How to use Windchill version parameters on a drawing?

I have been experimenting with adding the Windchill version parameters for the drawing and model version to the drawing format and ran into a couple of issues.

I was wondering what work arounds anyone has to deal with this situation?

Steps Taken:

1. Create format
2. Add two parameters to format:
   1. &PTC_WM_VERSION:D  for the drawing version
   2. &PTC_WM_VERSION for the model version

Issue 1: New drawing with format.

1. Create a new drawing.
2. Choose a model.
3. Choose format from above steps.
4. ISSUE: the drawing version will not fill out correctly because the drawing has not been saved yet and therefore does not have the necessary parameters.
6. Known workarounds: One is to manually add it back into the format.  (Unacceptable, formats are supposed to save the engineer time and effort, not waste it.)  Two: Save the drawing and Replace the format.  Again, adds effort, and a point of failure.

Issue 2: New drawing using a Template

1. Create template using format from above, and save.
2. Create new drawing using template.
3. Drawing version will be correct.
4. Model version parameter has mysteriously turned into the the drawing format, &PTC_WM_VERSION:D
5. 
   Note that the value displayed is exactly the same for both the drawing and the model.  There is no model associated to the template, so where is this coming from?  It is because it is using the drawing parameter instead of the model parameter, because the model parameter doesn't exist.
6. Workarounds are: One, to manually modify the parameter back to what it should be.  (Unacceptable, templates are supposed to save even more time than formats.)  Or two, to save and then replace the format.  (Added effort and a point of failure.)

The only course of action I can think of is to not use the Windchill parameters in the drawing because of these issues.   One workaround to that is to strip out the titleblock from the format and have engineers add it after the drawing has been saved at least once.   That is not a solution. Another workaround is to create the drawing, save and then replace the format.  Works, but adds work to an already busy workload.

I did do some research into this and found this infuriating tech support case: CS145634  that states "Behavior is currently working as per specifications."

https://support.ptc.com/appserver/cs/view/solution.jsp?n=CS145634&posno=14&q=windchill%20version%20drawing&nav=&source=Search

I find it hard to believe that one, no one has found this before it even went into production, and two, that the specification is written that this is acceptable behavior.

-marc

CAD / PLM Systems Manager