New in SOLIDWORKS PDM 2020, for transitions that include dynamic notifications, you receive a warning if you have not selected a user or group to receive a notification.

Previously in SOLIDWORKS PDM, if you submit a file through a transition with dynamic notification and if a user/group was not selected to receive the notification, there was no warning that notification will not be sent out. In SOLIDWORKS PDM 2020 a warning is displayed if you move a file from one state to another using transition with dynamic notifications.

Transition Notification Warning

The post SOLIDWORKS PDM 2020 Transition Notification Warning appeared first on The Javelin Blog.

A great addition in SOLIDWORKS Visualize 2020 is the new SOLIDWORKS PDM menu.  This menu provides better integration between Visualize and your data management tools.

The menu will become active when a file stored in a SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional vault is opened in Visualize (this functionality is not currently available for SOLIDWORKS PDM Standard).

SOLIDWORKS PDM Menu

Now, directly through the Visualize interface, users can manage files in PDM.  Actions such as Get Version, Check In, Check Out and Change State can be performed through the drop menu.

Version and Transition Comments can be entered directly through the interface without leaving the program.

Version and Transition Comments

Specific file information including, Local Version, Local Revision, Checked Out By, Checked Out In and the current Workflow State are all listed at the bottom of the menu.

Additionally, you can open the file’s Data Card, and view or edit it inside the SOLIDWORKS Visualize program.

Specific file information

The post SOLIDWORKS Visualize 2020 PDM Menu Integration appeared first on The Javelin Blog.

Following an upgrade of SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional, you may encounter some odd behavior when accessing the vault through Web2.

If you see any of these symptoms, you may have missed one final step in the upgrade process:

• Login page hanging indefinitely
• Being able to login successfully but not able to navigate between folders
• Either hanging indefinitely or being sent back to the Login page when trying to view any details of a file
• Or, encountering the error “Could not open database“.

These are all symptoms of the same issue, the Web2 application pool using the wrong identity.

This most commonly happens following an upgrade of the software.  That’s because, during the upgrade, the application pool will be reset to the default “Network Service” identity and must be modified back to use the Windows Profile that it was using before the upgrade.

In order for Web2 to work properly, the application pool identity must be set to use a Windows Profile that has:

1. Has logged into the vault and selected a folder in the vault at least once.
2. Has been added as a member of the IIS_IUSRS group.
3. Is a member of the local Administrators group.

Following any upgrade of the SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional Web2 Server software, make sure the following steps are performed:

Step 1:  Open Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager, go to the “Application Pools“, select “SOLIDWORKS PDM Web2” and click “Advanced Settings…“.

Application Ppols SOLIDWORKS PDM Web2

Step 2:  Select the “Identity” field and click on the “…” button.

Identify Network Service

Step 3:  Select “Custom account” and click “Set…“, then enter the credentials for the Windows User account that should be used for Web2.

Set the credentials for the Windows User account

The post Are you having issues after upgrading SOLIDWORKS PDM Web2? appeared first on The Javelin Blog.

Changing the computer that is used as the SOLIDWORKS PDM License Server is actually very easy and can be accomplished quickly in a single step, even if there are many users or multiple vaults involved.

On any client computer, open the PDM Administration console and log into any vault as the Admin user.

Double click on the “Licensing” node to open the “Set License” dialogue.

Add Server

On the Server List tab, click “Add…” then enter the port number (the default licensing port is 25734) and name of the new license server using the format 25734@servername.

Once you have added the new SOLIDWORKS PDM License Server, you can remove the existing server by selecting it in the list and clicking “Remove“.

The License node information is shared among all vaults whose databases reside on the same instance of Microsoft SQL Server, so if you have multiple vaults, you should only have to edit the License node once.

Once this change is made, all users should Exit out of SOLIDWORKS PDM and log back in so they can begin using the new SOLIDWORKS PDM License Server.

License Server has been changed

NOTE: If users do not log out, after about a 1 hour grace period, they will no longer be able to access the vault until they right-click on the PDM “blueberry” and Exit the software.

The post Changing the SOLIDWORKS PDM License Server appeared first on The Javelin Blog.

Whether its because the SOLIDWORKS PDM archives have been migrated to a new server, or you are working in a different office than usual and need to connect through a replicated Archive Server, it may be necessary to modify which Archive Server your PDM Vault View is attached to.

This can be done very easily through the Windows Registry.  The change can be applied without needing to check in any files beforehand and without losing any work.

The first step is to determine how the Vault View on the client computer was originally set up.  There are two possible ways the vault view might have been attached, either using the default “For all users on this computer” or “Only for me”

Select Attach Location

Depending on which Attach type was used, the server information will be stored in different locations in the Windows Registry.

If you don’t know which Attach type was used originally, first check the location used by the default, “For all users on this computer” option.

