How to Install DraftSight

This guide will walk you through installing DraftSight using two of the three licensing methods. For DraftSight Enterprise users, we will also discuss how to use the DraftSight Deployment Wizard to create Admin Images for multi-user deployments. We will not discuss using the Dassault Systemes License Server (DSLS). The two methods we will discuss are using a DraftSight serial number and using a SolidNetWork License M (SNL), which can be installed on a server for use with many clients. The SNL requires a bit of setup beforehand, so let’s discuss this first.

Install the SolidNetWork License Manager

To set up the SolidNetWork License Manager, we need to get the installation media. You can acquire the installation software from GoEngineer or from the SOLIDWORKS Customer Portal. From the customer portal, there is a download section that has a link for downloads and updates.

Figure 1. Customer portal page, Download section.

The link will bring you to the product selection page. Select and download the latest Service Pack.

Figure 2. SOLIDWORKS download product selection.

You can download this directly to your server or transfer the media via external memory. You can also download this to the client computer and have both the SNL and the DraftSight download on the same computer. If you would like to discuss which option is best suited for your needs, feel free to reach out to your GoEngineer account representative.

Once downloaded, you can launch the .exe and select Install Server Components > Install SolidNetWork License Manager.

Figure 3. SNL Installation Product selection.

Follow the Installation Manager and enter your 24-character DraftSight serial number.

Figure 4. Adding Serial number to the SNL.

SOLIDWORKS will then display the server information. If the server has a firewall, make sure the check box is checked and confirm the server name is listed correctly. The default port numbers are 25734 and 25735. Leave these as default. If you have a firewall you may need to create rules/exceptions to allow the communication through these ports. Continue through the installation and install the SNL. Once installed launch the SNL and activate your licenses.

Figure 5. SNL Server Information.

Modify the SolidNetWork License Manager

If an SNL is already in place, you need to add your DraftSight serial number to it. We can do this by going to the Windows Start Menu > type in Control Panel > Select Programs > Programs & Features. Find your SolidNetWork License Manager sever, right-click, and select Change.

Figure 6. SNL Server Modification.

This will launch the SolidNetWork License Manager Setup. Hit Next then select Modify and hit Next again.

Figure 7. Add DraftSight serial number.

In the next add your DraftSight serial number and hit Next.

Figure 8. Ready to install.

Now we are ready to modify the SNL. Hit Install and wait for the process to finish. This should be a quick process only taking a couple minutes. Once finished, your DraftSight license is all set up and we are ready to install DraftSight.

Install DraftSight

Now that the SNL has been installed, we are ready to install DraftSight. We will need the DraftSight installation media. You can find this on https://www.draftsight.com/support/draftsight-download.  Select and download the appropriate download for your system.

Figure 9. DraftSight Download page.

Now that we have the executable downloaded, let’s launch it and install. Here is where you get the option to decide between the two licensing options. The first is if you have a standalone DraftSight serial number, which means you can select and enter it in the Serial Number field.

Figure 10. Standalone License option.

If the DraftSight serial number is a network serial number, and we have followed the SNL install guide above, select SolidNetWork License. Hit Next.

Figure11. Network License option.

If we are using the SNL, the next screen will prompt you to enter in the sever information. The default port is 25734. Enter in the server information in the format of 25734@<Servername>. Hit Next.

Figure 12. Enter in the server information.

Proceed through the installation and finish installing. Once finished, DraftSight will be installed and ready to use.  If you have any questions or ran into any issues during the installation, reach out to our GoEngineer Technical Support team.

Setup the DraftSight Deployment Wizard

This is for DraftSight users that wish to create admin images for fast deployment across multiple users. The Deployment wizard must be requested from SOLIDWORKS and is given out on a one-time basis once Enterprise status has been verified. If this is something you wish to do, contact GoEngineer tech support. Once this process has been completed and you have the DraftSight Deployment Wizard (DDW) you are ready to create the admin images for DraftSight.

The first step to setting up the DDW is launching the .exe. The first page is the welcome page. This page describes the use of the DDW. Hit Next.

Figure 13. Opening screen of the DDW.

The next step is the Deployment Options. This is where we will point the images to look for the DraftSight installer and the shared Data Path.

Figure 14. Deployment options.

For the DraftSight installer location, select Browse and go to the network location where the installer is saved.

Figure 15. DraftSight installer location.

Next, we want to add the Network Share Location. This is the location where the DDS will create the Deployment Package. Select Browse and go to the location where these files will be stored.  The section below is where we can use the default path or make a user defined installation path. This is the path where the installer will install the program files for DraftSight on the client. We will use the default path. We can now hit Next and proceed.

Figure 16. Network Share Location.

The next step is the server setup. This is referring to the License Server. There are two options: the SNL and the DSLS. As stated above, we will not be discussing the DSLS, so we will use the SNL option.

Figure 17. Licensing options.

Now let us enter in the sever name and the port number. We can see that the default port number for the SNL is already entered. Hit Next.

Figure 18. Server Name and Port Number entry.

Finally, we are at the summary page. Review the information to confirm it is correct and click finish to create the administrative image.

Figure 19. Finishing creating your Deployment images.

Once the files are created you can deploy these to the client machines. Since this is saved in a network location, we can send the users the Network Share Location or a link and have them double-click the deploydraftsight.exe executable. This will launch and install DraftSight on the client.

I hope you found this DraftSight installation guide helpful. Fore more information, check out our DraftSight FAQ.