SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional
SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional Resources including technical tips and tutorials for users and administrators
To maximize PDM performance, the SQL database files should be located on the fastest hard drive available. If the mdf and ldf files for the database need to be relocated, this can be done using the Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio. Before moving the files, ensure that a backup of the database has been performed and that the vault has been locked so that no users are currently working. Step 1: Locate the Database files Right click on the vault database and select Properties. Click on the Files page to find the current file path and file names. Browse to this location through the Windows Explorer and then close the Properties window in the SQL Server Management Studio. Step 2: Detach the Database Next, again right click on the Vault Database that is being moved and in the fly out menu under Tasks select Detach. Check the box for Drop Connections…
When troubleshooting SOLIDWORKS PDM issues, or when performing operations like software upgrades you may need to manually backup the SOLIDWORKS PDM Database outside of your normally scheduled Maintenance Plan. This backup can be run as a task within the Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio. Step 1: In the Management Studio, right click on the PDM database that needs to be backed up, then go to the Tasks flyout and select “Back Up…” Step 2: In the Back Up dialogue box, on the General page, ensure that the Backup type is set to Full and the Backup component is set to Database. In the Destination area, make sure that the Back up to option is set to Disk. You may need to select the existing destination and select “Remove”, then click “Add…“. Step 3: In the Select Backup Destination dialog, click “…” and select the folder where the backup file should be…
Once the SOLIDWORKS PDM Client software is installed the next step is to setup the Vault View which give the user(s) access to the vault through Windows Explorer. The easiest way to do this is by using the SOLIDWORKS PDM View Setup tool. It is recommended that you perform this procedure with full Administrator privileges. SOLIDWORKS PDM View Setup Tool Step-by-step guide The View Setup is found by going to the Start Menu > SOLIDWORKS PDM > View Setup. Screen 1: Welcome Launch the program then click “Next>“. Screen 2: Select Servers On the Select servers screen you will see any Archive Servers that your system can currently communicate with across the network. If you are in a replicated environment make sure that you select the Archive Server that is local to your office (you may need to confirm this with your PDM Administrator to make sure which server is the one…
Starting with Microsoft SQL 2005, the Password Policy and Password Lockout settings from the Windows Operating System (found by going to Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Local Security Policy > Account Policies) are automatically inherited by the sa account in SQL. This could lead to issues if the password stored in the Database Server Configuration program or the Archive Server Configuration tool are incorrect for any reason and the Password Policy is set to lockout the account after a certain number of failed login attempts. If that happens, PDM will no longer be able to access the SQL database and users will not be able to work in the vault. For this reason the SOLIDWORKS PDM Installation Guide recommends disabling this option for the sa account. This can be done from within the SQL Server Management Studio program, by expanding the Security folder, then the Logins folder and right clicking…
When installing the SOLIDWORKS PDM Client you can select from 3 different license types: Editor, Contributor or Viewer. It is very important to make sure that you select the correct license type for the PDM licenses that you own, otherwise you will receive an error when trying to log into the vault. SOLIDWORKS PDM Editor: Supports working with all file types. Users can add and modify files. CAD add-ins allow access to PDM functions within supported CAD applications. SOLIDWORKS PDM Contributor: Users can perform the some actions as with the Editor license but add-ins are not enabled. SOLIDWORKS PDM Viewer: Allows read-only access to vaults, users cannot add or modify files. If the license type needs to be changed after the SOLIDWORKS PDM Client software was installed, it can be changed through the SOLIDWORKS PDM Administration program. Steps for changing SOLIDWORKS PDM Client License type Open the Administration program and…
When you login to SOLIDWORKS Manage, by default, you will be also be logging into your SOLIDWORKS PDM Vault, if your Manage environment is connected to PDM. Note in the screenshot below that the option to login only to SOLIDWORKS Manage (and not PDM) is not checked. When you close Manage and try to login as a different user — for instance, if you were logged in as Admin to make changes to the environment and now want to go back to your regular user profile — it is possible that the login window will switch back to the previous user immediately after you enter the new credentials. If that happens, it means you are still connected to the SOLIDWORKS PDM vault using the first user’s credentials. To be able to login as a different user, close SOLIDWORKS Manage, then Log Off from PDM, and then login to Manage again,…
SOLIDWORKS® Manage provides a unique set of advanced data management and project management tools. This is accomplished by leveraging the file management capabilities and ease of use of SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional and adding powerful project, process, and item management capabilities. Watch our demonstration video filmed at SOLIDWORKS World for an overview of SOLIDWORKS Manage. Learn how the Project Management tools will help you to manage project timelines, resources, processes, and advanced items. We explore the functionality that makes SOLIDWORKS Manage a powerhouse for project-related tasks from BOM management to process control. Distributed Project Management SOLIDWORKS Manage takes the place of the separate disconnected tools that an organization might use to manage engineering resources and processes. It is compatible with many existing tools, and works to more efficiently and effectively maintain the integrity of enterprise information. With SOLIDWORKS Manage, organizations can now plan each stage of a project, assign resources and tasks, and attach required documentation…
In SOLIDWORKS PDM we can map SOLIDWORKS Drawing Sheet details directly to a Data Card, making the information easily accessible to users. In this article we’re going to look at how to create that relationship within the vault. How to map the SOLIDWORKS Drawing Sheet to a Data Card In this example, we’re going to map the current sheet and the total number of sheets values… The first step is we’ll need to create the variables to store this information, then create the attribute mappings accordingly; Administration Tool > Variables > New Variable… Name; Current Sheet Type; Text New attribute; Block Name: $PRP Attribute Name: SW-Current Sheet Extension: slddrw Name; Current Sheet Type; Text New attribute; Block Name: $PRP Attribute Name: SW-Total Sheets Extension: slddrw Next, we’ll need to link these variables to a data card; Administration Tool > Cards > File Cards > SOLIDWORKS Drawing Card; Link up edit…