Discussing how to create a branch revision in the 3DEXPERIENCE platform.
During my team’s design time working on the “Egg Drop” internal challenge, I decided to utilize the revision and branching tools within the 3DEXPERIENCE (3DX) Platform. We took advantage of many of the design and collaboration tools the Platform provides, but I will be highlighting these two here.
Starting with my initial design.
I opened the “Top” component.
I wanted to explore a different idea for this design while maintaining the initial one, so I created a new branch.
- Select the component name from the 3DX tab in the Task Pane.
- Ensure that the “Lifecycle” tab is selected, and then click on “New Branch”.
This opens the “New Branch” dialog in the 3DX tab.
- Enter a new “Title” (a.k.a. File Name)
- And then enter a Revision Comment.
- Click “Branch” and a new branch of this design is created.
To view the new branch of this design, click on the “Revisions” button in the Lifecycle tab.
This opens the “Revisions” dialog in SOLIDWORKS.
This dialog opens with the “Graph List View” selected. This does a good job of showing the new branch we created, represented by the orange branch line to the right of the initial blue revision dot. However, there is an even better viewing option, in my opinion: “Graph View.”
- In the Revisions dialog, click on “Graph List View”.
- Then select the other option, “Graph View”.
Selecting this option shows the branches in a “Flow Chart” layout with thumbnail previews of each design.
Now we need to go onto the platform via the website to open the new branch revision of the file.
- Select the file from the Bookmark.
- Click on “Revise”.
- Select “Revisions”.
Once the “Revisions” dialog opens, right-click on the new branch, then follow these steps.
- Expand the “Open With” option by clicking on the arrow to the right.
- Select “Design with SOLIDWORKS” to open that version in the current session.
Following these steps will allow you to create as many revisions and branches as you need for your design process.