Auto Document Number
(ADN) User Guide
Christopher Cook
HAWK RIDGE SYSTEMS
Table of Contents
Table of Contents _________________________________________________________________________________1
Overview __________________________________________________________________________________________2
System Requirements _____________________________________________________________________________2
Installation ________________________________________________________________________________________2
Un-Installing the Add-In __________________________________________________________________________3
Disabling the Add-In ______________________________________________________________________________3
Setting Up the SQL Database _____________________________________________________________________4
Creating the Database __________________________________________________________________________4
Creating the Tables _____________________________________________________________________________4
Connecting the ADN to the SQL Database ________________________________________________________7
Customizing the Interface _________________________________________________________________________8
Instructions Tab _________________________________________________________________________________8
Categories Tab __________________________________________________________________________________8
Building Sample Queries _____________________________________________________________________9
Customizing the Name Scheme ______________________________________________________________9
Setting the Serial Number Format __________________________________________________________ 10
Rename Permission Tab ______________________________________________________________________ 10
Variable Mappings Tab _______________________________________________________________________ 12
Setting up the Data Card ________________________________________________________________________ 12
Using Auto Document Number (ADN) __________________________________________________________ 13
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1
Overview
The Auto Document Number (ADN) is a customizable add-in that allows generation of serial
numbers based on user selection of up to four criterion.
The add-in connects to a SQL database and extracts the next available number from the table.
This number, as well as other selected values, can be assigned to card variables. Once a new
serial number is generated, the document can be automatically renamed to the new number.
System Requirements
The Auto Document Numbering add-in requires SolidWorks Enterprise PDM 2013 or 2014 and
Microsoft .NET framework 4.0 or later to be installed.
Installing Using CEX
NOTE: If an older version of the add-in is already installed in the vault, it must be removed by
following the removal steps described in the next section, before installing the new version.
Your download from the HawkWareApps.com store contain a CEX file. Installation of the add-in
can be done from any machine by the administrator in the Enterprise PDM administration tool.
To install using the CEX file use the following
steps:
1. From any client computer open the
Enterprise PDM Administration
application.
2. Expand your vault and log in.
3. Right-click on the vault name in the
tree, selecting “Import…”
4. Browse to the CEX file
(HawkWare_ADN.cex), select it, and
click “Open” to finish the import.
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Un-Installing the Add-In
1. Close open applications; exit Enterprise from tray icon if loaded.
2. Login to Enterprise PDM Vault Administration.
3. Expand the vault where the add-in is installed.
4. Right-Click the add-in and select Remove.
5. Click OK to confirm.
After removing the add-in, it is necessary to either reboot all client machines or re-start
Explorer.exe process on all of them as follows:
1. Open the task manager and end the explorer.exe process. Do not close task manager.
2. Restart Explorer.exe by selecting File > New Task > type explorer.exe. Click OK.
Disabling the Add-In
You can temporarily disable the functionality of the addin without having to uninstall completely. To disable or
enable the add-in:
1. In the Enterprise PDM Administration, find the
add-in under Add-ins node.
2. Right click on the add-in and select Diagnostics.
3. Select either the Disable or Enable radio button
and click OK.
Note: Enable Logging is used when troubleshooting the add-in. Make sure this option is
always checked off as it affects performance.
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Setting Up the SQL Database
ADN can connect to your existing SQL database to pull the categories data from. Below is an
example of creating and using SLQ tables to work with ADN:
Creating the Database
1. Open SQL management studio and log on to your SQL server.
2. Create a database by right clicking 'Databases' node and select 'New Database'. Type a
name (e.g. 'HawkWare_ADN').
Creating the Tables
1. Right-click the database created in previous step and select 'New Query'.
2. In the Query window, copy the following queries and click 'Execute' from the top toolbar.
NOTE: This is a sample query, creating 3 tables; Countries, Cities and Companies.

Countries has 2 columns; Name and Code.