If “For all users on this computer” was used:

This option creates registry entries for the SOLIDWORKS PDM Archive Server information in these two locations:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\SolidWorks\Applications\PDMWorks Enterprise\Databases\VAULTNAME

and

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\SolidWorks\Applications\PDMWorks Enterprise\Databases\VAULTNAME

The string value “ServerLoc” contains the Archive Server computer name.  To attach to the new server, this value must be changed in BOTH of the locations listed above.  If the value in the WOW6432Node section of the registry is not updated, there will be errors with some applications when trying to browse into the vault view.

ServerLoc Registry String

Once the change is made, exit the PDM Client software and log back in again.  The view will immediately begin using the new server name.

If you do not see the vault name listed under “Databases”, then the view was set up using the “Only me” Attach Type.

If “Only me” was used:

This option creates registry entries for the server information in these two locations:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Solidworks\Applications\PDMWorks Enterprise\Vaults\VAULTNAME

and

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\SolidWorks\Applications\PDMWorks Enterprise\Vaults\VAULTNAME

Again, the string value “ServerLoc” contains the Archive Server computer name.  Modify the string, in BOTH locations, with the new server name, then exit the PDM Client software and log in again to begin using the new Archive Server.

ServerLoc Archive Server Name

The post How to attatch to a different SOLIDWORKS PDM Archive Server Location appeared first on The Javelin Blog.

Article co-authored by Samir Lohmann on February 19, 2020

Here is an overview of our current recommended SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional 2020 Server hardware recommendations.

While the following recommendations are intended as a general overview for most SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional vaults, determining proper server and client hardware is one of the first steps that Javelin will provide during a SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional Implementation service.

We strongly recommend that you contact our specialists if you are considering the purchase of any hardware or software for PDM. The optimal hardware and configuration for your vault may vary depending on many aspects, including the number of users, number of files in the vault and other factors.

PLEASE NOTE:  These recommendations do NOT apply to SOLIDWORKS PDM Standard

SOLIDWORKS PDM Database Server:

• Processor: 4 Cores with 3Ghz or higher clock speed
• Operating System: Windows Server 2019
• Database Software: Microsoft SQL Server Standard 2017 (see further information regarding licensing below)
• Memory: 32GB (see further information regarding memory below)
• Storage configuration: Windows OS and SQL Server software in RAID 1 SSD ; SQL Database file (.mdf) RAID 1 SSD; SQL Log file (.ldf) RAID 1 SSD

SOLIDWORKS PDM Archive Server:

• Processor: 3Ghz or higher clock speed
• Operating System: Windows Server 2019
• Memory: 16GB
• Storage configuration: Dedicated high speed storage drive(s) for archives

What is the recommended system architecture for SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional 2020 servers?

For medium and large PDM Vaults, It is recommended that a separate, dedicated server be used for the PDM Database Server.  For performance reasons no other databases should be hosted on the same server that is hosting the PDM database.  It is recommended that the SOLIDWORKS PDM Database Server Service (also called the Database Helper service) be installed on the same system that is hosting the SQL Server software.

PLEASE NOTE: It is very strongly recommended that the Microsoft SQL Server software not be installed on a system that acts as an Active Directory Domain Controller, this can lead to several known issues, including security risks.

A separate server should be used for the SOLIDWORKS PDM Archive Server service.  That same server can also be used for the PDM Web2 Server software.

What are the minimum hardware requirements for SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional 2020?

The minimum SOLIDWORKS PDM hardware requirements can be found on the SOLIDWORKS System Requirements page.

What Processor (CPU) is recommended for SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional 2020?

SOLIDWORKS PDM supports both Intel and AMD processors.

For the Database Server, Microsoft SQL can take advantage of multi core processing.  For optimal performance of PDM functions, it is recommended that the average CPU utilization be kept below 50%.  If average utilization is above 50%, then more cores may be needed.  Please note, If using Microsoft SQL Server Standard Core Licensing, adding additional cores may require also purchasing additional core licenses.  This can be discussed with your Microsoft retailer.

For the Archive Server and Web2 Server components the CPU requirements are much lower.

What Operating System is recommended for SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional 2020 server components?

SOLIDWORKS PDM 2020 is officially supported on the following operating systems:

• Windows Server 2016
• Windows Server 2019 (recommended)

PLEASE NOTE:  Windows Server 2012 & Windows Server 2012R2 are NOT compatible with SOLIDWORKS PDM 2020.

Does SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional 2020 work in virtual environments?

Yes, however SOLIDWORKS only tests and supports PDM in specific virtual environments.

A list of the currently supported virtual environments can be found on the SOLIDWORKS website.

Can SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional 2020 be hosted in the cloud?

Although SOLIDWORKS does not test PDM in any cloud provider (such as Amazon AWS or Microsoft Azure), cloud based servers can be used for SOLIDWORKS PDM.

Javelin offers various PDM cloud based solutions for customers who are interested in moving their data management to this environment.

