ATR CustomTools Task Add-In for SOLIDWORKS PDM

With the ATR CustomTools Task Add-In, you can execute ATR CustomTools Tasks like the Batch Operations and structure Export, from your SOLIDWORKS PDM Vault. ATR CustomTools Tasks are set up in the SOLIDWORKS PDM Administration instead of the ATR CustomTools Options.

The ATR CustomTools feature profiles associated to the ATR CustomTools Tasks are defined normally in the ATR CustomTools Options.

NOTE: Even though the ATR CustomTools Task Add-In for SOLIDWORKS PDM is included in all license levels of ATR CustomTools, the license level limitations specific to the ATR CustomTools features attached to the Tasks, still apply.
NOTE: If any errors occur on the ATR CustomTools batch operations associated to the Task Add-In, the whole Task fails. This notice should be taken in consideration especially if the success state is being used for controlling the documents' state transitions. It is also considered as an error, if the Task is being started from the Windows Explorer against a drawing which does not have a model referece.

The ATR CustomTools Task related options are located in the SOLIDWORKS PDM Administration. While you are logged in to your SOLIDWORKS PDM Vault, right-click the Tasks node in the vault contents tree view and select New Task. The New Task - Properties dialog box appears.

TIP: To edit a Task, follow the instructions above, but right-click the specific Task you want to edit and then select Open.
Task type Determines the type of ATR CustomTools task associated with the selected Task. Please find the available add-in types from the following Available Add-In Types section.
Add this task to context menu Determines whether the selected task is available in the document specific context menu in the SOLIDWORKS PDM Vault. With this option selected, the selected Task appears to the ATR CustomTools submenu in the selected files' context menu by the Task's name, therefore you may execute the desired ATR CustomTools Task directly from the PDM vault against the files selected.

Following are all the currently supported ATR CustomTools Task Add-In operation types that you can use in the SOLIDWORKS PDM environment.

TIP: Task settings available for all Tasks regardless of their Task type, are described in the General Settings section.

Export your model structure into another information system. Use the Export option as the Task type to make the selected Task to run ATR CustomTools Export feature using the Export Profile selected in the Export profile box.

If the export type of task associated to the Task Add-In, is being executed through the Windows Explorer against a drawing which refers to just one model, the only referenced model is used as the root document of the export process. In case the selected drawing has several model references however, you get prompted to select the desired root documents.

The following options are available for Export Task type:

Export profile Select the ATR CustomTools Export Profile which you want to use in association to the selected task add-in.
Query Click the Query button to find suitable Export Profiles from your ATR CustomTools Profile. CUSTOTOOLS Export Profiles that have the Allow using in SOLIDWORKS PDM option selected, and Script extensions supporting Silent Execution are considered as suitable to be associated with the Task Add-In.
Selected profile handler Displays the data handler type of the ATR CustomTools Export Profile selected in the Export profile box.
Execute on client

Select the Execute on client option to run the Export Task using the local client workstation on which, the selected Export Task is being requested. This option is available in case the Export Profile Handler attached to the selected Export Profile supports SOLIDWORKS PDM context.

Client executed Export Tasks might also support 2-Phased Export, where there will be a second execution phase at arbitrarily chosen task host machine. This can be used for Export Tasks that require File Conversion support, or document modification support using defined PDM credentials of the Task.

Client requirements Host requirements
SOLIDWORKS No Yes for 2-Phased Export
ATR CustomTools Client Components for CT Task Add-In with ATR CustomTools Professional license CUSTOMTOOL for SOLIDWORKS with at least ATR CustomTools Standard license
SOLIDWORKS PDM At least SOLIDWORKS PDM Viewer At least SOLIDWORKS PDM Contributor
Execute on host

Select the Execute on host option to run the Task silently using arbitrary host workstation of the SOLIDWORKS PDM environment. This option is available in case the Export Profile Handler attached to the selected Export Profile supports silent execution.

Client requirements Host requirements
SOLIDWORKS No Yes
ATR CustomTools Client Components for CT Task Add-In CUSTOMTOOL for SOLIDWORKS with ATR CustomTools Professional license
SOLIDWORKS PDM At least SOLIDWORKS PDM Viewer At least SOLIDWORKS PDM Contributor
Open model for Export When Open model for Export option is selected, the model is opened fully resolved and rebuilt on host machine before executing Export for it. If the Export Profile is handling calculated values like the mass, or e.g. does dynamic changes to the model, up-to-date information can exported using this option.
NOTE: ATR CustomTools Export Profiles are not being cached. Only the Export Profile associated to the selected Task is shown in the Export profile box on the next time you open the task's Properties dialog box. To find the other ATR CustomTools Export Profiles suitable for the Task, click the Query button.

