Customers often ask why the "Revision" for a file in SOLIDWORKS PDM can show different values in different places. What a lot of folks don’t realize is that the Database Revision (or the “Local/Latest Revision” you see in the Version tab and in the File History dialog) is not the same as, or synced with, the Revision Variable (as seen in the variable list on the Preview tab or on the Data Card tab). They’re totally separate fields and values. This is a very commonly misunderstood aspect of revisions (understandably, since it’s not often explained), so let's clear up the confusion once and for all.
The View option in the History dialog of a file in PDM is often used when reviewing files to look at older versions of the file without fully opening it in SOLIDWORKS. However, you may see a pop-up stating "Error executing viewer" when you try to do so. This is often caused by an incorrect Viewer path in a User's settings.
SQL Maintenance plans create a workflow of the tasks required to make sure that your database is optimized, regularly backed up, and free of inconsistencies. The Maintenance Plan Wizard comes with prebuilt core plans, but manually creating plans gives more flexibility in execution. They can only be used with SQL Standard or higher, and so are only compatible with SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional.
Managing non-CAD files like Engineering Change Orders (ECOs), instruction PDFs, or component data sheets alongside your models can be tricky. In SOLIDWORKS PDM, the Paste as Reference feature lets you link external documents directly to a part, assembly, or drawing, keeping your project context complete and easy to navigate.
Web2 is a useful tool to access SOLIDWORKS PDM over the internet. Most issues with Web2 can be traced to improper setup on the server. This guide will delve into the proper way to set up Web2, install the software, set up user accounts, and cover application pool identity and testing.
The SOLIDWORKS PDM Archive Consistency Tool compares the files in the archive against the information in the database and creates a text log file with the results. Included with the Archive Consistency Tool is a tool for parsing the log file. Once parsed, sections of the results can be saved as SQL queries. These SQL queries can then be run in SQL Management Studio to gather more information about the problematic files.
Whether setting up a server for the first time or moving to new hardware, setting up your SOLIDWORKS PDM Server correctly is crucial. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the process with step-by-step instructions. Please review all of the documentation prior to installation to ensure a smooth installation. The steps are simple, but it’s very important to not miss any pieces of the puzzle.
When clients and offices are scattered around the nation or the world, the action to copy/retrieve files to the archive can become extremely slow. For this reason, having an archive that is local to the office will speed up the copying process. These multiple archive servers are called “Replicated” servers. PDM can copy or replicate the files automatically between the servers in the evening when the network is not being used.
We often get asked about recommendations for setting up a server (or servers) for SOLIDWORKS PDM. Dassault Systèmes' System Requirements page contains some information about server specs, but it’s not terribly specific. The hardware requirements are aimed more for a SOLIDWORKS workstation for an end user rather than a PDM server.