If you are investigating your own cloud environment, please take note of the following:

• Amazon Web Service’s Relational Database Services (RDS) is not an appropriate option for hosting PDM databases as it does not allow using a db_owner This leads to several issues when using PDM.
• The runtime restricted license of Microsoft SQL Standard 2014 that was bundled with SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional licenses purchased before Fall 2019, cannot be used for cloud based environments. For a cloud based SQL installation, you will need to ensure that you have an SQL Server license with Software Assurance, or use a EC2 or Azure instance that includes the appropriate licensing.
• The latency from the clients to the cloud server should be under 100 milliseconds. Keep this in mind when selecting your Availability Zone.

What version and release of Microsoft SQL Server is recommended for SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional 2020?

The following releases of Microsoft SQL Server can be used to host PDM Professional 2020 file vault databases:

• Microsoft SQL Server 2014 SP3
• Microsoft SQL Server 2016
• Microsoft SQL Server 2017

The database can be hosted on SQL Server Standard or SQL Server Enterprise, however due to performance limitations SQL Express should not be used to host a SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional vault database in a production environment.

For optimal performance, Microsoft SQL Server 2017 is recommended for hosting SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional 2020 databases.

PLEASE NOTE:  Ensure that you have the proper licensing for the version of SQL that you use for PDM Professional (your Microsoft Software Provider can help you determine if you have all the licenses needed for SQL).  Any licenses of SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional sold before the fall of 2019 automatically included runtime restricted licenses of Microsoft SQL Standard 2014.  These licenses can not be upgraded to newer versions and are not eligible for Software Assurance from Microsoft.

SOLIDWORKS PDM 2020 requires Microsoft ODBC drive 17.3 or later for SQL Server to be installed on the Database Server and the Clients.

How much Memory (RAM) is recommended for SOLIDWORKS PDM 2020?

16GB is recommended for Archive Servers.  For the Database server, a minimum of 32GB is recommended, however this should be increased if necessary.  For optimal performance, there should be at least enough RAM fully cache the database files into the memory, plus an additional 4GB for the Operating System and other services.

What storage options are recommended for SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional 2020?

For PDM Archive storage, a hard drive with fast I/O speeds should be used, ideally a Solid State Drive.  Remote disks, such as a UNC share, NAS or SAN are NOT recommended for storing PDM Archives as there are known performance issues with such environments.  Additionally, SAN and NAS devices are not officially supported by SOLIDWORKS.

For the Microsoft SQL Server, it is recommended that the Windows Server OS (with the SQL software installation), database files (.mdf) and log files (.ldf) should each be separated to individual RAID 1 arrays using high speed Solid State Drives.

What are the network considerations for SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional 2020?

SOLIDWORKS PDM Client and Server components must be able to communicate on the following ports:

Client and Database Server:

• TCP 1433
• UDP 1434

Client and Archive Server:

• TCP 3030
• UDP 3030

Client and SolidNetwork License Server:

• TCP 25734
• UDP 25735

If a firewall is in place between the Client systems and the Servers, exceptions must be added for these ports.

PLEASE NOTE:  These are the default ports used when the server components are installed however these can be changed through adjustments to the settings so always verify which ports your server components are using when creating any firewall exceptions.

SOLIDWORKS PDM 2020 no longer utilizes Transport Layer Security (TLS) 1.0, allowing it to be disabled if necessary.  However, all previous releases of SOLIDWORKS PDM (2019 and older) require TLS 1.0 to be enabled.

For remote, replicated sites, or cloud based server deployments, network latency between the clients and the Database Server must be less than 100 milliseconds (ms).  Latency above 100ms will lead to severe performance degradation, and above 200ms will result in timeout errors for most PDM functions.

Which releases of SOLIDWORKS are compatible with SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional 2020?

The PDM Professional 2020 Add In for SOLIDWORKS is tested and fully supported for use with SOLIDWORKS 2020, 2019 and 2018.  While combinations of PDM Professional 2020 and older versions of SOLIDWORKS such as 2017 or 2016 may work, please note that they are not officially tested by SOLIDWORKS Development and so they are not fully supported combinations.

A newer release of SOLIDWORKS is never supported with a previous release of PDM (for instance, SOLIDWORKS 2020 is not compatible with SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional 2019).

Starting with their 2019 releases, SOLIDWORKS Composer and SOLIDWORKS Inspection Standalone both include PDM Integration built into their menus.  New for 2020, SOLIDWORKS Visualize now also includes this integration.

Integrations are available SOLIDWORKS Electrical and SOLIDWORKS PCB through the installation of additional Integration packages.

Which releases of Microsoft Office are compatible with SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional 2020?

Microsoft Office 2013, 2016 and 2019 are all compatible with SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional 2020.  It is recommended to use a 64-bit version of Microsoft Office.