Batch process the selected documents using a batch operation template. Use the Batch Operation Template option as the Task type to make the selected Task to run ATR CustomTools Print/Convert feature using the Batch Operation Template selected in the Execute template box.

Batch Operation Task brings the ATR CustomTools Print & Convert for all SOLIDWORKS PDM users. The conversion work can be defined to be handled by any arbirary PDM client, thus not necessarily requiring local SOLIDWORKS installation nor using local machine time and resources for the lenghty conversion processes.

In the PDM environment the local file versions play important role and so Batch Conversion Task always works on version trees of the SOLIDWORKS Models. If the Batch Operation Task is being executed against a SOLIDWORKS Drawing, it'll instead be executed for all direct SOLIDWORKS Model references of that drawing; which will include the selected drawing(s) for the process while also taking care of the reference file version dependencies.

The Batch Operation type of task does not have any type specific settings.

Client requirements Host requirements
SOLIDWORKS No Yes
ATR CustomTools Client Components for CT Task Add-In, restricted operation availability based on obtained ATR CustomTools License type. ATR CustomTools for SOLIDWORKS
SOLIDWORKS PDM At least SOLIDWORKS PDM Viewer At least SOLIDWORKS PDM Contributor

Batch process the selected documents. Use the Batch Operation option as the Task type to make the selected Task to execute a ATR CustomTools Batch Operation. The Batch Operation type of Task could be any of the batch job types supported by the ATR CustomTools Print/Convert feature.

Batch Operation Template Task allows extremely advanced and automated manufacturing document generation as a complete background operation by any user of the SOLIDWORKS PDM environment. A common use case would be creating complete manufacturing documentation of the whole product in response to its Approval PDM Workflow State Transition.

In the PDM environment the local file versions play important role and so Batch Operation Template Task always works on version trees of the SOLIDWORKS Models. If the Batch Operation Template Task is being executed against a SOLIDWORKS Drawing, it'll instead be executed for all direct SOLIDWORKS Model references of that drawing, consequently one after another; which will include the selected drawing(s) for the processes while also taking care of the reference file version dependencies.

Execute template Select the Batch Operation Template that you want to use in association to the selected task add-in.
Query Click the Query button to find suitable Batch Operation Templates from the ATR CustomTools Profile associated to the Task Add-In. Once the query finishes, the suitable Batch Operation Templates appears in the Execute template box. You may then select the desired Batch Operation Template to associate with the selected Task, from the Execute template box.
Client requirements Host requirements
SOLIDWORKS No Yes
ATR CustomTools Client Components for CT Task Add-In ATR CustomTools for SOLIDWORKS
SOLIDWORKS PDM At least SOLIDWORKS PDM Viewer At least SOLIDWORKS PDM Contributor
TIP: The ATR CustomTools Database and Profile were defined for the ATR CustomTools Task Add-In while you added it into your Vault. Please refer to the ATR CustomTools Task Add-In's Setup Guide to review where and how they were set.

The following settings are available in the task Properties dialog box regardless of the selected Task type.

File structure version handling Determines the state of the SOLIDWORKS document structure to consider while the Task is being executed.
  • Latest. Select this option to use the latest versions of the structure components available in the SOLIDWORKS PDM.
  • As Built. Select this option to use the component versions as they were referenced on the most recent Check-In of their parent document. Please notice that the local version of the root component is being used.
SW Version on host Determines the SOLIDWORKS major version to be used when the Task is being executed. The SOLIDWORKS versions available in the SW Version on host box, are the versions supported by your current ATR CustomTools version.
If SUCCEEDS, set variable A Variable in your SOLIDWORKS PDM to write value on the Success of the Task operation.
Value Determines the value to be written into SOLIDWORKS PDM Variable selected in the If SUCCEEDS, set variable box.
If FAILS, set variable A Variable in your SOLIDWORKS PDM to write value on the Failure of the Task operation. Please notice, if the user Cancel the Task operation, it is being considered as a Failure.
Value Determines the value to be written into SOLIDWORKS PDM Variable selected in the If FAILS, set variable box.
NOTE: The Variables available in the If SUCCEEDS, set variable and If FAILS, set variable boxes are the SOLIDWORKS PDM Variables. ATR CustomTools Properties or Attributes does not appear in those boxes at all.