We do not have 3D Via composer but might be considering it.

I would like to know if you can link text back to an external data source such as a database?

A specific case in point is this:

I have a Server Rack with multiple identical computers. Within SolidWorks the computers are a notional part file from our library. The library file is intentionally without specifics - it represents ANY 4U tall rack mount PC. This particular Server Rack assembly we use in multiple installations.

Our documentation for the customer must show specific and unique data for each computer - Serial Number, MAC address, etc. This specific data resides in an inventory database. We have hundreds of PCs in the field so adding this unique data to configurations of the design library part file is neither desirable nor a good practice.

I would like to create some graphics in 3D Via from our SW Server stack assembly. I would like to reuse that same image for documentation for different installations. I would like to link note or table data for each generic/notional PC in the image back to very specific data in the database.

As a new system comes online, I would make a copy of the document and edit the pointers to the new database info.

Any thoughts? Straight forward to do? Cumbersome and requires API manipulation? EPDM (which we also don't have...yet) would help because???

Thanks, Daen