[Idea + Question] Arena Where Used - Power Where Used vs. In-house ideas

[alicecommits]

Hi Doug, Hi Arena team,

I've just diven into the Power Where Used feature: https://github.com/ptc-arena/arena-labs-tools/tree/main/Power%20Where-Used

Such analytical tool is super useful and as a matter of fact, we have our own kind of version of it, in-house... but missing a UI!

[Idea] The prototype we have in-house
The current logics we have in house - devoided of UI for now - is written with nodeJS. We're trying to move from it and use Python instead, to integrate it to a python-based app tool.
The added value we have with that tool is that:

• it generates Markdown formatted outputs, alongside CSV like you provided, so that we can copy/paste "Where Used" reports in trackers that use Markdown under the hood
• it has a custom tree traversing logics, that goes and fetches the reference designators and spit them out against the explicit PCB number and name, which gives a more focused electronics-pov to our electronics engineering team.

[Question]

• I tried to access the accdb file in the Arena-Labs-tools > Power Where Used repo, but for Security reasons it's not opening properly. Could you please indicate which kind of language/business logics is making the filtering, BOM tree features possible in Access? Is it all SQL?
• For the mid-term: Is there room to consider appending a custom "markdown-it" serializing script to that tool as it stands?
• For the long-term: Can we have access to the back logics of this tool, and try to adapt portions of it for a python program?

Thanks in advance,
Have a nice day

[arena-partner-mgr]

@alicecommits first, congrats on having the very first discussion user post in our new GitHub

Second, see the requirements section of the ePDF re: using the accdb file - it requires Microsoft access - that will then allow you to see the SQL, etc.

I love the markdown format -- what are you doing with that then - what tracker program?

• @dojohnston for more discussion as @dojohnston created this tool

[alicecommits]

Hi @arena-partner-mgr thanks for the congrats!

I can't tag Doug myself though.
We use the markdown to serialize a where used report we then copy/paste into YouTrack issue cards.

If you're interested we can discuss further about this idea and see how your solution and ours could help each other.

Thanks,
Alice

[arena-partner-mgr]

@dojohnston can you take a look at this? I know you also have an update about to be posted.