PLEASE NOTE:  SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional 2020 will be the last release to support Microsoft Office

What if I am using an environment that is not supported by SOLIDWORKS?

If you choose to set up SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional in an unsupported or untested environment, keep in mind that while it may initially work, issues can potentially develop at any point in the future and it may be necessary to migrate to a supported environment.

If you are implementing SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional with the assistance of the Javelin PDM Services team,  we will assess your situation and advise you on the possible issues that may arise.

The post SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional 2020 Server Hardware Recommendations appeared first on The Javelin Blog.

By default when a new database is created within Microsoft SQL the recovery model option is set to full.  If you’re capturing daily backups, a full recovery model can cause issues with the transaction log affecting performance.  We’ve previously looked at how to change the recovery model, but we can change a setting within SQL to make the default recovery model set to simple.

How to set the default recovery model to simple

• Log in to the SQL Server Management Studio using the sa (system administrator) account;

SQL Server Management Studio

• Expand the Databases folder
  • Then the System Databases folder
    • Select the model DB
      • Right-click > Properties;

Databases

• • Select Options and for Recovery Model via the drop-down, we can switch it from Full to Simple, then hit OK;

Simple Recovery Model Option

Then any new vaults we create, the database Recovery Model will be set to simple;

New Database set to Simple

The post How to change the default Recovery Model Option for new SQL Databases appeared first on The Javelin Blog.

With the new Quick Search feature included in SOLIDWORKS PDM 2020, it’s possible to search within multiple variables right from Windows Explorer;

SOLIDWORKS PDM Quick Search

By default, when searching using an AND or NOT operator, it will search for both values within the same variable.

In this example, we want to search all files for any parts that contain Brace in the Description variable AND Stainless Steel in the Material variable;

Brace AND Stainless Steel

Blank PDM search results

This search returns blank because none of the selected variables to search contain both values Brace and Stainless Steel

How to search in different variables using Quick Search

To search within different variables when using a AND or NOT operator requires a colon (:) prefix;

: Brace AND Stainless Steel

Correct search syntax

The post Search within different variables using SOLIDWORKS PDM Quick Search appeared first on The Javelin Blog.

What does the option “Hide when sibling parallel transition is chosen” do in SOLIDWORKS PDM?

Hide when sibling parallel transition is chosen

This option hides transitions after a commitment is made to enter a parallel transition.

In other words if there are two or more parallel transitions that can be chosen from this state, once one is chosen the other parallel transition will not be available as an option. Once you commit to a parallel transition you do not have the option of changing to the other parallel transition unless you revoke the approvals already made to the parallel transition that was chosen.

Note 3 ways to reach ‘Approved’ state from the ‘Under Edit’ state.

1. Normal transition ‘Approvals Skipped’
2. Parallel transition ‘Design Approval’
3. Parallel transition ‘Admin Approval’

Workflow

All of these approvals will be shown before a choice is made, as shown below;

Change State Options

When ‘Hide when sibling parallel transition is chosen’ is not checked…

Transition Properties

… Then sibling parallel transitions will be shown when a parallel transition is chosen. In this case the ‘Design Approval’ parallel transition was chosen.

Change State Options

When ‘hide when sibling parallel transition is chosen’ is checked…

Change State Options

… Then sibling parallel transitions are hidden, as well as any other transitions from the source state.

The post SOLIDWORKS PDM Hide When Sibling Parallel Transition is Chosen appeared first on The Javelin Blog.

Right now with the COVID-19 outbreak a lot of companies are being forced to change the way they operate, with employees having to work remotely outside of the office. This means accessing the shared SOLIDWORKS data in your office becomes more of a challenge. In a previous post we presented the different methods available for accessing data through Remote Desktop Tools, VPN (Virtual Private Network) and Cloud options.

In this post I will outline the various PDM and Cloud services that Javelin provides, so you are aware of the options available and how you can get the help you to remotely access your data.

Javelin Cloud Services

Remote SOLIDWORKS PDM Services

Javelin’s team of Certified Experts provide a variety of remote services including System Implementation, Health Check, Optimization and Upgrades.

• SOLIDWORKS PDM Implementation Service: If you need to organize your business for working remotely then we can provide you with a SOLIDWORKS PDM implementation service that will ensure your PDM system is installed correctly and optimized for remote sharing. Certified PDM Implementation Experts will also advise you on best practices and make you self sufficient. We have refined the implementation process over 20+ years helping thousands of customers with data and document management issues.
• SOLIDWORKS PDM Upgrade Service: If you are upgrading your SOLIDWORKS PDM from Standard to Professional in order to take advantage of web tools and access in the professional version; then you should consider our remote PDM Upgrade Service to ensure that the upgrade goes smoothly and downtime is kept to a minimum.
• SOLIDWORKS PDM Audit Service: Javelin’s team of Certified PDM Experts can provide you with a comprehensive SOLIDWORKS PDM Audit to ensure you system is optimized for working remotely. Our analysis will determine if there are any issues with your system, establish it’s running at full capacity, verify your data is fully protected, and check that the latest enhancements and features are being utilized.

