Unwanted file locking in multiple user environment

I have two people working on a project: a detailer and a designer. The designer has finished designing one of the sub-assys and has moved onto the next higher assembly that the sub-assy is a part of. The detailer would like to start detailing the parts in that sub-assy, but because my designer has it open in his next higher assembly the parts are locked and he (the detailer) can only work in read only.

I can set the "open referenced documents as read-only", but this seems to create the reverse problem: now my detailer can open the parts and work, but my designer cannot do any work on the assembly because all of the parts are read-only. Even if he right clicks on a part and says "open xxxx.sldprt" it still opens as read-only.

Where is the happy medium? How do others handle this? Would working the assembly in lightweight work because the parts are not being resolved? What does the "Allow multiple contexts for parts when editing in an assembly" check box do in the external references system options screen do?

PS - I'm using SWX 2003 sp4, but I can switch to 2004 immediately if that will solve my problems.

Reply to
Mickey Reilley
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the designer can "reload" the document for write access as he need them. then after he is finished he can relinquish control (after saving of course) by reloading again but changing it back to read only.

Todd

Reply to
Todd

I called my VAR (Hawk Ridge Systems here in CA) who I am and have been very happy with. Their tech guy suggested working exclusively in lightweight mode. I tried this and it works well as only an image of each part is loaded into the assembly that my designer is working on. This way, my detailer can open the parts and work on them. My designer can also open parts and work on them. So long as they don't both need to work on the same part simultaneously everything works well. If my detailer runs into a locked file, it is most likely because my designer clicked on a part in the assembly, thus resolving it. The designer simple right clicks the top level assembly and sets all resolved to lightweight, immediately relinquishing control. Clicking this button will not set lightweight parts that the designer has open separately.

The only shortcoming of all of this is in 2003 you are not able to set assemblies as lightweight. Thus, all of the sub-assys might contain lightweight parts, but my detailer is still unable to access the assembly itself because that assembly is a sub-assy in the top level assembly. According to my VAR SWX 2004 allows assemblies to be loaded lightweight, which would completely solve all of my problems.

Reply to
Mickey Reilley

Mickey,

I may be mistaken, but I dont think that loading lightweight is the answer. I thought loading lightweight still gave you "possession" of the part or assy. Have you tried it? Did it work? Curious to know...

Todd

xxxx.sldprt"

Reply to
Todd

Lightweight worked like a charm on parts, not taking possession of the files. I've got to upgrade the department to 2004 to be able to load assemblies lightweight.

Reply to
Mickey Reilley

OK, thanks...thats good information to know!

--Todd

relinquishing

lightweight,

Reply to
Todd

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