🔹 What are Pre-Conditions in Teamcenter ITK? [Beginner’s Guide]

✅ What is a Pre-Condition in Teamcenter?

A Pre-Condition is a validation or check that runs before a business operation executes inside Teamcenter..

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When working with Teamcenter ITK (Integration Toolkit), one of the most important concepts you’ll come across is Pre-Conditions. Whether you are a PLM developer, consultant, or just getting started with ITK customization, understanding pre-conditions is essential for building reliable and efficient solutions.

✅ What is a Pre-Condition in Teamcenter?

A Pre-Condition is a validation or check that runs before a business operation executes inside Teamcenter.

👉 Think of it like a security guard at the gate:
– If the condition is satisfied → the process continues
– If not → the process stops with an error message

Example:

• A user tries to release an Item Revision, but a required attribute (like Part Number) is missing.
• The pre-condition checks the attribute before the release action happens, ensuring data integrity.

🔎 Visual Flow

     User Action (Release Item)
               │
               ▼
      [ Pre-Condition Check ] ───► Condition Met?
               │ YES                        │ NO
               ▼                            ▼
       Continue Operation        Stop Process + Error Message
    

✅ Why Do We Need Pre-Conditions?

• Data Validation – Ensure mandatory attributes are filled before proceeding.
• Business Rules Enforcement – Stop invalid operations early.
• Error Prevention – Avoid costly mistakes in downstream processes.
• Custom Logic – Implement company-specific rules for Item, BOM, or Change Management processes.

✅ Example ITK Code Snippet

#include <tc/tc.h>
#include <tc/emh.h>
#include <tc/tc_util.h>
#include <tccore/item.h>

extern int ITK_user_main(int argc, char* argv[])
{
    tag_t item = NULLTAG;
    char* description = NULL;

    ITEM_find_item("12345", &item);

    if (item != NULLTAG)
    {
        AOM_ask_value_string(item, "object_desc", &description);

        if (description == NULL || strlen(description) == 0)
        {
            EMH_store_error(EMH_severity_error, "Description must be filled before saving!");
            return ITK_error;
        }
    }

    return ITK_ok;
}
    

✅ Best Practices

• ✔ Keep checks lightweight (avoid heavy queries)
• ✔ Return clear error messages
• ✔ Use only when OOTB validation isn’t enough
• ✔ Document logic for future maintenance

📌 Final Thoughts

Pre-Conditions in Teamcenter ITK act as the first line of defense for data validation and rule enforcement. They help ensure that only clean and correct data flows through your PLM processes.

If you’re a beginner in ITK, mastering Pre-Conditions is a great first step in your customization journey. 🚀

💡 Want to learn more? Check out our YouTube Tutorials.