PDXpert 12.0 release notes (change history)

Published updates in the PDXpert 12.0 series software (all dates are UTC).

◄ PDXpert PLM 11.2  •  PDXpert PLM 12.1 ►

Before upgrading: Read all release notes published from your current release to this new release.

After upgrading: For correct operation, review all After upgrading instructions shown in these release notes.

Microsoft considers .NET Framework 4.5.2, 4.6, and 4.6.1 not secure. You should immediately update Windows server and client machines to a more recent .NET version to receive updates and technical support. .NET Framework 4.6.2 and 4.8 are highly compatible in-place updates (replacements) for .NET 4.5.2, 4.6, and 4.6.1. Microsoft continues to issue security updates for .NET Framework 4.6.2 and later versions.

12.0.31368.4 (573): 2017-04-26

New features and functions

• Data Transformations collection member's <context location="name" ... /> can assign custom exports and reports to document, part and change context menus. The Tools menu includes separate sections for users' and administrators' transforms. More information. [b667, b763, b13251]

  After upgrading Test each active Data Transformations collection member to ensure it works as expected. You can add the new <context /> capabilities to your existing Data Transformations collection members.

• Data Transformations collection member's <setting fileSaveAs="preferred file name" /> defines proposed file names for exports and reports. Transform name, item details, formatted date/time and user name can be merged into the file name. More information. [b1035]

• Data Transformations collection Report2 format allows fully-custom SQL Server Reporting (RDLC) definition, including custom header and footer. More information. Application note. [b14380, b14378, b13295]

• Data Transformations collection member Report All Logged-In Users appears on administrator's Tools menu. Description: Lists all users whose log-out time is empty (active user or interrupted session). The prefix '>>' indicates which person ran the report. The transform demonstrates new Release 12.0 features such as Report2 format, <setting fileSaveAs= /> and <context />. [c31324c]

  Effect on your system: New transforms are not automatically added during upgrade. If you wish, download the new Report All Logged-In Users.

• Data Transformations collection SQL parameter @P0_CurrentUser allows a bulk or parameterized query to be personalized for the person using the transform. More information. [c31322]

  After upgrading Ensure that no existing member of the Data Transformations collection declares a SQL parameter @P0_CurrentUser. (Example transforms that were originally provided with your system have already been verified.)

• Data Transformations collection member Export User In-Process Items appears on user's Tools menu. Description: Export a list of all pending documents and parts, and all change forms that have not be Released, Completed, Canceled, or Rejected. The list contains only the items where the current user is the item trustee. It demonstrates how to apply the new Release 12.0 @P0_CurrentUser feature. [c31324d]

  Effect on your system: New transforms are not automatically added during upgrade. If you wish, download the new Export User In-Process Items.

• Data Transformations collection member Export BOM with Sources appears on the BOM list's context menu. Description: Exports a multi-level bill of materials. Includes up to three manufacturer sources in component row. It demonstrates a multi-level bill of materials, with up to three manufacturer sources in component row. [c31366a]

  Effect on your system: New transforms are not automatically added during upgrade. If you wish, download the new data transformation XML (updated 2019-12-28): Export BOM with Sources (Markup) and Export BOM with Sources (Current).

• Data Transformations collection member Export Pending BOM Compare appears on the BOM list's context menu. Description: Compares the current item's Pending multi-level BOM to its preceding Released (or Canceled) iteration. This requires both a Pending and previous iteration. It demonstrates how to compare the current item's Pending multi-level BOM to its preceding Released (or Canceled) iteration. [c31366b]

  Effect on your system: New transforms are not automatically added during upgrade. If you wish, download the new data transformation XML (updated 2019-12-28): Export Pending BOM Compare

• BOM, References and Sources lists check each row's Iteration while editing a Markup list. When the item lifecycle on the Markup row isn't compatible with the parent item, the Iteration text is highlighted and displays an error tooltip. For example, the BOM row's Iteration is highlighted when a parent assembly is at a production lifecycle and the BOM list component is at a preproduction lifecycle. [c31305]

• BOM RefDes list checks each part row while editing a Markup list. When the same reference designator value is used in several Find rows, the RefDes text is highlighted and displays an error tooltip. [b15430]

Improvements to existing capabilities

• External Data Importer has been updated with over 100 new status and diagnostic messages. The Item Type list includes a summary of the currently-selected importer format. Import status includes job summary, table headers with extraneous character warning, and final status when canceled. Tests selected External Data Importer Import Type for unexpected import file columns, and allow cancellation if source data format doesn't match target import type. Text area uses monospace (Consolas) font and horizontal scroll bar instead of proportional font with line wrapping. Status message lines have been optimized for sorting. Import file headers are compared against expected import values; the user is warned when (for example) a List: Sources is being imported but the import file contains ListBOM.csv columns. Suppress informational messages when assigning default collection member values. [c31242, c31248, c31249]

