Toolbox with SolidWorks Workgroup PDM

SolidWorks Toolbox and Standard Library documents are common hardware components that in many cases do not require revision control. Because Workgroup PDM implements revision control when checking documents into the vault, it is recommended that you not check Toolbox documents into the vault.

The Workgroup PDM vault displays documents that are not revision-managed as references. Project folders are created in the vault view for each library (Toolbox References, for example). The names of the folders appear in blue. Users cannot create, rename, delete, or assign ownership to the folders displayed in blue, but they can generate reports, search the projects, and so on.

Documents that are not revision-managed also appear in blue, in both the separate library projects and in the projects where they are referenced. A shortcut menu with limited choices is available. You can right-click a document and select Document Information to determine where the document is used, for example.

Workgroup PDM defines Toolbox or Standard Library documents as documents that:

• Reside in folders specified on the Workgroup PDM Standard Libraries tab

• Are marked as Toolbox documents. At SolidWorks 2004, Toolbox documents are marked by the SolidWorks software. You can mark older documents using the utility <install_dir>toolboxdata utilitiessldsetdocprop.exe.

• Reside in folders named Toolbox or SolidWorks Data.

If a Toolbox or Standard Library folder (specified on the VaultAdmin Toolbox tab or in a designated folder) is shared and the vault computer has read access to the folder, clients can open the documents and view the documents with the SolidWorks eDrawings Preview .

SolidWorks Toolbox components not stored in the Workgroup PDM vault

To specify SolidWorks Toolbox settings:

1. In the SolidWorks software, click Toolbox, Browser configuration, and select Document Properties on the Browser tab.

2. Select Always change read-only status of document before writing under Writing to read-only documents so that users can add new configurations to the components.

3. Click OK.

To specify Workgroup PDM settings:

1. In the Workgroup PDM VaultAdmin, select the Standard Libraries tab.

2. Click Add and add the UNC name (\<servername><sharename><foldername>) of SolidWorks Toolbox shared documents folders.

3. Clear:

• Allow check in of documents

• Allow delete local copy on check in

This prevents checking in Toolbox documents by mistake.

Because the Toolbox components are not in the vault, use Workgroup PDM Reporting for accurate Bills of Materials. Local copies of documents that are open in applications other than SolidWorks are not deleted.

4. Click Apply.

SolidWorks Toolbox components stored in the Workgroup PDM vault

To specify SolidWorks Toolbox settings:

1. In the SolidWorks software, click Toolbox, Browser configuration, and select Document Properties on the Browser tab.

2. Under Copy Part File, select one:

   • Always create copy (recommended).

Always create copy allows Workgroup PDM users to individually access and manage the revision of each component. This works well in a shared environment.

• No copy (always use master part file) (not recommended). Then select Always change read-only status of document before writing under Writing to read-only documents.

These settings ensure that more than one user can use a document simultaneously and that Toolbox can add configurations to the document file.

3. Click OK.

To specify Workgroup PDM settings:

1. In the Workgroup PDM VaultAdmin, select the Toolbox tab.

2. Click Add and add the UNC name (\<servername><sharename><foldername>) of the copied parts folder.

3. Select Allow check in of documents, and clear Allow delete local copy on check in so that copies of the documents remain on the local system.

Local copies of documents that are open in applications other than SolidWorks are not deleted.

4. Click Apply.

Toolbox with Workgroup PDM