"utilizing libraries with 64 bit machines."

There are several libraries available from PTC for use in your designs. Prehaps you have a collection of vendor supplied models, or your own internally developed models. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to leverage those components in your new designs, without having to add a train-load of search paths to your config.pro file?

PTC has a script that can do this for you. There are a couple of things to do first, though. First item is to collect all of the objects into some sort of directory structure. If you're using PTC supplied models, this part is done for you at installation. If you're using you own models, make sure you have the directory structure as tight as you can, all under one top level folder. (don't forget that family tables are a great tool for library items...)

Ok, so now you have a collection of stuff you want to catalog. The next step is to set your config.pro file option for PRO_LIBRARY_DIR to the top level folder of your collection. In my case, that's D:\PTC\Libraries. I have several library folders, containing pipe fittings, solid tools for manufacturing, connectors, and other miscellaneous knobs and trinkets. You'll need to create an environment variable named surprisingly, PRO_LIBRARY_DIR. You might expect that you set the path for this new variable to the same, top level folder as discussed earlier. You'd be correct in that assumption.

Now, the tricky part. PTC created a batch file that sets up a catalog file (.CTG). This is basically a listing of the stuff in your library directory. This batch file was created before the advent of 64 bit Windows. It does a bunch of stuff to detect what platform and operating system its running on, but alas, there is no option for x64. What to do?!? Well, there are two options:

  • Option 1:
  • Make sure the system environment variable PRO_LIBRARY_DIR with value as base directory of library installation. (You should have done this already)
    • If only one library (e.g. Basic library) is installed, value of variable will be as <Load Point>\objlib 
    • e.g. value C:\ptc\library\basic\objlib
    • If multiple libraries are installed define the value to root directory only e.g. C:\ptc\library
  • Execute (Run) pro_build_library_ctg.exe.exe from <Library Load point>\<architecture>\obj
  •  For 64 bit machines running Creo, this will look like C:\ptc\creo8_010\Creo 8.0.1.0\Common Files\x86e_win64\obj
  • Catalog file will generate in defined location of environment variable.
  •  
  • Option 2:
  • Open command prompt (DOS Window)
  • Type set PRO_LIBRARY_DIR=<Location where catalog file will generate> (Refer information under option 1 for setting the value).
    • e.g set PRO_LIBRARY_DIR=C:\ptc\library\basic\objlib
  • Hit Enter.
  • enter the path of pro_build_library_ctg.exe e.g.
  • C:\ptc\library\basic\i486_nt\obj\pro_build_library_ctg.exe for older 32 bit machines
  • E:\ptc\creo8_010\Creo 8.0.1.0\Common Files\x86e_win64\obj\pro_build_library_ctg.exe for 64 bit machines 

The net result is the creation of a catalog file, listing all of the components in the library. The CTG file will have a line for each component the script found in the folder structure. These items can then be removed from the search paths or search file listing in config.pro.