• External Data Importer imports each CollectionGroups.csv file row independently, rather than rejecting all group rows if any row has an error. Replace exception message for Group/Person duplicate pairs. [c31252]

• External Data Importer creates a new item with its type-assigned default Lifecycle, Default UOM and Make/Buy values rather than using each collection's default member. [b3081]

• External Data Importer checks license limits to avoid creating invalid user accounts during CollectionPersons.csv import. Uses separate messages to distinguish person record and user account creation. [c31247]

• External Data Importer rejects grouped rows in ListSources.csv that assign parts to a parent that has the Sources list hidden; and in ListBOM.csv that assign parts to a parent that has the BOM list hidden. External Data Importer rejects a row in ListMaterial.csv that assigns a material to a parent that has the Materials list hidden. [c31260]

• External Data Importer now imports item files/links (ListItemFileLink.csv) and revision files (ListRevisionFiles.csv) using separate import files and rules. New DELETE-ITEMFILE-LIST and DELETE-ITEMLINK-LIST commands clear the related attachment list, then replacement rows are assigned as a new attachment list. (Previous file import templates are no longer supported.) [c31293]

• External Data Importer can import item file notes. [c31300]

• External Data Importer warns when importing a Windows link (.lnk) file. [c31307a]

• External Data Importer tests that external item links are well-formed, and posts import warning (but does not fail) when an invalid URI is detected. [c31307b]

• External Data Importer now allows one import file to contain both the DELETE-MATERIAL-LIST command and all replacement rows assigned as a new list. Previously, replacing a Materials list required two ListMaterials.csv import files to replace a list: first import the DELETE-MATERIAL-LIST command, then import the new materials. [b14320]

• In the Item Explorer's Previous and Search result lists, rename column from Rev to Release. Add the released iteration's lifecycle abbreviation to the revision, and show Yes for a Released or Completed change. [b3076]

• Data Transformations collection <Provider> value allows plain text name – like Table or XML – as an alternative to GUID identifier (which is retained for backwards compatibility). More information [c31303]

• The Report All Changes in Process collection member replaces an older version using new Data transformations features. [c31324a]

  Effect on your system: Older transforms are not automatically replaced during upgrade. If you wish, download the updated Report All Changes in Process to replace your system's previous version.

• The Report Item Incomplete Tasks collection member replaces an older version using new Data transformations features. It includes incomplete tasks on all pending child items in the product structure, rather than just the BOM children. [c31324b]

  Effect on your system: Older transforms are not automatically replaced during upgrade. If you wish, download the updated Report Item Incomplete Tasks to replace your system's previous version.

• The Export All Documents collection member replaces an older version. [c31332a]

  Effect on your system: Older transforms are not automatically replaced during upgrade. If you wish, download the updated Export All Documents to replace your system's previous version.

• The Export All Organizations collection member replaces an older version. [c31332b]

  Effect on your system: Older transforms are not automatically replaced during upgrade. If you wish, download the Export All Organizations to replace your system's previous version.

• The Export All Parts collection member replaces an older version. [c31332c]

  Effect on your system: Older transforms are not automatically replaced during upgrade. If you wish, download the updated Export All Parts to replace your system's previous version.

• A Data transformations collection member displays an error message if its XML is invalid and cannot be parsed. [c31303]

• Extend Data Transformations maximum query execution time from 15 minutes to 30 minutes. [c31117]

• Increase Data Transformations window width and suppress text line wrapping. [c31349]

• Report window size increased to show standard report page width without horizontal scrolling. [c31302]

• If user attempts to attach a Windows shortcut (.lnk) file, confirm that the user prefers the shortcut file instead of the actual file. [c31307b]

• Include the Materials collection members' CAS identifier in parts' indexed properties by promoting to the collection member Abbreviation database column. To use this feature, re-index your data. [b15382,R573]

• When exporting a PDX package, inform user (and record in server log) when a library file is not available for export (e.g., on a test server using just a database). [b3083, b14372]

• When exporting a PDX package, inform user when there's not enough disk space to create package on server, or to save on client. [b15391]

• Simplify client launcher log file trace on user account credential error [E0086] and add launcher connection environment [domain:machine:profile]. [b15405]

• PDXpert Application Server asks user for confirmation on backup and restore when Windows does not classify the selected backup device as a fixed disk. [b295]

• PDXpert Application Server does not allow backup when the \Data\Temp workspace or destination device has less space than the source data files' size. [b483]

• PDXpert Application Server includes the server computer's machine name in the proposed backup file name. [b855]

• PDXpert Application Server expressly limits the PDXZ backup format to 2GB of uncompressed database and library files. More than 2GB of data requires separate database (*.bak) and \Library folder backups. [b944, ¬b920, ¬b15381]