Cities has 2 columns; Name and Country. (Country corresponds to the Name entries in
Countries)

Companies has 2 columns; Name and City. (City corresponds to the Name entries in
Cities)
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Create Table Countries
(
ID int identity,Name varchar(50),code varchar(10)
);
Create Table Cities
(
ID int identity,Name Varchar(50),country varchar(50)
);
Create Table Companies
(
ID int identity,Name varchar(50),City varchar(50)
);
3. Expand the database node and find the Tables node. Expand it and find the Countries
table. If you do not see it, right-click on Tables Node and select 'Refresh'.
4. Right-Click on the Countries table and select "Edit Top 200 Rows". Fill values as shown
below :
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5. Repeat the same with Cities Table:
6. Repeat with Companies table:
7. Close SQL Management Studio.
Later sections will use this data in the sample configuration.
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Connecting the ADN to the SQL Database
1. In the Enterprise PDM Administration, find the add-in under Add-ins node.
2. Right click on the add-in and select Settings.
3. Enter your SQL credentials, the name of the server hosting the SQL server and a database
where the table containing the selection records reside. The serial numbers will also be
generated from this database.
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Customizing the Interface
Instructions Tab
The 'Instructions' tab allows you to show or hide the drop-down boxes displayed to the user as
well as customize the text describing each drop-down list.
1. Type the user instruction for each drop-down and check/uncheck the 'Show' boxes for
each drop-down.
2. Click Save when finished.
Categories Tab
The drop-down lists on the ‘Instructions’ tab are populated from query results. The queries can
be independent or reference values from other drop-down boxes. For example, when a user
selects "Canada" from first drop-down box, the second drop-down box can be populated by
Canadian cities.
This tab also provides:
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
The option to rename the files after assigning a number (check box).

Schema builder for designing the final number string.

Format for the counter portion of the number.
Building Sample Queries
The following example is derived from the sample database created earlier in the Creating the
Tables section.
1. Click on the f button for a given category.
2. Type a valid query.
You can use the parameters on the left side to reference values from other drop-down lists. For
example:
SELECT City FROM Cities WHERE country='Category1Value'
3. In Display Field and Value Field boxes, type the names of the table columns to specify
which column is displayed in the drop-down list and which column is regarded as the
value.
For example a Materials table may have a 'Name' column and a 'Material Code' column
which could be specified as display field and value field respectively.
Consider the material table below with a query specified for Category2:
SELECT NAME,CODE FROM MATERIALS
Category2Txt will be Aluminum-Brushed, Stainless Steel etc while Category2Value will be
ALB, SS, and ALP.
Customizing the Name Scheme
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1. In the Name Schema, click Build.
2. Select parameters from the left side, you may separate components with any character;
For example Category1Value-Category1Value-SerialNum results in CA-SA-0001.
Setting the Serial Number Format
The add-in extracts integers from the database starting from 1. You can customize this number
by specifying a format.
For example, by typing '10000' the generated numbers will be in the form of 10001,10002 etc.
Rename Permission Tab
NOTE: The ‘Rename Permission’ tab will only appear if the “Rename file after number is
assigned” option is checked on the ‘Categories’ tab.
The application updates version free variables, and also renames the file (when 'Check-in and
Rename' option is set to true). This requires a user to have permission to 'Edit version free
variables' as well as 'Rename File', which the user running the add-in may not have. You can set
a proxy user (e.g. Admin) whose credentials will be used.
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Check the 'User Credentials Below to Rename File and Update Version Free Variables' and enter a
user name and password.
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Variable Mappings Tab
After a user has made selections, the selected values can be mapped to one or more card
variables. The variables can be mapped to text and values of the drop-down boxes as well as the
generated serial number and the final document name.
1. Click on Variable Mapping tab.
2. Enter name of the card variables each parameter maps to, if any. To enter more than one
variable, separate them by commas.
3. The FileName parameter indicates the resulting combination name based on user
selections. The SerialNum refers to the numeric value extracted from the database.
Setting up the Data Card
The ADN is triggered from a button on the data card.
Add a button to any card requiring access to the ADN and set the button as shown below:
Command type:
Run Add-in
Name of Add-in:
hawkware_adn
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Using Auto Document Number (ADN)
1. Click on the assigned button on a data card.
2. Make your selections and click 'Generate'.
3. Choose whether to check-in and rename after variables have been assigned, by
checking/unchecking the checkbox.
4. Click OK.
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