Javelin Cloud Services

Javelin’s Amazon Web Service (AWS) Certified Experts provide cloud infrastructure and application migration solutions to small and medium sized businesses. We can help you to Plan, Design, Build, Migrate, Run, Operate, and Optimize your cloud service.

• Javelin Cloud Mentoring: Get the guidance you need to select the right service levels from AWS Services. Our team will evaluate your existing PDM infrastructure and provide a future needs analysis including:
  • Servers/Virtual Machines (VMs)
  • Storage Needs
  • Virtualized Hosts or Bare Metal
  • Internal network cabling
  • Routers and Switches
  • External bandwidth requirements and availability, which includes:
    • Match needs to AWS offerings:
      • EC2 instance types
      • EBS storage types
      • Network Needs and Configuration
  • We also provide an AWS network diagram for a proposed infrastructure
• Javelin Cloud Network Configuration: The Javelin team can build a seamless connection between AWS and your current network infrastructure. The service includes:
  • Current infrastructure analysis
  • Switching and Routing
  • Network Speeds and Capacity
  • VPN Appliances
  • External Bandwidth Availability
  • Hardware recommendations for Optimal Performance
  • Hardware and Network configuration and testing
  • Javelin Cloud Server Services
  • Client-Side Configurations
  • DNS Configurations
• Javelin Cloud PDM Installation and Setup: Javelin AWS and SOLIDWORKS PDM Services Team will provide you with the network configuration that best suits your PDM requirements on the Cloud:
  • AWS configuration and build out (SQL, PDM database and PDM Archive in place)
  • Configure Amazon SNS for AWS notifications delivery
  • Configure Amazon SES for PDM SMTP Notifications Delivery (if necessary)
  • Configure AWS VPC for Delivery of PDM SMTP Notifications to OnPrem SMTP Server (if necessary)
  • Create CloudWatch Alarms
  • AWS Backup Configuration
• Javelin Cloud Health Check: Analyze your existing system and provide you with a report. The service includes:
  • On demand checkups (scheduled in advance as required)
  • EC2 resource usage analysis
  • Network usage analysis
  • EBS Storage usage
  • Our team will also provide you with recommendations for upgrade/downgrade of EC2, EBS, or other Amazon resources
• Disaster Recovery Validation Service: Testing of backup systems to avoid major problems, typically includes 1 day to recreate, and 1 day of testing.
  • Verify consistency of backup data
  • Recreate PDM environment and restore data
  • Connect simulated client machines and test restored data
  • Provide reporting on results
  • Recommended annually
• Additional Cloud Services: There are a number of IT services that our experts can provide you, these include:
  • VPN Consulting Services
  • Remote Desktop Tools Support
  • Office 365 Administration
  • PDM Administration
  • Azure, AWS Administration
  • Network Administration and Consultation
  • Setup of a cloud based CAD workstation featuring an Nvidia Tesla graphics processor

Interested?

If you are interested in any of these SOLIDWORKS PDM or Cloud services then please contact us »

The post Services to help you access your SOLIDWORKS Data via the Cloud appeared first on The Javelin Blog.

Within Microsoft SQL, every SOLIDWORKS PDM vault database has a transaction log associated with it that records the modifications to the database.  In some scenarios, if this log grows large it can cause performance issues within SQL and the vault.  If you’ve recently changed the recovery model for the SOLIDWORKS PDM vault DB from full to simple, we can reduce the size of the transaction log with a shrink action.

How to shrink the SQL transaction log

• Login to the SQL Server Management Studio using the sa (system administrator) account;

SQL Server Management Studio Login

• Expand the Databases folder
  • Select the vault DB
    • Right-click
      • Tasks > Shrink > Files

Shrink Transaction Log – Tasks > Shrink > Files

• For File Type select Log, and click OK

Shrink Transaction Log

The post How to shrink the SOLIDWORKS PDM SQL Transaction Log appeared first on The Javelin Blog.

When creating a new SOLIDWORKS PDM Vault View, we have two options for Attach type;

• Only for me
• For all users on this computer

SOLIDWORKS PDM Vault View Setup

Or if creating using the SOLIDWORKS PDM Administration Tool;

SOLIDWORKS PDM Administration Tool

which is essentially the same options, but we can choose either Yes or No.

What is the difference between these two options?

Only for me

If you choose Only for Me or select No when asked “Do you want to make the file vault view accessible for all users on this computer“, the registry keys are written in the HKEY_CURRENT_USER section.  Creating the keys in this location makes the vault view only available to the Windows profile that it was created in.

