigured variants and consequently complete
loading of the structure more quickly.
1. Choose View→Enable Filtering Unconfigured due to Classic Variants.
Teamcenter enables configure to load filtering.

2. Send the structure to Structure Manager.

If the PSEVariantsMode preference is set to hybrid or modular, Teamcenter
displays the Configure dialog box. If it sent to legacy, it displays the Variant
Rule dialog box.

3. Enter an option value for any item.

Teamcenter activates the Filter unconfigured BOM lines due to Classic Variants
check box.

4. Select the Filter unconfigured BOM lines due to Classic Variants check box.
When the structure is subsequently loaded, Teamcenter does not load lines that
are unconfigured by the selected variant rule. The title bar of the structure tree
pane is colored green to indicate that filtering is applied.

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Chapter 15 Configuring structures by classic variants

Note You cannot disable this selection when the structure is loaded and it persists
each time the structure is loaded. To change it, you must follow the previous
steps and clear the Filter unconfigured BOM lines due to Classic Variants
check box.
Enable or disable use of the configure to load feature with the
PSEEnableFilteringUnconfigdDueToClassicVariantsPref preference;
use the ConfigureToLoadEnableDefaultVariantConfig preference to
enable or disable the Do not show this dialog automatically when opening
BOM check box in the variant configuration dialog box.

Using classic variants

Variants allow you to create options (for example, color) and allowed values of those
options (for example, red and blue) and associate them with an item revision. You
usually do this at a top-level assembly, but you can implement variants anywhere
in the structure. You then define a variant condition (for example, only load IF
option color = value red is specified in the variant rule) on those occurrences
that are subject to variant rules.
To configure a particular variant of an assembly or product, set a variant rule (a
group of options and values such as color = red, material = cotton). This can be
stored in the database and retrieved later.
To specify option values or combinations that are not allowed, you can also set
default option values (for example, color = blue) for the variant rule and create
variant rule checks (for example, error if color = green AND material = cotton).
This functionality supports:
• Options that are a mandatory choice or an accessory.

• Components that are configured by more than one option.

• Variant assemblies that are shared between products.

Changes to variant data are controlled by association with item revisions and BOM
view revisions.
You can save a variant rule in Structure Manager as a persistent workspace object,
then use it in the Multi-Structure Manager application, thin client, or NX client. You
can also send the object to another user.

Example of using classic variants

In this basic example of how to use variants, a top-level assembly is identified as Car
Model G. It includes a body assembly and two choices of engine (1200 and 1600),
as shown in the following figure. You create variant data on the structure to allow
configuration of one or the other engine.

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 Configuring structures by classic variants

Options and Allowed Values

car type = GLX, GLS, LS
engine = 1200, 1600
gearbox = manual, automatic
fog lights = yes, no

Car Variant Condition

Model G Option Value
A01000
Load IF engine = 1200
Load IF engine = 1600

Body 1200 1600

Assy Engine Engine
A020 E1200 E1600

Creating variant data on the structure

Creating basic variant data

To create the necessary basic variant data, do the following:
• Define options
Create an engine option on the item Car Model G with allowed values 1200 and
1600. You can later create other necessary options and allowed values. These
options configure components lower in the structure.

• Add variant conditions

Having defined the options that determine different configurations of the car,
you now specify a variant condition on each engine component to configure it
appropriately. For the 1200 Engine component, you define a condition that
loads this component only if the option engine is set to a value of 1200 (that is,
Load IF engine = 1200). Similarly, define a condition for the 1600 Engine
(that is, Load IF engine = 1600).
You have now created all the static variant data necessary to configure a variant
BOM. These steps are typically performed by design engineers or a specialized
configuration department.
Note A specific option value does not necessarily relate to a single component.
Variant conditions including a single option value can cause any number
of components at different places in the structure to be configured or
not configured.

Setting a variant rule

To configure a particular variant of a structure, you use a variant rule. The variant
rule defines the options in the structure for which you can set values. The marketing
and sales organizations typically use the variant rule to configure a particular
variant of the product. However, such configurations are limited to those that the
design engineer allowed when creating the variant data on the structure.
Note Some options may already have values set as part of the basic variant data,
as described previously. The rules define further variant data that can be
created on the structure.

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Chapter 15 Configuring structures by classic variants

There are three ways of setting a valid variant rule that configures an allowed
variant of the product. This additional variant data is stored on an item revision.
• Variant rule checks
Variant rule checks prevent the designer from defining option values or
combinations of option values that are not allowed, as shown in the following
figure.

Options and Allowed Values Variant Rule Check

car type = GLX, GLS, LS Warning: "Incompatible Engine and Gearbox"
engine = 1200, 1600 If engine = 1200 AND gearbox = automatic
gearbox = manual, automatic
fog lights = yes, no

Car
Model G
A01000 Variant Condition
Load IF engine = 1200
Load IF engine = 1600

Body 1200 1600

Assy Engine Engine
A020 E1200 E1600

Defining a variant rule check

A variant rule check consists of a condition (for example, engine = 1200 AND
gearbox = automatic) and a warning message (for example, Incompatible
engine and gearbox). Both the condition and the warning message are
displayed if the condition is met when a user attempts to set values in the
variant rule. Teamcenter displays the error when the user tries to specify the
condition, rather than allowing the user to set a number of values and then
displaying a number of error messages.
There are two main uses of checks:

o To prevent incompatible option values. For example, you want to prevent

users from configuring a 1200 engine with an automatic gearbox if this
combination is not allowed for technical reasons.

o To limit the range of allowed values for a specific option in a particular

product. This may be necessary when assemblies are shared between
different products in which there are different allowed option value ranges.

• Derived defaults
Derived defaults allow one option value to set any number of other related option
values. Options that potentially have derived values are indicated in the variant
rule as potentially derived and must be completed last. In the example in the
following figure, if the option car type is set to GLX, the option radio is set
to stereo by default.

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 Configuring structures by classic variants

Options and Allowed Values Derived Default

car type = GLX, GLS, LS If car type = GLX, radio = stereo
engine = 1200, 1600
gearbox = manual, automatic
fog lights = yes, no

Car
Model G
A01000 Variant Condition
Load IF engine = 1200
Fixed Default Load IF engine = 1600
fog lights = no
Body 1200 1600
Assy Engine Engine
A020 E1200 E1600

Defining derived values

• Fixed defaults
Fixed defaults allow an option to be set to a specific value. In the example in
the previous figure, the default value for fog lights is no; unless specified, fog
lights are not fitted. The fog light components are not shown at this level of
the structure.

Storing variant data

Variant data can be stored on the following objects:

• Item revision:

o Options and allowed values

o Fixed and derived default values

o Variant rule checks

• Occurrence:

o Variant conditions

o Controlling changes

Changes to variant data can have a dramatic effect on variant configuration. You
can control changes with techniques such as access control lists (ACLs), locking,
and release procedures.
Any user can set the variant rule to configure a particular variant. Users creating
variant data must ensure that the necessary variant rule checks exist so that only
valid rules can be set. You can use menu entry suppression to hide the variant
rule entry from certain users and groups.
Variant data is owned by a specific revision of an item. As the item evolves, it may
be necessary to change the set of allowed values for a particular option or possibly
to add further options.

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Chapter 15 Configuring structures by classic variants

Placing variant data on a structure

When populating a structure with variant data, you must decide where to place
options, defaults, and variant rule checks; typically, you attach this data to assembly
items. The following types of variant data may be placed on a structure:

Type of variant data Purpose Best practice

Marketing variant data Set by marketing or Stored at the product
customers to specify the level.
required variant of the
product.
Engineering variant data Set by design engineers Stored at lower levels,
to control detailed variant attached to specific
information that does not modules or assemblies.
concern customers.

Note Option identification names are not unique in the database; they are unique
only to the owning item. You must specify an item when the option is not
unique. Options are generally displayed with their owning item.

Configuring mandatory choices and accessories

In most structures, there are generally two categories of options:
• Mandatory choice
In certain cases, the user must make a choice, for example, of an engine or radio.
The user must choose one of many, mutually exclusive, options. You can set a
default option, for example, radio = mono.
When setting variant conditions on a set of mutually exclusive occurrences in
this way, the product design engineer must ensure the conditions have the
desired effect.
One way to indicate mutually exclusive components is to set them all at the same
find number in the structure. You could also create a special note type to give
further information about variant data, for example, the associated occurrences.
Note The APICS term option corresponds to mandatory choice in Teamcenter.

• Accessory
Accessories are options for which the user does not have to make a choice. They
are additional components and the user can select none, some, or all of the
accessory options. By default, no accessories are configured. For example, fog
lights may be offered as an accessory option.
Siemens PLM Software recommends the following strategies:

o Use yes and no values for an accessory option.

o Set a Load IF <accessory option 1> = yes variant condition on the

component occurrence or occurrences that are loaded if the accessory is
chosen.

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o Set an <accessory option 1> = no fixed default. As a result, Teamcenter

displays No in the Variant Rule dialog box for the option, making clear that
the option is an accessory and is not provided unless specifically requested
(that is, set to Yes in the variant rule).

Identifying unique variant data

Teamcenter prevents you from entering inconsistent data when defining variants.
These checks are especially significant if you have a large volume of data to specify
on a variant BOM. For example, Teamcenter make the following checks:
• You cannot specify a value for an option that you have not defined.

• If the option name is not unique, Teamcenter prompts you to specify an owning
item.

• When you specify defaults, Teamcenter warns if you attempt to specify a default
that would trigger an existing variant rule check.
If the variant rule check is not currently loaded (because the item to which it
is attached is not loaded), Teamcenter prompts you to load the item with the
variant rule check when you expand the structure.

Identifying unique options

Option names are not unique in the database; they are unique to a particular owning
item. Thus, an option is only fully identified when you also specify the owning item.
Teamcenter does not force you to define unique option names, allowing more than
one item (product) to use the same option name, for example, engine. The set of
allowed values for a particular option are unique to the owning item, for example,
engine in owning item Car Model G, as shown in the following figure. With this
owning item, the option has allowed values 1200 and 1600, but engine in owning
item Car Model H may have different values, for example, 1200, 1600 and 2000.
When you define an option name, Teamcenter prompts for the owning item. In
dialog boxes and data displays, it then prefixes the option with the owning item
to avoid any ambiguity.

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(A01000) engine = 1200, 1600 (A02000) engine = 1600, 2000

Car Model G Car Model H

A01000/A A02000/A

Dashboard radio = mono, stereo, stereo-cassette, stereo-CD

Assembly
A020/C

Unique options

Placing variant data

When you populate a structure with variant data, you decide the items to which
options, defaults, and variant rule checks are attached.
Guidelines for the location of variant data follow:
• Options
Most often, you attach options to the top-level item in the product.
However, if an assembly is shared between products, you must attach any options
directly to the assembly. For additional information, see Sharing structure.

• Default option values

Generally, you attach default option values to the assembly item to which
they apply. For the same option, defaults set at the top of the structure take
precedence over any defaults lower down the structure tree.
If you load the top-level structure, any defaults are always configured if there is
conflict of option values.
If option values are specified at lower levels of the structure, the option value
that takes precedence. In this case, users who set defaults at lower levels in
the structure may also have to duplicate them at the top level to ensure they
take effect.

• Variant rule checks

You can attach variant rule checks to the top-level item in the product. However,
Teamcenter does not make these checks if the item to which they are attached is
not loaded, as would happen if you open an assembly lower down the structure.
If this occurs, you can duplicate the variant rule checks on assemblies lower
down the structure, where relevant. If you duplicate many checks, they may only
be meaningful in the context of the top-level item.

The arrangement of variant BOMs always depends closely on the product type. The
structure of the BOM also influences your approach to variant management, for
example, the modularity of the structure with respect to the options and structure
reuse in other products.

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Managing variant data by control change

An option is owned by a specific revision of an item. As the item evolves, you may
change the set of allowed values of a particular option, or add or remove options and
their allowed values. These changes affect the variant configuration and should be
subject to the same change controls as any other structure modification.
You can control changes to variant data with Teamcenter release procedures
implemented with Workflow. When an item revision and its associated BOM view
revision are released and locked, you cannot make changes to the variant data. For
more information, see the Workflow Designer Guide.

Changing the allowed values of an option

When an assembly is released, both the item revision and the BOM view revision
are locked to prevent change. For example, dashboard assembly revision A020/A
is released to production and offers the choice of none, mono, or stereo radio, as
shown in the following figure.

Load IF radio = none

Dashboard radio = None, Mono, Stereo
Load IF radio = Stereo Assembly
A020/C
Load IF radio = Mono

Mono Stereo Blank

Radio Radio Plate Facia

P010 P020 P030 P040

Allowed values of an option

Subsequently you withdraw the radio option and add a stereo-cassette option. The
following figure shows the necessary changes:
• You change the allowed value of the radio option, removing the none value
and adding the stereo-cassette value. As a result of this change, you revise
the owning item A020 to revision B.

• You revise the dashboard assembly and to add a new component P25 -
Stereo-Cassette and the appropriate variant condition. You also remove
component P30 - Blank Plate.

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Load IF radio = none

Dashboard radio = None, Mono, Stereo
Load IF radio = Stereo Assembly
A020/C
Load IF radio = Mono

Mono Stereo Blank

Radio Radio Plate Facia

P010 P020 P030 P040

Changing option allowed values

If a revision rule configures revision A of the dashboard assembly, you see the
original set of components. Teamcenter presents none, mono and stereo values
of the radio option in the variant rule.
If revision B of the dashboard assembly is configured, you see the modified assembly
and are presented with the modified mono, stereo, and stereo-cassette values of
the radio option.
Depending on your business practices, you may also revise the body assembly to:
• Remove the component, P080 - Wing Without Hole, which is no longer
necessary.

• Remove the redundant variant condition from the occurrence of P085 - Wing
With Hole.

• Optionally, modify the variant conditions on the aerials. This modification is not
essential and the audio system still behaves correctly if the change is not made.

Sharing structure
Classic variants supports sharing of variant structures between products.
For example, a dashboard assembly is used in two different products Car Model
G and Car Model H, as shown in the following figure. Because the dashboard
assembly is shared between products, you should place options that control variants
of the assembly (for example, radio) on the assembly item and not higher up the
structure. The radio option must have the entire range of values that are allowed in
all products in which the assembly is used, that is, mono, stereo, stereo-cassette
and stereo-CD.
Teamcenter applies a variant rule check to each product, preventing you from
specifying a variant rule for the radio option that is not allowed within the product,
for example, stereo-cassette for Car Model G and stereo-CD for Car Model H.
You must revise the dashboard assembly item, if the relevant parts are released and
locked to add the extra allowed values to the option. You can change the structure at
the same time to add the new variational components.

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Shared Structure Car model H (A02000) is now produced with a different choice
of radios to Car Model G (A01000). A variant rule check is
car type = GLX, GIS, LS put on the owning product to limit the choice of values.
engine = 1200, 1600
gearbox = manual, automatic
fog lights = yes, no

Warning: "Incompatible Engine & Gearbox" (A02000) engine = 1600, 2000

IF engine = 1200 AND gearbox = automatic

Warning: "Invalid Option Value" Warning: "Invalid Option Value"

IF radio = Stereo-CD IF radio = Stereo-Cassette

Derived Default: Derived Default:

IF car type = GLX, radio = stereo IF car type = GLS, radio = Stereo

Car Model G Car Model H

A01000/A A02000/A
Total set of allowed values (across all
products the dashboard assy is used in).
Load IF radio = Stereo-CD
radio = Mono, Stereo, Stereo-Cassette, Stereo-CD
Dashboard
Load IF radio = Stereo-Cassette Assembly
Load IF car type = GLX
A020/C OR car type = GIS
Load IF radio = Stereo

Load IF radio = Mono Load IF fog lights = yes

Mono Stereo Stereo Stereo Pocket Cigar Fog Light

Radio Radio Cassette CD Facia Flap Lighter Switch
P010 P020 P025 P028 P040 P050 P060 P070

Shared structure

Configuring complex variant conditions

Although you can define variant conditions only from simple Boolean expressions
(for example, Load IF car type = GLX OR car type = GLS), you can construct
more complex conditions when configuration depends on more than one option.
For example, a special facia may be required if the customer chooses car type option
GLX or GLS and also chooses the Fog Lights option. (Additional switches are
necessary on the dashboard to control the fog lights, so the special facia is required.)
The special facia requires the following variant condition to meet this requirement:
Load IF fog lights = yes and (car type = GLX or car type = GLS)

You can construct the following variant condition in the Variant Condition dialog
box to define this requirement:
fog lights = yes
AND car type = GLX
OR car type = GLS

When you have built this basic condition, select the GLX and GLS lines and click the
(..) button. Teamcenter places brackets around the selected clauses, as follows:
fog lights = yes

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Chapter 15 Configuring structures by classic variants

AND ( car type = GLX

OR car type = GLS
)

To remove the brackets, select the range of lines between the opening and the closing
brackets (including the intervening lines) and click (..) again.

Creating a separate item for a particular variant

You can create items with specific part numbers for a particular variant. You can
then include the generic structure as a single component of the particular variant
assembly of the product. You can do this for the top-level product and also for any
subassemblies in it that have their own set of options.
On the new item for the particular variant, you set fixed default values for all
the options, as shown in the following figure (for example, A0100 Car Model G -
Variant 1). These fixed defaults override any other defaults that are set lower down
the structure at the generic item level or lower. You are therefore certain of the
settings resulting from these defaults for a particular variant.
Alternatively, you could use a saved variant rule instead of fixed default values, as
this approach is easier to set up. The saved variant rule contains the list of default
option values.

Separate Item IDs for different variants of a product

Fixed Default: Fixed Default:
car type = GLX car type = GLS
engine = 1600 engine = 1600
gearbox = manual gearbox = automatic
fog lights = yes fog lights = no
radio = stereo radio = stereo-cd
aerial = standard aerial = electric

Car Model G Car Model G

Variant 1 Variant 2
A01000/A - V1 A01000/A - V2

Car Model G
A01000/A

car type = GLX, GIS, LS

engine = 1200, 1600
gearbox = manual, automatic
fog lights = yes, no

Warning: "Incompatible Engine & Gearbox"

IF engine = 1200 AND gearbox = automatic

Warning: "Invalid Option Value"

IF radio = Stereo-CD

Derived Default:
IF car type = GLX, radio = stereo

Creating an item for a variant

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Using saved variant rules or default and derived values

You can use both saved variant rules and default and derived option values to
configure a bill of materials from a single high level entity. In the case of saved
variant rules, this entity is a variant rule workspace object. In the default/derived
values case, this entity may be a single option that is defined on the top level
assembly from which all other option values are derived. Alternatively, you can use
the extra item as described in Creating a separate item for a particular variant.
The derived defaults method allows you to define dependencies as an integrated part
of the structure. Its main disadvantage is the complexity of setting up derivation
rules.
Saved variant rules are simpler to set up, but they are not as tightly coupled with
the structure.
Siemens PLM Software recommends you use saved variant rules when initially
building your structure. You can then convert to default and derived values once
you have fully analyzed the interactions.
Saved variant rules may provide a useful configuration mechanism to store
marketing packages after the structure is released.

Creating substitutes of a variant component

You can create substitutes of variant components in the same way as other
components that do not have a variant condition.
For more information, see Defining substitute components.

Populating variant data

There are many different ways to apply variant data that affect the ease of
maintenance of the product and the use of shared subassemblies. If you populate
the structure with variant data that is stored on the optimal item revisions, you
make future changes easier to manage. Some of these considerations are discussed
in Placing variant data.
The following procedures for populating variant data all reference the same example.
In this example, the product Car Model G shown in the following figure has a
variant structure that depends on the values the customer chooses for the following
mandatory and nonmandatory options:
• Car type – GLX, GLS or LS

• Engine – 1200 or 1600

• Gearbox – manual or automatic

• Radio – none, mono, or stereo

• Aerial type – standard or electric

• Accessory option fog lights – yes or no

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The following considerations also apply, depending on customer selections:

• If the customer does not want a radio (radio = none in the variant rule) and a
blanking plate is fitted. Teamcenter configures the wing (fender) with no hole
and no aerial.

• If the customer chooses one of the radio options, Teamcenter configures the wing
with the hole (for an aerial), and the standard aerial or the electric aerial.

• If the customer does not specify a particular type of aerial, the standard aerial is
fitted. This is the fixed default.

• If the customer specifies car type GLX, Teamcenter configures a stereo radio.
This is the derived default.

• The 1200 engine cannot be fitted to an automatic gearbox. This combination

is excluded by a variant rule check.

The radio option is stored on the dashboard assembly for later use in another
product, Car Model H.

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Derived Default
Options & Allowed Values Derived Default:
IF car type = GLX, radio = stereo
car type = GLX, GLS, LS
engine = 1200, 1600
gearbox = manual, automatic
fog lights = yes, no Variant Rule Checks
Warning: "Incompatible Engine & Gearbox"
IF engine = 1200 AND gearbox = automatic
Fixed Default
fog lights = no
aerial = standard Car Model G

A01000/A Load IF engine = 1200

aerial = standard, electric Load IF engine = 1600

Body 1200 1600

Load IF fog lights = yes Assy Engine Engine
A0200 E1200 E1600
Load IF radio = None
Load IF radio != None
Load IF radio = None AND aerial = Standard

Load IF radio != None

AND aerial = Electric
Wing Wing Fog Standard Electrical
w/o Hole with Hole Lights Aerial Aerial
P080 P0850 P070 P090 P095

radio = None, Mono, Stereo

Dashboard
Load IF radio = None Assembly
Load IF car type = GLX
A020 OR car type = GIS
Load IF radio = Stereo

Load IF radio = Mono Load IF fog lights = yes

Mono Stereo Blank Pocket Cigar Fog Light

Radio Radio Plate Facia Flap Lighter Switch
P010 P020 P030 P040 P050 P060 P070

Populating variant data

Before applying variant data, you should create the necessary items and structure.
To add the variant data, you may want to open the whole structure in a Structure
Manager window to make navigation of the entire structure more straightforward.

Find the location of variant data

• As you create variant data, you may want to check the location of variant data
that already exists. To do this, check the HVD - Has Variant Data column in the
structure navigation tree—each item that has associated variant data shows a
Y in this column.
The node of any item that has variant conditions displays the Variant Data image
in the Variant Conditions column in the structure tree.

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Working with options

You can create, modify, rename, remove or delete options for variants.

Create options
Define the options of the structure, as follows. The examples refer to the structure of
A01000 - Car Model G, as described in Populating variant data.
1. Choose View→Show/Hide Data Panel or click the Show/Hide Data Panel
button on the toolbar.
Teamcenter opens the data pane.

2. Click the Variants tab and select the line representing the owning item revision
that stores the variant data. Typically this is the top-level item in the structure,
in this example, A01000 - Car Model G.

3. Click the Options branch in the variant data tree.

Teamcenter displays the Option dialog box.

4. In the Option dialog box, enter the necessary options, for example:
• In the Name box, type engine.

• Optionally, enter the engine size in the Description box.

• Type an allowed value (1200) and press Enter or + (plus). Teamcenter now
displays the allowed value 1200 in the list of allowed values.

• Type the other allowed value (1600) and press Enter.

5. Click Create to create the option. A + (plus) symbol appears against the
Options branch in the variant data tree indicating that Teamcenter created
the options.

6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 to define the other options on the same assembly, for
example:

Option Allowed values Owning item

car type GLS, GLX, LS A01000 - Car Model G
gearbox automatic, A01000 - Car Model G
manual
fog lights yes, no A01000 - Car Model G

7. Repeat steps 2 through 6 to define the options on other assemblies, for example,
the following body and dashboard assemblies:

Option Allowed values Owning item

aerial standard, electric A0200 - Body Assy
radio none, mono, stereo A020 - Dashboard Assy

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8. Click Save to save the changes. If you forget to do this, Teamcenter prompts
when you select another BOM line. A Y appears in the Has Variant Data (HVD)
column for Car Model G.

Change option values

1. If necessary, choose View→Show/Hide Data Panel or click the Show/Hide Data
Panel button on the toolbar.
Teamcenter opens the data pane.

2. Click the Variants tab and select the structure line with the item revision that
owns (stores) the option whose values you want to change. If you are unsure of
the owning item, you can identify this from the Variant Rule dialog box.

3. Expand the Options branch in the variant data tree.

4. Select the option whose values you want to change.

Teamcenter displays the allowed values in the Option dialog box.

5. In the Option dialog box, do one of the following:

• Enter another allowed value and press the Enter key.

• Select the value and click – (minus button) to remove an allowed value
from an option.

6. Click Modify and Teamcenter updates the contents of the selected option.

7. Click Save to save the changes.

Note Any variant data that references removed option values can no longer be set
as these values are not available for selection. You typically create a new
revision of the item if you need to preserve the historic data.

Create new options from existing options

When an option has values similar to those on an existing option, it may be quicker
to create the new option values from those of the existing option:
1. If necessary, choose View→Show/Hide Data Panel or click the Show/Hide Data
Panel button on the toolbar.
Teamcenter opens the data pane.

2. Click the Variants tab and select the option to copy in the Options branch of
the variant data tree.
Teamcenter displays the Option dialog box, prepopulated with the values and
name of the original option.

3. In the Option dialog box, type a new name for the option (duplicate names within
an item are not allowed) and modify the values as required.

4. Click Create to create the new option.

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5. Click Save to save the changes.

Rename an option
1. If necessary, choose View→Show/Hide Data Panel or click the Show/Hide Data
Panel button on the toolbar.
Teamcenter opens the data pane.

