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Installation
- SOLIDWORKS and SW PDM System Requirements
- Preparing for Installation
- How to Download SOLIDWORKS
- SOLIDWORKS Installation Manager (.exe)
- How to Request a Manual Download for SOLIDWORKS
- How To Order A SOLIDWORKS Media Kit
- Installing – A Complete Overview to Managing a CAD Environment
- SOLIDWORKS Hardware Guide
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- SOLIDWORKS Individual Installation
- How to Modify Your SOLIDWORKS Installation
- How to Repair Your SOLIDWORKS Installation
- Performing a Clean Uninstall
- How to Quickly Update SOLIDWORKS to a Newer Service Pack
- How to Transfer a Standalone License
- Install Multiple Versions
- SOLIDWORKS Activation Wizard: How to Transfer SOLIDWORKS License
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- SOLIDWORKS Network Licensing
- How to Upgrade SolidNetWork License Manager
- Moving from SOLIDWORKS Standalone to Network Licenses
- Adding License to an Existing SolidNetwork License Manager
- Use Options File to Reserve Licenses for Specific Users
- SOLIDWORKS SolidNetWork License Order Guide
- How to Reactivate SOLIDWORKS Network Licenses
- How to Move the SOLIDWORKS SolidNetWork License Manager to a New Server
- SOLIDWORKS SolidNetwork License Manager Overview
- How to Install the SolidNetwork License Manager
- Reserve Licenses with Options File
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SOLIDWORKS Portal
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SOLIDWORKS
- SOLIDWORKS Keyboard Shortcuts
- SOLIDWORKS Copy Settings Wizard
- Accessing Xpress Tools
- How To Tell Who Has a SOLIDWORKS File Open
- How to Use SOLIDWORKS Pack and Go
- SOLIDWORKS Administration Overview
- Rebuild Types and How They Work
- Understanding SOLIDWORKS Settings and Templates
- How to create SOLIDWORKS Part, Assembly, and Drawing Templates
- Utilizing Cloud Storage with SOLIDWORKS
- Automate File Exports with Task Scheduler
- Troubleshooting Weldment Cut List Consolidation
- SOLIDWORKS Multi-sheet Custom Properties Source
- How to Use Save As with References
- How to Troubleshoot Graphical Issues
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PDM
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- PDM How to Work in Off-line Mode
- How to Use PDM Move Tree
- How to Use PDM Copy Tree
- PDM - What are Private State Files?
- PDM Search Operators
- How to Set PDM to Details View in Windows File Explorer
- SOLIDWORKS PDM Search Results – Which Configuration’s Variables are Displayed?
- PDM Automatic Login Options
- Preview Tab Options
- How To Overwrite Latest PDM Version
- Difference Between Versions and Revisions
- How to export search results from PDM
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- PDM Administrators: Roles and Responsibilities
- PDM License Type Matrix
- PDM Server Recommendations
- PDM Backup Procedures
- How to Reset Your SOLIDWORKS PDM Admin Password
- How to Control Get Version Commands
- Adding a PDM Vault View with a Windows Azure Active Directory Account
- PDM Major Minor Revisions
- How to Set Revision Manually in PDM
- How to Set Up Revision Tables
- PDM - What are Version Free Variables?
- PDM How to Rollback a File to a Previous Version
- PDM Setting Cache Options Automatically
- How to Change PDM Date Formatting
- How to Delete a PDM User Completely
- How to Reset Web2 Authentication in IIS
- SOLIDWORKS PDM Connectivity Test Tool
- How to Configure the SOLIDWORKS PDM Local HOSTS file to Resolve Server Name
- Create Local Vault View Shortcut
- How to Configure a Computer to be a PDM Task Host
- How to Setup a Dedicated Unattended Task Host
- How to use PDM Database Upgrade Tool
- Collect Support Information for PDM
- Update Credentials for PDM Archive Server
- Update Credentials for PDM Database Server
- Creating and Using PDM Labels
- Troubleshooting PDM Notifications
- PDM Cold Storage and How To Use It
- How to set the PDM Preview Tab Viewer
- How to reset the SQL password for the PDM Vault SQL Server
- SOLIDWORKS Strategies for Using the File Version Upgrade Tool (FVUT)
- How To Relocate An Existing SOLIDWORKS Vault View To Another Drive
- How to manually remove a disconnected PDM Vault View
- How To Relocate Vault Archive Folders To Another Drive
- How to Setup Toolbox in PDM - SOLIDWORKS
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- Create Local Vault View
- How to Delete or Recreate a Local Vault View
- Create Local PDM Vault View Using .cvs File
- How to Change PDM Client License Type after Installation
- PDM File Version Upgrade Tool
- PDM Upgrade Checklist
- How to Upgrade SOLIDWORKS PDM Add-ins
- SOLIDWORKS PDM: Moving Server Components - Checklist
- How to Install SOLIDWORKS PDM Standard
- SOLIDWORKS PDM / Manage Installation Guide (PDF)
- Install Microsoft SQL 2019 for PDM Professional
- How to Install PDM Client Software
- Change SQL Server License
- How to Upgrade SOLIDWORKS Toolbox in PDM - AUTOMATICALLY
- How to Upgrade SOLIDWORKS Toolbox in PDM - MANUALLY
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Known Solutions
- Windows Firewall Exceptions for SOLIDWORKS Network Based Products
- Why Users Need Local Admin Rights to Install SOLIDWORKS
- How to Run SOLIDWORKS with Administrator Permissions
- Blank SOLIDWORKS Installation Manager - Resolution
- SOLIDWORKS RX - The Ultimate CAD Diagnostic Tool
- SOLIDWORKS Safe Modes
- How to Force SOLIDWORKS to Use Your Graphics Card
- How to Ensure that You are Running a SOLIDWORKS Certified Graphics Card Driver
- Troubleshooting SOLIDWORKS Installation Issues
- Resolution to Common File Location Errors
- Non-Matching Internal ID
- Could not obtain a license for SOLIDWORKS CAM. Invalid (inconsistent) license key
- “The Source Folder Is Not Versioned Properly…” Error when Modifying Serial Number
- “A Newer Version of This Product is Already Installed” Error when Installing SOLIDWORKS
- "Error obtaining License (-85, 147, 0)"
- SOLIDWORKS Search Routine Order
- How to Restore Dismissed SOLIDWORKS Messages
- Viewing SOLIDWORKS Configurations in eDrawings
- How to Modify the Reference/Update Dialog Dismissal Time
- SOLIDWORKS Educational Resources
- How to Change the SOLIDWORKS Language
- Restore Your File Associations
- How To Reset SOLIDWORKS Registry
- Resolve "Sheet Format Could Not Be Located"
- How To Correct The "Default Templates Are Not Valid" Error
- Correcting foreign language characters in the FeatureManager Tree
- How to Collect CXPAs
- Show all articles ( 12 ) Collapse Articles
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Simulation
- Simulation Meshing Guide
- How to Duplicate and Reuse Simulation Study Data
- Setting Up Default Options for SOLIDWORKS Simulation Studies
- Which Type of Elements Should I Use?
