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SOLIDWORKS PDM Cleaner Service and How it Works

Vault cleanup with SOLIDWORKS PDM is an automatic reoccurring task that is performed on a regular basis which removes deleted archives of files which have been destroyed (click here to learn the difference between delete and destroyed). When a file is deleted or destroyed in the vault, the history of that file is removed from the vault database. The physical archive folder remains on the server until the cleanup process runs. By default, the process starts at 3 a.m. every night for all vault archives stored on the archive server. 

 

Without this service, the breadcrumbs of destroyed files would start to fill up your archive storage. If you find a situation where multiple files were destroyed and the cleaner service needs to run at a different time or immediately to free up space, it is possible to override the schedule for the cleaner service by creating a new registry key as described in this guide below. 

 

To help manage storage space, you may also consider dividing the PDM Archive over multiple drives as described in: How to Relocate Vault Archive Folders to Another Drive. 

 

NOTE: The cleaner service DOES NOT produce a no log file detailing what is removed from the archive server.  The cleaner service will run until all the files are removed.  There is no option to have the service stop after running for a specified amount of time. 

What the PDM Cleaner Service Does

  1. When it starts, the cleaner service contacts the SQL server and gets a list of ALL DocumentIDs of files that should exist on that Archive Server.
  2. It starts scanning all folders under the 0+F archive folders.
  3. It verifies the content of the folders that it can match a DocumentID against.
  4. It deletes the folders named with a hexadecimal name and containing an index.xml that does not exist in the list of DocumentIDs.

Changing the PDM Cleaner Service Schedule

  1. On the PDM Archive Server, open the Windows Registry Editor (Windows Start menu > Run > type Regedit). Once Registry Editor is open, navigate to the key:
    KEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\SOLIDWORKS\Applications\PDMWorks Enterprise\ArchiveServer\Vaults\VAULTNAME\ 
SOLIDWORKS PDM Cleaner Service and How it Works q
  1. Right-click > New > String Value, and name it ‘CleanerSchedule’ 
SOLIDWORKS PDM Cleaner Service and How it Works
  1. Modify the CleanerSchedule value to meet your time needs. The format is Minute Hour Weekday. In the example image below, the schedule is set to 0 1 1, which will run every Monday at 1:00 am. 

Schedule format 

        • Minute: numerals 0 through 59. 
        • Hour: numerals 0 through 23, where 0 is midnight. 
        • Weekday: numerals 1 through 7, where 1 is Monday. 

 

Examples 

0 0 * Run at midnight every day. 

0 2 1-5 Run at 2 a.m. every Monday through Friday. 

0 * * Run every hour on the hour every day. 

0 6-18 1-5 Run every hour between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. 

SOLIDWORKS PDM Cleaner Service and How it Works
  1. To implement the changes, restart the Archive Server service by launching the Archive Server Configuration application and then selecting Tools > Restart Server. 
SOLIDWORKS PDM Cleaner Service and How it Works
  1. The service will run at the scheduled frequency until the key is either removed or the value changed again. 

Technical Support

Get help from our team by Calling us at 800-364-1652 x 2. You can also get assistance by clicking the Technical Support button or the Email Our Experts button below. 

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Last Updated On
byRick Braine
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