2. Click the Variants tab and select the option to rename in the Options branch of
the variant data tree.

3. Type a new name and click Modify to modify the option.

4. Click Save to save the changes.

Note You cannot rename an option that is used in more than one revision of the
item.
Also, you cannot rename an option that is shared between sites in a
Multi-Site Collaboration environment.

Remove an option
To remove an option from its owning item revision:
1. If necessary, choose View→Show/Hide Data Panel or click the Show/Hide Data
Panel button on the toolbar.
Teamcenter opens the data pane.

2. Click the Variants tab and select the option to remove in the Options branch of
the variant data tree.

3. Click Delete in the Option dialog box.

Deleting an option
When you delete (remove) an option, you remove it only from the item revision.
When you remove the option from the last item revision that owns it, you are (in
effect) deleting the option.
• You cannot remove an option from an item revision that is released or to which
you do not have write access.

• You cannot delete an option that is used in a variant condition. If you attempt
to do this, Teamcenter displays an error message that lists all the BOM view
revisions that have occurrences with variant conditions referencing that option.

Working with variant conditions

After you define the options, you must create variant conditions on the variant
components.

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Examples refer to the dashboard assembly use case, as described in Populating

variant data.
The following procedures assume you are using the new variant model. If you use
the old variant model, use the Variant Conditions property instead of the Variant
Formula property. When you implement the new variant model, Teamcenter
evaluates variant conditions using the new data model, even if they use the old
Variant object model. The Variant Rule and variant condition editor dialog boxes
continue to show available Variant objects. However, when you save an expression
in the editor, it is converted to the new data model.
You create variant conditions in the scope of a specific option. If you move the
structure line out of the scope of the option referenced in the variant condition, the
variant condition is not retained.

Create variant conditions

1. Ensure you have displayed the Variant Formula property in the structure tree
in Structure Manager.

2. Select the structure line for the option for which you want to create variant
conditions, for example, P060 - Cigar Lighter.

3. Click the Variant Condition button on the toolbar, choose Edit→Variant

Condition, or double-click the Variant Formula property cell.
Teamcenter displays the Variant Condition dialog box. The upper part of the
dialog box shows the individual clauses that comprise a variant condition. You
can use the buttons to move clauses up or down, delete a clause, or bracket
clauses. The lower part of the dialog box allows you to define a clause and you
can use the following buttons to control how a clause is added to the list in the
upper area:

• Replace

• Insert

• Append

• Clear

4. Enter the option, for example, car type.

To view available options, click the list of values to display a list of options. Click
the desired option to select a value and automatically populate the (Owning)
Item box.
Teamcenter lists only options that are loaded in the current Structure Manager
window because their owning item is loaded or they are used in a variant
condition in the structure.

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Note You can type in an option name that is not loaded. If the option name
is not unique, the owning item is not populated. You must populate it
by clicking the list of values in the Item box and selecting the one you
require. If you forget to do this, Teamcenter displays an error message
when you click the list of values when trying to enter a value for the
option.

5. Use the following operators to construct a variant condition:

= Equal to
!= Not equal to
> Greater than
>= Greater than or equal to
< Less than
<= Less than or equal to

Note If you use >, > = , <, or < = operators, the values of the associated option
must be numeric and only decimal values are permitted.
Not (!) is higher than AND (&); AND (&) higher than OR (|). That is,
A OR B AND A = A OR (B AND A).

6. Enter the value of the option, for example, GLS.

7. Select List of Values to display the allowed values for the radio option and click
the required value.

8. Press the Enter key or click Append .

Teamcenter adds the condition to the list. It clears the Value box and shows the
option’s owning item, for example, [A01000].
Note The Enter key provides a shortcut for the selected button—Clear,
Replace, Insert, or Append). By default, this button is Append .
However, if the last button you clicked was Clear , Teamcenter clears
all the necessary boxes.

9. Click OR.
Teamcenter constructs a variant condition from the defined clauses joined by
AND and OR operators.
For more information, see Configuring complex variant conditions.

10. Enter the value of another option, for example, GLX, and click Return or
Append .
Teamcenter displays the second clause in the list in the upper part of the dialog
box.
Note If you are only specify one clause (for example, radio = mono) in a
condition, you can set the AND switch or the OR switch.

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11. Click OK to create the variant condition on the occurrence.

If a line is packed, Teamcenter applies the condition to each of the packed
occurrences.

Modifying variant conditions

A variant condition is made up of one or more clauses, for example:
aerial = standard
AND aerial = electric

You can modify a condition by inserting, replacing or removing clauses.

Insert a clause before another clause

1. Specify the new clause.

2. Select the clause before which you want to insert the new clause.

3. Click Insert .
Teamcenter inserts the new clause above the selected clause.

Replace a clause
Replacing a clause can be very useful with large compound conditions containing
many clauses because this action does not change the order. Preserving clause order
maintains the algebra and makes scanning for occurrences with similar conditions
easier.
1. Specify the replacement clause.

2. Select the clause to replaced in the list.

3. Click Replace .
Teamcenter replaces the original clause with the new one.

Copy a clause

1. Select the clause to copy and click Copy . You can also double-click the
clause. This action copies the option name, value, and operator setting to the
boxes and sets the And / Or button in the lower part of the dialog box.

2. Edit the value and/or operator, set the appropriate AND or OR button, and
append the clause.

3. Select an existing clause and click Replace to replace the existing clause.
You can also click Insert to place the clause above the selected clause.
Note You can use Copy in conjunction with Replace, as a convenient way to edit
variant conditions.

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Remove a clause

• To remove a clause, select the clause and click Delete .

Move a clause
To change the position of a clause within a condition, select the clause and click

Up or Down .
You can move multiple clauses in a single operation by selecting a range of clauses
before clicking the appropriate arrow button.

Group a clause
You can change the grouping of clauses by adding and removing brackets, as follows:
Note Teamcenter supports multiple levels of grouping.

To add brackets around a range of clauses, select the range of clauses and click (…).
To remove brackets from around a range of clauses, select the range of clauses,
including the lines that contain both the opening and closing brackets, and click (…).

Copy variant conditions to other occurrences

You may want to add the same or similar variant condition to many occurrences, for
example, the standard and electric aerials. You can do this by copying an existing
variant condition and modifying it for another occurrence.
1. Right-click the structure line containing the existing variant condition. You can
select any point on the line, not necessarily the variant condition cell.
Teamcenter displays the structure line shortcut menu.

2. In the shortcut menu, choose Copy or press the Ctrl+C shortcut keys.
Teamcenter copies the contents of the occurrence to the clipboard.

3. Move the cursor over the Variant Condition cell on the target line to which you
want to copy the variant condition and right-click to display the structure line
shortcut menu.
Note The Variant Condition property is used with the old variant model. This
action is not available with the new variant model.

4. In the shortcut menu, choose Paste Property. (There are no shortcut keys; you
cannot use Ctrl+V.)

5. Click Edit Variant Condition on the toolbar.

Teamcenter displays the Variant Condition dialog box containing the variant
condition for the standard aerial.
Note This action is not available

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6. Select aerial = standard and click Remove.

Teamcenter removes the clause from the dialog box.

7. Click AND, and then define the aerial = electric clause.

8. Select the structure line for the electric aerial and click OK in the Variant Rule
dialog box.
Teamcenter adds the newly defined condition to the occurrence for the electric
aerial.

Remove a variant condition from an occurrence

1. Select the structure line representing the occurrence and click Edit Variant

Condition on the toolbar.

Teamcenter displays the Variant Condition dialog box.

2. Select all of the clauses in the Variant Condition dialog box and click Delete
to remove all the clauses.

3. Click OK to apply the change to the occurrence (that is, effectively remove the
variant condition).

Working with variant rules

You use a variant rule to configure a particular variant of a structure. The variant
rule contains all the options that are used in the structure. You can set and unset
variant rules to manage variability.
The current variant rule is not copied to any further Structure Manager windows
that you open on the same structure.

Setting variant rules

You set the appropriate variant rule to obtain the required values for applicable
options. You do not have to specify a value for every option and some options may
remain unset; typically, you would set all options to completely configure a variant
structure.
Some options may appear already set because they have a default value that
Teamcenter automatically sets. Structure Manager shows the item to which the
specified default is attached.
If you specify a derived default on an item, Teamcenter sets the default value once
you enter a value for the primary option from which the default value is derived.
Derived defaults are marked as potentially derived and, where possible, you should
specify these values last.
If you specify an option value that is disallowed by a variant rule check, Teamcenter
displays an error message that states the problem and the applicable variant rule.

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Chapter 15 Configuring structures by classic variants

Teamcenter only sets default values if the item to which the default is attached
is loaded.

Showing and hiding unconfigured components

You can show or hide all unconfigured components by choosing View→Show
Unconfigured Variants.
When you choose this command, Teamcenter toggles between showing and hiding all
unconfigured components in the structure.

Showing unconfigured components

You can display all components in the structure by choosing the Show Unconfigured
Variants menu command. You can then use the VOC - Variant Occ. Config’d column
in the properties table to identify the configured components. This column shows a Y
if the component is configured, is blank if it is not configured, or ? if Teamcenter
cannot determine if it is configured. The ? indicator appears when a variant
condition contains options that are unset in the variant rule.
Teamcenter displays only options that are loaded. To ensure you see all used options,
you must completely expand the structure.

Hiding unconfigured components

You can hide all unconfigured variant components in the structure display by
choosing the Show Unconfigured Variants command again. Components marked ?
in the VOC column are displayed when unconfigured components are hidden.

Set or unset the required variant rule

• To set a variant rule and configure a particular variant of the structure, click the
Variant Rule button on the toolbar or choose Tools→Variant Rule.
Teamcenter displays the Variant Rule dialog box. You can sort the options in the
dialog box by any of the columns, such as Option (name) or State, by clicking
the column header.

Set a variant rule

1. Click the Value box of the option you want to set (for example, engine).
Teamcenter displays the allowed values for that option.

2. Click the required value (for example, 1200).

Teamcenter displays the selected value in the box and changes the state of the
option from Unset to Set by User.

Unset an option value

1. Click the Value box of the option whose value you want to unset.

2. Click a blank value.

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 Configuring structures by classic variants

Teamcenter clears the value of the option and changes the state of the option
to Unset.
Note If the option has a default value, it returns to that default, allowing you
to easily return to the default value after you have overridden it.

Working with derived default values

You can only observe the effect of derived default values when you have set the
option defaults.
For example, if you select the car type option and set the value to GLX, you notice
the radio option is set to stereo as a result of the derived default IF car type =
GLX, radio = stereo.
Teamcenter shows the state of the radio option as potentially derived. It does not
indicate the item the value is potentially derived from, as it could be derived from
several items, depending on the option set first.

Working with variant rule checks

You can only observe the effect of a variant rule check when you specify the variant
rule checks, for example:
1. Select the engine option and set it to 1200.

2. Select the gearbox option and set it to automatic. Teamcenter displays the
following error message:
Incompatible engine and gearbox IF engine = 1200 AND gearbox = automatic

Working with variant rules in the database

You can store variants rules in the database and retrieve them later.
When you have set a variant rule with the Variant Rule dialog box, as described in
Setting variant rules, you can store the variant rule in the database. You may want
to store a variant rule for one of several reasons, including:
• To store the current state of the variant rule, because you want to exit
Teamcenter and do not want to reenter the variant rule when you return.

• To store specific structure configurations, typically for analysis, testing, or

marketing purposes. For example, you can store a variant rule that defines the
structure configuration you use for a certain test. Similarly, you can store a
variant rule that defines the standard 1600 GLS car package for marketing.

Teamcenter stores variant rules as workspace objects, allowing any application

access to them. You can cut, copy, and paste variant rules between applications, or
apply release procedures and access control to them.

Store variant rules in the database

• To store the variant rule that is current in Structure Manager, click the Variant
Rule button on the toolbar or choose Tools→Variant Rule.

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Chapter 15 Configuring structures by classic variants

Teamcenter displays the Variant Rule dialog box. The dialog box contains the
Load, Reload, Save, and Save As buttons that allow you to store and retrieve
variant rules.

Save a variant rule in the database

1. Set the options on the structure to the required values.

2. Click the Save As button.

Teamcenter displays the Save As Variant Rule dialog box.

3. In the dialog box, enter:

• The name of the new variant rule.
Siemens PLM Software recommends you choose a name that clearly defines
the purpose of the rule. For example, if the variant rule configures the 1600
GLS car, name the rule 1600 GLS or a similar name.
Note The name is visible in other applications, including NX and the thin
client, where users can view and configure variant structures. It is
also displayed in the Manipulate Windows dialog box to indicate the
configuration set in the window.

• Optionally, a more detailed description.

• The relation type.

Teamcenter stores variant rules on the top-level item revision of the
structure in the current window. You can choose the relation type by which
the variant rules are attached. The default relation type is Manifestation,
but you can change this to Specification if you prefer.

4. Click OK.
Teamcenter displays the name of the variant rule in the title bar of the Variant
Rule dialog box, indicating it is the current variant rule.

5. Click Apply or OK.

Teamcenter applies the variant rule to the current structure in the Structure
Manager window. It displays the name of the variant rule in the window banner,
after the revision rule.
The variant rule is now stored in the database, together with all options listed in
the Variant Rule dialog box as Set by User or Set by <rule>.

6. Optionally, confirm the variant rule is stored by opening My Teamcenter and

expanding the item revision at the top level of the structure. The variant rule
object should be visible.

Load variant rules from the database

To retrieve a variant rule from the database and use it to configure the current
structure:
1. Click the Load button in the Variant Rule dialog box.

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 Configuring structures by classic variants

Teamcenter displays the Load Variant Rule dialog box.

• The top of the dialog box includes a box in which you specify the variant rule
to load. It also has an Open by Name button that allows you to search for
any variant rule saved in the database by its name.

• The middle section displays a list of the variant rules attached to the
top-level item revision of the structure open in the current window.

• The lower section displays the details (options and values) of the variant rule
to load (this is the rule specified in the box at the top of the dialog box).
You can use this information to preview the rule and ensure it is the rule
you want to apply.

2. In the dialog box, select the required variant rule in the list, or search for it by
clicking the Open by Name button.
Teamcenter shows the name of the selected variant rule in the box at the top
of the dialog box.

3. Choose how the new variant rule should affect any existing option values that
you have set, as follows:
• Set Override and all options not defined by the loaded rule are unset.

• Set Update and only the values of those options listed in the rule are changes.
All other options remain in the same state as before you loaded the rule. This
allows you to form a complete variant by loading a number of partial rules.

4. Click OK.
Teamcenter displays the name of the loaded variant rule in the Variant Rule
dialog box title bar and sets the options are set accordingly. The State column
in the properties table contains Set by rule-name, allowing you to identify how
these values are set.

Modifying saved variant rules

To modify a saved variant rule, you must load it as the current variant rule. If the
rule is currently loaded, its name is displayed in the title bar of the Variant Rule
dialog box. If it is not currently loaded, load the rule with the Update switch set,
as described in Load variant rules from the database.
If you change any option values, the title of the Variant Rule dialog box changes
to show (modified) after the rule name.
To cancel any changes, click Reload to unset all the option values and reload the
variant rule from the database.
When you have set the options to the required values, click the Save button.
Teamcenter writes the new values to the database, overwriting the previous values
of the same variant rule. Alternatively, you can click Save As to store the values as a
new variant rule, which then becomes the current variant rule.

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Chapter 15 Configuring structures by classic variants

Copy variant rules

• Copy a variant rule to the clipboard by clicking Copy.
You can paste the copied rule into the required location in My Teamcenter or
another application.

View variant rules in My Teamcenter

• To view the contents of a variant rule in My Teamcenter, click the Variants tab to
display a list of options and values stored in the variant rule.

Working with variant rule checks

Variant rule checks allow a designer to define combinations of option values that are
not allowed. A variant rule check consists of a condition (for example, engine = 1200
AND gearbox = automatic) and a warning message (for example, Incompatible
engine and gearbox). Teamcenter displays an error message containing the
condition and warning message if the rule check is triggered when you set values
in the variant rule.

Set variant rule check

1. Open the data pane by choosing View→Show/Hide Data Panel or clicking the
Show/Hide Data Panel button on the toolbar.

2. On the data pane, click the Variants tab.

3. Select the line representing the owning item revision on which you want to store
the variant data, for example, Car Model G.

4. Select the Rule Check branch in the variant data tree.

Teamcenter displays the Rule Check dialog box.

5. In the Warning Text box of the dialog box, enter an error message, for example,
Incompatible engine and gearbox.

6. Define the relevant variant condition, for example, engine = 1200 AND gearbox
= automatic.

7. Click Create .
Teamcenter creates the rule check.

8. Expand the Rule Check branch and verify the new rule check is added below
any that already existed, for example:
ERROR Incompatible engine and gearbox IF engine = 1200 AND gearbox = automatic

9. If you need to change the rule check, select it in the Rule Check branch of the
variant data tree. Teamcenter displays the Rule Check dialog box, allowing
you to change any of the boxes.

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 Configuring structures by classic variants

10. Click Modify to apply the changes.

11. Click Save to save the changes.

A Y appears in the Has Variant Data (HVD) column of the properties table, if
variant data was not already created.

Modify a rule check

1. Select the rule check you want to change in the Rule Check branch of the
variant data tree.
Teamcenter displays the Rule Check dialog box containing details of the rule
check.

2. In the dialog box, change the appropriate boxes.

3. Click Modify to apply the changes.

4. Click Save to save the changes.

Delete rule checks

1. Select the rule check to delete in the Rule Check branch of the variant data tree.
Teamcenter displays the Rule Check dialog box.

2. In the dialog box, click Delete and the selected rule check disappears.

3. Click Save to save the changes.

Working with option defaults

Default options allow a designer to preset option values in the variant rule. The
preset value may be:
• Fixed
A fixed default value is a value that you specify. In the example, the option
aerial has a default value set to standard.

• Derived
A derived default is a value that is set to a value that depends on a condition. In
the example, the option radio has a value set to stereo if car type = GLX.

Defaults are owned by an item revision, like other variant data. Use the Variant
Rule dialog box to identify the item a default was set on and whether the default
is fixed or derived.
You can identify if an item has variant data attached by viewing the HVD - Has
Variant Data column in the structure properties table.
You can override option values or reinstate them as necessary.

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Chapter 15 Configuring structures by classic variants

Understanding default precedence

You set defaults on a particular item, but Teamcenter applies them globally to the
whole currently loaded structure. Derived defaults always take precedence over
fixed defaults. If you have set conflicting fixed default values for the same option
in a structure, Teamcenter always uses the first default value it finds, according
to the following rules:
• A default that is higher up the tree in a direct path takes precedence.

• Defaults at the top level always take precedence.

If you set conflicting derived default values for the same option in a structure,
Teamcenter displays an error message when you attempt to save the option default
or set the option value in the variant rule that causes the conflicting derived default
to apply. The error may also appear when you expand the structure to the point that
the conflicting derived default is loaded.

Specify fixed option defaults

To set the fixed option defaults, for example, aerial = standard and fog lights =
no on item A0200, Body Assy:
1. Open the data pane by choosing View→Show/Hide Data Panel or clicking the
Show/Hide Data Panel button on the toolbar.

2. In the data pane, click the Variant Data tab.

3. Select the line representing the owning item revision that stores the variant
data, for example, Body Assy.

4. Select the Option Defaults branch in the variant data tree.

Teamcenter displays the Option Defaults dialog box.

5. In the dialog box, enter the name of the option in the Option box and select a
value from the list of possible values. For example, enter aerial in the Option box
and choose aerial from the list of values.
Note The list of values contains only options that are loaded in Structure
Manager.

You can type in the name of an option name that is not loaded. If the option
name is not unique, Teamcenter displays an error when you try to enter a value.
You must specify an owning item.

6. Enter a value in the Value box, for example, standard. You do not specify a
condition for a fixed option default, so the lower part of the dialog box is not used.

7. Click Create to create the option default. Click List of Values and click standard.

8. Expand the Option Default branch and verify the new option default is added
below any that already existed, for example:
DEFAULT aerial TO standard

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 Configuring structures by classic variants

9. Repeat steps 4 through 8 to define any other fixed defaults, for example, fog
lights = no.

10. Click Save to save the changes.

A Y appears in the Has Variant Data (HVD) column of the properties table for
the owning item revision (for example, Body Assy, if variant data was not
already created.

Specify derived option defaults

To specify derived option defaults, follow the same procedure as specifying fixed
option defaults, except that you also specify a condition. To set a derived option
default, for example, radio TO stereo IF car type = GLX on item A01000, Car
Model G:
1. Select the structure line that represents the owning item revision, for example,
Car Model G.

2. Select the Option Defaults branch in the variant data tree.

Teamcenter displays the Option Defaults dialog box.

3. Enter the name of the option in the Option box, for example, radio.

4. Enter the value of the option in the Value box, for example, stereo.

5. Define the condition, for example, car type = GLX.

6. Click Create to create the option default.

7. Expand the Option Default branch and verify the option default is added below
any that already existed, for example:
SET radio TO stereo IF car type = GLX

8. Click Save to save the changes.

A Y appears in the HVD - Has Variant Data column of the properties table for the
owning item revision (A01000, Car Model G), if variant data was not already
created.

Modify option defaults

1. Select the option default you want to change in the Option Defaults branch of
the variant data tree.
Teamcenter displays in the Option Defaults dialog box.

2. In the dialog box, change the relevant boxes.

3. Click Modify to apply the changes.

4. Click Save to save the changes.

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Chapter 15 Configuring structures by classic variants

Delete option defaults

1. Select the option default to delete in the Option Defaults branch of the variant
data tree.
Teamcenter displays the Option Defaults dialog box.

2. In the dialog box, click Delete and the selected option default disappears.

3. Click Save to save the changes.

Saving, refreshing, and copying variant data

You should be aware how Teamcenter handles variant data when you select any
of the following actions:
• Save
Variant data stored on item revisions (options, defaults and rule checks) is saved
only when you click Save at the bottom of the Variants pane. This button is
active only if there are unsaved changes. If you forget to save changes, you are
prompted when you select another structure line.
Variant conditions are stored in the BOM view revision. They are saved only
when you click Save on the toolbar or choose File→Save. If you forget to save
changes, you are prompted when you close the Structure Manager application.

• Refresh
To reload the variant data on the item revision for the currently selected line,
click the Refresh button in the Variants pane. This action discards changes
made since the last time you clicked Save , and loads any changes made by
other users in the meantime.

• Save As
If you select an item revision and choose Save As, option and variant data on
the first level of the structure does not carry forward because the BVR context
changes. At the second and subsequent levels of the structure, the BVR context
is the same, and options and variant conditions are therefore carried forward.

• Copy
When you copy an item or item revision, any variant conditions are not copied.
For more information, see Copy variant conditions to other occurrences.

Working with variant items

You can create variant items in a structure that includes classic variants to specify
particular nonvariable elements of the structure. However, Teamcenter does not
enforce variability rules in classic variants, and you should implement business
practices that ensure all relevant options appear in the interface.
Alternatively, if your product designs permit, consider using modular variants,
rather than classic variants, as described in Configuring structures by modular

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 Configuring structures by classic variants

variants. For detailed procedures for creating and maintaining variant items, see
Creating and searching for variant items.

Creating variant items for classic variants

Caution Classic variants provides partial support for variant items. You can
manually create and link variant items, but you cannot automatically
create or update them. Variant items are fully supported (including
automatic creation and updating) if you implement modular variants, as
described in Creating and searching for variant items.

In many structures that are configured with classic variants, you define all options
on the top-level item. This has the advantage of transparency—if all options are
defined at the top level and sound business practices ensure consistency, the user
can easily ensure the configuration is complete. When you configure the options,
you determine the configuration state of all variants throughout the structure, so
ensuring that a variant item is a completely configured structure.
The following figure shows a typical structure of an engine.

Engine Family

Mainstream Module

Cranktrain Cylinder Block

V6 Long Crank Fly Wheel Engine Mount Long Block Short Block

Structure of engine
You can define options on the top-level Engine Family item as follows:

Option Value
ENG V6L, V6S
TRANS M10, M50

These options determine the configuration of the lower levels of the structure
through variant conditions, as shown in the following figure.

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Chapter 15 Configuring structures by classic variants

Engine Family Option Value

ENG V6L, V68

Mainstream Module

Cranktrain Cylinder Block

ENG = V6L TRANS = M10 ENG = V6L ENG = V68

V6 Long Crank Fly Wheel Engine Mount Long Block Short Block

Structure of engine with option values

Before you create the variant item, you must configure the structure manually or
with a saved variant rule, as shown in the following figure.

Engine Family Option Value

ENG V6L
TRANS M10

Mainstream Module

Cranktrain Cylinder Block

ENG = V6L TRANS = M10 ENG = V6L

V6 Long Crank Fly Wheel Engine Mount Long Block Short Block

Configured structure of engine

You then create a variant item of Mainstream Module, as described later, and the
resulting item is a new VI For Engine structure, as shown in the following figure.

VI For Engine Option Value

ENG V6L

Cranktrain Cylinder Block

ENG = V6L TRANS = M10 ENG = V6L

V6 Long Crank Fly Wheel Engine Mount Long Block Short Block

VI for engine structure

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 Configuring structures by classic variants

Because the variant item only prunes the immediate children that are unconfigured,
the Short Block item still exists in the resulting structure, but as an unconfigured
item. It may seem advantageous to permanently remove the Short Block item,
so that you can manage and export a minimal structure. However, this action
permanently removes Short Block from Cylinder block, an item that still
appears in the generic Mainstream Module. Because the Short Block item is
still applicable in different configurations of Mainstream Module, removal is not
an appropriate action.
Another possible course of action is to create variant items at every level of the
structure, or at least down to the lowest level that has any variant conditions. For
example, you could create variant items for the Crankcase and Cylinder Block
items, as shown in the following figure.

