I think you partly agree with each other. but where @grd expect that the part / assembly give metadata to the database. You expect that you can read the data back. I have to be honest that i didn't thought about datasheets as metadata(i had thought that that is data, but not meta)...user1234 wrote: ↑Fri May 06, 2022 4:09 pm I always need metadata from parts or assemblies for working (mechanical engineer and also sometimes on construction sides). Do not want always recreate a part, which already is in a PDM. So i have to search it. That is a PDM for. Or when i want to use a purchase part, which is already in the PDM, i want to look in the datasheet, if suits my needs. Or when someone want to know, how heavy some assemblies are for lifting or transporting, and i do not want to open the whole project files, which maybe took a while. Or if need to coat some parts (corrosion protection, wear protection, or what ever) and i want quick summarized the area and type of it (often used to send it in a ERP for a purchaser). Also i have seen PDM, which saves a *.jt file for a quick 3D preview, even if you want with metadatas like colored surfaces which are coated or measuring points.
Yes, that is big and an only develop step by step, but for that is a PDM for. If i only need it for a project files, then svn will do the job, but then it is not a pdm. So maybe a sql/svn compound is good? Data stored as sql tables, while the filedatas link to a svn?
I like the graphical view without opening the file... but a simple png file is fine enough for me