For all users on this computer

If you choose For all users on this computer or select Yes when asked “Do you want to make the file vault view accessible for all users on this computer“, the registry keys are written in the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE section.  Creating the keys in this location makes the vault view accessible to any Windows profile that logs into this workstation.

….but which option should I choose?

That would depend on your setup.  If you’re using a dedicated machine for your use; you can select For all users on this computer, as there isn’t a risk of users logging into a different Windows profile and gaining access to files that were checked out on the previous profile.  If multiple users consistently access the same workstation, and it’s a requirement for everything to be kept separate; then use the Only for me option, which will make the view unique to that logged-in profile.

Q: Wait; if I create a shared profile and someone else logs into my workstation, does that mean they will inherit all my permissions?

A: No.  User permissions are still controlled via the vault log in.  What could happen is; they will gain write access to files that were checked out on the other profile, or files could appear as private if they were cached on the other profile, and the current user doesn’t have viewing permissions.  When using a “Shared” view, both user accounts are accessing the same folder, therefore the same cached content is being accessed.  If another user is going to access a shared view, a clear of the local cache would help prevent this.

The post How to Share a SOLIDWORKS PDM Vault View appeared first on The Javelin Blog.

If the mouse pointer jumps around when navigating through folders in SOLIDWORKS PDM vault view, you can deselect the option to snap in mouse properties. When the option is selected, the pointer will jump from the folder or file you click on to an ambiguous point in the Windows Explorer toolbar.

Browse to the Mouse Properties in Windows Control Panel, select the tab “Pointer Options“, deselect “Automatically move pointer to the default button in a dialog box” under Snap To, and pick OK.

Snap To Mouse Properties

The post While navigating in SOLIDWORKS PDM Vault View my Mouse Pointer Jumps around? appeared first on The Javelin Blog.

The recommended free disk space for an SQL Server (SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional database), is 15%. If free disk space reaches levels below that, problems can occur. Lower levels can lead to PDM can becoming unusable.

There may not may any notification of low disk space, until running the SOLIDWORKS PDM Database Upgrade Wizard.

SOLIDWORKS PDM Database Upgrade Wizard

The PDM Database Upgrade Wizard, is used to upgrade the SQL database(s), used by PDM. This is normally done after upgrading SOLIDWORKS PDM to a newer release.

SOLIDWORKS PDM Database Full Errors

In the case of insufficient disk space, the log created by the PDM Database Upgrade Wizard, will show that there was a failure, but may not provide the cause.  To find the cause we need to look in the PDM USER log. In the log there will be errors such as:

• SOLIDWORKS® PDM database upgrade (upgrade.exe) to fail with a client log error “[SQL Server] The transaction log for database ‘db_name’ is full”?
• [Microsoft][ODBC SQL Server Driver][SQL Server] The transaction log for database ‘db_name’ is full.

These errors point to the Transaction Log being full. The Transaction Log records all SQL transactions as well database modifications. The Transaction Log is critical to disaster recovery and should never be deleted or moved.

These messages may occur because the defined maximum Transaction Log size has been reached or because there is no more disk space for the Transaction Log to grow.

The reason that low disk space may not be noted until the use of the PDM Database Upgrade Wizard, is because the Upgrade process will create many temporary tables. The greater the gap between versions of the database(s), the more free space that will be required, during the Upgrade

If disk space becomes more critical, users may start to get the message ‘‘Error accessing the database’ and ‘Transaction log is full’ in client log.”  When investigating this message it is important to determine if Autogrowth has been enabled and that the defined Maximum File Size has not been reached.

Transition Log – Enable Autogrowth

If the Transaction Log settings are correct the the available disk space should be checked.

Only those who are familiar with SQL should make any changes as incorrect settings may have a detrimental effect on PDM use.

How to limit the consumption of disk space

There are a number of reasons why disk space can become an issue and there are things that can be done to limit the consumption of disk space. Some of these are:

• Having a dedicated SQL Server. This would mean having a separate server for the PDM Archives. Having separate servers for the PDM Archive and Database, can increase PDM performance, on larger implementations
• Using Simple as the Recovery Model for SQL.
• Moving old SQL back-ups to a separate server.

When disk free space has become critical, there are a couple of solutions. First, would be increase the amount of disk space. The other is to Shrink the Transition log. The Shrink operation will cause SQL Index fragmentation and this can lead to poor SQL/PDM performance. So it is not recommended that it be used on a regular basis, but in situations where disk space is critical, it may provide stop gap solution, until a final solution can be implemented. Also, on large databases or in environments where there hundreds of users, shrinking databases yearly, may actually increase performance.

The post Using Shrink to address SOLIDWORKS PDM Database Free Space appeared first on The Javelin Blog.

By default when SOLIDWORKS PDM transition actions complete a change state operation on a file, all the referenced files will be selected to transition:

SOLIDWORKS PDM transition action

You can de-select any files to exclude them from the transition.