Engine EPL

Option Value
VI For Engine
ENG V6L
TRANS M10

Cranktrain Cylinder Block

ENG = V6L TRANS = M10 ENG = V6L

V6 Long Crank Fly Wheel Engine Mount Long Block Short Block

Lower level variant items in engine structure

Configuring variant items

To create and manage variant items for classic variant structures, you must set
the following preference.
• PSEAllowLegacyVICreation
Set this preference to true to permit the creation of variant items for structures
that include classic variant options. It also permits the creation of variant items
from assemblies that are not modules. The default setting is false.

Additional preferences required for variant configuration are described in

Administering the product structure.

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Chapter

16 Configuring structures by
modular variants

Configuring structures by modular variants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-1

Modular variants terminology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-2

Using modular variants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-3

Configuring a public interface and private options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-3
Linking options between parent modules and child modules . . . . . . . . . . . 16-4
Presenting options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-5
Linking a parent module option to options on child modules . . . . . . . . . . . 16-6
Linking public and private options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-6
Creating variant items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-6
Creating modular assemblies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-7
Creating modular piece parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-8
Defining options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-8
Defining global options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-8
Defining external options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-9
Setting option defaults . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-11
Checking for errors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-11
Configuring a structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-12
Setting expression values . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-12

Viewing and creating option and variant data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-12

View variant data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-12
Creating variant data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-13
Create new options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-14
Create options manually . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-15
Examples of public and private options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-15
Set external option definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-15
Present child options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-17
Create a new error check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-19
Create module constraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-20
Managing child module constraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-21
Create a child module option constraint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-22
Edit an option or constraint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-23
Delete an option or constraint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-23
Edit variant conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-23
Edit expressions in MVL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-25
Developing complex expressions with MVL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-26
Determining precedence in MVL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-26
Understanding MVL conventions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-27

PLM00048 J Structure Manager Guide

 Reserved words . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-28
Reserved symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-29
Using the expert mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-30
Example of an expression coded in MVL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-32

Configuring a variant structure by setting variant rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-33

Configure the variant structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-34
Selecting option values . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-35
Test current product configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-36
Create a saved configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-36
Load a saved configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-37
Importing and updating variant data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-38

Creating and searching for variant items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-38

Populate a complete variant structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-38
Creating and updating variant items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-39
Search for a variant item . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-40
Create a new variant item . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-41
Adding a generic item property . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-42
Create variant items automatically . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-42
Setting preferences for automatic variant item creation . . . . . . . 16-44
Revising variant items and generic modules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-45
Update a variant item . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-45
Unlink variant items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-46
Synchronizing with NX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-47
Driving geometry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-48
Driving assembly component position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-49
Working with component arrays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-49

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Chapter

16 Configuring structures by
modular variants

Configuring structures by modular variants

Teamcenter supports two methods of variant configuration, modular variants
(described here) and classic variants, as described in Configuring structures by
classic variants.
For information on how to choose between these two methods, see Getting Started
with Product Structure.
Siemens PLM Software recommends that you do not create both classic variants and
modular variants in the same product structure, as this may cause in unpredictable
results.
Caution Modular variants are not available with precise structures. If you want
to implement modular variants, create imprecise structures.
The Teamcenter Integration for NX does not fully support modular
variants. To exchange variant assembly data between Teamcenter and
NX, you must implement classic variants. However, the Teamcenter
Integration for NX does support the synchronization of part data for
modular variant items. You can synchronize option values with NX
expressions when working with geometric options and variants, but you
cannot see stored option sets in NX; use variant items instead of stored
option sets.
Modular variants make substantial use of temporary table space. The
database administrator must ensure sufficient temporary table space is
configured in accordance with the database manufacturer’s guidelines
and deployment recommendations provided by Siemens PLM Software.

Before you can use modular variants, your Teamcenter administrator must complete
the configuration steps and set certain preferences, as described in Configuring
modular variants.

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Modular variants terminology

Term Meaning
Derived default A default value that depends on a certain condition (for
example, radio = stereo IF car type = GLX). A derived
default is attached to an item revision, but applies
globally to a loaded product structure.
Error check A type of constraint in which a message is generated for
a given combination of option values. Error checking
is supported at three levels—error, warning and
information.
External option An option that is typically placed at the top-level module
and sets the value of options that reference it in lower
level modules.
Global option An option that defines a set of standard allowed values
in a central module. These values can be used in other
modules.
Module A container for options and constraints that describes the
variability of a given item. A module encapsulates option
definition to the area of the structure where it is needed.
Multiple configuration Unique configurations of specific usages of a module. You
facilitate multiple configurations with occurrence names
and by configuring paths to modules.
Option A parameter of variability. Options have a type (real,
integer, or logical), visibility (public or private), a name,
and a default value. You can save several options in a
saved option set (SOS) or saved variant rule.
Presented option An option in a module that points to a public option in a
directly included child module.
Private option An option that is visible only to the constraints within
the module in which it was defined.
Public option An option that is visible by constraints in a direct parent
module and can be presented to a direct parent module.
The public interface to the module.
Variant (structure) A specific structure that is configured by applying a
variant rule.
Variant condition A condition that an engineering user sets on an
occurrence to specify the option values that configure the
occurrence (for example, Load IF engine = 1200). More
complex condition statements may also be defined.
(Variant) Configuration The values set for all public options in the top-level
module that configure a structure.
Variant item (VI) A specific nonvariant instance of a module.
Variant rule check A condition that specifies any option values or
combinations of values that are not allowed. A variant
rule check is attached to an item revision. Also called an
error check.

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 Configuring structures by modular variants

Using modular variants

To minimize engineering and production costs, you can create modules in the
product—self-contained plug-compatible units that can be reused. This technique
imposes tight constraints on how the product is designed; Teamcenter supports those
constraints when you work with modular variants. When you use modular variants,
the options and associated logic are attached to a module item. Variant conditions
on the components can only refer to options on the parent module, thus making the
module independent of any other parts in the structure with regard to variant logic.
This approach requires variant data and option values to be propagated up and down
the structure so that end users (customers) can set options on lower level modules
when configuring the whole product from the top level.
Manufactured goods are often designed and assembled from modules. For example,
consider a company that produces a range of refrigerators and freezers in different
sizes and colors. The door assemblies are developed in a department that designs a
modular door suitable for use in any refrigerator or freezer. They design a generic
door assembly that has all possible components for any use—a sheet steel outer
door and two internal covers, one for a freezer and one for a refrigerator. (This
is a simplified example; in a real product there would be many more individual
components.)
You can then configure the door assembly for a particular use in a refrigerator/freezer
by setting various parameters or options that describe it, for example, door width,
door height, application (refrigerator or freezer), and color (white or stainless
steel). This intelligent door assembly is called a module.
The door module is completely self-contained and so can be reused in any product by
setting its public interface options. The public interface options only control the
features and components contained in the door module itself, and make no reference
to options in higher or lower level modules. The modular variant functionality
enforces this linking.
Note Teamcenter evaluates options from the top of the structure downwards, so
the position of each module is significant.

The structure of the door assembly and its associated options is modelled as follows.

Structure of assembly and options

Configuring a public interface and private options

The public interface options can be set by the customer of the module. In the case of
the door assembly, the customer is the design department that uses the door module.

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In the case of the refrigerator freezer module itself, the customer chooses from the
public options made available at that level, for example, appliance width, appliance
height, freezer at the top or bottom, number of shelves, and so on.
There may also be some internal options that are not set by the user, but are set
according to the values of the public options. For example, the height of the door is
set according to the appliance height, allowing for two doors, a 50 mm floor panel,
and an LED display at the top. To allow for this, you create a private (hidden) option
called Door Height on the refrigerator freezer module) that is controlled by the
public option Appliance Height as follows:
Door Height = (Appliance Height/2)-50mm

The Door Height option on the refrigerator freezer module is used to automatically
set the Door Height option on the door module. You need not know this relationship,
simply enter the overall height of the appliance.
You could use the same principle to define private options for all the assemblies of
the refrigerator freezer and bring them together only in the top-level assembly.

Linking options between parent modules and child modules

To configure the refrigerator freezer appliance, you must set the options for each and
every assembly. It may take a long time to set all the options, some of which are the
same in all submodules. Also, if you consider the width, it would have to be set in the
module for the carcass, the door, and the shelves. It may preferable to set the options
at only the top level module for the entire appliance and have this value propagate
through the structure. To do this, you must create links between the child modules
and the current module (the main refrigerator assembly). You can create these links
in two ways, as shown in the following figure:
• Options from the child module are presented up into the parent module where
they are visible and can be set.

• Options in the parent module can set options in the child module.

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Refrigerator Freezer Example Showing Variant Data

Top application (refrigerator, freezer)

Bottom application (refrigerator, freezer)

Unit color (white, stainless)

Appliance width (500, 600)

Appliance height (1000, 1200, 1700)

Number of shelves (1, 2, 3)

Salad drawer (true, false)

FR-A1000
Refrigerator
Freezer

Top Bottom

FR-A100 FR-A100 FR-A100 FR-A100

Door Door Cooling Carcass
Assy Assy System

Salad drawer (true, false)

Application (refrigerator, freezer)
Number of shelves (1, 2, 3)
Appliance height (1000, 1200, 1700)
Appliance height (1000, 1200, 1700)
Door width (500, 600)
Carcass width (500, 600)
Door color (white, stainless)
Carcass height ()
Door height ()

Key

Variant data
Presented
Presented option option

Public option
Child module
Private option constraint

Presenting options

Presenting options
You can configure the same module differently, depending on where it is located.

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Options can be presented to a parent module from a child module to make them
visible as though they were part of the public interface for the parent module. For
example, the Number of shelves option is presented up from the carcass module
to the refrigerator freezer module, allowing you to choose the value at the parent
level. You could also use the present method if you want to set options for different
occurrences of the same module to different values, depending on their location.
You could place the door module in a refrigerator freezer assembly with this method.
In this example, the same door module is used twice, once as a freezer door and once
as a refrigerator door. The options created previously control the components of each
door and the doors have different components due to their different functions. You
can name each occurrence of the door appropriately, for example, top and bottom.
You then present the Application option (with possible values refrigerator and
freezer) for each door to the parent refrigerator freezer module. This gives two
options to set in the refrigerator freezer module, one for each door; you can set these
to different values.

Linking a parent module option to options on child modules

To set the width value, you could present the options as described in Presenting
options. However, you must set the width option once for each door. As the doors are
identical for any given appliance, it would be better to set this value only once. You
could create an Appliance Width option in the top level module and link this single
option to all width options in the child modules. When the Appliance Width is set
in the refrigerator freezer module, it propagates to the carcass module, to both door
modules, the shelves, and so on. The link is referred to as a child module constraint.

Linking public and private options

To enforce modularity, it is only possible to link options between a parent and its
immediate child modules; you cannot skip a module level. To cascade down or up
more than one level, you must repeat the linking process as necessary. Teamcenter
enforces the following restrictions on linking:
• You can only present public options up from the child module. You cannot
present them down from the parent module.

• You can only link options from the parent module to public options in the child
module, although the option in the parent module can be public or private.

Creating variant items

A variant item is a specific variant of a completely configured module. For example,
it could be a door assembly with: height of 500 mm, width of 600 mm, application of
refrigerator and color of white.

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Variant items are physical parts with no variability, and can be allocated an
actual manufacturing part number. Conversely, modules cannot be manufactured.
Modules with a large number of options and numeric options (with an infinite
range unless allowed values are specified) have a correspondingly large number of
permutations; not all of these permutations are manufactured. It is useful to be able
to reuse permutations that have previously been sold, as significant engineering
work may have been invested in creating technical documentation, drawings, and
manufacturing data that is attached to the variant items.
The modular variants functionality allows you to create new variant items when
they are required. You can also search for existing variant items to reuse in
new products. Variant items are built up into a complete structure for a specific
configuration corresponding to a product or customer order; in this structure all
modules are replaced by specific variant items.
If you are using NX, you can use the option values on variant items to determine the
expression values on an NX CAD part.
Caution If a module has variant items linked to it, you cannot change any of the
variant data without revising the module. Such changes may invalidate
existing variant items linked to the module revision. Disallowed changes
include:
• Removing or adding an allowed option value.

• Removing or adding an option.

• Setting or editing a variant condition on a BOM line.

• Changing variant logic such as module constraints, defaults, and

rule checks.

If you want to make any of these changes, you must first revise the
module.
You cannot update existing variant items linked to previous module
revisions. You can create a new variant item, but Teamcenter then
contains two different IDs for variant items that have the same
configuration and share the same stored option set (SOS) values; this
arrangement does not adequately enforce modularity. The new variant
item may also contain additional components and, if so, it would not be
appropriate to update the existing variant item.

Creating modular assemblies

You can configure the variant components in a modular assembly by applying a
variant condition. For example, for the door module mentioned previously, create
the following conditions:
On the Door Liner Fridge, Insulation Fridge and Egg Tray components:
Load if Application = fridge

On the Door Liner Freezer and Insulation Freezer components:

Load if Application = freezer

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Note The options you can use in the variant condition are limited to the public and
private options on the parent module. This limitation enforces modularity.

Creating modular piece parts

You can set options on a piece part to use with a CAD model in NX. You can map
these options to an associated expression in NX that determines the geometry of
the part; for example, you could map the Width option to the geometry of the
door. When you create a variant item, Teamcenter copies the model (UGMASTER
dataset), and automatically sets the option value to the associated expression value
in NX, for example, Width = 500.
If you design the door assembly module of the refrigerator freezer as a modular
assembly, having a different component for each width and height of door, this could
lead to a very large number of components for each size of door. It is more efficient
to design the piece part for the door itself as a module, with options for width and
height. The variability is then catered for by the variant items, which are created on
demand as required, without needing to modify the parent door assembly module to
add components for every new size of door.

Defining options
Teamcenter allows you to create several different option types. You define options
in standard variants only and string values are available. The following variant
types are provided:
• String

• Integer

• Real

• Logical (true, false)

You can use the =, >, <, >=, =< and to operators with real and integer options, both
in the allowed values for an option and in variant conditions and constraints. For
example, you can set the door width option to a range of values, such as 400 to 700.
This allows the user to set any value within the range , although there are discrete
values allowed for standardization (500 and 600 only).

Defining global options

Global options are a convenient way of defining a fixed set of allowed values.
Examples of global options are Color = white, stainless and Appliance Width =
500, 600. You can also set a range such as Angle >=0, < 360. You can then reference
these global options in other modules.
Note The value configured is not the same in each module where the global option
is used. Use external options if you require this effect.

To define a global option, add the item ID that contains the global option definition
to the PSM_global_option_item_ids preference. This preference lists the IDs of all
items that contain global options, for example:
PSM_global_option_item_ids=

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 Configuring structures by modular variants

000400
000410
000420

These definitions can then be reused when authoring variant modules. In Structure
Manager, you can drop these global options into the module for which they are
required.
To add items to the list of IDs, in Structure Manager, select an item and choose
Tools®Variants®Set/Unset Global Option Item.

Defining external options

An external option is typically defined on the top-level module in the structure. Its
allowed values are the same as those on the option that references it. In addition,
the value set for the external option on the top-level module in the variant rule is
propagated to all options that reference the external option.
The following figure shows an extension of the refrigerator freezer example that
illustrates this concept.

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Color (white, stainless)

Width (500, 600)

Voltage (220, 240)

Top application (refrigerator, freezer)

GO-5000
Bottom application (refrigerator, freezer) Global
Options
Unit color (white, stainless)

Appliance width (500, 600)

Appliance height (1000, 1200, 1700)

Number of shelves (1, 2, 3)

Salad drawer (true, false)

FR-A1000
Refrigerator
Freezer

Top Bottom

FR-A100 FR-A100 FR-A100 FR-A100

Door Door Cooling Carcass
Assy Assy System

Salad drawer (true, false)

Application (refrigerator, freezer)
Number of shelves (1, 2, 3)
Appliance height (1000, 1200, 1700)
Appliance height (1000, 1200, 1700)
Door width (500, 600)
Carcass width (500, 600)
Door color (white, stainless)
Carcass height ()
Door height ()

Key

Variant data
Presented
Presented option option

Public option
Child module
Private option constraint

Global option External option

Creating external options

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Create an item called GO-5000 to define global options. This item is a standalone
module and contains three global options for color, width and voltage. Each such
global option is specified with standard allowed values.
The color global option is used in the refrigerator freezer and door assembly modules
so that the allowed values are controlled from the color master global option in
the GO-5000 module. To set the actual value configured for the unit color on the
door module for some variant of the product, you must create a link between the
unit color option in the refrigerator freezer and the option in the door assembly, as
shown in the previous figure.
The appliance width external option is created in the refrigerator freezer module. It
is used by the door width option in the door assembly module and by the carcass
width option in the carcass module. Typically, the external option would reference a
global option, but this is not mandatory. In this case, the value set for the appliance
width for any variant of the refrigerator freezer is automatically propagated to the
options that use it lower in the structure (namely door width and carcass width),
without needing to create a link.

Setting option defaults

You can set default values for options in the following ways:
• In the option definition. This is the most common and visible place to set a
default.

• Using a module constraint to set a default value.

• Using a module constraint to fix a default value that cannot be overridden by

the user.

In the refrigerator freezer example, for some models, the freezer may always be at
the bottom and the refrigerator at the top. In this case, the value for the application
option would be fixed for each path in the refrigerator freezer module.
Note When using a global option definition, you can override a default set in the
global definition in the module in which the global option definition is used.

Checking for errors

You may not want to allow all possible permutations of a module. For example, in
the refrigerator freezer, the top application and bottom application cannot both be
set to the same value of Refrigerator. You can use error checks to warn about
unsupported combinations, by displaying a message when the user attempts to set
option value combinations specified in the error check. You can define one of the
following messages to warn of unsupported combinations:
• Error
Teamcenter displays the error message, and the user is not allowed to configure
the combination specified.

• Warning
Teamcenter displays the warning message, but the user may set the combination
specified.

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• Information
Teamcenter displays the information message, and the user may set the
combination specified.
Note Create error checks at the appropriate module, typically at the top level.
Do not create them on global items.

Configuring a structure
When you have defined the option modules, configure the structure to simulate
the choices that the end user or customer is offered. This process ensures that the
structure is correctly and completely configured. The end user or customer can only
set values for options on the product itself; for example, for the refrigerator freezer;
they cannot set options in lower level modules.
Before doing this, you must design all the lower level modules (door assembly, door,
carcass and so on) such that they are completely configured by whatever combination
of options is set in the refrigerator freezer module. You should do this following the
methods previously described, namely:
• Options from the child module should be presented up to the parent module.

• Options in the parent module may set options in the child module.

• Option defaults should be set where appropriate.

Note Checking that the refrigerator freezer product is completely authored is a
manual process.

Setting expression values

Modular variants support the capability to set an expression value in NX from an
associated option value in Teamcenter; this capability is not available in classic
variants. Make the association simply by ensuring the expression name in the NX
part is the same as the option name on the item module; the UGMASTER dataset
for the part must be defined in this item module.
You can use options to set any expression. In a piece part, you typically use
expressions for geometric parameters such as length or the number of elements
in an array of features. In an assembly, you typically use option values to control
position, for example, by determining the parameters of a mating condition such
as the linear or angular offset.

Viewing and creating option and variant data

Before creating option and variant data, set the relevant preferences required for
variant configuration, as described in Configuring modular variants.

View variant data

1. In the product structure, select the top-level item of the structure for which
modular variant data already exists.

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2. Click the Show/Hide Data Panel button on the toolbar.

Teamcenter displays the data pane.

3. On the data pane, click the Variants tab.

Teamcenter displays any available variant data that already exists, for example,
option definitions and constraints.

An example of variant data for the refrigerator freezer discussed previously is shown
in Using modular variants.
Tip Use the PSE_show_option_item_prefix preference to show or hide
the owning item ID as a prefix to the option name. For details, see the
Preferences and Environment Variables Reference.

Creating variant data

Use the buttons listed next to create or edit variant data. They are located at the
bottom of the Variant Data pane.

Button Description Purpose

Create a new option Creates a new option.

Present a child option Displays options from a child module in

in the parent module the parent module (the current module).
Create a new error Allows Teamcenter to highlight any
check specified configuration by one of the
following methods:
• A warning that a combination
is not allowed. In this case, you
cannot continue with the requested
configuration.

• A warning message that a

combination is not advised. In
this case, you can proceed after
acknowledging the warning
message.

When you click this button, Teamcenter

displays the Error Checks dialog box,
allowing you to define the severity of the
error, the message that appears when
the specified combination is set, and the
condition.
Create new internal Specifies the setting of an option value
modular constraints based on the values of other options
within the module, or the setting or
fixing of an option value.

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Button Description Purpose

Create new child option Sets a child option based on a parent
constraints option. The child option must already
exist.
Edit the selected option If you highlight an option or
or constraints. constraint and click this button,
Teamcenter displays the Edit dialog box.
Double-clicking the option or constraint
has the same result.
Toggle expert mode Toggles expert mode on or off when
editing constraints.
Delete the selected Removes the highlighted option or
object. constraint.
Show legacy data. Displays the legacy Variant Data pane.
For information about legacy (classic)
variants, see Configuring structures by
classic variants.

Caution Do not rename existing options or values. If you do this, constraints

and other data are not updated.

Create new options

You can create a new option in one of two ways:

• Click the New Option button.

Teamcenter displays the New Option wizard that guides you through the
creation process.

• Click the lower radio button in the New Option wizard.

Teamcenter displays the Create New Option dialog box, allowing you to create
the new option manually, as described in Create options manually.
Note An option must have:
• Visibility (public or private)

• A name and description

• A type (string or logical, integer or real)

• Allowed values or range (if required)

• A default value (optional)

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Create options manually

If you use the Create New Option dialog box, you can create many similar options
more quickly than with the wizard. To create an option in this way, enter the
following information in the dialog box:
• Select the visibility of the option, PRIVATE or PUBLIC.
o Public options may be set by a user or a parent module option when
configuring a module.

o Private options cannot be set by the user and are not displayed when
configuring a module. Private options are set from public options by
constraints.

• Enter a name and description for the option.

• Choose a type for the option from the dropdown list, String with default,
Real/Integer or Logical. If you choose String, you must enter the allowed values
in the Allowed Values box.

• If the option is based on a global option definition (for example, Appliance

Width), select the global option from the dropdown list.

• Enter the remaining information required in the dialog box.

Examples of public and private options

In the refrigerator freezer example described previously, the following public and
private options are defined:
• The Appliance Width option is a public option. It is set by a customer when
configuring the product.

• The Door Height option is a private option. It is set by a constraint according to

the value of the Appliance Height public option.

Set external option definitions

You can set external option definitions only with the New Option wizard, which
guides you through the following steps:
Note You must create an external option as a global option or variant items fail at
lower level modules.
Do not define an external option from an option lower in the structure.
Because Teamcenter evaluates definitions from the top down, this
configuration fails.
Do not use external options with variant items.
External options are not updated when option values are added to the global
option on which they are based. This behavior occurs because the option
values are cached.

1. Select a public option.

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2. Enter a name. You do not need to use the same name as the referenced external
option.

3. For option type, select The same type and restrictions as an existing option.

4. For derived option type, select Search for Existing Options.

5. In the next window, enter the item name (not item ID) of the module on which
the external option is defined and click Next. You can use wildcards (*) to search
for all modules in the database, not only those defined as global options. Select
the option you require, as shown in the following example.

6. In the next window, select the Use option as an external option check box and
click Next.

This completes the definition of the new option, and you can now view it in the
Variants pane, as follows.

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New option definition

Teamcenter does not indicate that it is an external option here. However, if you
view the option in the Edit Option dialog box, a check box shows that the option is
external, as shown in the following figure.
Note You cannot set this option as external in this dialog box.

Edit option dialog box

Teamcenter considers that the affected module uses the external option. If you place
the cursor over a global option definition, you see a tool tip in the format:
Optionx (on lower level module) uses external option Y (on higher level module)
For example:
Public 002508:Trim uses MV-F1000 Trim

Present child options

You must present options of a child module in the parent so they appear as a
public option of the module. For example, in the refrigerator freezer example, the
Application option of the Door Assembly module is presented to the parent
refrigerator freezer module. There are two occurrences of the Door Assembly

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module, which have their paths labeled in the Occurrence Name structure line
property as Top and Bottom. Each path in the Door Assembly module is
presented separately, allowing you to configure each occurrence differently.
You cannot set a default value for the presenting option. Any default is inherited
from the master, that is, the lowest level module from which the option is presented.
If you change the default on the master, Teamcenter propagates the change to all the
levels to which the option is presented.
To present a child option:
1. In the product structure, select the parent module to which you want to present
the child option and click the Create Presented Option button.
Teamcenter displays the Present Options dialog box, as shown in the following
figure:

Present option dialog box

2. Make the following entries in the dialog box:

• In the Select Module list, select the module to present from, for example,
the Door Assembly.

• In the Select Options list, select the option to present or check the Select
all check box to present all options.

• In the Select paths list, select the path to present from (or paths if there are
many occurrences). By default, the Select none check box is checked and
you should clear this if appropriate.