- Is SOLIDWORKS Simulation Accurate?
- Getting Started with Simulation
- The Basics of Setting Up a Study in Simulation
- Do I Need Non-linear Simulation?
- Submodeling Studies – The What, Why, & How of Using Them in SOLIDWORKS Simulation
- What To Do When you get the “Excessive Displacement” Warning in SOLIDWORKS Simulation
- How to Create Temperature Dependent Custom Materials in SOLIDWORKS Simulation
- How to Export Flow Simulation Results to Import into FEA
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3DEXPERIENCE
Resolution to Common File Location Errors
Resolution to Common File Location Errors
This article goes over some of the common file location errors that users see and how to fix them. While this article doesn’t cover all cases that users can run into, the process will be very similar for other file location errors that you may experience.
Custom Templates Not Showing
If your custom templates are not showing when creating a new SOLIDWORKS file, then you will have to tell SOLIDWORKS to look in the location that your custom templates are stored. Remember, it is best practice to store any custom SOLIDWORKS templates or other similar custom data outside of the SOLIDWORKS Installation Directory, so it doesn’t get overwritten during upgrades. It is common for companies to store custom templates on a network drive or PDM system so that all users at the company can use the same template. If your templates are not stored on a company network drive or PDM system, one option that we recommend is to create a new folder on your C Drive called “SOLIDWORKS CUSTOM” and create a folder in here to store your custom templates.
To point SOLIDWORKS to look in a new location for templates:
- 1. Open System Options (Gear Icon at Top Middle of Screen)
- 2. Go to “File Locations”
- 3. Ensure that “Document Templates” is displayed in the “Show folders for: ” section
- 4. Click “Add” and browse to the folder where your custom templates are stored.
- 5. Confirm the changes.
The Hole Wizard and Advanced Hole Database is not the expected version.
When launching the Hole Wizard Command, if the error “The Hole Wizard and Advance Hole database is not the expected version…” (See screenshot below) appears then you will need to either upgrade the database or relink it to the correct files.
In the error message, there are two numbers: the “Current version” and the “Expected version”. If you take these numbers and minus 3 then that will give you the SOLIDWORKS version that you are looking for (For example, if the expected version is 24.00 then this refers to SOLIDWORKS 2021). To reference the correctly versioned files, there are two options:
Option 1 – Find the files for the updated Hole Wizard/Toolbox and update SOLIDWORKS System Options to look in this new location.
- • The default location that SOLIDWORKS downloads the Hole Wizard/Toolbox options is C:\Solidworks Data. You can view what version the files are by opening the “SOLIDWORKS Data” Folder and opening the “ToolboxVersion.dat” file with Notepad.
- • If there is another user at your company who has the Hole Wizard/Toolbox setup with the correct version, you can copy the “SOLIDWORKS Data” folder over to your computer and use this.
- • After locating the correct files, you can relink where SOLIDWORKS looks for the files by going into your System Options (Gear Icon at top middle of screen) and going to “Hole Wizard/Toolbox” and change the referenced “Hole Wizard and Toolbox folder: ” to the updated location.
Option 2 – Manually upgrade the Toolbox/Hole wizard files using the instructions here: How To Upgrade SOLIDWORKS Toolbox Manually
Symbols Missing from User Interface (eg. “” instead of Diameter Symbol)
If you are working on a SOLIDWORKS part and you notice that Symbols are missing (For example, it shows the text “” instead of the Diameter symbol), then you will need to point SOLIDWORKS to look at the correct file for the Symbols Library.
- 1. Verify that the symbols file is on your machine. The default location for this is “C:\ProgramData\SolidWorks\SOLIDWORKS XXXX\lang\english” (Where XXXX is your SOLIDWORKS Version) In this folder, look for the file called “gtol.sym”. If you don’t see the file, you can see if you one of your co-workers has the file and can send it to you or if you reach out to us at MLC CAD Systems, we would be happy to track down a copy of it.
- 2. Once you verified that you have the file, point SOLIDWORKS to it by:
- 1. Open System Options (Gear Icon at Top Middle)
- 2. Go to “File Locations”
- 3. Under the “Show Folders for: “ section select “Symbol Library File”
- 4. Add the file path that the “gtol.sym” file is in.
- 5. Confirm the changes.