Some users like the files selected by default, as it ensures no files are forgotten files when transitioning an assembly.  Other users dislike it, as it has the potential to complete unwanted transitions on files.

The good news is we can control this behavior via the settings.

Change the settings to not select referenced files when changing state

• Administration Tool > Users > [User Name] > Right-Click > Settings

Administration Tool Settings

• Reference Dialog > Check ‘Do not mark referenced files when changing state‘ > Ok

Do not mark referenced files when changing state

Update

With the 2019 release and later versions; this option has changed;

Select child references during state change

The wording is now; Select child references during state change, and by default, this setting is enabled.  Disabling this option will stop child references from being automatically selected during a transition.

Then by default, the referenced files won’t be selected in a change state dialog;

Change state dialog

NOTE: This setting change can be completed on a global level, by changing the settings at the ‘Users’ node instead of the Username.

Need SOLIDWORKS PDM Training?

Contact us about our SOLIDWORKS PDM training courses for users and administrators.

The post How to prevent transition actions from selecting all child references in SOLIDWORKS PDM – Updated appeared first on The Javelin Blog.

In SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional, you can configure the Print task provided by the SOLIDWORKS Task Add-in to specify the computer, printer, and print settings to use. The Print task can be configured to run silently when executed or a user who initiates the task can select all or some of the print properties.

The Print task can be imported from the PDM installation directory.

Import a Task

The Print task to be imported, is located in the PDM installation directory, in the Default Data folder.

Print Task File to Import

The Administration Guide that is available from the Help pull-down in SOLIDWORKS PDM Administration, describes in detail how to configure the Print task. In summary, there are ten sections that need to be defined.

SOLIDWORKS PDM Print Properties

To Configure the Print task:

1. Expend the Tasks and double-click Print
2. In the Print Properties dialog box, in the left pane, click Execution Method
3. Select the computer that can be used to execute the task and how task execution is initiated
4. Click Printer
5. Select one:
   • Always use the following printer name
     • Select a printer from the list of available local printers
   • Prompt the user with the following options
     • Specify printers that users can chose from
   • Select printer based on paper size
     • For each Paper Size to be printed, click under Printer Name and specify the name of the printer to use
6. In the left pane, click Paper Size, Scale and Orientation to specify defaults for paper size, scale and orientation
7. Select Allow the users to change this settings to let users who run the print command change the settings
8. Click Margins to specify paper margins and optional headers and footers, or have the print command prompt user for these values
9. Click Files to specify how to handle referenced files and setup a folder for error logs
10. Click Permissions to give users and groups permissions to initiate the task
11. Click OK to save

The post Configuring the SOLIDWORKS PDM Print Task appeared first on The Javelin Blog.

SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional includes a Microsoft Office Add-in for Excel, Word and PowerPoint that allows you to perform vault operations on documents opened in the Office application.

Microsoft Office Add-in

Normally you would select the Microsoft Office add-in (Microsoft Office Integration) option during the client installation if Office is detected on the system.

Microsoft Office Integration

If for some reason you were not able to select the option via the install wizard, you can manually install the Microsoft Office add-in as follows:

1. First verify if your Office version is 32-bit or 64-bit. The best method is to open the Office application and
   go to File, Help, and view the About information. It should state if the application is 32-bit or 64-bit.

   About Word

2. An alternate method is to start the Office application and view the process details for the application. If it
   shows 32 next to the process name, the application is 32-bit. Otherwise it is 64-bit.
   • 64-bit Word Process

     64-bit Word Process

   • 32-bit Word Process

     32-bit Word Process

3. Browse to ..\SWPDMClient\ folder on the install media and locate the Office add-in .CAB files.

   Office add-in .CAB files

   • Open Office.cab for 32-bit Office. Extract epdmlib.dll and office.dll into the SOLIDWORKS
     PDM 32-bit program folder location (c:\Program Files (x86)\SolidWorks PDM).

     c:\Program Files (x86)\SolidWorks PDM

   • Open Office64.cab for 64-bit Office. Extract epdmlib.dll1 and office.dll1 into the Enterprise
     PDM install folder (c:\Program Files\SolidWorks Enterprise PDM)

     c:\Program Files\SolidWorks Enterprise PDM

   • Rename the files to epdmlib.dll and office.dll.
4. Start a command prompt using the Run as Administrator option.

   Command Prompt

5. Step into the install folder where the two files were extracted and type the following commands (followed by Enter keystroke):
   • regsvr32 epdmlib.dll
   • regsvr32 office.dll

     Administrator Command Prompt

6. Start the Office application and the SOLIDWORKS PDM add-in tab should now show up.

   SOLIDWORKS PDM

7. If it does not show, go to File, Options, Add-Ins, Manage COM Add-ins and press Go…

   Enable SOLIDWORKS PDM Add-in

Make sure the SOLIDWORKS PDM integration add-in is listed and enabled. If it is not listed, try starting the Office application using the “run as administrator” option, then use the Add… option in the COM Add-Ins dialog to locate and load the office.dll file.