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• When you have made the appropriate selections, as shown in the previous
figure, click OK.
Teamcenter displays the result in the data pane, as shown in the following
figure.

Presented child option in data pane

Create a new error check

Not all permutations of option values in a module may be permitted. For example, in
the refrigerator freezer example, the Top Application and Bottom Application
cannot be set to the same value of Fridge. You should create error checks to warn
the user of unsupported combinations when they configure a module. When the user
tries to set the option value combinations specified in the error check, Teamcenter
displays the defined message.
Caution Do not create error checks on global options as they will not be executed.

To create an error check:

1. Select the module on which you want to create the error check (typically, the top
level) and click the Error Checks button.
Teamcenter displays the Error Checks dialog box, as shown in the following
figure.

Error checks dialog box

2. Make the following entries in the dialog box:

• Choose the type of error check from the Severity list, which may be one
of the following:

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o Error
If an error condition occurs, Teamcenter displays an error message and
the user may not configure the specified combination.

o Warning
If a warning condition occurs, Teamcenter displays a warning message
and the user may set the specified combination.

o Information
If an information condition occurs, Teamcenter displays an information
message and the user may set the specified combination.

• In the Message box, enter the text of the message you want Teamcenter to
display.

• In the Condition box, specify the combination of option values that triggers
the error check, from options on the parent module only.

3. When you have made the appropriate selections, as shown in the previous
figure, click OK.
Teamcenter displays the result in the data pane, as shown in the following figure.

Error check in data pane

Create module constraints

Use a module constraint to set option values within a module. You may create a
module constraint for the following reasons:
• To set a private option value that depends on a value of the public option in the
module. You can use logic and simple mathematical operators to set conditions.

• To set a default option value. The user can override this value when configuring
the structure. In this case, there is no condition on other option values and
Teamcenter sets a value.

• To set fixed (hard-wired) option values that the user cannot override when
configuring the structure. As before, if there is no condition on other option
values, Teamcenter sets a value.

In the refrigerator freezer example, you use a module constraint to set the Door
Height private option in the Fridge Freezer module according to the Appliance

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 Configuring structures by modular variants

Height public option. This constraint is defined with mathematical operators in

MVL (modular variant language), rather than through the user interface.
To define a module constraint:
1. Select the module on which you want to define a constraint and click the
Constraints button.
Teamcenter displays the Constraints dialog box, as shown in the following figure.

Constraints dialog box

2. Make the following entries in the dialog box:

• Choose Set or Fix from the list. Choose Set to set a private option from the
value of a public option. Choose Set or Fix to directly associate an option
with a defined value in the To Value list (do not use the Condition box.)

• Choose an option in the Option list and choose its value in the To Value.
When you do this, you set the option—in this case, the private option, unless
you set a value with no condition.

• In the Condition box, specify the constraint condition of the public option
that is setting the private option.

3. When you have made the appropriate selections, click OK or Apply. If you click
Apply, the Constraints dialog box remains displayed and you can create other
constraints.
Caution Do not click OK and Apply or you will create two identical constraints.

4. Repeat steps 1 through 3 for each public/private option value combination that
must be mapped.

Managing child module constraints

Use this function to set a child module option based on a parent module option that
should be mapped to the option in the parent, that is, all values. The child option
must already exist.

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Create a child module option constraint

1. Select the child module and click the Child Constraint button.
Teamcenter displays the Constraints dialog box.

2. Make the following entries in the dialog box:

• Set the type of constraint. Typically, you set rather than fix the constraint.

• Set the child option. You can display a list of public options for all child
modules using the list.

• Select whether to map individual values or all the options. The following
figure shows how to map all the options, by clicking the or to option button.
This is the most common approach to setting child module options.
Teamcenter does not detect if the options have different allowed values.
However, if the options are of different types, Teamcenter detects and
prevents you setting such values.

• Map specific option values to a specific option value in the child and set
the conditions as required.

• Optionally, specify a path in the Occurrence Name structure line property

if you need to map many occurrences of the child to different option values.

A Constraints dialog box with this information fully entered is shown next.

Constraints dialog box

3. Click the Apply button and repeat step 2 if you want to create several child
module constraints. Alternatively, if you only want to create a single child
module constraint, click OK.
Caution Do not click OK after clicking Apply because this creates two
identical constraints.

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Teamcenter displays the child option constraints, as shown in the following

figure. This example shows all the parent options mapped to the child options
without any conditions.

Child module constraints

Edit an option or constraint

• To edit a selected option or constraint, click the Edit button or double-click the
line in the data pane.

Delete an option or constraint

1. Select the row in the data pane that represents the constraint or option.

2. Click the Delete button .

Teamcenter deletes the selected constraint or option.

Edit variant conditions

You create variant conditions to control the conditions under which Teamcenter
configures an occurrence.
You can create or edit a selected variant condition in one of three ways:

• Display the Variant Conditions column in the structure properties table and
double-click the relevant cell.

• Choose Edit→Variant Condition.

• Click the Edit button.

Teamcenter displays the Variant Condition dialog box, as shown in the following
figure.

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Chapter 16 Configuring structures by modular variants

Variant condition dialog box

You can only include the options in the parent module in the variant condition. You
can create any number of conditions and lines.
Use the buttons provided to manipulate the condition statements and display them,
as shown in the following figure.

Condition statements
You can copy existing variant conditions to reuse as follows:

1. Right-click the appropriate structure line and choose Copy.

2. Right-click the structure line to copy the variant condition onto and choose Paste
Property. If you select more than one line, the variant conditions apply to all
the selected lines.

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Note If you have existing legacy variant conditions, you can edit them by clicking
the Edit Legacy button.

Edit expressions in MVL

There are certain complex conditions that you cannot create or edit in the Variant
Condition dialog box. In these cases, you must edit the modular variants language
(MVL) that represents the condition directly.
For example, you may want to set the following condition for the refrigerator freezer:
Door Height = (Appliance Height/2)-50mm

1. Click the Edit MVL button.

Teamcenter displays the Constraints node with a Complex Constraints entry, as
shown in the following figure.

Complex constraints

2. Double-click the Complex Constraints entry node.

Teamcenter displays a dialog box in which you can edit and save the MVL
expression, as shown in the following figure.

Saved MVL expression

3. Edit the MVL expression as appropriate. You can use many mathematical
operators, as described in Developing complex expressions with MVL.
Caution If you edit an expression in expert mode in this way, Teamcenter
marks the module as an Expert module. You can no longer maintain
the module with the basic user interface.

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You can view the MVL of existing variant data for examples of the required
syntax. An example of how to use mathematical operators with options follows:
set 002504:’Door Height’ to 002504:’Appliance Height’/2*002504:
’Clearance’-002504:@Offset’

In this example, ’Clearance’ and ’Offset’ are private options you created to
store a variable for use in this logic.
If a name or identifier includes spaces or special characters (for example, - ),
you must embed them in quotation marks, for example: set ’MV-2504’:’Door
Height’.
To identify the available entries at any point in the expression, Teamcenter
utilizes Intellisense™. When you create or edit the expression, Teamcenter
displays a list of available entries. Select an entry with the mouse or the up and
down arrow keys, then press Enter to put the entry into the expression.
For more details of how to edit MVL expressions, see Developing complex
expressions with MVL.

Developing complex expressions with MVL

Use modular variants language (MVL) language to define inherited options and
constraints. It allows you to define semantics and expressions that Teamcenter can
interpret and evaluate.
You can also use MVL to define interfaces, that is, to define the modules options and
how the module derives any options from another module, as described previously.
You can also use it to define constraint and conditions.

Determining precedence in MVL

MVL statements comprise the following three elements:
• Error checks, consisting of error, information, or warning messages

• Internal module constraints

• Child module constraints

Teamcenter expects each statement to contain these elements in the order listed.
When you use the Internal module constraints dialog box and the Child module
constraints dialog box to construct constraints or error checks, respectively,
Teamcenter arranges the MVL elements into the required order. However, if you
develop statements in the MVL editor and enter the elements in an incorrect order,
Teamcenter does not rearrange them. No error or warning messages are displayed,
but the variant structure may not be configured correctly.
Similarly, if your MVL statements contain comments, Teamcenter may not rearrange
the elements into the required order.
Also, internal and child constraints are evaluated in the following order, where 1 has
the lowest priority and 7 the highest:
1. Default
2. User set
3. Set
4. User fix

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 Configuring structures by modular variants

5. Fix
6. External
7. Variant item

For example, a user set takes precedence over the default value of an option for a
given type of constraint.

Understanding MVL conventions

When coding in MVL, note the following conventions:
• MVL is case sensitive. All statements and keywords are typed in lowercase.

• White space is ignored, except when contained inside single or double quotation
marks.

• Single and double quotation marks have semantically different meanings. Single
quotation marks are required for some identifiers (IDs) and double quotes are
used for string literals.

• Text appearing inside square brackets is optional. However, if the ‘[’ and ‘]’
characters appear inside single quotes, you should type them.

• Words that are in monospaced font are keywords and should be typed exactly
as shown.

• Words in italicized font are primitives, and the most common ones follow.

• Lines preceded with a # character contain comments. If an MVL expression

contains comments, you cannot view it in the user interface.

Primitive Description Examples

ID An ID may be: Car

Module ID • A string that starts with ‘My Car’

a letter and only contains
OptionName alphanumeric characters, or ’an option name’

PathName front
• A string enclosed in single
quotation marks and
containing any symbols.
Inside the single quotes, you
can use the \ character to
escape a single quotation
mark, and itself.

Use IDs for module IDs, path

names, and option names.
Note Siemens PLM Software
recommends that you do
not a reserved word as
the ID, module ID or path
name.

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Primitive Description Examples

Option An option is a module ID, followed Car:Model
by a : and an option. In certain
‘My Car’:‘an option’
circumstances, an option can be
followed by a path name inside Wheel:Tyre[front.left]
square brackets.
String A string literal is any characters “This is a string
enclosed inside double quotes. You \“hello\” ”
can use the back slash character to
escape itself and the double quotes
character.
Integer An integer literal is any number. 34342
Optionally, you can place a - in
-18344
front of the integer.
Real An real number is any floating 1.3432
point number. To distinguish a
-2342.1343
whole number from an integer,
always include the decimal point in 67.0
real numbers, even if it is followed
by a zero. However, Teamcenter
attempts to interpret an integer as
a real number if the context allows.
Logical A logical literal. true

false

Reserved words

Reserved word Purpose

and Logical AND of logical expressions.
default Specifies a default for an option.
elif Use to construct conditional statements.
else Use to construct conditional statements.
endif Use to construct conditional statements.
error Sends an error message.
false Logical FALSE literal.
fix Fixes an option to a given value.
hide Reserved for future use.
if Use to construct conditional statements.
implements Use to implement options.
inform Sends an informational message.
integer Denotes the integer value type.
legacy Reserved for future use.
logical Denotes the logical value type.

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Reserved word Purpose

not Logical NOT of logical expressions.
or Logical OR of logical expressions.
presents Use to present options.
private Specifies a private option.
public Specifies a public option.
real Denotes the real value type.
set Sets an option to a given value.
show Reserved for future use.
string Denotes the string value type.
then Use to construct conditional statements.
to Use in various places.
true Logical TRUE literal.
unset Literal UNSET value.
uses Reserved for future use.
warn Sends an warning message.

Reserved symbols

Reserved symbol Purpose

= Equal
!= Not equal
<= Less equal
>= More equal
< Less
> More
. Dot
: Colon
; Semicolon
, Comma
( Bracket open
) Bracket close
[ Square bracket open
] Square bracket close
{ Curly braces open
} Curly braces close
+ Plus
+= Plus equal.

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Reserved symbol Purpose

—= Minus equals
— Minus
* Multiply
/ Divide

Using the expert mode

As mentioned previously, the expert mode editor for complex constraints includes the
Intellisense autocompletion feature. If you type a new constraint, the editor displays
a dialog box containing suggestions for what you might type next. The contents of
the dialog box changes according to any additional characters you type. If your
typing does not match any of the suggested entries, the dialog box disappears and
the text typed appears in the current cursor position in the text area. However, if
you press a tab key or Enter key while the dialog box is open, Teamcenter transfers
the current selection in the dialog box into the text area. You can use the up and
down arrow keys to scroll through the list of suggestions or you can right-click in the
suggestion list to select an entry directly. At any time, you can press the backspace
key in the dialog window to hide the menu; you can type a space character, tab or
new line to redisplay the appropriately populated dialog window.
The following table shows the suggested value that you can select, depending on the
position of the cursor:

Cursor Possible
position selections Comments
1 Start of the set, fix, if, warn, Variant conditions (as
expression error, inform opposed to defining
constraints) do not have
possible selections. These
must be logical expressions
that decide whether the
selected structure line is
loaded.
Go to line 2 of this table.
2 Where an option Module interface This selection includes all
selection is options of current module
required and public options of directly
included child modules.
If an option is being
presented as a possible
value, only options having
the same type as the required
value are displayed.
If the option directly follows
set or fix then go to line 3
of this table, otherwise go to
line 5 (in this case, option
selected is a value).

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Cursor Possible
position selections Comments
3 set or fix to If you selected the option
following by an rather than typing it, to
option appears automatically and
you do not need to make this
selection.
Go to line 4 of this table.
4 When a value Valid value If the option requiring a
selection is value is an enumeration, a
required list of allowable values is
shown.
If the option is logical, true
and false is shown.
A value may also be another
option of the same type from
the module interface (see
line 2).
You must type strings and
numbers manually in double
quotes.
Go to line 5.
5 After value Appropriate operator If the expression already
or expression end contains a comparison
operator, and and or are
shown. If you select one of
these, go to line 2.
If the value is numeric +, -, *,
and / are shown. If you select
one of these, go to line 4.
If the value follows if and
precedes a comparison
operator, = and !=, as well as
<, <=, >, and >= if the value
is numeric. If you select one
of these, go to line 4.
If you are building a
constraint and the value
follows both an if and a
comparison operator, then
is also shown. If you select
this, go to line 6.
If the constraint also
contains then, else, else if,
and endif are also shown.
If you select else, go to line

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Cursor Possible
position selections Comments
6. If you select else, go to
line 2. If you select endif,
Teamcenter disables all
buttons other than OK and
Cancel.
If you are building a variant
condition and the value
follows both if and a
comparison operator,
endif is also shown. If
you select this, Teamcenter
halts interactive expression
building.
6 After then in a set, fix, error, If you select set or fix, go to
derived default warning, info line 2, otherwise go to line 7.
7 After error, None. You must type Teamcenter creates single
warning, or the message text. quotes (open and close) and
info places the cursor between
them. You can place the
cursor to the right of the
closing quote to make else,
else if, and endif available
as selections (see line 5).

Example of an expression coded in MVL

In this example, the options in the following product structure are coded in MVL:
I0100 – Car
I0200 – BrakeSystem
I0300 – Disk Brake Assembly
I0400 – Standard Pads
I0410 – Performance Pads
I0420 – Solid Disk
I0430 – Vented Disk
I0300 – Disk Brake Assembly
I0400 – Standard Pads
I0410 – Performance Pads
I0420 – Solid Disk
I0430 – Vented Disk
I0310 – Drum Brake

Give the first of the I0320 lines the name front and the second one rear. Do this by
modifying the bl_occ_occurrence_name occurrence name property. You should
then add the following option declarations.

Item Scope Name Type Values

I0100 public Model string LS, LX, GX

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Item Scope Name Type Values

I0200 public Config string Standard,
Semi Sports,
Sports
I0300 public Performance string Normal, High
I0300 private Pads string OK, Good
I0300 private Disk string Solid, Vented

Now add the following MVL constraints:

Item MVL constraints

I0100 if I0100:Model = "LS" then
set I0200_BrakeSys:Config to "Standard"
elif I0100:Model = "LX" then
set I0200_BrakeSys:Config to "Semi Sports"
else
set I0200_BrakeSys:Config to "Sports"
endif
I0200 set I0300:Performance to "Normal"
if I0200:Config != "Standard" then
set I0300:Performance[front] to "High"
endif
if I0200:Config = "Sports" then
set I0300:Performance[rear] to "High"
endif
I0300 set I0300:Pads to "OK"
set I0300:Disk to "Solid"
if I0300:Performance = "High" then
set I0300:Disk to "Vented"
set I0300:Pads to "Good"
endif

Configuring a variant structure by setting variant rules

You configure a variant structure by setting the option values on the top-level
module. If the structure is completely authored with variant data, all the lower
level modules are completely configured.
For example, users are offered the following public options when they configure
the product.

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Public options
Defaults are set for all the options and the dialog box contains the default values.
However, users can override (set) the default values if they are not fixed defaults
when you toggle Set/fix to Set. This prevents any subsequent programmatic set or
fix of the option by MVL from overriding the value set by user.

Configure the variant structure

1. Click the Variant Rule button on the toolbar or choose

Tools→Variants→Configure.
Teamcenter displays the Configuration dialog box (as shown in the previous
figure), showing all the options of the top-level module.

2. Set the following option values to configure the structure. You can place the
cursor over the Value cell to display a tool tip containing further information
about the required option value as follows.
• Public or private

• Option name

• Allowed values

• Implements (a global option definition) or presents (where appropriate)

This information is displayed in modular variants language (MVL), for example:

public ’Appliance Width’ integer=500,600 default=500

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Or
public ’002547 Number of shelves’ presents 002547: ’Number of shelves’
Public ’Number of shelves’ integer = 1, 2, 3, 0 default 3

If you want to restore the original, default settings, click the Default button.
Note In production use, you would not configure the structure for a lower level
module. However, you may want to do this when debugging, to check that
all options are set in the lower level modules when the top-level module
is completely set (this verifies all options have a value). To do this, set
Tools→Variants→Only Configure Root to off.
For general use, set Tools→Variants→Only Configure Root to on; the
Configuration dialog box only displays options for the top-level module,
regardless of the structure line selected.

Selecting option values

In the Configuration dialog box, you can select option values in one of two ways,
as follows:
• If an option has allowed values, Teamcenter displays all the available values.

• You select values for numeric (real and integer) options manually as a single
value or a range. To see the allowed range or values, place the cursor over the
option and Teamcenter displays a detailed tool tip.

The Configure dialog box contains a table of options and any default values set.
Options that do not have a default value are blank. The features of the Configure
dialog box that you can use to select option values are as follows.

Feature Description
Heading Identifies and names the module to configure.
Option Lists public and legacy options for the selected module.
Value Opens a dialog box containing default values for options.
OK Configures the structure and closes the dialog box.
Apply Configures the structure and does not close the dialog box.
Load Opens a dialog box that enables you to retrieve a saved
configuration.
Save Opens a dialog box that allows you to save the current
configuration.
VI Opens a variant item search dialog box with values set.
Default Resets the configuration with option default values.
Clear Clears all configuration values.
Cancel Closes the dialog box without applying configuration.
Display only public Shows configuration of private options. You cannot set
options them here.
Configuration Displays the configuration status.

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Test current product configuration

Checking that a product is completely authored is a manual process. You must
set all option values for the relevant variant of the module, select each lower-level
module (possibly starting at the lowest level modules) and check that all the option
values are set correctly.
1. Choose Tools→Variants→View Child Configurations→On, allowing the
Configuration dialog box to display options for the selected BOM line and not
the top-level module.

2. Select each lower level module in the structure, then click the Variant Rule
button on the toolbar or choose Tools→Variants→Configure.
In each case, Teamcenter displays the Configuration dialog box, allowing you to
confirm all the option values are set. The Configuration dialog box is updated
dynamically and it is not necessary to redisplay it each time you select a new
module.

3. If all lower level modules are not completely configured, define further
constraints in the higher level modules or present lower level options to the
top-level module, as required.

4. Optionally, save the variant configuration tested as a saved configuration.

Create a saved configuration

Save the current configuration to save a configuration of modules with a large
number of options for reuse, for example, in a separate session.
1. Click the Save button in the Configuration dialog box.
Teamcenter displays the Save dialog box, as shown in the following figure. Note
that two variant rules are already saved and attached to the current module.

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Saving a variant configuration

2. In the dialog box, enter a name for the saved configuration, for example,
1200x500 Top Fridge.

3. Select the location of the saved configuration. By default, it is attached by

a Specification relation to the current module, but you can select another
relation from the list.
Note Your Teamcenter administrator configures the available relations by
setting the PSESavedConfigRelationTypes site preference.

Load a saved configuration

You can load a previously saved configuration and apply it to the current module. If
the configuration does not have all the option values defined, Teamcenter prompts
you with the following message:
Clear values or overlay?
Not all options are set with this saved configuration.
Do you want to clear set values before applying this configuration?

Click one of the following buttons to continue:

• Click Yes to only set the option values set in the configuration and clear those
values that are unset. You also restore defaults if set.

• Click No to omit any option values not defined in the loaded configuration as
they are currently set.

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Caution You cannot load variants of modular variant assemblies from NX; you
can only load legacy data.

Importing and updating variant data

• You can import or update a stored option set (SOS) from an external system. To
do this, your administrator must add the appropriate closure rule to the transfer
mode, as described in the PLM XML/TC XML Export Import Administration
Guide. You must choose this transfer mode each time you import or update
an SOS.

Creating and searching for variant items

For details of how to create and search variant items, see Creating and updating
variant items.

Populate a complete variant structure

There are two approaches to populating a variant structure—top-down and iterative
bottom-up.
The most common approach for simple products is top-down. A customer places
an order and the salesman sets the values of the options in the variant rule, then
creates a variant item for the top-level item. The variant item represents the
customer order. The salesman then substitutes all the lower level modules with
variant items, if they exist, or creates new ones if they do not exist.
Alternatively, you can use an iterative bottom-up approach when the customer order
can be adjusted to use variants items that are already available, as follows:
1. The salesman uses an SOS at the top level of the structure to define the
customer order; a variant item is not yet created. This action configures the
entire structure.

2. The salesman searches for variant items for each module to see if they exist.
This is an iterative process-creating variant items and changing values on the
SOS until a complete structure of variant items is created. The customer may
want to modify the original SOS due to variant items that are available and
satisfactory, but did not match the original specification.
Note You cannot push values for lower level saved option sets up to higher
levels.

3. When a complete set of variant items are located, the salesman confirms the
top-level SOS option values are correct and verifies the configuration with the
customer order.

4. The salesman creates a variant item for the top level by saving the generic item
with a unique customer name and prunes unconfigured structure lines. The
children that are modules are still generic.

5. Edit the structure by substituting the generic modules with the variant item
that works for the SOS at the top level.

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6. Repeat step 5 for all other modules at all levels.

Creating and updating variant items

A variant item is a specific variant of a completely configured assembly, for example,
a Door assembly with height = 500, width = 600; application = fridge, and color
= white. Variant items are physical parts with no variability. You can allocate a
manufacturing part number to a variant item.
You cannot manufacture an unconfigured structure. They may have a large number
of options and numeric options; options have a limited number of selections, while
numeric options may have an infinite range unless permitted values are specified.
This results in a correspondingly large number of product permutations, not all of
which are valid. You may want to reuse permutations that have previously been sold,
particularly if significant engineering work was invested in creating the associated
technical documentation, drawings and manufacturing data. You can attach such
associated data to the variant items once they are created.
You can search for existing variant items so that they can be reused. If a suitable
variant item does not already exist, you can create new variant items as required.
You can then build up variant items into a complete structure for a specific
configuration, for example, a configuration that corresponds to a customer order. In
this specific configuration, all modules are replaced by variant items.
It is good business practice to release the generic item revision before you generate
variant items from it. If you do not do this, the variant items fully correspond to
the generic items from which you generated them. Teamcenter does not enforce a
release process for generic item revisions.
Teamcenter allows you to manage variant items, as follows:
• Search for existing variant items by entering option values.

• Create a new variant item if no existing variant item is found. You should create
new variant item at the lowest possible level of the structure.

• Replace a selected variant item in the associated assembly to build up a complete

variant item structure.

• Open a variant item and view it.

After creating a variant item from a generic structure, you cannot make any
structure changes to the BOM view revisions of the generic item revision or the
variant item revision. Such changes make both the generic structure and the
variant item structure invalid. To make any such structural change, revise the
generic structure and then make changes to the new revision. These changes are not
reflected in previously linked variant items automatically; you must search for the
affected variant items and update them individually with the changes.
You cannot make structural changes to the generic item when it is linked to a variant
item, including adding or removing a line, and creating a relation. Likewise, you
can change the item revision master form attributes on the variant item, but cannot
make structural changes. If you make changes to the master form attributes, you
should search for other variant items that should be updated. For more information
about updating a variant item, see Update a variant item.

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Search for a variant item

Before starting this process, ensure you have created a variant item for the top
level, as described in Create a new variant item. Typically, this has a completely
defined saved option set with a value or a range of values specified for all options.
Alternatively, you can start with an incomplete saved option set and use an iterative
process to populate the lower level generic items. You should replace all the generic
items with variant items.
Note You can automatically create variant items for an entire generic structure,
as described in Create variant items automatically.
Likewise, relationships such as Connected To are carried forward from the
generic component to the variant item.

To search for an existing variant item (for example, to make a substitution),

open the top-level variant item by clicking the Open button and choosing
Tools→Variants→Search.
Teamcenter displays the Variant Item Search dialog box.
When you perform a variant item search, Teamcenter applies the current Structure
Manager revision rule to the generic structure and configures the revisions
accordingly.
If Tools→Variants→Only Configure Root is not selected, the dialog box shows
options for the root module only. If it is selected, you can use it to identify reuse for
any module represented by a selected line in the structure.
After you specify the search requirements, execute a query for matching variant
items by clicking the Search button.
Teamcenter displays the search results at the bottom of the dialog box showing the
matching variant items. Search results in which one variant item matches the
criteria are shown in the following example.