• PDXpert Application Server extracts the SQL Server version from the file's name when the backup file is selected. It compares the version to the installed SQL instance before the database is attached. The user is asked for confirmation if the restoring file name indicates that the database may be incompatible with the current SQL Server instance. [b4137]

• PDXpert Application Server expands the set of database/library maintenance diagnostic and error messages. [c31240]

• By design, administrator-defined views with invalid SQL Server syntax (e.g., SQLite) are not created within SQL Server. During a new release's database upgrade, service log file trace is simplified and includes invalid Views member name. [c31265]

• Encryption is removed from database public views. [c31220,R572]

• Part BOM and Materials standard report layouts: add Class column to markup BOM with References; remove Class column from current BOM; replace Revision header with Iteration (revision + lifecycle); suppress excess new lines in Name/Note/RefDes columns; standardize column widths. [b13267]

  • BOM Markup & Current lists: tab reports; Bill of Materials; BOM with Sources; BOM with References; BOM Cost Roll-up; Pick List
  • Materials list: Material Declaration, Material Content, and Mass Roll-up reports
  • References Markup & Current lists: tab reports

• The source computer is now identified in the client log file name. [b440]

• Currency exchange rates updated as at 2017-04-10. [c31324]

• Allow changing revision file permissions using Administrator override preference after part revision is released. [b15390b]

• When a new custom attribute is created, automatically assign a default name and select it for replacement. [c31350]

• Change form's General tab confirms whether it releases/cancels affected items when the change is approved. [b15378, ¬b15377]

• Reset administrator account based on default member of Persons collection when no user record is designated as the super administrator. [b16431]

Maintenance fixes and changes

• Compress client log files saved from log-in window. [b15428]

• External Data Importer relational file (BOM, Sources, References, Materials) summary now includes the first imported group, and reports the correct count of groups imported. [b14381]

• External Data Importer now incrementally adds new rows to the Materials list instead of replacing the list. Null part mass treated as zero. [b15429]

• Increment the row value (starting at 1) when it's not specified in the External Data Importer ListReferences.csv file. [b4107]

• External Data Importer now treats a missing Type column in ItemMaster.csv as a Type column with no values. [b13298]

• Clarify in help that the Reset my account settings option clears the cache, but does not affect the Preferences window content. [b15372]

• Permit viewing file permissions when part is locked. [b15390a]

• When a custom attribute is assigned an empty Name, or a numeric/Boolean Default value is empty (for example, an Integer scheme), the value is automatically replaced with a non-empty value. [b16428]

• Allow PDX Package to include a document that has an item file attachment. [b16430]

• Allow wrapping text for extended client log-in error messages. [c31236]

• Show distinct server backup status messages when completing .PDXZ (database & library) versus .BAK (database only). [c31240]

• External Data Importer exports PathRevision column in ListRevisionFiles.csv with preferred name. [c31293]

• Disable Export PDX package menu command until new item has been created. [c31316]

• Show .pdx file type in PDXpert package export Save As dialog's Type list. Propose saving file to current directory. Warn on overwrite. [c31295]

• Custom attribute numeric schemes and dates are indexed as text. More information. [b15417, c31295]

• References markup to allow released row to be modified, rather than forcing a replacement. [c31311]

• Sources markup to allow released row to be modified, rather than forcing a replacement. [c31312]

• Expand local views to support unconstrained custom attribute definitions in SQL LocalDB _Private1 (nvarchar(4000) to ntext). [c31294]

12.0.31380.4: 2017-05-03

Maintenance fixes and changes

• Prevent Windows conflict message when deleting the content of \Data\Temp workspace immediately after backup. [31377, ¬b304]

• When creating a new parent item, its child items' Lifecycles are tested immediately (rather than after the parent is cached). [b17430]

12.0.31408.4: 2017-05-15

Improvements to existing capabilities

• Part and document standard report layouts: standardize column widths and locations between Item Report and Tab Report, and between Markup and Current layouts; apply new sub-header formats; remove extraneous rule lines. [c31393]

  • Part pending (markup) and released (current) Item Report.
  • Part and document Custom Attributes Tab report.
  • Part Sources lists: Markup & Current Tab report.
  • Part and document References lists: Markup & Current Tab report.
  • Part and document Appears On lists: BOM, Sources, References & Changes Tab report.
  • Part and document Files list: Item Files & Revision Files lists: Tab report.
  • Part and document Tasks Tab report.

• Show Lifecycle relative maturity mismatch when Markup list is locked. [c31399]

• Importing a CAD BOM into a Markup list supports the Per (BOM quantity category) column. [c31391]

Maintenance fixes and changes

• On change form's Affected list, re-order database queries to allow a deleted item to be re-added without requiring an intervening save. [b17431 (c31384)]