PDM Create Local Vault View Using .cvs File
Once SOLIDWORKS PDM Client is installed on a machine, the next step is to create a Local Vault View which gives the users access to the PDM vault through Windows File Explorer.
If you only have a few client machines, then creating the Local Vault Views using the View Setup wizard should only take a few minutes for each machine. Organizations with many users can save time by automating the creation of Local Vault Views using the View Setup wizard with special triggers to create a File Vault View Setup File (.cvs). Once distributed to the client machine, users simply double-click the file, and the Local Vault View is created automatically.
Note, to create a Local Vault View manually using the View Setup wizard, follow this article starting with Step #3.
Benefits of using a .cvs file
- • Save time by configuring the .cvs file once and distributing it to multiple client machines.
- • Consistent Local Vault View creation and users do not need to know or enter detailed PDM server information required by the View Setup wizard.
- • Option to run silently (see end of this article).
How to Create a .cvs file
The first step to creating a .cvs file is to run the View Setup wizard with the trigger /a on a machine that DOES NOT already have a local vault view for the specific vault. If the machine already has a local vault view, delete the Local Vault View from that machine before continuing.
Right-click the Windows Start icon then select Run.
In the Run dialog, enter the text exactly as shown below, including the quotation marks. This text includes the path to the ViewSetup.exe. The example text below includes the path for the default installation. If your installation is not located in the default location, then replace the text accordingly.
“C:\Program Files\SOLIDWORKS Corp\SOLIDWORKS PDM\ViewSetup.exe” /a
When the View Setup wizard is run using trigger /a, the Action column on the Review actions screen will display ‘Save to file’ instead of ‘Create local view’ as shown below.
Caution: The example vault used in these images is named ‘ACME’. Your PDM vault name will be displayed anywhere ACME is displayed.
Click Finish to launch the save dialog and then enter a name and location for the .cvs file to save it. You are then returned to the View Setup wizard and a Completed! Screen displays.
Open and Review the .cvs File
The .cvs file is ready to run, though it can be opened and edited in Notepad to modify the information to work for a different vault or change the Local Vault View location.
Right-click the .cvs file and select Open with > Notepad.
Location = Folder where you want the view to be created, normally C:\
ViewType = SharedView or PrivateView
[FileVault] = Update text inside the brackets with the file vault name (case sensitive). Example [ACME]
VaultID = Update with the file vault ID. You can find the vault ID in the PDM Administration tool, right-click a vault and select Properties (Exclude the { } brackets)
DbName = The vault database name (case sensitive)
DbServer = The SQL server name
ServerLoc = The archive server name
ServerPort = The archive server port (default is 3030)
Running the .cvs File
- 1. Copy the .cvs file to any location on the client machine.
- 2. Double-click the .cvs file.
- 3. The View Setup wizard will launch and display Action: Create local view and Status: Ready.
- 4. Click Finish to create the Local Vault View. The user will be prompted to log into PDM to complete the process.
The View Setup wizard now displays Status: Completed and the Local Vault View is ready to use.
Running the .cvs File Silently
You can run the .cvs file and View Setup wizard silently by including the path to the .cvs file followed by the trigger /q as shown in the text below.
- • Run using the path to the ViewSetup.exe followed by the path to the .cvs file and trigger /q
- • The View Setup wizard is not displayed and there is no confirmation screen.
- • Once the Local Vault View is created successfully, the user will be prompted to log in using their PDM credentials.
“C:\Program Files\SOLIDWORKS Corp\SOLIDWORKS PDM\ViewSetup.exe” “C:\ACME.cvs” /q