If the query is successful, the identifiers and names of variant items whose values
match the search criteria populate the list next to the Search button.

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The search only finds linked variant items—unlinked variant items may have
structure changes and would therefore not be applicable.
If the variant item search is successful, Teamcenter loads the first variant item
returned by the query and shows its values in the Value Found column. If you select
a different variant item from the list, Teamcenter loads it and updates the Value
Found column. You can then click the Replace button to replace the selected item
with the variant item.

Create a new variant item

If a variant item search is unsuccessful, you can create a new variant item to replace
the selected generic item as follows:
Note This procedure does not traverse the entire structure and only creates a
variant item for the selected generic item. If you want to create variant
items throughout the structure, create the variant items automatically, as
described later.
The PSEIsNewVILinkedToModule preference determines if variant items
are linked to the generic item by default. If it is set to false, they are not
linked to the generic item. The default value of this preference is true.

1. Ensure you specify a single value for each option and each requirement (that is,
do not enter ranges or multiple selections), and then click New.
Teamcenter displays the New Variant Item dialog box. (This dialog box is similar
to the New Item dialog box but includes an additional tab that shows the
configuration values.)

2. Optionally, click Default to clear the table and populate the requirements with
option defaults.

3. Optionally, click Replace to define the new variant item as a replacement for the
selected generic item.

4. Click Apply to configure the structure with the selected variant item.

A typical variant configuration is shown in the following example.

In this example, all the options and values are unavailable (grayed out) because you
cannot modify them for a variant item.

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The following example shows a structure in which all the generic modules are not
yet replaced with variant items; for example, the cooling system and carcass. The
variant structure is complete only when you replace these generic modules with
variant items.

Variant items are identified by a gray image with a red check mark ( ); generic
modules are identified by a gray image without the red check mark .

Adding a generic item property

You can add the Generic Item property as a column in the properties table in the
structure. Use this column to see the generic item to which a variant item is linked.
For details of how to add a property as a column in the properties table, see
Displaying properties.

Create variant items automatically

You can create a fully instantiated structure by manually searching for generic items
and substituting a variant item for each such generic item, as described previously.
However, this process is time-consuming if your structure is large and complex. In
this case, consider creating variant item structures automatically as follows.

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Note Item IDs are generated automatically, according to the naming rule
for the item type of the generic structure; however, if you set the
PSEAutoViNewItemPopup preference to True, you are prompted for an
item ID during the creation process. If you set this preference to False,
no prompts are displayed.
If you configure automatic creation, you can set a prefix for the name with
the PSEAutoViNamePrefix preference.

Note Beginning with Teamcenter 10, the order in which variant items are
automatically created is changed. Prior to Teamcenter 10, lines were
processed according to their position or appearance with respect to the top
line. Consequently, children of the first subassembly under the top line
were processed before the second subassembly. This is referred to as the
depth-first-search method. After Teamcenter 10, lines are processed in
order of their level in the structure. For example, all subassemblies of an
equivalent level are processed together before any of their children. This is
referred to as the breadth-first-search method.

1. Load and select the generic structure for which you want to automatically
create variant items.

2. Click the Variant Rule button on the toolbar or choose Tools→Variants→

Configure.
Teamcenter displays the Configuration dialog box, showing all the options of
the top-level module.

3. Click the VI button on the dialog box.

Teamcenter displays the Search dialog box.

4. Select the required option and click the Search button.

If there is not already a variant item for the top line, the search results list is
empty and Teamcenter enables the Auto VI button.

5. To begin automatic creation of variant items, click the Auto VI button.

Teamcenter displays the Auto Create VI Structures confirmation dialog box.

6. Click Yes in the dialog box.

Teamcenter begins the automatic creation process. It displays a progress bar
until all variant items are complete. The dialog box is updated constantly with
results as the variant items are created and substituted. The preceding Search
dialog box also shows feedback as the process continues. This process may take a
significant time to complete if you have a large generic structure and particularly
if the variant logic is large and complex at the upper levels.
Tip If performance is not acceptable, try creating variant items for the upper
level manually and automatically populating the generic structure for
the lower levels. You can then manually substitute these variant items
into the variant item for the top level.

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If you request a prompt for each item identifier, item revision identifier, and item
name, Teamcenter displays the New Variant Item dialog box each time and the
process pauses until you enter values in the dialog box and click Finish.
Note This prompt displays only if the PSEAutoViNewItemPopup
preference is set to ON.

7. When the automatic creation process is complete, Teamcenter enables the OK

button, and you can click this button to close the progress window.

Setting preferences for automatic variant item creation

You can set the following preferences to determine how variant items are created:
• PSEAutoViCreateEmptyVI
This preference determines if the process creates a variant item for each
nonmodule that Teamcenter encounters. If set to True (on), the process
continues to the bottom of the generic structure, assigning empty variant items
(variant items with no variant configuration) for each item that is not a module.
If set to False (off), Teamcenter does not creates a variant item for a nonmodule.

• PSEAutoViStopVICreationForUnconfiguredModule
This preference determines if the automatic creation process stops as soon as it
encounters an item that is not a generic item. If set to False (off), the process
continues to the bottom of the generic structure, displaying warning messages
for each unconfigured generic item encountered. (This is the best practice for
most business environments.) If set to True (on), Teamcenter stops the process
when it encounters an unconfigured generic item.

• PSEAutoViNewItemPopup
This preference determines if Teamcenter prompts you for an item identifier,
item revision identifier and item name each time the automatic creation process
creates a variant item. If set to False (off), Teamcenter automatically assigns
values according to the predefined numbering and naming schemes. For example,
if you have a generic item called 00100/A Generic Wheel, Teamcenter may
create a generic item called 00200/A VI_Generic Wheel. If set to True (on),
Teamcenter prompts you for this information each time a variant item is created.

• PSEAutoViNamePrefix
If the PSEAutoViNewItemPopup preference is set to False (off), this
preference defines the naming scheme prefix that Teamcenter uses. For example,
if you set this preference to VI- and create a generic item called Wheel, the
name of the variant item is VI-Wheel.

• PSEBypassVISearch
Set this preference to true to add a Create button to the Configure dialog box as
soon as the user sets a value for each option. This allows the user to bypass the
requirement to search for similar variant item configurations before creating a
new variant item. The default setting is false.

• PSECreateVISameType

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If you set this preference to true, Teamcenter always creates a variant item
with the same type as its parent and creates the variant item with a Save As
action. The default setting is false.

For more information about setting preferences, see the Preferences and Environment
Variables Reference.

Revising variant items and generic modules

When you create a variant item, Teamcenter links it to the generic module item
revision from which it is generated. This relationship allows you to search for
variant items. It also prevents any changes to the variant items, unless they are
unlinked, as described in Unlink variant items. However, you cannot search for
unlinked variant items.
You cannot make changes to the option data, add or remove static components,
or apply variant conditions to a generic item if it is linked to a variant item, as
these actions would cause inconsistencies. You must revise the generic item before
making changes.
Caution If any option data is changed on the newly-revised generic item, you
cannot revise the existing variant items, but must create new variant
items.

At this point, there are no longer any variant items linked to the new generic item
revision. The changes made are not reflected automatically in any existing variant
items linked to previous generic item revisions. You must search for the affected
variant items and update them individually with the changes.
However, you cannot make structural changes to the generic item when it is linked
to a variant item, including adding or removing a line, and creating a relation.
You can change the item revision master form attributes on the variant item, but you
cannot make structural changes. If you make changes to the master form attributes,
you should search for other variant items that should be updated.

Update a variant item

When you make structural or option data changes to a generic item, Teamcenter does
not automatically propagate such changes to the variant item revisions associated
with previous module revisions. You can make such changes manually by creating a
new revision of selected variant items to include the structural changes, as follows:
Note You can only revise variant items to reflect changes to the generic item if
the variability is unchanged, that is, it has the same options and allowed
values. You can add static components, but not components that have a
variant condition, unless the variant condition refers to the original options
and values.

1. Load the structure, select the revised generic item, and choose
Tools→Variants→Update Variant Item.
Teamcenter displays the welcome window of the VI Update wizard.
You can load the structure with the generic item revision as the top-level line
or with the generic item at a lower level. If the generic item revision is not

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the top-level line, you must set Tools→Variants→Only Configure Root to Off
before you can update variant items.
Note You cannot update variant items if only one item revision of the generic
item exists. You can only update variant items against the second and
subsequent item revisions of the generic item.

2. Select the previous item revision of the generic item whose variant items you
want to update and click Next.
The VI Update wizard shows the saved option set values against which you can
search for applicable variant items.

3. Choose the saved option set values against which you want to search for variant
items from the lists and click Next.
The VI Update wizard shows a list of variant items matching the chosen criteria.
Note If you leave any saved option set values blank, Teamcenter includes all
possible values in the search criteria. If you leave all saved option set
values blank, the results include all available variant items.

4. Select the variant items to update from the list of search results, and click
Update to create new variant item revisions that include the structure changes.
Teamcenter shows the Revise dialog box, allowing you to define a revision, name,
description and unit of measure for the new variant item revision.
To view a selected variant item revision before you update it, click Open.

5. After you define the new variant item revision and click Finish, Teamcenter
closes the Revise dialog box and updates the VI Update wizard with the new
variant item revision. The Update button is grayed out and you cannot make
further changes to the new variant item revision. To inspect the new variant
item revision, click the Open button.

6. If applicable, you can select another variant item revision from the list and
repeat the update procedure. Do this until all the necessary variant item
revisions are updated.

7. After you finish updating new variant item revisions, click Next and the VI
Update wizard allows you to select another generic item revision whose variant
item revisions require updating.
To update the variant item revisions of another generic item revision, select
the Do you want to update variant items for other revisions of the generic
component? check box and click Finish.
To exit without updating additional variant item revisions, click Finish without
selecting the check box.

Unlink variant items

You may want to unlink variant items from the generic module item so that you can
change the variant item. This is desirable if you use the generic structure as a quick
way to create variant items for a particular customer order and the generic order is
then further customized for the specific order.

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To unlink variant items, choose Tools→Variants→Unlink Variant Item.

Teamcenter displays the Unlink Variant Item dialog box and you can click Yes to
confirm deletion of the variant item.
When you unlink variant items, they are not found during a variant item search,
because they have evolved and may not be appropriate for the purpose. However, if
they are still appropriate, you can reuse in the structure for a new order.
Note You cannot relink a variant item after you have unlinked it from the generic
module.

Synchronizing with NX
You can use option values to drive NX part expression values from variant items.
For variant items, the option values are fixed and hence the geometry of the CAD
design also remains fixed. You cannot synchronize generic item modules with NX, as
the value may change each time a variant rule is specified.
To enable synchronization, choose the corresponding customer default in NX.
When you create a variant item, Teamcenter performs a Save As operation. For
correct synchronization with NX, use Business Modeler IDE to set your deep copy
rules for Save As on the appropriate item type so that Teamcenter copies the
UGMASTER dataset as an object, not as reference.
Set the Business Modeler IDE rules for deep copies so that, when you choose the
Save As command for an item revision, the following are copied as objects:
• UGMaster datasets

• UGPart datasets

• Altreps

• (Optional) UGScenario datasets

• (Optional) DirectModel datasets

To create JT files for modular piece parts and view them in Teamcenter, you must
create the corresponding variant items and persistently store the JT files for the
different geometry.
You can drive piece part geometry from an assembly using the options presented
to the assembly from the piece parts. To do this, set the value of the option on the
assembly, which sets the option on the piece part in the generic structure. You
then create a variant item for the assembly, which has an option and a value, and
the value is the same as for the assembly. You now create a variant item with the
corresponding option value, and substitute it into the assembly for the generic part.
There is now an implicit link through the variant item structure.
Note Creating a variant item of an assembly does not automatically create
variant items of the piece parts in the assembly. You must manually or
automatically create variant items throughout the structure, as described
in the previous paragraph.

The synchronization process matches the option and expression names, so you must
take care to ensure they are identical and note the following points:

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• Names are case sensitive

• Do not use spaces in option names as expressions cannot accept spaces.

• Do not use underscores.

Caution NX does not indicate if an expression is synchronized with Teamcenter.
If the expression value is changed manually in NX, the manual value is
overwritten next time the part is loaded from Teamcenter. You can use
naming conventions as an indication of synchronization.

You can optionally create a special item type for variant items. If you do this, ensure
the type is set to the base type, not the variant item type.

Driving geometry
The following figures shows how a Height option in Teamcenter drives a Height
expression value in NX.

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Mapping options to expressions in NX

Driving assembly component position

You can drive assembly component positions with mating conditions by setting the
expression value of the mating offset to linear or angular.

Working with component arrays

You can drive component arrays in NX from Teamcenter options, but should take
care in certain situations. For example, you may have a number of holes in a circular
array that are controlled by an array in NX. Bolts are located in each hole and
consequently the number of bolts needed is determined by the number of holes.
Similarly, the positions of the bolts depend on the positions of the holes.
The number of bolts can be determined by a Teamcenter variant condition, for
example:
For bolts 7 and 8, variant condition = If No_Bolts>7
For bolts 9 and 10, variant condition = If No_Bolts>8
You may encounter problems if you use the NX array to determine the number of
bolts in this situation and, if possible, you should avoid arrays. Alternatively, you
can define the location of each bolt as a mating offset, whose size is determined by
a formula, for example, 360/(No_Bolts - 1). Each bolt is then mated to a bolt that

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is always present, rather than possibly mated to a suppressed and unconfigured

component.
Take care to associate the variant condition with the correct component. To achieve
this, you can label each occurrence in NX with the component name and make the
same name visible in the Teamcenter product structure.
You can control this functionality with the Teamcenter Integration for NX assembly
Variant Item Update preference.

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17 Working with platform designs

Working with platform designs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-1

Create global options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-1

Add an architecture element to a design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-2

Adding a new component in the installation assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-2

Replace a design in a product . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-2

Replace part in product . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-4

Creating an audit report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-4

Create an audit report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-5

Remove a design from a product . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-6

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17 Working with platform designs

Working with platform designs

In a typical organization, CAD designers and part engineers are not expected to
author variability without guidance, although they must be aware of the variability
their design supports. Teamcenter allows configuration experts to use Platform
Designer to define variability against a known nomenclature with which designers
are familiar. This scheme is referred to as the product architecture and each
company has a unique taxonomy for defining their generic parts within such a
scheme. Designers and part engineers can use Structure Manager to utilize this
predefined variability in their designs. For more details about platform designs and
architecture, see Getting Started with Product Structure and the Platform Designer
Guide.

Create global options

Use Structure Manager to create global options that are unique across all programs,
that is, options that are unique to your design and do not appear in any other
product architecture. Depending on the size of your product, this list can become
extremely large, so it is important to analyze the need for each option carefully.
1. Create the master variant data as a set of options for a specific product item.
You must use classic variants.
For more information about creating variant options, see Configuring structures
by classic variants.

2. Enter the ID of the item in which you created the options as the value in the
PSM_global_option_item_ids preference. You can create more than one global
option item to create a different set of options for different product contexts.
Note To add items to the list of IDs, in Structure Manager, select an item and
choose Tools®Variants®Set/Unset Global Option Item.

3. Restart the rich client.

An additional tab labelled Variability now appears in Structure Manager. Use
the Variability tab to assign variability to a product context for use in Platform
Designer.
For more information, see the Platform Designer Guide.

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Add an architecture element to a design

Add an existing architecture element to the design in Structure Manager, as follows:
1. In Structure Manager, select and right-click the top level node of the structure.
Teamcenter displays a shortcut menu.

2. Choose Set In Context to enable in context edits anywhere in the structure.

3. For each occurrence that appears both in the design and the product architecture,
edit the identifiers so that the absolute occurrence identifier matches the
architecture element identifier. Teamcenter maps the item to the architecture
element.
Caution After creating an architecture breakdown structure in Platform Designer
and sending it to Structure Manager, do not copy and paste or drag and
drop architecture elements in the same window. It can lead to data
corruption in Platform Designer. If you inadvertently perform one of
these actions, delete the resulting line using the Remove Design from
Product button.

Adding a new component in the installation assembly

If a new component is added to the installation assembly and the absolute occurrence
identifier matches the architecture element, Teamcenter creates a new occurrence
in the structure in Structure Manager, then registers named variant expressions
(NVEs) and sets the variant condition on the occurrence.
When the product structure contains the installation assembly with the new
occurrence, you can configure the product for the new component by applying an
appropriate variant rule to the top level node.

Replace a design in a product

If you are using Platform Designer to help manage the variability of your product,
you can replace your CAD design solution in the product structure with another
design using the Replace Design in Product wizard in Structure Manager. This
wizard assists you in finding the correct design based on the variability associated
with the architecture breakdown element. The resulting design solution carries
design usage properties such as shape, position, effectivity, or variant expressions.
1. Select the structure line for the design solution to which you want to add variant
data.

2. Click Replace Design in Product. .

The Replace Design in Product dialog box is displayed.

3. Locate the product context item revision by defining your search criteria in the
search boxes and clicking .
The system displays the results of the search in the upper pane. Alternatively,
you can copy the product item to the clipboard and paste.

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Tip You can find the product item (revision) in another application without
dismissing the wizard.

4. Select the required product context.

The system displays the product context in the lower pane.
Tip Teamcenter remembers the product context the next time you use the
wizard, so steps 3 and 4 are not required if you are not changing the
product context.

5. Click Next.
The design solution is displayed in the upper and lower panes. Ignore the upper
part of the wizard. This is for the Add design to product wizard that shares
the same pane.

6. Click Next.

7. In the Architecture box, select the top-level architecture you want to use. This is
only necessary if there is more than one architecture.
Caution Do not skip this step if there are multiple architectures; otherwise,
the next steps in the wizard do not work as expected.

Tip Teamcenter remembers this selection the next time you use the wizard.

8. Specify the architecture element to which you want to add the design solution in
the Architecture Element ID box. Do one of the following:
• Type the ID.

• Click to display the architecture. Expand to the required element and

double-click to enter its ID in the Architecture Element ID box.

9. Click Next.

10. In the top part of the pane, select the named variant expressions (NVEs) that
apply to the design solution.

11. (Optional) In the bottom part of the pane, further define the conditions under
which this solution is valid by selecting additional splitting NVEs.
Teamcenter adds these to the existing NVEs to further qualify the design that
you select.

12. Click Finish.

Teamcenter populates the NVE and associated variant condition on the
occurrence of the design solution you selected in the first step.
Tip Display the Architecture Element ID property in Structure Manager
to see the architecture element with which the design solution is now
associated.

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Your design solution now has variant data and you can configure it by applying a
variant rule to the design structure.

Replace part in product

• Click and follow the steps described for the Add Part to Product wizard in
Platform Designer.
For more information, see the Platform Designer Guide.
The Replace Part in Product wizard behaves in basically the same way as the
Add Part to Product wizard, except that you can use it to update the values for
the part data (copied to the usage notes) or select a different NVE. The variant
condition on the instance of the part solution is updated if the NVE changes.

Creating an audit report

Audit reports allow you to check that design solutions exist for each option
combination (NVE) required on the architecture elements. This feature assumes
you use both part and design solutions; if you use only part solutions, do not use
this report.
Note You create audit reports for design solutions in Structure Manager. Use
Platform Designer to create audit reports for part solutions.

To create an audit report for design solutions, Teamcenter first performs a

consistency check, verifying that for each design solution in the selected installation
assembly, there is a part solution that matches the NVE on the design solution. It
also checks that the variant condition on the design solution is consistent with the
variant condition on the part solution. If the NVE changes on the architecture or
part solution, the variant condition on the design solution may be out-of-date and
require refreshing. Alternatively, the design solution itself may be changed to meet
the new NVE requirement.

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Designers perform this type of audit on the installation assembly for which they are
responsible. You cannot perform this audit on a level higher than the installation
assembly.
You can still use the audit report if no part solutions exist yet, because the NVEs
on the architecture are checked. You can create an audit report for a particular
configuration by setting the variant and revision rules audit algorithm details. The
audit checks the following:
• If the NVE is not referenced by any solution.

• If the NVE is referenced by one or more solutions with a matching architecture

element ID, but the variant condition is out-of-date (assuming there are no
split NVEs).

• If the usage quantity is not a positive integer.

• If the solutions are referencing an NVE, but the architecture element ID

references a split NVE.

• If the NVE is referenced by one or more solutions, but none of them have an
architecture element ID that matches that of the NVE. The audit report delivers
a list of architecture breakdowns in rows, with colored indicators specifying
whether the line is an exact, partial, or mismatch with respect to an NVE, part
number (typically the part solution ID), and usage quantity.
The audit algorithms use data stored in occurrence notes on the design solution.
It is therefore necessary to replace a design in the product using the Replace
Design in Product wizard before the audit can be run to populate the appropriate
occurrence notes. These occurrence notes are:
o Usage_Product

o Usage_PartNumber

o Usage_Quantity

Configure these occurrence notes by setting the

RDV_copied_occurrence_notes preference.

Create an audit report

1. Ensure you have set the following preferences:
• RDV_auto_functionality
When set to TRUE, Structure Manager displays the Tools→Audit Report
menu command.

• RDV_copied_occurrence_notes
Specifies the occurrence notes for the Replace Design in Product wizard
to populate before you can run the audit, for example, Usage_Product,
Usage_PartNumber, and Usage_Quantity.

2. Select the installation assembly for which you want to create an audit report.

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Chapter 17 Working with platform designs

Note The audit only checks the immediate components of the installation
assembly. Do not select a level higher than the installation assembly to
which the design solutions are attached.

3. Choose Tools→Audit Report.

The audit report opens in a separate dialog box.

4. At the top of the dialog box, choose a revision rule from the Revision Rule list.
If the installation assembly structure is precise, select the appropriate revision
rule. You can also audit a specific variant configuration by selecting a saved
variant rule.

5. Click Audit.
Structure Manager creates the audit report.

6. Select the top-level audit lines in the tree on the left to see the results.
The audit report lists all the components in the selected installation assembly.
You can expand the design to see the associated part solution—only two lines
in the following example. However, for those lines, the NVE is matched, but
the quantity is not.

7. (Optional) Refresh the variant condition and other copied occurrence data for the
selected audit line by clicking at the bottom of the dialog box.

8. (Optional) Select a line in the report and click the Details tab to see all relevant
attributes of this line.

Remove a design from a product

• Remove a selected design from a product structure by clicking the Remove
Design button.

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Chapter

18 Working with projects

Working with projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-1

Assigning objects to projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-1

Assign objects to projects from the tree or Properties table . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-2
Assign objects to projects by search results page or assign all objects found by
the search . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-2

Remove objects from projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-3

PLM00048 J Structure Manager Guide

Chapter

18 Working with projects

Working with projects

Projects represent and control access to a particular piece of work that may be
accessible to multiple organizations, such as project teams, development teams,
suppliers, and customers.
Objects, such as items, item revisions, datasets, and forms can be assigned to
projects. Additionally, folders, or folders and their contents can be assigned to
projects. Items, item revisions, and engineering change objects can be assigned
to projects during the creation process. All other workspace objects can only be
assigned to projects after the object has been created. Objects can be selected from
search results and assigned to a project or projects.
When an object is assigned to a project, attachment objects, as defined by the
propagation rules, are also assigned to the project. Propagation rules are determined
by include and exclude relations lists. By default, the include relation list contains
the following relation types:
• Specification

• Manifestation

• AltRep

• EC_affected_item_rel

• EC_solution_item_rel

For more information about defining propagation rules, see the Project and Program
Guide.
You can only assign objects to projects if you are a privileged project team member.
For more information, see the Project and Program Guide.
If you are a Teamcenter administrator or a project administrator, you can assign
multiple objects in a structure to a project by running the update_project_bom
utility. You can also use this utility to remove multiple objects from a structure.

Assigning objects to projects

Objects can be assigned to projects either during the creation process or after they
are created. Items, item revisions, and engineering change objects can be assigned
to a project during the creation process, all other objects must be assigned after
they are created.

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Chapter 18 Working with projects

Objects can be assigned to projects by making selections from the tree or Properties
table or by selecting from the search results display.
Note You can select from different lists of values (LOVs) for a property, depending
on which project the object is assigned to.
For more information, see the Project and Program Guide.

Assign objects to projects from the tree or Properties table

1. Select one or more objects in the tree display or Properties table.

2. Right-click and choose Project→Assign, or choose Tools→Project→Assign from

the main menu.
If multiple objects were selected in step 1, the system displays the Assign
Objects to Projects dialog box. If a single object was selected, the system
displays the Assign an Object to Projects dialog box. The projects of which you
are a privileged member are displayed in the Projects for Selection list.
Caution The objects you selected in step 1 may already be assigned to one or
more projects. However, this is not reflected in the selection list.

3. Select the project or projects to which the objects will be assigned and move
them to the Selected Projects list using the right-arrow button. To select all
projects in the list, click the double-arrow button.

4. Click Apply to assign the objects to the projects and retain the dialog box. Click
OK to assign the projects and dismiss the dialog box.
Note You can also assign a selected object to a project by dragging it onto the
project symbol.

Assign objects to projects by search results page or assign all

objects found by the search
1. Right-click a search results tab.
Teamcenter displays the Explorer shortcut menu.

2. Choose Project→Assign.
Teamcenter displays the Assign Object to Projects dialog box.

3. Select the project or projects to which the objects will be assigned and move
them to the Selected Projects list using the right-arrow button. To select all
projects in the list, click the double-arrow button.

