Potential Webinar Topic: Revision and Versioning Control in Onshape

christopher_quijano

Hello Onshape,

I have been using Onshape for well over a year now and I am still struggling with Onshape on the best way to use Revision or Version control. Most of my work in Onshape so far has been smaller projects that once the design is done the cad and drawings are handed over to the client. Now I am looking at some larger projects where we will release the design and the we are expected to maintain and improve the design over time. This is where I struggle with OnShape.

Let's say I have a document with ten parts in it, an assembly, and eleven drawings. In the development phase everyone is working on the single source of cad and its great. Once we get to the point of releasing everything (which rarely does everything get released at the same time), I can create a version of the Document V1, and this is our released product. 

Now I want to modify Part 1 and its Drawing. I can create a branch to work on my modifications and when I am done I can merge it back into the main and then create a version V2 which contains the lasted released parts. However, if while I am working on Part 1, my colleague might need to modify Part 2. If he creates a branch to modify Part 2 he will not be able to see the changes I am making to Part 1. In PDM terms he will be working with the Latest Released and not the Latest cad.

We could both just make our modifications in the Main branch but how would we keep manufacturing, purchasing, etc. from getting the latest cad. They should all only be able to see the Latest Released cad.

Additionally, what if my well intention-ed colleague put a hole in Part 2 but accidentally does a through all and now Part 3 has a hole in it. Part 3 was released and should not be modifiable. 

This is the type of scenario I am struggling with and I would really like to see a Webinar that covers this.

I know each object in a document has properties for Revision and State but I really do not see these being useful to control the parts. I believe they are just dumb text properties. By that I mean there is no way for people to only see documents in a Released State for example.

Please let me know what you think. Maybe this is much easier than I able to see.

Thanks!
Christopher

bruce_williams

@christopher_quijano has a great topic of discussion.   At a basic level, versioning and branching are fairly easy to understand.  However, with on-going, more complex projects a clear workflow and policies is essential.  I would also like to see webinar(s) on advanced applications of OS.  

Hakro

+1

cody_armstrong

Thanks everyone for the feedback.  We have done a webinar covering the basics of version control, branching, and merging in the past.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHEKB2tO4-8

However, this does not necessarily discuss a specific workflow because each user has their own preferences.  In the case of @christopher_quijano 's example, here are a few things.

1. It's not clear why creating a branch is necessary in your example?  Can you elaborate?

2. You can copy/paste the URL to a specific version of an Onshape Document. Sending someone (in manufacturing for example) this URL ensures they open that version and not the latest.  Often times the URL to a specific version is also used downstream in ERP/PLM software because it never changes.

Hakro

@cody_armstrong:
Is it possible to make also public the webinar about "Managing your Onshape Properties" from Dec/20/2016 on Youtube? Thanks.

cody_armstrong

hakro said:

@cody_armstrong:
Is it possible to make also public the webinar about "Managing your Onshape Properties" from Dec/20/2016 on Youtube? Thanks.

@hakro I will upload today.

stevehess

....Tagging onto this thread.

_Ðave_

@christopher_quijano   How this can now be handled is that when you are satisified with a single part from an assy. and wish to create a drawing to release to manafacturing. At this point you should create a version in the document, now you can create a new document (or if you wish a branch within the same document) and derive that single part into it and create your drawing there. You can now version that part/document/branch independently of the working document. Now as you change the working document your document containing the archived part will update in the main branch but not your saved version. you can update your drawing then version/revision the part doc. as often as required  while making changes in the working/assy. document.