Is your SOLIDWORKS Update/Reference dialog dismissed too quickly before you can take action!

Dismissed messages in SOLIDWORKS can prevent files from being saved or opened in the expected way.  Reviewing and re-enabling them is commonly used when troubleshooting issues related to saving or opening files.

SOLIDWORKS goes through a search routine when opening files with references.  If a reference is not found, a SOLIDWORKS unable to locate file dialog box appears (if it has not been dismissed) offering you the option to either search for a replacement file, suppress the component or suppress all missing components.  Note the countdown until the message is dismissed highlighted in the screenshot below:

Unable to locate file dialog

Adjusting the dismissal time

The dialog sometimes times out before you have made a selection.  That should not be a cause for frustration because starting with SOLIDWORKS 2015, the duration of the dialog for missing references can be changed in Tools > Options > Messages/Errors/Warnings.

If the option ‘Dismiss reference/update dialog boxes when opening assemblies after n seconds’ is disabled, the reference/update dialog will remain on the screen until one of the options is selected.  If that option is enabled, the duration of the dialog remaining on the screen can be set in seconds.

SOLIDWORKS Options for Messages/Errors/Warnings