4. Select the objects to be assigned by selecting either the Current Page or All
Found Objects button.

5. Click Apply to assign the objects to the projects and retain the dialog box. Click
OK to assign the projects and dismiss the dialog box.

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 Working with projects

To selectively assign objects displayed in the search results tab, select the search
results tab and perform the steps described in Assign objects to projects from the
tree or Properties table.

Remove objects from projects

1. Select one or more objects in the tree display or Properties table. You can also
select the objects from the results of a search.
Note Two standard search forms, the Projects Search form and Objects in
Projects form can be used to locate objects for removal from a project.

2. Right-click and choose Project→Remove, or choose Tools→Project→Remove

from the main menu.
If multiple objects were selected in step 1, the system displays the Remove
Objects From Projects dialog box. If a single object was selected, the system
displays the Remove an Object from Projects dialog box. The projects of which
you are a privileged member are displayed in the Projects for Selection list.

3. Select the project or projects from which the objects will be removed and move
them to the Selected Projects list using the right-arrow button. To select all
projects in the list, click the double-arrow button.

4. Click Apply to remove the objects from the projects and retain the dialog box.
Click OK to remove the projects and dismiss the dialog box.

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Chapter

19 Administering the product

structure

Administering the product structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-1

Managing BOM view types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-1

Create a BOM view type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-1
Transitioning a site to multiple BOM views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-2
Renaming the default view . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-2
Prerequisites for implementing multiple BOM views . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-3
Rename multiple BOM views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-3

Setting assembly preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-3

Setting assembly level of detail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-3
Determining JT file priorities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-4
Determining excluded reference sets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-5

Create occurrence note types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-5

Configuring modular variants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-6

Configuring incremental change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-8

Using default revision rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-9

General rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-9
Released revisions only . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-10
Latest revisions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-10
Precise revisions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-10
Controlling access to revision rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-11
Controlling access to snapshots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-11

Importing remote components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-12

Apply a vendor parts selection rule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-12

Configure units of measure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-12

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Chapter

19 Administering the product

structure

Administering the product structure

The Teamcenter administrator creates and manages BOM view and occurrence
note types. To create or edit these types, you must be a member of the system
administrator group.
Before creating new view types or occurrence note types, you should be familiar with
the concepts described in Building and editing product structure.
For additional information, see Getting Started with Product Structure.

Managing BOM view types

BOM view types have only one modifiable attribute, Name. When you modify a
BOM view type, you are initiating a single action that is equivalent to creating
a new BOM view type and deleting an old BOM view type. However, you cannot
delete Teamcenter objects from the database if they are referenced by other objects.
Therefore, in most cases, you use the modify (rename) action to change the name
of an existing BOM view type.
Note The view type is an attribute of a BOM view revision that specifies its
intended usage, for example, design or manufacture. The administrator
may define any number of view types, as described in the Business Modeler
IDE Guide.
Teamcenter applies a default global view type where possible, for example,
when opening an item revision. Use of a default view type avoids the need
for a user to choose between multiple views.

Create a BOM view type

1. Start the Business Modeler IDE and, in the Extensions view, select the project
in which you want to create the new note type. Right-click the project and
choose Organize→Set active extension file on the shortcut menu. Select the
options.xml file as the file in which to save the new BOM view type.

2. Expand the project and the Options→View Type folders.

3. Right-click the View Type folder and choose New View Type from the shortcut
menu. The New View Type wizard runs.

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4. Perform the following steps in the View Type dialog box:

Note The Project box defaults to the already selected project.

a. In the Name box, enter the name you want to assign to the new BOM view
type.

b. In the Description box, enter a description of the new BOM view type.

c. Select the Attach Value List check box if you want to attach a list of values
(LOV) to the BOM view type.

d. If you select the Attach Value List check box, click the Browse button to the
right of the LOV box to locate the list of values to attach to the BOM view.
Type an asterisk * in the Find dialog box to see all possible selections. Click
the Browse button to the right of the Default Value box to choose the value
from the list of values that you want to use for the BOM view type.

e. Click Finish.
The new BOM view type displays under the View folder in the Extensions
view.

5. To save the changes to the data model, choose File →Save Data Model.

Transitioning a site to multiple BOM views

Before you transition to production use of multiple BOM views, you must understand
the definitions of view and default view, as described in Getting Started with Product
Structure.
Although Teamcenter supports multiple BOM views, the default configuration is
a single BOM view type called View that applies to the entire site. To manage
multiple BOM views, you must designate one BOM view type as the default view
by setting the PSE_default_view_type preference. Because the initial (default)
configuration of Teamcenter installation and upgrades from all previous versions
of Teamcenter is single view and uses the View BOM view type, this preference is
set to view by default.

Renaming the default view

When sites transition to multiple BOM views, the View BOM view name may be
too generic to retain. Before proceeding with a site-wide implementation of multiple
BOM views, consider if you want to continue using this generic BOM view type or if
you should rename it to something more meaningful.
When you rename a BOM view type, the change is immediate. However, if you use
the default BOM view revision (BVR) names provided with Teamcenter, these names
are no longer appropriate. When it creates each BVR, Teamcenter assigns it a name
according to the BOM view type and item revision ID. If you subsequently change
the name of the BOM view type, the names of existing BOM view revisions that use
this name are not automatically updated. You can rename affected BVRs by running
the ps_rename_bvrs utility against them, as described in the Utilities Reference.
The ps_rename_bvrs utility renames existing BOM views and BOM view
revisions (BVRs) to the current default naming scheme implemented by the

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 Administering the product structure

USER_ps_default_bom_view_name and USER_ps_default_bvr_name user

exits. You do not need to synchronize BVR names immediately after renaming the
BOM view type, but can perform this activity in batches for multiple item identifiers.

Prerequisites for implementing multiple BOM views

Before implementing multiple BOM views, you should do the following:
• In the default configuration, all data is stored in the View BOM view. If you
decide to rename this default view, choose a new name that reflects the primary
use of this view, for example, Design.

• Establish BOM view naming conventions before you create additional product
structure data. This minimizes the number of BVRs that you must rename to
reestablish automatic updates.

Rename multiple BOM views

To transition a site to multiple BOM views by renaming the default BOM view type:
1. Rename the existing default View BOM view type to your new selected default
name.

2. Decide if this renamed BOM view type is the new default BOM view type.
In most cases, you would make it the default because your existing product
structure data is saved under it. However, you can make any valid BOM view
type the default view.

3. If you decide to make another BOM view type the default view, create the
necessary BOM view type.

4. Change the PSE_default_view_type preference setting to the new default

BOM view type.

5. Decide if the BOM view renamed in step 1 is synchronized to NX. If so, change
the TC_NX_view_type preference to the renamed BOM view type.

6. Run the ps_rename_bvrs utility against the affected BOM view revision names,
as described in the Utilities Reference.

Setting assembly preferences

The Teamcenter administrator determines the following functionality by setting
the relevant preferences.

Setting assembly level of detail

You can display a part or assembly in the embedded viewer by selecting the
corresponding line in the assembly tree and clicking the Graphics tab. If a JT file is
associated with the line (that is, if the item revision corresponding to the line has a
DirectModel dataset containing a JT file) Teamcenter displays the JT file in the
viewer. Any descendents of that line with attached JT files are displayed likewise.

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By defining a naming convention for reference sets and JT files, you control the
behavior of assemblies in the viewer. You specify the naming convention by setting
the JT_File_OverrideChildren_Refsets preference. The default setting of this
preference is unset, but you can set it to any NX reference set names, for example,
SIMPLE or FULL.
If you click on a structure line, Teamcenter displays the corresponding JT file. If
there is no JT file, the viewer shows all of its immediate children. Teamcenter
repeats this process recursively down each branch of the product structure until it
finds and displays a JT file. However, if the JT file is in the preference list, none of
its children are displayed.
If you do not set the JT_File_OverrideChildren_Refsets preference, Teamcenter
continues processing and displaying the children.

Determining JT file priorities

Normally each item has a maximum of one JT file in its associated DirectModel
dataset and Teamcenter always displays this file in the viewer. However, it is possible
for a DirectModel dataset to contain several JT files with different names, so you
should set rules that determine the file to display. By default, Teamcenter uses the
JT file that matches the NX REF SET occurrence note for the structure line, that is,
it tries to use the same reference set as the Teamcenter Integration for NX part file.
DirectModel support of NX reference sets can take two forms:
• DirectModel datasets created prior to Teamcenter 8, which consist of multiple
JT files named according to the available reference sets.

• DirectModel datasets created using Teamcenter 8 or later, which may consist

of a single JT file that contains all of the information necessary to define the
geometry configurations for each reference set.

To override the default behavior, you can set the JT_File_Priority_Refsets

preference to any NX reference set names, for example, EMPTY, ENTIREPART,
LASTSAVED or MODEL.
You specify a list of JT file names in priority order. For example, if you set the
preference to {empty.jt, entirepart.jt, lastsaved.jt, model.jt}, Teamcenter first
tries to use a file called empty.jt. If none exists, it uses entirepart.jt. If that does
not exist, it uses lastsaved.jt, and then model.jt.
Note This example applies to DirectModel datasets created using Teamcenter
8 or later. If the datasets were created in an earlier version, the reference
set names and file names in the preference are preceded with a $ sign, for
example, $EMPTY. If the datasets were created in mixed releases, the
preference must contain both types of entry, that is {$empty.jt, empty.jt,
$entirepart.jt, entirepart.jt, $lastsaved.jt, lastsaved.jt, $model.jt,
model.jt}.

If you do not specifically set this preference, the viewer uses the default entries, that
is, {$empty.jt, $entirepart.jt, $lastsaved.jt, $model.jt}.

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Determining excluded reference sets

You can set the JT_File_Excluded_Refsets preference to define reference set
names that are not visualized in an assembly. However, the reference sets you
exclude with this preference can be viewed, if required, using the Replace JT
option. This preference does not have a default setting and you can set it to any
of the following values:
• Empty
This reference set name is appropriate for most sites. NX uses this name to
identify geometry that should not be visualized in an assembly.

• Entries other than Empty

Sites that define reference set names to identify geometry that should not be
visualized can add the names to the preference instead of Empty.

Create occurrence note types

You can associate occurrence note types with an occurrence in the product structure,
as described in Displaying occurrence notes. Users can specify a value for any note
type that is defined for the site.
Some standard note types are supplied to allow synchronization of occurrence
attributes with NX. These note types can be displayed but not deleted.
You can define lists of values (LOVs) and default values for occurrence notes.
To create a new occurrence note type:
1. Start the Business Modeler IDE and, in the Extensions view, select the project in
which you want to create the new note type. Right-click the project and choose
Organize→Set active extension file. Select the options.xml file as the file
in which to save the new note type.

2. Expand the project and the Options→Note folders.

3. Right-click the Note folder and choose New Note Type from the shortcut menu.
The New Note Type wizard runs.

4. Perform the following steps in the Note Type dialog box:

Note The Project box defaults to the already selected project.

a. In the Name box, enter the name you want to assign to the new note type.

b. In the Description box, enter a description of the new note type.

c. Select the Attach Value List check box if you want to attach a list of values
(LOV) to the note.

d. If you selected the Attach Value List check box, click the Browse button to
the right of the LOV box to locate the list of values to attach to the note. Type
an asterisk * in the Find dialog box to see all possible selections. Click the

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Browse button to the right of the Default Value box to choose the value from
the list of values that you want to use for the note type.

e. Click Finish.
The new occurrence note type displays under the Note folder in the
Extensions view.

5. To save the changes to the data model, chose File→Save Data Model.

Configuring modular variants

Configure modular variants by setting the following preferences.
For more information about setting preferences, see the Preferences and Environment
Variables Reference.
• PSEVariantsMode
Determines if the modular variants functionality is used. Allowed values are:
o modular
Use only the modular variants functionality. Users cannot view, edit, or
configure legacy variants.

o hybrid
Allows users to define modules in structures containing legacy variant data.

o legacy
Use only legacy variants functionality.

The default setting is PSEVariantsMode=hybrid.

In addition to enabling the modular variants functionality, the default setting
allows users to display, edit, and configure legacy variants, but with the modular
variants dialog boxes. Legacy variants do not provide all of the advantages of
encapsulation that modular variants enforce, nor is it possible to create variant
items within a structure that contains legacy variants. Consequently, Siemens
PLM Software recommends you use this setting during migration from legacy
variants to modular variants. Once migration is complete, you change the
preference setting to modular.

• DisableSaveSos
Use this site preference to restrict the saving of option values in a saved option
set (SOS) when you begin to transition to managing options with the Product
Configurator.

o If this preference is set to true, users are not permitted to save option values
in an SOS, if you have set the PSEVariantsMode preference to modular
or hybrid. If a user tries to save option values in an SOS, Teamcenter
displays an error message.

o If this preference is set to false, users may save option values in an SOS.
However, if all the set option values are classic options, you can save them

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as a saved variant rule, rather than an SOS if the PSEVariantsMode

preference is set to hybrid. If a user tries to save option values in an SOS in
hybrid mode, Teamcenter displays a Do you want to save the configuration
as a variant rule? informational message. If you click Yes, Teamcenter
displays the Variant Rule dialog box, allowing you to save the options
as a saved variant rule. If you click No, Teamcenter displays the Save
Configuration dialog box, allowing you to save the options as an SOS.

• PSM_global_option_item_ids
Set this preference to a list of all item identifiers that contain global option
definitions. The default is an empty list. These definitions can be reused when
authoring variant modules. For example:
PSM_global_option_item_ids=
000400
000410
000420
To implement this functionality:

1. Create an item to store the global options.

2. Create the desired global options and allowed values.

3. Update the PSM_global_option_item_ids preference to include the new

item identifier.

4. In Structure Manager, display the Create Option dialog box and verify the
new item and options are shown in the Based On dropdown list.

• PSESavedConfigRelationTypes
When saving a selected option set or variant configuration, the user can choose
whether to save to the Home folder, the Newstuff folder or to the module (item
revision) being configured. Use this preference to set the possible relation types
from which the user can select when saving to a module.
The default setting is:

PSESavedConfigRelationTypes=
TC_specification
TC_manifestation
TC_relation

• ShowModuleIcons
By default, the icons of the modular variants feature are hidden because their
availability affects performance. If you use modular variants, make the icons
visible by setting this preference to true.

• PSEAllowLegacyVICreation
Set this preference to true to permit the creation of variant items for structures
that include classic variant options. It also permits the creation of variant items
from assemblies that are not modules. The default setting is false.

• PSEBypassVISearch

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Set this preference to true to add a Create button to the Configure dialog box as
soon as the user sets a value for each option. This allows the user to bypass the
requirement to search for similar variant item configurations before creating a
new variant item. The default setting is false.

• PSECreateVISameType
If you set this preference to true, Teamcenter always creates a variant item
with the same type as its parent and creates the variant item with a Save As
action. The default setting is false.

• PSEShowUnconfigdVarPref
Determines whether structure lines with variant conditions that do not configure
for the current variant rule are shown by default in a new Structure Manager
window. The preference affects classic variants as well as modular variants. If
a structure line is shown even though its variant condition evaluates to false
for the current variant rule, you can use the following properties to identify the
lines that do not configure for the current variant rule:
bl_is_variant=Y
bl_variant_state=

• PSEIsNewVILinkedToModule
Determines if variant items are linked to the generic item by default. If it is
set to false, they are not linked to the generic item. The default value of this
preference is true.

Configuring incremental change

Configure incremental change by setting the following preferences.
For more information about setting preferences, see the Preferences and Environment
Variables Reference.
• Incremental_Change_Management
Set to true to enable incremental changes.

• EnableIntents
Set to off by default as configuration with intents adds a performance overhead
if your site does not use intents. If you set this preference to on, the intent tabs
appear in the appropriate dialog boxes.

• ShowUnconfiguredByChangeEffectivity
By default, all incremental changes (configured and unconfigured)
are visible to the user. To hide unconfigured changes, set the
ShowUnconfiguredByChangeEffectivity preference to true.

• Incremental_Change_ReleaseStatus
Defines a release status that is attached to an incremental change when the user
first creates it, for example, Pending. The status must already exist and have
an Access Manager rule that allows write access to objects with this status.

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• MoveICCreationToMenu

Determines if the Create IC Object button on the incremental change

toolbar or the Incremental Change→Create Context menu command is visible.
If this preference is True, the menu command is visible unless suppressed with
Command Suppression; if it is False, the button is visible.

You should also ensure an In IC Context rule is available in Access Manager,

allowing a user write access to a released structure.

Using default revision rules

Teamcenter provides default revision rules that may be used at your site. Some of
the default rules are described below.
Note The PSEShowUnconfigdEffPref preference determines whether structure
lines with effectivity that do not configure for the current revision rule or
incremental changes are shown by default in a new Structure Manager
window. If a structure line is shown even though its effectivity evaluates
to false for the current revision rule or incremental changes, you can use
the following properties to identify the lines that do not configure for the
current variant rule:
bl_has_date_effectivity=Y
bl_is_occ_configured=

General rules
Name = Working; Any Status
Selects the latest working revisions. If none exist, it selects the latest released
revisions. For example:
Working (any user, any group)
Has Status =Any, Configured by: Date Released

Name = Working (Current User) ; Any Status

Selects only the latest working revisions owned by the user running the
Teamcenter session. If none exist, it selects the latest released revisions. This
rule allows users to configure only their own working data. For example:
Working, user = Current User
Has Status =Any, Configured by: Date Released

Name = Working (Current Group) ; Any Status

Selects only the latest working revisions owned by the group that the user
running the Teamcenter session is currently logged into. If none exist, it selects
the latest released revisions. This rule allows users to configure only the working
data within their team. For example:
Working, user = Current Group
Has Status =Any, Configured by: Date Released

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Chapter 19 Administering the product structure

Name = Any Status; Working

Selects the latest released revisions. If none exist, it selects working revisions.
Use this rule if you want to configure a released structure and want to be aware
of items that are used in the structure and are not released yet. For example:
Has Status =Any, Configured by: Date Released
Working (any user, any group)

Released revisions only

Name = Any Status, No Working
Selects the latest released revisions, no working revisions selected. For example:
Has Status = Any, Configured by: Date Released

Latest revisions
Use these rules to configure revisions, regardless of whether they are working or
released.
Name = Latest by Creation Date
Selects the latest revisions according to the date they were created, regardless of
whether they are working or released. For example:
Latest (Creation date)
Name = Latest by Alpha Rev Order
Selects the latest revisions according to the revision ID, regardless of whether
they are working or released. The revisions are sorted in alphanumeric order.
For example:
Latest (Alpha-numeric order)

Precise revisions
Any revision rules that configures precise references must have a Precise entry.
You can also include this entry in any of the previous rules if they configure precise
references.
Name = Latest Working
Selects precise references if they exist. For imprecise assemblies, it selects the
latest working revisions. If none exist, it selects the latest released revisions.
For example:
Precise
Working (any user, any group)
Has Status =Any, Configured by: Date Released
Name = Precise; Any Status, No Working
Selects the precise references to specific item revisions in precise assemblies.
If imprecise assemblies are present, only working revisions are selected. For
example:
Precise
Has Status = Any, Configured by: Date Released

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 Administering the product structure

Controlling access to revision rules

Use Access Manager to control user access to revision rules. You can limit read
access to control the users who can see and use a revision rule. You can use this
technique to reduce the number of inapplicable revision rules that are presented to
ordinary users, or to restrict rules to certain groups of users. You can use write
access to control the users who can modify a revision rule.
You can apply an Access Manager rule globally to all rules using a class revision rule
or other attribute, (for example, OwningGroup) if you created the revision rules
appropriately. You can add object ACLs to specific revision rules for exception cases.
A typical default Access Manager (AM) rule and rule tree ACL follow:
Access Manager rule:
HasClass (RevisionRule) -> Private Rev Rule ACL
OwningGroup (dba) -> Public Rev Rule

Private revision rule ACL:

This ACL prevents Teamcenter displaying privately created revision rules to
all users. Only the owning user and system administrator have access to the
private rule. You can define an entry for owning user that gives access to all
users in the owning group. Alternatively, you could add it as an object ACL to
the specific rule.
Owning User: Read, Write, Delete, Copy, Change
System Administrator: Read, Write, Delete, Change
World: No Read, No Write, No Delete, No Copy, No Change

Public revision rule ACL:

This ACL ensures that public revision rules are visible to all users. It also only
allows users with a configuration role or members of a system administration
group to modify public rules. You should control these permissions carefully, as
unintended modification of revision rules can have significant consequences.
Role = Configurator: Write
System Administrator: Write, Delete, Change
World: Read, No Write, No Delete, No Copy, No Change

Controlling access to snapshots

You can use the following Access Manager rule to control access to snapshots, which
are stored in a special class of folder.
Access Manager rule:
Has Class (Folder) ->
Has Class (Snapshot) -> Snapshot

Snapshot ACL:
Typically, snapshots are not modified once created, but this restriction depends
on your business practice.
Owning User: Write, Delete, Copy, Change (as required)

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Chapter 19 Administering the product structure

System Administrator: Change

World: Read, No Write, No Delete, No Copy, No Change

Importing remote components

If you have assembly structures that are replicated at several sites with Multi-Site
Collaboration, Teamcenter may prompt users whether to import missing
components—that is components that are not yet replicated at your site. If
you set the PSE_prompt_for_remote_import preference to on, Teamcenter
prompts if remote items should be imported when you expand the structure. When
Structure Manager displays a Ready message, all remote components are imported
successfully. If this preference is set to off, Teamcenter imports missing components
without prompting the user.

Apply a vendor parts selection rule

The administrator can create a selection condition that limits the vendor parts that
are displayed in the data pane. For example, you may see only preferred parts.
For details of how to create a selection condition, see the Business Modeler IDE
Guide.
1. Choose Tools→Vendor Parts Selection Rule.
Teamcenter displays the View/Set Current Vendor Parts Selection Rule dialog
box.

2. Select the required selection rule and click OK.

Teamcenter applies the selected rule to future actions.

Configure units of measure

You can configure Teamcenter to allow users to specify a quantity for a product
structure (BOM) line in a user-defined unit of measure (UOM).
1. Create an XML file that specifies all UOM conversion rules that are valid at your
site. The file must be in the following format:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<UOMConversionTable>
<Formula from_uom="kg" to_uom="gm" multiplier="1000"/>
<Formula from_uom="km" to_uom=“m" multiplier="1000"/>
</UOMConversionTable>

Caution Teamcenter does not validate the entries in this file. Ensure you
check the entries carefully to avoid invalid conversions.

2. Create a text dataset and attach the XML file to it as a named reference.

3. Set the Fnd0PSEQtyConversionDSName global constant in the Business

Modeler IDE to the name of the dataset created in the previous step.

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 Administering the product structure

4. Set the Fnd0PSEEnableQtyConversionUOM global constant in the Business

Modeler IDE to TRUE to enable UOM conversion.

For more information about setting global constants, see the Business Modeler IDE
Guide.

PLM00048 J Structure Manager Guide 19-13

Appendix

A Glossary

PLM00048 J Structure Manager Guide

Appendix

A Glossary

absolute occurrence
Relationship between a parent assembly and an item one or more levels down in
the structure. The parent assembly is the context in which the absolute occurrence
exists. When you select the context assembly and view the structure, you can define
data on the absolute occurrence that overrides the data stored on the parent.
Compare to occurrence.

allocation
Relationship between constituents of two structural views of a product, for example,
a relationship between constituents of the functional breakdown and the physical
breakdown of a product.

appearance
Sequence of occurrences that describes a unique path through an exploded structure.
An appearance corresponds to a unique instance of the component that is referenced
by the leaf node of the path within the top-level assembly. An appearance may have
spatial data associated with it, allowing spatial searches.

Appearance Configuration
Teamcenter application used to configure the use of appearance:
• Defining the appearance sets for which the site tracks appearances.

• Configuring the mapping of occurrence notes into appearance attributes.

assembly
Compound object that is assembled from other objects and may add additional
information to their interpretation.
• In the context of an assembly, other assemblies are called subassemblies, while
noncompound objects are called components.

• A single-level compound object that is distinct from a multilevel product

structure or bill of materials, which is a hierarchy of assemblies. Assembly
data is stored in a BOM view revision.

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

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Appendix A Glossary

BOM
Bill of materials.
• 100% BOM
The as sold product configuration, for example, the configuration of a car to be
built and shipped to the dealer.

• 120% BOM
Partial overlay of selected variant conditions. You cannot build the product
from a 120% BOM.

• 150% BOM
Overlays of all possible variant configurations. You cannot build the product
from a 150% BOM.

See also design bill of materials and manufacturing bill of materials.

BOM view
Teamcenter object used to manage product structure information for an item.

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 of
other data. BOM view revisions are meaningful only in the context of the item
revisions for which they are created.

BVR
See BOM view revision (BVR).

