Posts Tagged ‘administration’

How to Organize your SolidWorks Template Files

Friday, February 3rd, 2012

PROBLEM:

Have you ever noticed how disorganized all your default SolidWorks files are (document templates, sheet formats, BOM’s, cut lists, custom property templates, etc.)?  After a default installation, they are all randomly crammed into a handful of directories including but not limited to the locations listed below:

  • C:\Program Files\SolidWorks\SolidWorks\data\
  • C:\Program Files\SolidWorks\SolidWorks\lang\english\
  • C:\ProgramData\SolidWorks\SolidWorks\

There’s something extremely dangerous about storing your customized files in directories like the ones listed above.  What happens if you upgrade?  Uninstall?  Reinstall?  Files in your ‘Program Files’ directory are not safe, so why store all your customized templates there?  How are you going to share your customized files with the rest of your co-workers?

SOLUTION:

Download and run:

sw_files_2012

This executable file will automatically extract a ‘SolidWorks Files’ directory to your C:\ drive with a host of sub-folders that mimic the list of file locations available in your system options (see image below).  I’ve already organized these folders to include all of the default 2012 template file sets.

solidworks_custom

To finish the setup, a PDF file will automatically open explaining the finishing touches that need to be completed.  Pay attention to the fact that the instructions you need to follow vary depending on whether you’re setting up the files for multiple users or just a single user.

BONUS:

You’ll also notice that I’ve included a handful of bonus files along with the file set:

  • Document Templates
  • Sheet Formats
  • Drafting Standards
  • Custom Property Tab Template
  • My personal keyboard shortcuts, mouse gestures, and toolbar layout

You can read an explanation of these additional files by clicking here.

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Jordan Tadic

Application Engineer, CSWE

3DVision Technologies

follow me @TadicWorks

Group Settings in SolidWorks Enterprise PDM

Thursday, August 12th, 2010

Since my blog readership has skyrocketed, I was able to increase my blog budget enough to travel the globe to interview some of the most important people in the world.  My purpose is to get you, my readers, the answers to the questions you desire. Today, I am in Sweden, home of one of my favorite high school memories, to interview Tor Iveroth, Sr. PDM Technical Support & Implementation Engineer for SolidWorks.

EDSM: Thanks for having me out here today Tor. You have a really nice office! Do the guys back in Concord know each of you have 60″ wide screen TVs in your cubicles?

Tor: The pleasure is all mine. It is not very often I get to talk to one of the best SolidWorks users of all time -you’re in the top four I believe?

EDSM: Why is it that when I add a user to a group in Enterprise PDM, the user settings from the group are not correctly applied to the user?

settings

Tor: What many miss out on is that groups basically “push” settings to users at the time you update the group settings. Settings are stored per user in the database, not per group.  When you bring up the settings for a group, it will collect the settings for all current user members of that group and list the combined settings.

The check boxes in the settings dialog when group (or multiple users) is selected can be in one of three states. On, off or mixed.

  • If all users have a setting enabled, the check box will have a check mark (on)
  • If all users have a setting disabled, the check box will be empty (off)
  • If users have different settings (some on, some off), the check box will have a “blob” / grayed out marking (mixed)

If you add a user to a group, that user will not inherit any settings as group do not store settings.  Keep in mind that user can be part of multiple groups as well.

To reapply settings to all users within a group, open the group settings, then enable appropriate check boxes showing the mixed settings.

EDSM: So group settings is just a tool to push settings to users, it should not be thought of as a reporting tool to see what the settings are for a group?! That clears up many questions I have had. Thanks for your time Tor!

Jeff Sweeney

Jeff Sweeney
Engineering Data Specialist
3DVision Technologies

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