Deleting a vault in SOLIDWORKS PDM is a destructive and irreversible operation. It removes the vault definition from the archive server and permanently deletes the associated database. This post walks through the correct order of operations, common prompts you’ll see, and the most frequent error that blocks vault removal.
Ride of the Valkyries Alert 🎼 — Don’t listen if you don’t enjoy Wagner. When you are managing complex assemblies inside SOLIDWORKS PDM, generating a bill of materials (BOM) is a routine task, but i’s also one of the most repetitive. This is exactly where the PDMShell BOM command becomes invaluable, eliminating manual exports and saving your from those small tasks quitely eat away engineering hours across large teams. PDMShell solves this problem with a simple but extremely powerful tool: the BOMCommand. The BOMCommand extracts a Bill of Materials directly from a SOLIDWORKS file in the PDM vault and exports it as a clean CSV file. It removes all manual steps by providing a scriptable way to generate BOMs using batch jobs, scheduled tasks, or command-line workflows. If you’ve ever needed fully automated downstream manufacturing data, ERP integrations, or repeatable export pipelines, this command is designed for exactly that.
PDMShell gives SOLIDWORKS PDM administrators the ability to run precise, scriptable, and automated operations across large sets of files, and the PowerShell PDMShell search command is at the center of that capability. One of its most powerful features is the unified search syntax unlocks a completely different level of control over your PDM vault. Consider the following search command: At first glance, it may appear complicated, but every element serves a clear purpose and is easy to understand once broken down. Name=%.sldprt This filter targets all part files (SLDPRT) using a wildcard pattern.The use of % allows flexible pattern matching, returning any file that ends with .sldprt regardless of prefix or naming convention. Recursive=true This instructs PDMShell to search not only the current folder, but all subfolders beneath it.This is especially important for large vaults, deep project structures, or multi-level assemblies. @Document Number~143 This uses a variable-based search.PDMShell looks up the PDM variable named “Document Number” and applies a contains (~) comparison against the value 143. Variable search supports all standard comparison operators, including equals, greater than, less than, contains, and more. What makes this system so powerful is that the same search filter can be passed into a wide range of PDMShell commands. You write the search once, and then apply it to whatever action you need to perform. Below are the PDMShell commands that fully support the -search parameter, along with direct documentation links: Version Control frogleap (increment, decrement, or manage versions)https://pdmshell.com/src/FROGLEAP.html Bulk Variable Updates setvar (update PDM variables in bulk)https://pdmshell.com/src/SETVAR.html File Removal delete (soft-delete matching files)https://pdmshell.com/src/DELETE.htmldestroy (permanently remove matching files)https://pdmshell.com/src/DESTROY.html Local Cache Retrieval get (retrieve files to local cache)https://pdmshell.com/src/GET.html Publishing and Exporting export (PDF, DXF, STEP, and custom publishing)https://pdmshell.com/src/export.html SOLIDWORKS Automation runswmacro (open SOLIDWORKS and execute a macro on each file)https://pdmshell.com/src/runswmacro.html File State Management checkouthttps://pdmshell.com/src/CHECKOUT.htmlcheckinhttps://pdmshell.com/src/CHECKIN.html If you would like more examples, additional documentation, or help building automated workflows, reach out anytime.
With PDMPublisher, exporting flat patterns from a top-level SOLIDWORKS assembly is completely automated and requires no manual steps.If you have ever wondered how to export flat patterns with PDMPublisher in a reliable, hands-off way, this workflow makes the entire process effortless. Step 1: Set the Export Location In this example, the export location is defined as the DXF subfolder inside the C:\Export directory. By enabling “Export file references individually,” both the main assembly and its referenced parts will be processed automatically. Step 2: Enable Flat Pattern Export Next, check the option “Export sheet metal part to 1:1 flat pattern DXF.”This ensures that only sheet metal components are exported as clean, accurate flat patterns that are ideal for manufacturing. Step 3: Define the Naming Convention File names are automatically built using the part number (or item name) followed by the revision.This keeps every exported file organized and traceable within your vault or output folder. Step 4: Apply Filters (Optional) To avoid processing every component, you can apply filename filters.In this case, the export was limited to parts named base_shape and control_panel, allowing targeted processing for selected models. Step 5: Publish Finally, click Publish.PDM Publisher will begin processing the top-level assembly and its references, loading them into memory, extracting each flat pattern, and saving them to the target folder automatically. Step 6: Review the Results Once complete, your DXF flat pattern files are ready for fabrication, organized, clean, and consistent.
Description This SolidWorks macro to rebuild referenced models in all drawing sheets works by rebuilding all referenced models for each sheet in an active SOLIDWORKS drawing document. It validates the active document, iterates through every sheet, and for each one, ensures the referenced model views are refreshed. After completing the rebuild process, the macro closes the models to free up memory efficiently. System Requirements Pre-Conditions Post-Conditions VBA Macro Code Macro You can download the macro from here. Customization Need to modify the macro to meet specific requirements or integrate it with other processes? We provide custom macro development tailored to your needs. Contact us
Description The SolidWorks macro for reloading sheet formats in drawing documents automates the process of refreshing and standardizing sheet templates across all sheets in a SOLIDWORKS drawing. It iterates through each sheet, temporarily removes the current format, and then reloads the original template. This macro ensures every sheet is updated with the correct default format, rebuilding and saving the document automatically to simplify drawing maintenance and formatting consistency. System Requirements Pre-Conditions Post-Conditions VBA Macro Code Macro You can download the macro from here. Customization Need to modify the macro to meet specific requirements or integrate it with other processes? We provide custom macro development tailored to your needs. Contact us.