Change Manager
Teamcenter application used to track changes to a product throughout its life cycle.
The user proposes a change to a product and then manages the entire cycle of review,
approval, and implementation of the change. The user can articulate the work
required to implement a change, assess its impact on any managed business items,
and notify life cycle participants about proposed and authorized changes. Before and
after product configurations can also be compared.

change order
Teamcenter object that references the problem, originating change requests,
solutions, and related information. A change order contains sufficient information to
incorporate the change.

change request
Teamcenter object that requests a change, reference the problem, proposed solutions,
and related information. A change request contains sufficient information to allow a
decision to proceed further with the change.

collaboration context
Teamcenter object that holds a collection of data contained in structure and
configuration contexts. This data allows you to capture multiple different
Teamcenter structures in one container. You can open a collaboration context in
the Multi-Structure Manager application, in Manufacturing Process Planner, or in

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 Glossary

Part Planner. You can also use a collaboration context to collect data to share with
a third-party application. See also structure context.

component
Part in a product structure defined in Teamcenter. A component is the lowest level
part in the product structure: it cannot be broken down into subparts.

composition
Special kind of structure context that allows components to be added from one or
more structure contexts, each of which may contain a different product structure.
Compositions are used for design studies and manufacturing processes that contain
data from both product and plant structures.

configuration rule
Rule that configures a structure. There are two kinds of configuration rules: revision
rule and variant rule.

dataset
Teamcenter workspace object used to manage data files created by other software
applications. Each dataset can manage multiple operating system files, and each
dataset references a dataset tool object and a dataset business object.

design bill of materials

List of components and subassemblies used to define an assembly structure, and
the representation of the assembly structure. Compare with manufacturing bill
of materials.

direct model dataset

Dataset containing a JT (visualization) file.

effectivity
Identification of the valid use of an aspect of product data tracked by unit, date, or
intent. You can specify a start definition, end definition, or both for a particular
effectivity. There are three types of effectivities:
• Unit effectivity specifies the range of item units or serial numbers.

• Date effectivity specifies the range of dates. This is also known as an

incorporation point.

• Intent effectivity specifies a purpose, target, or milestone, for example,

Production, Prototype, or Carryover.

end item
Top-level node of an assembly that can represent a product or a factory structure.

end item effectivity

Date or unit number suggesting when the released configuration is used for
production of the specified end item.

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Appendix A Glossary

feature
Physical or geometric object associated with a product, component, or part.
Alternatively, a logical attribute of a product, component, or part. Examples: a weld
point, a signal, or a geometric pattern. A feature may be represented by a generic
design element (GDE) in a BOM. See also generic design element.

find number
Number that identifies individual occurrences (or groups of occurrences) within a
single-level assembly. Components are ordered by find number within an assembly.

GDE
See generic design element.

generic design element

BOM item that cannot have different revisions. See also feature.

global alternate
Alternate that is interchangeable with another part, regardless of where the part
is used in the product structure. A global alternate applies to any revision of the
part and is independent of views.

imprecise assembly
Single-level assembly that has items as the components. The revision is determined
by the revision rule settings. Compare with precise assembly.

incremental change
Engineering change that collects several individual changes to components or
attachments in a structure, allowing them to be released simultaneously. An
incremental change is released and effectivity is applied to it by attaching an
appropriate release status.

installation assembly
Node in the CAD structure to which design solutions are added and variant
conditions applied, according to the named variant expression selected on the
architecture element. An installation assembly (IA) can be associated with an
architecture element to guide the designer by limiting the named variant expressions
from which to choose when adding a design to the product. Any structures above an
installation assembly are for organizational and navigational purposes only—there
are no transforms or geometry above an IA. IAs are designed in product space, and
are therefore all positioned correctly relative to one another when viewed together.

item
Workspace object generally used to represent a product, part, or component. Items
can contain other workspace objects including other items and object folders.

item revision
Workspace object generally used to manage revisions to items.

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 Glossary

line of assembly
(Also called assembly component tree). Relation that represents one level of
an assembly breakdown and contains attributes that are only pertinent to the
corresponding level.

line of usage (LOU)

Business logic entity summarizing all configuration conditions that select a given
part for a usage address in the product. The information referenced by a line of
usage may include a part identifier for the line of usage, a partition identifier,
quantity, valid configuration and effectivity conditions, and business attributes. The
LOU describes the incorporation of a part and its CAD solution into the product
for a given configuration and effectivity.

logical identity
Combination of the usage address and position designator of an absolute occurrence.
See also position designator and usage address.

manufacturing bill of materials

Defines how the product is manufactured, rather than how it is designed. Compare
with design bill of materials.

most recently used (MRU)

Shortcut list of the objects you have accessed most recently with the particular
application.

MRU
See most recently used (MRU).

Multi-Structure Manager
Teamcenter application that enables users to view and manipulate data in a specific
context.

occurrence
Hierarchical structure relationship between the immediate parent assembly and
its child component item or item revision in a precise assembly. Sometimes called
relative occurrence.

occurrence effectivity
Method of configuring the occurrences in a structure with effectivity. See also
effectivity.

occurrence group
Collection of occurrences and absolute occurrences in the BOM. An occurrence group
typically represents an assembly.

occurrence path
Representation of the path from a top-level assembly to an occurrence of a component
or subassembly. An occurrence path is unique to the context of a specific BOM;

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Appendix A Glossary

different BOMs cannot contain the same occurrence paths. The occurrence path does
not change if the configuration of the BOM changes.

occurrence type
Object used to distinguish how items occur in a product structure. An occurrence
consists of one component in an assembly including its relative position with respect
to its parent assembly. Occurrence types are representations of the PSOccurrence
business object.

option
Attribute of an item revision with a set of allowed values (for example, engine:
1200, 1600). Options are used when specifying variant data to configure a variant
of an assembly. Option names are unique within an item revision, but not within
the database.

part
Business object type that can participate in a structure as an assembly or component,
with or without attached datasets. In Teamcenter, a business item managed in a
company’s part releasing system. Typically, the assembly or component is designed
and built by the OEM.

partition (Manufacturing Process Planner)

Subdivision of a structure. Typically used to group a subset of the structure
occurrences in a context. Partitions may be used to arrange the structure
organizationally, for example, by physical areas of the product.

piece part
Part with no structure (no associated BOM view revision).

position designator
Value that represents the position of a single part from a line of usage. For example,
if the line of usage references four wheels, there are four position designators—one
for each wheel.

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

product structure
Hierarchy of assembly parts and component parts with a geometric relationship
between them, for example, a bill of materials (BOM). Variant and revision rules
define the generic BOM. This BOM can then be loaded to display the configured
variant.

product view
Saved configuration of the assembly viewer, including the selection of objects, zoom
factor, rotation angle, and pan displacements.

properties
Keys and values that specify the configuration settings for an application in the
Teamcenter rich client.

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 Glossary

reference designator
Identifier appended to part attributes in the product structure. It allows unique
identification when the part is used several times in the same structure. Reference
designators need only be unique across a single level of the product structure.

release status
Status associated with a workspace object when it is released through a workflow
process.

revision rule
Parameter set by the user that determines which revision of an item is used to
configure product context.

snapshot
Folder that contains all the revisions of a configured product structure. A snapshot
can be used to redisplay the as-saved structure.

spatial data
Either NX true shape files or PLM visualization JT files that define the volume of
the part as a set of cubes. The cube size is set in the CAD programs defaults file. The
CAD files do not set absolute position; this is defined when the files are associated
with an appearance.

structure
Representation of multiple objects and their interdependencies. For example, a
classification structure represents classes and their inheritance dependencies, and
an assembly structure represents how components and subassemblies are associated
to 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 acquire
the form of a tree where each node can have only one parent but multiple siblings
and children.

structure context
BOM or assembly structure contained in a collaboration context. The structure
context can contain occurrence groups, items, and item revisions. See also
collaboration context.

substitute
Component that can be used interchangeably within an occurrence, typically for
manufacturing purposes. The preferred substitute is displayed in the structure.

supersedure
Manually created relation that graphically displays deleted components and the
components that replace them. A supersedure is always created in the context of
a parent assembly. Therefore, a single component can be used in more than one
supersedure if it is used in different parent assemblies. A supersedure can be created
for changes of part number or of quantity, but not for changes in a part revision.

PLM00048 J Structure Manager Guide A-7

Appendix A Glossary

usage address
Type of object that occupies an occurrence in the structure, for example, wheel.

variant condition
• Rules applicable to one component in a product structure.

• Condition set on an occurrence to specify the option values required to configure

that occurrence (for example, Load IF engine = 1200).

variant rule
Collection of option values used in determining the variant of the BOM to be
configured (for example, car type = GLS, engine = 1200, gearbox = manual).

view type
Attribute of a BOM view revision. The view type specifies the BOM view revision’s
intended use (for example, design or manufacture). The view type distinguishes one
BOM view revision from another BOM view revision of the same item revision.

workflow
Automation of the concept that all work flows through one or more business
processes to accomplish an objective. Using workflow, documents, information, and
tasks are passed between participants during the completion of a particular process.

working revision
Revision that can be changed by a user with write privileges. No record of
intermediate states of a working revision is maintained by Teamcenter.

A-8 Structure Manager Guide PLM00048 J

Index

Numerics/Symbols Add component data . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-2

Architecture element
3D models, viewing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-7 Add to design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-2
Assemblies, product views . . . . . . . . . . 7-10
A Assembly
Collapse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8
Absolute occurrence Expand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-7
Purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2 Limit expansion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8
Absolute occurrence, purpose . . . . . . . . 13-2 Purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-31
Absolute occurrences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8 Assembly level of detail preference . . . . 19-3
Apply variant condition . . . . . . . . . . 5-14 Assembly preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-3
Associate a dataset . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-14 Assembly replicas
Associate a form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-14 Synchronize . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-30
Associate a transformation . . . . . . . . 5-14 Viewing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-29
Associate an occurrence note . . . . . . . 5-14 Assign
Associate data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13 Objects to projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-1
Create . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11 Associations, fixing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-21
Disable in context edits . . . . . . . . . . 5-13 Attachment, purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-2
Edit override data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12 Attachments
Incremental change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6 Track creation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-18
Multiple contexts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-16 Track deletion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-18
Remove override data . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13 Track with incremental changes . . . 13-17
Symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10 Tracking edits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-18
Tracking changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6 Attribute search
Using . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2 Perform search . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
View attachments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-15 Attribute searches
Viewing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8 Making . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-1
Access control, view types . . . . . . . . . . 1-38 Search criteria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Access Manager Audit report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-4
Controlling revision rules . . . . . . . . 19-11
Controlling snapshots . . . . . . . . . . . 19-11
Incremental change . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-3 B
Access, revision rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-2 Baseline
Accessories (options) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-8 Create . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-5
Active unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-87, 4-89, 4-92 Dry run . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-8
Aggregate Finding folder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-8
Purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-31 Incremental change . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-6
Aggregate occurrences Carrying forward active
Convert to individual components . . . 3-14 changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-8
Create . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-13 Determining active changes . . . . 13-7
All notes property Dropping inactive changes . . . . . 13-9
Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-22 Rolling up active changes . . . . . . 13-8
Edit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-23 Structures with active changes . . 13-7
Allowed values (options) . . . . . . . . . . 15-11 Naming rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-4
Architecture breakdown Smart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-7

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Index

Baseline folder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-8 Child option constraints

Baseline, purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-5, 13-2 Delete . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-23
Baselines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-3 Edit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-23
BOM comparison Child options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-17
Logical structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4 Class
Lowest level mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3 Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-88
Revision rule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-9 Class scope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-87, 4-89
Single-level mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2 Class Search button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-85
BOM grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-70 Classic variants
BOM packing preference . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2 Creating basic data . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-5
BOM precision preference . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2 Example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-4
BOM view revisions Explanation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-4
Create . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-37 Placing variant data on structure . . . 15-8
Create automatically . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5 Purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-1
Create manually . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5 Storing variant data . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-7
Name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-6 Terminology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-2
Protecting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-37 Classification search, by workspace
Purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-31 object . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-83
Save (Save as) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-6 Clauses
Save as . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-37 Copy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-23
BOM view types Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-24
Create . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-1 Insert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-23
Managing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-1 Move . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-24
BOM views Remove . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-24
Name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-6 Replace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-23
Prerequisites for multiple . . . . . . . . . 19-3 Clone product structure . . . . . . . . . . 4-1–4-2
Rename multiple . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-3 Closure rule
Renaming default . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-2 Set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8
Use multiple . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-2 Unset . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8
Briefcase Colors, comparison results . . . . . . . . . . 10-7
Export product structure to . . . . . . . . 4-61 Column configurations, properties
Browse product structure . . . . . . . . . . . 1-42 Apply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-10
Build and edit structures . . . . . . . . . . . 1-42 Delete . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-11
Button descriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-22 Freeze . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-12
Buttons Managing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-10
Class Search . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-85 Save . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-10
Search . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-83 Update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-11
View Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-92 Common parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-8
Compare product structures . . . . . . . . . 1-42
C Compare utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-35
Comparison mode
Cache, viewer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-5 Choose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
Change Comparing structures . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-1
Find existing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-15 Lowest level mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Change control Multilevel mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Variant data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-11 Single-level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
Change object Comparison results
Find recently used . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-17 Changing colors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-7
View for structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-16 Clear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-6
Change type, creating new . . . . . . . . . . 13-3 Color coding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-5
Change, purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-2 Interpret . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-5
Child module constraints Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-6
Create . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-22 Structure trees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-15
Managing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-21 Comparison sliders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-12

Index-2 Structure Manager Guide PLM00048 J

 Index

Component Creating
Adding installation assembly . . . . . . 17-2 Transfer supersedures . . . . . . . . . . 10-25
Find by property . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-14 Custom form (associate with
Finding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-14 supersedure) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-34
Purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-32 Custom form (create) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-34
Remove substitute . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-58 Custom form (enable) . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-34
Component arrays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-49 Custom note
Components Define text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-68
Add . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-8, 4-11 View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-23
Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-52 Viewing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-23
Display substitutes . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-56
Display substitutes on separate D
line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-57
Move to another assembly . . . . . . . . . 4-53 Dashboard, compliance . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-74
Paste . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-13 Dashboard, material and substance . . . 4-74
Remove . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-53 Data Dictionary Search Dialog . . . . . . . 4-80
Replace operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-55 Database
Replacing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-53 Load variant rules from . . . . . . . . . 15-28
Compound property, adding . . . . . . . . . 6-15 Modify saved variant rules . . . . . . . 15-29
Conditions Save variant rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-28
Copy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-24 Store variant rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-27
Create . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-21 Datasets
Modifying . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-23 Associate with absolute occurrence . . 5-14
Remove . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-25 Datasets, export . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-62
Configuration items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-23 Date entry (revision rules) . . . . . . . . . 11-12
Creating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-24 Date/unit/end item, set . . . . . . . . . . . 11-18
Define effectivity mapping . . . . . . . 11-27 Datum points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-34
Configuration rule Default option values, location . . . . . . 15-10
Purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-32 Default precedence (options) . . . . . . . 15-32
Configurations, comparing . . . . . . . . . . 10-1 Default values (variants) . . . . . . . . . . 15-15
Configure dialog box . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-35 Default view type
Configure displays by effectivity . . . . . 13-15 Definition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-1
Configure variant products . . . . . . . . . 1-42 Purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-32
Configuring revision rules for Derived default values . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-27
searching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-90 Derived default, purpose . . . . . . . 15-2, 16-2
Configuring Structure Manager . . . . . . . 1-1 Derived defaults, variant rules . . . . . . . 15-6
Connection Derived option defaults . . . . . . . . . . . 15-33
Create . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-67 Derived values (variants) . . . . . . . . . . 15-15
Remove . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-67 Design
Connection point information Add architecture element . . . . . . . . . 17-2
Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-16 Publishing preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-5
Connection points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-15 Purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-32
Connections, show . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-34 Remove from product . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-6
Constants Detail part histories . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-18
Mature statuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-5 Dialog boxes
Constraint, purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-2 Create Trace Link with Subtype . . . 4-76,
Constraints dialog box . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-22 4-80
Controls tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-11 Export To Excel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-77
Conventions, MVL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-27 Search Class . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-85
Copy item . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-10 DirectModel dataset, purpose . . . . . . . . 1-32
Copy item revision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-10 DisableSaveSos preference . . . . . . . . . . 19-6
Copying objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-9 Disparate revision histories . . . . . . . . 10-18
Create Trace Link with Subtype dialog Display name
box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-76, 4-80 Create . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9

PLM00048 J Structure Manager Guide Index-3

Index

Property . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9 Generating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-9

Dry run . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-8 Export
Duplicate product structure . . . . . . . . . . 4-2 Traceability report
Excel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-77
E Export To Excel dialog box . . . . . . . . . . 4-77
Expression values, setting . . . . . . . . . 16-12
Edit in place (properties) . . . . . . . . . . . 6-14 Expressions (NX) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-48
Edit menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6 External option, purpose . . . . . . . . . . . 16-2
Edit Revision Effectivity dialog box . . . 11-22, External options, defining . . . . . . . . . . 16-9
14-5
Effectivities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-15 F
Effectivity
Controlling user privileges . . . . . . . . . 2-5 File formats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Multi-unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-6 File menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3
Nested . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-23 Find in display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-14
Revision, display data . . . . . . . . . . 11-21 Find number
Revision, edit data . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-21 Edit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-14
Effectivity (occurrence) Purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-32
Associate existing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-3 Find number assignment preference . . . . 2-5
Capture multi-unit configuration . . . . 14-7 Find numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4
Copying . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-5 Fixed defaults, variant rules . . . . . . . . 15-7
Create new effectivity group . . . . . . . 14-7 Fixed option defaults . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-32
Customizing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-10 Fly To Selected . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-7
Editing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-2 Folder, snapshot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-8
Modify . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-4 Forms
Multi-unit configuration . . . . . . . . . . 14-6 Associate with absolute occurrence . . 5-14
Mutually exclusive ranges . . . . . . . . 14-3
Remove . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-5 G
Save multi-unit configuration to effectivity
group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-7 GCS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-15–3-17
Set new effectivity group . . . . . . . . . 14-8 Generic item property . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-42
Setting date . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-6 Global alternates
Understanding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-1 Add . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-51
Validating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-3 List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-51
With variant configuration . . . . . . . . 14-6 Managing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-50
Effectivity group Remove . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-52
Create . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-7 Set preferred . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-52
Save multi-unit configuration to . . . . 14-7 Global option, purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-2
Set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-8 Global options, defining . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-8
Effectivity mapping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-27 Global options, platform designs . . . . . . 17-1
Elements, occurrences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-1 Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-70
EnableIntents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-8 Override results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-73
Enabling Structure Manager . . . . . . . . . 1-1 Run . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-71
End item revision, purpose . . . . . . . . . . 11-5 Substance compliance . . . . . . . . . . . 4-74
End item, purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-5 View results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-71
Error check, purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-2 Graphical compare tab . . . . . . . . . . . 10-13
Error checks (modular variants) . . . . . 16-19 Graphical comparison
Excel Common parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-8
Export Configure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-7
Traceability report . . . . . . . . . . . 4-77 Initiate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-8
Excel report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-17 Structures under change
Excluded reference sets preference . . . . 19-5 management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-9
Expert mode, MVL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-30 Understanding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-7
Exploded view Graphical history

Index-4 Structure Manager Guide PLM00048 J

 Index

Comparing revisions . . . . . . . . . . . 10-11 Copying or cutting lines with ICEs . . 13-6

Comparison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-13 Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-1
Comparison results . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-15 Independent contexts . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-6
Comparison sliders . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-12 Information pane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-11
Detail histories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-18 Menus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-11
Disparate revision histories . . . . . . 10-18 Preference settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-10
Example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-13 Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-9
Progression pane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-10 Release status configuration . . . . . . . 13-4
Related revision histories . . . . . . . . 10-16 Set revision rule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-5
Revision list pane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-10 Toolbar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-10
Revisions tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-10 Tracking absolute occurrences . . . . . . . 5-6
Show supersedures . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-16 Incremental change, purpose . . . . . . . . 13-2
Supersedure link . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-16 Incremental changes
Variant changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-35 Create new . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-13
Graphics menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-18 Customize buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-13
Graphics, manipulate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-9 Export using Briefcase . . . . . . . . . . 13-21
Group entries by item type (revision Export using PLM XML . . . . . . . . . 13-22
rules) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-13 Export using TC XML . . . . . . . . . . 13-21
Grouped entries (revision rules) . . . . . 11-13 Exporting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-20
Grouping entries, example (revision Find existing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-15
rules) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-13 Find recently used . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-17
Guided component search . . . . . . 3-15–3-16 Import using Briefcase . . . . . . . . . . 13-21
Remove component . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-17 Import using PLM XML . . . . . . . . . 13-22
Import using TC XML . . . . . . . . . . 13-21
H Importing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-20
Preference settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-12
Has item type entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-15 Removing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-19
Has item type rule entry . . . . . . . . . . 11-14 Show unconfigured changes . . . . . . 13-15
Hierarchy scope . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-87, 4-89 Split . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-20
Highlighting, enabling . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-22 Track attachments . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-17
Tracking retrospectively . . . . . . . . . 13-18
I Turn off tracking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-12
View for structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-16
ICS_table_pagesize preference . . . . . . . 4-93 Viewing information . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-16
IDC Incremental_Change_Management . . . . 19-8
Capturing structure lines . . . . . . . . . 12-9 Incremental_Change_ReleaseStatus . . . 19-8
Creating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-9 Incremental_Change_ReleaseStatus
Images (structure tree) . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-27 preference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-4
Imprecise assembly Information center elements, showing or
Purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-5 hiding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3
Understanding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-38 Installation assembly, adding
Imprecise assembly line color component . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-2
preference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3 Intent, purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-2
Incremental change Intermediate data capture, see IDC
Access control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-3 Item
Attachments pane . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-11 Create from template . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4
Baseline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-6 Create new . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-13
Carrying forward active Creating for variant configuration . . 15-14
changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-8 Delete single . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-69
Determining active changes . . . . 13-7 Deleting multiple . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-69
Dropping inactive changes . . . . . 13-9 Item elements
Rolling up active changes . . . . . . 13-8 Copy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-66
Structures with active changes . . 13-7 Create . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-66
Configure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-8 Paste . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-66

PLM00048 J Structure Manager Guide Index-5

Index

Remove . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-66 Export

Replace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-66 Traceability report . . . . . . . . . . . 4-77
Using . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-65 Logical BOM, comparing
View notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-67 Lowest level mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Item identifier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-35
Item master form attributes, M
displaying . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-15
Item name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-35 Make where-used searches . . . . . . . . . . 1-42
Item revision configuration . . . . . . . . . 11-1 Mandatory choices (options) . . . . . . . . . 15-8
Item revisions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-34 Marking up product structure
Copy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-10 Apply all markups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-28
Create new . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-13 Apply markup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-27
Paste . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-10 Carrying forward markups . . . . . . . . 4-29
Releasing multiple . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-23 Comment on markup . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-27
Items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-34 Concepts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-24
Copy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-10 Create markup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-26
Paste . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-10 Delete markup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-29
Working with . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-34 Display markup properties . . . . . . . . 4-26
Enabling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-25
J Review markup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-27
Sample workflows . . . . . . 4-29, 4-31–4-33
Java heap size, viewer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-6 BOMMarkup_AddStatus
JT file priorities preference . . . . . . . . . 19-4 process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-40
JT_File_Excluded_Refsets BOMMarkup_Review process . . . 4-34
preference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-5 Create BOMMarkup_SplitTargets
JT_File_OverrideChildren_Refsets process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-35
preference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-4 Validate access to apply markup . . . . 4-27
JT_File_Priority_Refsets preference . . . 19-4 Measurement unit . . . . 4-87, 4-89, 4-92–4-93
Memory allocation, viewer . . . . . . . . . . . 2-6
L Message area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-86
Microsoft Office Communicator . . . . . . 3-28
Latest entry (revision rules) . . . . . . . . 11-11 Modular variants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-1
Latest entry by creation date, example Configure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-6
(revision rules) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-11 Configuring private options . . . . . . . . 16-3
Library object Configuring public interface . . . . . . . 16-3
Find . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-81 Configuring structure . . . . . . . . . . . 16-12
Selecting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-94 Create error check . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-19
Licensing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-7 Create module constraints . . . . . . . 16-20
Lifecycle Visualization Create options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-14
Configure cache . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-5 Create options manually . . . . . . . . . 16-15
File formats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1 Creating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-3
Refresh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-6 Creating variant data . . . . . . . . . . . 16-13
Save session . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-10 Creating variant items . . . . . . . . . . . 16-6
User-defined file formats . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1 Defining external options . . . . . . . . . 16-9
Using . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-2 Defining global options . . . . . . . . . . . 16-8
Lifecycle Visualization, open structure Defining options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-8
in . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-25 Delete option or constraint . . . . . . . 16-23
Line Edit option or constraint . . . . . . . . . 16-23
Purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-32 Error checking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-11
Link Linking options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-4
Create . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-67 Managing child module
Remove . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-67 constraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-21
Links, supersedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-14 Option defaults . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-11
Live Excel Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-1

Index-6 Structure Manager Guide PLM00048 J

 Index

Present child options . . . . . . . . . . . 16-17 Editing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-68

