In the last NASWUG-RSA user group meeting, there was a question about custom weldment profiles, and making sure they didn’t get deleted when doing a reinstall or upgrade. In response to this, I thought I would post a few tips on managing your customized SolidWorks files.
When running SolidWorks as a single user, it is a very good idea to move all files that will be customized (such as templates, sheet formats, blocks, library parts, weldment profiles, etc.) out of the SolidWorks install path to another location. This way, you don’t have to worry about deleting or overwriting your customized files when uninstalling or upgrading SolidWorks.
When working with multiple users (even as little as 2), you should consider putting all the above-mentioned regularly used files in a location that is easily accessible to all users. This location could be on one person’s machine, or (preferrably) on a network server.
There are several advantages to setting up your files in a shared location:
- You only have to maintain one set of data.
- You ensure that everyone is using the most current data.
- You can control who has access to the data and who can modify/add data.
- As above, you don’t have to worry about deleting or overwriting your files when reinstalling.
After moving the files to the shared location, it is easy to change your SolidWorks settings, and then use the Copy Settings Wizard to export the System Options (including the File Locations settings) for distribution to all users or use with an Administrative Image.
Following these suggestions can help make an administrator’s job a lot easier when it comes to file management!
