Interactive configuration-management-based diagramming tool

1. A method performed by a product data management (PDM) data processing system, comprising:

receiving a PDM model;

applying a template to the model;

creating a description file based on the application of the template to the model; and

transferring the description file to a diagramming application, wherein a diagram corresponding to the description file is created.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the template includes a stencil that maps a given type in the model to a particular shape in the diagram.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the template defines a mapping between the properties of elements of model to properties of shapes on the diagram.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the system also interacts with a user to edit the diagram.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the system parses the description file to determine fragments that correspond to one or more objects of the diagram.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the system stores the fragments with the model.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the system reassembles the fragments to re-create the diagram.

8. A product data management (PDM) data processing system, comprising:

at least one processor; and

an accessible memory, wherein the PDM data processing system is configured to:

receive a PDM model;

apply a template to the model;

create a description file based on the application of the template to the model; and

transfer the description file to a diagramming application, wherein a diagram corresponding to the description file is created.

9. The PDM data processing system of claim 8 , wherein the template includes a stencil that maps a given type in the model to a particular shape in the diagram.

10. The PDM data processing system of claim 8 , wherein the template defines a mapping between the properties of elements of model to properties of shapes on the diagram.

11. The PDM data processing system of claim 8 , further configured to interact with a user to edit the diagram.

12. The PDM data processing system of claim 8 , further configured to parse the description file to determine fragments that correspond to one or more objects of the diagram.

13. The PDM data processing system of claim 12 , further configured to store the fragments with the model.

14. The PDM data processing system of claim 12 , further configured to reassemble the fragments to re-create the diagram.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with executable instructions that, when executed, cause a product data management (PDM) data processing system to:

receive a PDM model;

apply a template to the model;

create a description file based on the application of the template to the model; and

transfer the description file to a diagramming application, wherein a diagram corresponding to the description file is created.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the template includes a stencil that maps a given type in the model to a particular shape in the diagram.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the template defines a mapping between the properties of elements of model to properties of shapes on the diagram.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the instructions cause the PDM data processing system to interact with a user to edit the diagram.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the instructions cause the PDM data processing system to parse the description file to determine fragments that correspond to one or more objects of the diagram.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 19 , wherein the instructions cause the PDM data processing system to store the fragments with the model.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 19 , wherein the instructions cause the PDM data processing system to reassemble the fragments to re-create the diagram.