Presenting options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-5 Packed notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-24
Private options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-15 Purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-32, 6-1
Public options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-15 Remove . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-24
Set external options . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-15 Teamcenter Integration for NX
Setting expression values . . . . . . . . 16-12 types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-23
Synchronizing with NX . . . . . . . . . . 16-47 NX
Terminology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-2 Add parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-64
Test configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-36 Synchronizing modular variants . . . 16-47
View variant data . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-12 NX, open structure in . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-24
Modular variants language (MVL) NX, opening structure in . . . . . . . . . . . 3-24
Conventions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-27
Edit expressions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-25 O
Expert mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-30
Precedence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-26 Objects
Reserved symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-29 Copying . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-9
Reserved words . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-28 Pasting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-9
Module constraints Occurrence
Create . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-20 Managing part relationships . . . . . . 11-29
Module, purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-2 Purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-33, 5-2
MoveICCreationToMenu . . . . . . . . . . . 19-9 Show superseded item revision . . . . 11-29
Multi-Site Collaboration, Update precise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-29
synchronization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-29 Occurrence effectivity
Multi-unit configuration . . . . . . . . . . . 14-6 Associate existing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-3
Capture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-7 Capture multi-unit configuration . . . . 14-7
Multiple BOM views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-2 Copying . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-5
Multiple components, packing . . . . . . . 3-11 Create new effectivity group . . . . . . . 14-7
Multiple configuration, purpose . . . . . . 16-2 Creating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-4
Multiple views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-37 Customizing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-10
Copy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-13 Editing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-2
Creating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-41 Multi-unit configuration . . . . . . . . . . 14-6
Locating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-41 Mutually exclusive ranges . . . . . . . . 14-3
Multiple views, managing . . . . . . . . . . . 3-7 Remove . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-5
Save multi-unit configuration to effectivity
N group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-7
Set new effectivity group . . . . . . . . . 14-8
Nested effectivity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-23 Setting date . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-6
Configuring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-24 Understanding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-1
Effectivity mapping . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-27 Validating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-3
Revision rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-25 With variant configuration . . . . . . . . 14-6
Nonrevision controlled structures, Occurrence note
comparing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-7 Associate with absolute occurrence . . 5-14
Note type, purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-33 Occurrence note types
Note value, changing default . . . . . . . . 6-23 Create . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-5
Notes Occurrence notes
Changing default value . . . . . . . . . . 6-23 Changing default value . . . . . . . . . . 6-23
Copy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-23–6-24 Display all notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-22
Create types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-5 Display single note type . . . . . . . . . . 6-22
Creating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-68 Displaying . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-22
Display all notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-22 Edit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-23
Display single note type . . . . . . . . . . 6-22 Edit all notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-23
Displaying . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-22 Purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Edit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-23 Teamcenter Integration for NX
Edit all notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-23 types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-23

PLM00048 J Structure Manager Guide Index-7

Index

Tracking changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-24 Override list, purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-5

Occurrence, purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-2 Owning item display preference . . . . . . . 2-4
Occurrences Owning user . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-28
Absolute . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Absolute occurrences . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Attributes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-11–4-12 P
Create imprecise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Create precise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2 Pack all structure lines . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-12
Splitting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-20 Pack structure lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-12
On-demand validation of structure Packed notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-24
edits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-21 Panes
Open product structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5 Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-85–4-86
Option default, purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-2 Search . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-82–4-83
Option defaults Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-93
Creating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-31 Part
Default precedence . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-32 Publishing preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-5
Delete . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-34 Purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-33
Modify . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-33 Part families, importing . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-29
Specify . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-32–15-33 Parts
Option defaults, defining . . . . . . . . . . 16-11 Add to NX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-64
Option Definition dialog box . . . . . . . . 16-15 Creating detail histories . . . . . . . . . 10-18
Option values Edit related substitutes . . . . . . . . . . 4-60
Selecting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-35 Isolate for viewing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-8
Option, purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-2, 16-2 Managing occurrence
Optional parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-61 relationships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-29
Options Optional . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-61
Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-8 Relate substitutes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-59
Change values . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-19 Relating substitutes . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-59
Changing allowed values . . . . . . . . 15-11 View related substitutes . . . . . . . . . . 4-61
Child module constraints . . . . . . . . 16-21 Paste item . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-10
Create . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-18, 16-14 Paste item revision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-10
Create manually . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-15 Pasting objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-9
Create new from existing . . . . . . . . 15-19 Perspectives
Delete . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-23 In general . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-30
Deleting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-20 Piece part, purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-33
Derived defaults . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-33 Platform designs
Edit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-23 Global options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-1
Examples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-15 Variability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-1
Fixed defaults . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-32 Precedence, MVL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-26
Identifying unique . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-9 Precise assemblies
Location . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-10 Configuring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-3
Mandatory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-8 Precise assembly
Remove . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-20 Purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-5
Rename . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-20 Understanding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-38
Set external . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-15 Precise assembly line color preference . . . 2-3
Options and variants . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-12 Preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-2
Options, defining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-8 Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-3
Outline image Assembly level of detail . . . . . . . . . . 19-3
Generate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-8 DisableSaveSos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-6
Preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-8 EnableIntents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-8
Override data Excluded reference sets . . . . . . . . . . 19-5
Creating for absolute occurrences . . . 5-15 ICS_table_pagesize . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-93
Propagating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-16 Incremental_Change_
Override folder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-19 Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-8

Index-8 Structure Manager Guide PLM00048 J

 Index

Incremental_Change_ Carrying forward markups . . . . . . . . 4-29

ReleaseStatus . . . . . . . . . . . 13-4, 19-8 Clone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2
JT file priorities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-4 Cloning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
JT_File_Excluded_Refsets . . . . . . . . 19-5 Close window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-8
JT_File_OverrideChildren_Refsets . . 19-4 Comment on markup . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-27
JT_File_Priority_Refsets . . . . . . . . . 19-4 Compare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-42, 10-1
Local user . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1 Concurrent changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-9
MoveICCreationToMenu . . . . . . . . . . 19-9 Configure for comparison . . . . . . . . . 10-4
PS_new_seqno_mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-5 Configure with variant rules . . . . . . 16-34
PSE_default_view_type . . . . . . . 2-1, 19-2 Configuring with variant rules . . . . 16-33
PSE_show_option_item_prefix . . . . . . . 2-4 Configuring with variants . . . . . . . . 16-12
PSEAllowLegacyVICreation . . . . . . . 19-7 Create mark up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-26
PSEAutoPackPref . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2 Delete markup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-29
PSEBypassVISearch . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-7 Display mark up properties . . . . . . . . 4-26
PSECreateVISameType . . . . . . . . . . 19-8 Duplicate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2
PSEImpreciseColorPref . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3 Edit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-42
PSEIsNewVILinkedToModule . . . . . . 19-8 Editing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
PSEPreciseColorPref . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3 Enabling markup mode . . . . . . . . . . 4-25
PSESavedConfigRelationTypes Excel report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-17
preference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-7 Export SOS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-38
PSEShowUnconfigdEffPref . . . . . 2-3, 19-9 Export to Briefcase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-61
PSEShowUnconfigdVarPref . . . . 2-3, 19-8 Exporting related parts . . . . . . . . . . 4-61
PSEVariantsMode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-6 Insert level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-16
PSM_global_option_item_ids . . . . . . . 19-7 Load saved configuration . . . . . . . . 16-37
PUBLISH_AlignableSourceTypes . . . . 2-5 Marking up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-24
PUBLISH_AlignableTargetTypes . . . . 2-5 Move node . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-17
Setting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1 Open . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5
ShowModuleIcons preference . . . . . . 19-7 Open in Lifecycle Visualization . . . . . 3-25
ShowUnconfiguredByChange Open in NX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-24
Effectivity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-8 Open in Teamcenter lifecycle
TC_BOM_Precision_Preference . . . . . . 2-2 visualization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-24
TC_config_rule_name . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1 Open in viewer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-5
Preferred substitute . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-55 Opening in NX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-24
Preferred substitute, change . . . . . . . . 4-59 Placing variant data on . . . . . . . . . . 15-8
Prerequisites for Structure Manager . . . . 1-1 Populate variants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-38
Presented option, purpose . . . . . . . . . . 16-2 Previously loaded . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-7
Print structure print table . . . . . . . . . . 3-23 Print application graphics
Printing information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-23
in Teamcenter Rapid Start . . . . . . . . 3-19 Print contents information . . . . . . . . 3-22
Printing structure information . . . . . . . 3-21 Print object properties . . . . . . . . . . . 3-21
Printing watermarks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-20 Print table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-23
Private option, purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-2 Printing application information . . . . 3-22
Private options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-15 Printing information . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-21
Privileged use commands . . . . . . . . . . . 11-6 Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4
Process and Change Selector dialog Purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-33
box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-94 Refresh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-7
Product generations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-28 Refresh window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-8
Product structure Remove level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-17
Apply all markups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-28 Replace node . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-19
Apply markup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-27 Restructuring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-14
Apply revision rule . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-18 Review markup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-29
Browse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-42, 3-1 Review markup mode . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-27
Build . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-42 Review markup, sample 1 . . . . . . . . . 4-31
Building . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1 Review markup, sample 2 . . . . . . . . . 4-31

PLM00048 J Structure Manager Guide Index-9

Index

Review markup, sample 3 . . . . . . . . . 4-32 Create rollup report template . . . . . . 6-17

Review markup, sample 4 . . . . . . . . . 4-33 Creating rollup reports . . . . . . . . . . . 6-16
BOMMarkup_AddStatus Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-40 Display names . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9
BOMMarkup_Review Edit in place . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-14
process . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-34–4-35 Export rollup report . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-19
Save changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-7 Find components by . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-14
Save configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-36 Incremental change . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-9
Sharing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-12 Modify . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-12
Split occurrence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-20 Product structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4
Synchronize to viewer . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-7 Variant Formula . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-19
Test configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-36 View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4, 6-12
Validate access to apply markup . . . . 4-27 View or edit rollup report . . . . . . . . . 6-19
Viewing structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-1 Properties pane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-85–4-86
Visualize . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-2 Property column
Product structures, save change Insert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4
records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-75 Remove . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4
Product views PS_new_seqno_mode preference . . . . . . . 2-5
Assemblies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-10 ps_rename_bvrs utility . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-2
Cancel check out of dataset . . . . . . . . 7-19 PSE_default_view_type preference . . . . . 2-1
Check in dataset . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-19 PSE_default_view_type preference . . . . 19-2
Check out dataset . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-19 PSE_show_option_item_prefix
Checking in . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-19 preference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4
Checking out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-19 PSEAllowLegacyVICreation
Configure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-12 preference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-7
Create . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-11 PSEAutoPackPref preference . . . . . . . . . 2-2
Create preview manually . . . . . . . . . 7-16 PSEBypassVISearch preference . . . . . . 19-7
Delete . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-20 PSECreateVISameType preference . . . . 19-8
Identify structure configuration . . . . . 7-17 PSEImpreciseColorPref preference . . . . . 2-3
Manage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-12 PSEIsNewVILinkedToModule
Manage unconfigured data . . . . . . . . 7-17 preference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-8
Open . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-18 PSEPreciseColorPref preference . . . . . . . 2-3
Previewing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-15 PSESavedConfigRelationTypes . . . . . . 19-7
Refresh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-19 PSEShowUnconfigdEffPref . . . . . . . . . 19-9
Retrieve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-18 PSEShowUnconfigdEffPref preference . . 2-3
Save . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-11 PSEShowUnconfigdVarPref
Send to external viewer . . . . . . . . . . 7-20 preference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3, 19-8
Product, remove from design . . . . . . . . 17-6 PSEVariantsMode preference . . . . . . . . 19-6
Progression pane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-10 PSM_global_option_item_ids
Projects preference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-7
Assign objects to . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-1 Public option, purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-2
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-1 Public options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-15
Remove objects from . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-3 Publish part CAD link . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-5
Properties
Adding (incremental change) . . . . . . 13-10 Q
Column configurations . . . . . . . . . . . 6-10
Apply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-10 Quantity property, edit . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-15
Delete . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-11 Quantity, define . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-13
Freeze . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-12 Quick add . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-11
Save . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-10 Quick search . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-85
Update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-11
Compound property, adding . . . . . . . 6-15 R
Create display name . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9
Create rollup report . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-18 Recursive deletion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-69

Index-10 Structure Manager Guide PLM00048 J

 Index

Related parts, exporting structure . . . . 4-61 Edit rule entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-7

Related revision histories . . . . . . . . . . 10-16 General rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-9
Relational operators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-91 Graphical comparison . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-9
Relationships, substitute parts . . . . . . . 4-59 Group entries by equal precedence . . 11-15
Release status Group entries by item type . . . . . . . 11-13
Incremental change . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-4 Grouped entries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-13
Purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-5 Grouping entries, example . . . . . . . 11-13
Release structures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-94 Incremental change . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-5
Remote components Latest by creation date entry,
Import . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-29 example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-11
Importing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-12 Latest entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-11
Viewing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-29 Latest revisions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-10
Remove Modify . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-7
Objects from projects . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-3 Modify current rule . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-7
Replace operation, convert from add and Modify rule entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-7
delete . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-55 Nested effectivity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-25
Replacing component . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-53 Order of precedence . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-2
Repositioning Precise revisions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-10
Parts and assemblies . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-9 Purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-5
Requirement Read access . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-2
Trace links Released revisions rules . . . . . . . . . 19-10
Delete . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-78 Set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-18
Requirements Set date/unit/end item . . . . . . . . . . 11-18
Link . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-75 Status entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-9
Trace links, create . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-76 Status entry with effective date,
Traceability report, generate . . . . . . . 4-76 example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-10
Reserved symbols, MVL . . . . . . . . . . . 16-29 Status hierarchy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-10
Reserved words, MVL . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-28 Understanding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-1
Restructure product structure . . . . . . . 4-14 Unit number entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-12
Highlighting edits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-22 Using from My Teamcenter . . . . . . . 11-29
Insert level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-16 Viewing information . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-20
Move node . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-17 Working entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-8
On-demand validation . . . . . . . . . . . 4-21 Working entry with current user/group,
Remove level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-17 example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-9
Replace node . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-19 Working entry, example . . . . . . . . . . 11-8
Split occurrence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-20 Revision Rules
Revision configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-42 Apply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-90
Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-5 Revisions
Revision effectivity Compare histories graphically . . . . . 10-16
Display data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-21 Comparing histories graphically . . . 10-18
Edit data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-21 Revisions tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-10
Revision list pane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-10 Rich client perspectives and views . . . . 1-30
Revision rules Rule entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-5
Apply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-18 Create . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-6
Applying for variant item search . . . 16-40 Delete . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-7
Configure for searching . . . . . . . . . . 4-90 Edit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-7
Controlling access . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-11 Modify . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-7
Create rule entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-6 Rules
Creating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-6 Date entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-12
Date entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-12 Group entries by equal precedence . . 11-15
Default . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-9 Group entries by item type . . . . . . . 11-13
Default preference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1 Grouped entries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-13
Defining entries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-8 Grouping entries, example . . . . . . . 11-13
Delete rule entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-7 Has item type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-15

PLM00048 J Structure Manager Guide Index-11

Index

Has item type, defining entry . . . . . 11-14 Smart baseline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-7

Latest entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-11 Snapshots
Latest entry by creation date, Controlling access . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-11
example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-11 Create . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-2
Status entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-9 Open . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-2
Status entry with effective date, Purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-6
example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-10 View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-3
Status hierarchy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-10 Sorting data in the Table pane . . . . . . . 4-93
Unit number entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-12 Spatial search
Working entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-8 Configuring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Working entry with current user/group, Defining granularity . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-11
example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-9 Filter by form attribute . . . . . . 9-11–9-12
Working entry, example . . . . . . . . . . 11-8 Limit results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-15
Making . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-1
S Manage search results . . . . . . . . . . . 9-13
Managing search results . . . . . . . . . . 9-13
Saving changes, multiple windows . . . . . 4-7 Managing search results
Saving current session . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-10 (examples) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-13
Scope Managing search results panes . . . . . 9-14
Class . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-87, 4-89 Perform search . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Hierarchy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-87, 4-89 Proximity filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-8
Search Search criteria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5, 9-7
By attribute value . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-88 Spatial filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-8
By object ID . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-82 Spatial searches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-17
Class hierarchy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-82 Standard note
Quick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-85 View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-23
Search all objects in selected class . . . . 4-86 Viewing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-23
Search button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-83 Starting Structure Manager . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
Search Class dialog box . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-85 Status entry (revision rules) . . . . . . . . . 11-9
Search methods, workspace objects . . . . 4-83 Status entry with effective date (revision
Search pane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-82–4-83 rules) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-10
Searches Status hierarchy (revision rules) . . . . . 11-10
Attribute search . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4 Storage class . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-88
Enter criteria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5, 9-7 Storing variant data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-7
Form attribute filter . . . . . . . . . 9-11–9-12 Structure change records, save . . . . . . . 4-75
Limiting results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-15 Structure comparison
Manage results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-13 Choose mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
Managing results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-13 Clear results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-6
Managing results (examples) . . . . . . 9-13 Configure structures . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Managing results panes . . . . . . . . . . 9-14 Example results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-6
Nonspatial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-17 Initiate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-5
Occurrence note search . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-7 Interpret results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-5
Proximity filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-8 Multilevel mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Spatial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-17 Perform . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Spatial filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-8 Understanding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-1
Spatial search . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4 Structure Edit
Spatial search granularity . . . . . . . . 9-11 Creating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-9
Searching Classification, workspace object Structure line context menu . . . . . . . . . 1-19
search . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-83 Structure lines
Searching using relational operators . . . 4-91 Pack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-12
Session recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-97 Pack all . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-12
Shared structure (variants) . . . . . . . . 15-12 Packing restrictions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-11
ShowModuleIcons preference . . . . . . . . 19-7 Packing with references . . . . . . . . . . 3-12
ShowUnconfiguredByChangeEffectivity . . 19-8 Select . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10

Index-12 Structure Manager Guide PLM00048 J

 Index

Shortcut menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-10 Supersedure

Unload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8 Change parent assembly . . . . . . . . . 10-24
Unpack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-12 Creating new (different product) . . . 10-24
Unpack all . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-12 Supersedure pane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-14
Unpacking with references . . . . . . . . 3-12 Supersedure tree
Structure lines, capturing in IDC . . . . . 12-9 Browse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-23
Structure Manager Using . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-23
Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2 Supersedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-7
Structure properties rollup report . . . . . 6-16 Adds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-12
Structure properties rollup reports Associate custom form . . . . . . . . . . 10-34
Create report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-18 Browse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-23
Create template . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-17 Cancels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-12
Export report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-19 Create custom form . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-34
View or edit report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-19 Enable custom form . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-34
Structure tree Links . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-14, 10-16
Sorting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10 Moves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-12
Structure tree (Viewer) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-6 Reshapes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-13
Structures Show graphically . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-16
Fixing associations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-21 Supersedure pane . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-14
Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-70 Supersedure tree . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-23
Release . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-94 View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-19
Structures tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-11 Viewing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
Subcomponents
Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-21 T
Manipulate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-20
Merge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-21 Tab descriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-26
View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-21 Table pane
Substance compliance Sorting data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-93
Apply exemption . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-74 Viewing search results . . . . . . . . . . . 4-93
Grading BOM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-74 TC_BOM_Precision_Preference
Initiate check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-74 preference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
Request declaration . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-75 TC_config_rule_name preference . . . . . . 2-1
View dashboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-74 Teamcenter lifecycle visualization
Substance declaration . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-75 Functionality levels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Substitute Teamcenter lifecycle visualization, open
Change preferred . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-59 structure in . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-24
Create . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-57 Teamcenter Rapid Start
Defining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-55 Printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-19
Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-56 Templates, create item from . . . . . . . . . . 4-4
Display on separate line . . . . . . . . . . 4-57 Tools menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-10
Edit part relationships . . . . . . . . . . . 4-60 Trace links
Edit properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-57 Create . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-76
Existing substitutes . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-60 Delete . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-78
Exporting data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-61 Traceability report
Managing relationships . . . . . . . . . . 4-59 Export to Excel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-77
Preferred . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-55 Traceability report, generate . . . . . . . . 4-76
Purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-33 Transfer supersedures, creating . . . . . 10-25
Relate parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-59 Transformation
Relating parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-59 Permanent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-9
Remove . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-58 Transformation, associate with absolute
View part relationships . . . . . . . . . . 4-61 occurrence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-14
Substitutes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-15 Transforms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-26
Compare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-57 Types

PLM00048 J Structure Manager Guide Index-13

Index

Occurrence notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-5 Change control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-11

Configure to load . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-3
U Copying . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-34
Creating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-13
Unconfigured changes . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-15 Edit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-2
Unconfigured components Filtering unconfigured lines . . . . . . . 15-3
Hiding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-26 Find . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-17
Showing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-26 Placing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-10
Unconfigured occurrences visibility Populating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-15
preference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3 refreshing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-34
Unconfigured variants visibility Save . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-34
preference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3 Save as . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-34
Unit number entry (revision rules) . . . 11-12 View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-2, 16-12
Unit of measure . . . . . 4-87, 4-89, 4-92–4-93 Variant Formula property . . . . . . . . . . 6-19
Units of measure Variant items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-6
Define . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-49 Classic variants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-34
Defining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-49 Configure for classic variants . . . . . 15-37
Units of Measure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-12 Create automatically . . . . . . . . . . . 16-42
Unpacking all structure lines . . . . . . . . 3-12 Creating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-39
Unpacking structure lines . . . . . . . . . . 3-12 Creating automatically
Unprivileged user commands . . . . . . . . 11-6 (preferences) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-44
UOM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-12 Creating new . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-41
User-defined file formats . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1 Revising . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-45
Users, configuring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-6 Searching for . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-39–16-40
Unlink . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-46
V Updating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-45
Variant items, purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-2
Variability, platform designs . . . . . . . . . 17-1 Variant rule
Variant (structure), purpose . . . . . 15-2, 16-2 Copy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-30
Variant condition, apply to absolute Derived default values . . . . . . . . . . 15-27
occurrence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-14 Load from database . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-28
Variant condition, definition . . . . . . . . . 16-2 Modify saved . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-29
Variant condition, purpose . . . . . . . . . . 15-2 Rule checks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-27
Variant conditions Save in database . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-28
Copy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-24 Set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-26
Create . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-21 Set required rule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-26
Edit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-23 Setting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-25
Edit in MVL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-25 Store in database . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-27
Modifying . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-23 Unset option value . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-26
Remove . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-25 Unset required rule . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-26
Variant configuration . . . . . . . . . 15-1, 16-1 View in My Teamcenter . . . . . . . . . 15-30
Complex conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-13 Variant rule checks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-27
Creating separate item . . . . . . . . . . 15-14 Delete . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-31
Manage options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-18 Location . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-10
Manage variant rules . . . . . . . . . . . 15-25 Modify . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-31
Managing conditions . . . . . . . . . . . 15-20 purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-2
Save and copy variant data . . . . . . . 15-34 Purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-2
Sharing structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-12 Set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-30
Substitutes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-15 Variant rule, purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-2
Variant rule checks . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-30 Variant rules
Variant rules in the database . . . . . 15-27 Checks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-6
Variant configuration, purpose . . . . . . . 16-2 classic variants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-4
Variant data Configuring structure with . . . . . . . 16-33
Avoiding inconsistencies . . . . . . . . . . 15-9 Derived defaults . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-6

Index-14 Structure Manager Guide PLM00048 J

 Index

Fixed defaults . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-7 Definition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-1

Saved . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-15 Purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-33
Setting (classic variants) . . . . . . . . . . 15-5 Setting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5
Variant structure Setting default . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-38
Configure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-34 Specifying . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-37
Importing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-38 Understanding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-37
Load saved configuration . . . . . . . . 16-37 Viewer
Populate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-38 Generate outline image . . . . . . . . . . . 7-8
Pull from NX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-25 Isolate parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-8
Push to NX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-24 Open structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-5
Save configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-36 Outline image preferences . . . . . . . . . 7-8
Test configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-36 Save session . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-10
Updating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-38 Structure tree . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-6
Variants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-42 Synchronize to structure . . . . . . . . . . . 7-7
Configuring private options (modular Using . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-2
variants) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-3 Viewer pane
Configuring public interface (modular Viewing results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-93
variants) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-3 Viewing
Configuring structure (modular Supersedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
variants) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-12 Viewing search results
Creating data (classic variants) . . . . . 15-5 Properties pane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-92
Creating variant items (modular Table pane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-93
variants) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-6 Visualization, Java heap size . . . . . . . . . 2-6
Defining external options (modular Visualization, memory allocation . . . . . . 2-6
variants) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-9 Visualize product structure . . . . . . . . . 1-42
Defining global options (modular Visualize structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-2
variants) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-8
Defining options (modular W
variants) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-8
Error checking (modular variants) . . 16-11 Watermarks
Example of classic variants . . . . . . . . 15-4 Printing in Teamcenter Rapid Start . . 3-20
Linking options (modular variants) . . 16-4 Welds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-34
Modular variants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-3 Where used utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-35
Option defaults (modular Where-used searches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-42
variants) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-11 Configuring for . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
Placing variant data on structure (classic Make . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
variants) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-8 Perform graphical search . . . . . . . . . . 8-4
Presenting options (modular Perform search . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-5
variants) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-5 Print text or HTML results . . . . . . . . . 8-6
Setting expression values (modular Save results to HTML or text file . . . . . 8-7
variants) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-12 View HTML results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-6
Storing variant data (classic Wildcard characters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-92
variants) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-7 Working entry (revision rules) . . . . . . . 11-8
Track changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-35 Working entry (revision rules),
Using classic variants . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-4 example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-8
Vendor parts Working entry with current user group,
Apply selection rule . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-12 example (revision rules) . . . . . . . . . . . 11-9
View menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-8 Working revision, definition . . . . . . . . . 11-6
View Mode button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-92 WSOM_only_edit_effectivity_in_ecm
View types preference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-2
Controlling access . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-38

PLM00048 J Structure Manager Guide Index-15