MWAutoNumber for MechWorks PDM Automation.

AutoNumber Format Options – AutoNumber Tab

Use Canceled Numbers To be compatible with concurrent engineering environments, the MWAutoNumber application must generate the next part number as soon as the user selects an AutoNumber Format (not waiting until the user finishes entering the metadata within the [ Data Input Form ]). As a result, part numbers can sometimes get skipped. For example, consider the following. Designer One starts the Save As process by selecting an AutoNumber Format that generates the new part number “ENG 000631” (and leaves the [ Data Input Form ] open to incorporate changes before actually saving the file). At the same timeframe, Designer Two also starts the Save As process by selecting the same AutoNumber Format , generating the next new part number “ENG 000632”. Designer One is reviewing the metadata within the [ Data Input Form ] for “ENG 000631” while designer Two is reviewing the metadata within the [ Data Input Form ] for “ENG 000632”. Designer Two finishes and selects the [ Data Input Form’s ] [ OK ] command – resulting in the “ENG 000632” file getting created and registered. Designer One changes their mind and decides the part is not ready to be saved/registered at this time so they select the [ Data Input Form’s ] [ Cancel ] command, resulting in “ENG 00631” being skipped and unused . By default, the next user that saves using the same AutoNumber Format will generate part number “ENG 00063 3 ” because part number “ENG 00063 2 ” was the last generated part number (and it resulted in a registered document). Part number “ENG 000631” has been skipped because the process was [ Canceled ] before the file was registered. However, if the option is enabled to Use Canceled Numbers , then when designer One selected the [ Cancel ] command from the [ Data Input Form ], part number “ENG 000631” is stored within a designated table for canceled numbers. This ensures that the next time a user saves using the same AutoNumber Format , the application will automatically check this table for available canceled numbers before generating a new part number, and assigns the available skipped number “ENG 000631” rather than generating the new number “ENG 000633”.

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