Select Word SOLIDWORKS PDM Integration

NOTE: If the SOLIDWORKS PDM tab still does not load, try restarting the system.

The post How to manually install the SOLIDWORKS PDM Microsoft Office Add-in appeared first on The Javelin Blog.

When there is a new release of SOLIDWORKS PDM, it is wise to first test the upgrade so that you can identify and address any problems, before updating your production vault.

SOLIDWORKS PDM uses the SolidNetWork License Manager (SNL) and this needs to first be updated to the same version of SOLIDWORKS PDM that is to be installed. The License Manager is backwards compatible, so a separate installation of the license Manager is not required. It is wise to update the License Manager after hours, to be sure there is no impact on production if issues are encountered. The License Manager is installed from the SOLIDWORKS Installation Manager.

Updating License Manager

Create a SOLIDWORKS PDM Test Environment

Once the License Manager is updated, the new version of SOLIDWORKS PDM can be installed. You will require a different system to install the new version of SOLIDWORKS PDM. This can be a different server, a PC used for testing, or a virtual machine. If you are going to be using a virtual machine, please ensure that the virtual environment you are using is supported. The same SQL installation you use for your production vault can be used for your test vault, so SQL does not need to be installed on your test environment.

Using a PDM Sandbox Vault

Once SOLIDWORKS PDM has been installed on your test system, you can now import the contents of your production vault into your sandbox vault. The steps to do this can be found in my blog article SOLIDWORKS PDM – Sandbox Vault.  This process will copy your vault settings, but not the archive or database.

Setting up an Independent Test Environment.

While testing only your vault settings is useful, having a duplicate of your PDM environment is often the best way of testing a new release. This will require at minimum a new database on the same instance of SQL. In general, the process consists of backing up and restoring the database to the vault. Once this is done, part or all of the archive is copied into the new vault. This process is explained in the PDM Installation guide as well as a previous article of mine.

If you wish to avoid using the same SQL instance, you can install a separate instance on a separate physical server or on a Virtual Machine (VM). For PDM licensing, you can still use the same SOLIDWORKS License Manager. To avoid licensing issues with Microsoft SQL, SQL Server Developer Edition can be used. SQL Server Developer Editions is a “full-featured free edition, licensed for use as a development and test database in a non-production environment.” Another tool that I find useful for testing is Windows Sandbox. This tool allows me to quickly create a VM without requiring any licensing. Be aware that once you close down the application, the VM is permanently removed.

Learn More

Javelin provides PDM training in-class or live online. Check out the training courses available.

The post Setting Up a SOLIDWORKS PDM Test Environment for a New Major Release appeared first on The Javelin Blog.

Within SOLIDWORKS Manage, there are scenarios (upgrading, etc) where a manual synchronization of the PDM object is required to ensure everything is up to date between SOLIDWORKS Manage and PDM.

How to run a synchronization of a SOLIDWORKS ‘PDM’ object

• Within SOLIDWORKS Manage;
  • Options > Administrative Options

SOLIDWORKS Manage Administrative Options

• Structures > Documents & Records
  • Select the PDM Object RMB Edit

Edit ManageVault PDM Object

• Within the SOLIDWORKS PDM Configuration Wizard via the drop-down jump to the Completed page and select Finish

Process Complete

• Within the Synchronization details dialog select Synchronize

Synchronize

• When complete we can close the Synchronization details dialog and the SOLIDWORKS PDM Configuration Wizard

Synchronize complete

On some specific occasions, it may be required to include all the PDM documents in a synchronization.  These generally take a lot longer depending on the size of the vault, so should only be performed when necessary.

How to include document folders in a Synchronization

• Edit the PDM Object (see above) and within the SOLIDWORKS PDM Configuration Wizard jump to the Connection page
  • Within the Connection page select Enable Synchronization and get all PDM Objects

Enable Synchronization and get all PDM Objects

• This will perform the same sync as above, but also include all the PDM Document Folders

Include all the PDM Document Folders

As mentioned previously, this may take some time to complete.  If a sync of all PDM files isn’t required, we can limit this to specific folders

How to limit a Synchronization to specific folders

• Within the Synchronization details dialog
  • Uncheck Update Document Folders then expand and select the desired folders to synchronize

Uncheck Update Document Folders

The post How to perform a synchronization between SOLIDWORKS PDM and SOLIDWORKS Manage appeared first on The Javelin Blog.

Dassault Systèmes has recently released ENOVIAworks which is a new cloud-based data management solution for SOLIDWORKS customers. There are now two distinct data management solutions to choose from that will manage your SOLIDWORKS data:  SOLIDWORKS PDM/Manage and ENOVIAworks.

ENOVIAworks

The main difference between the two DS solutions is SOLIDWORKS PDM/Manage is an on-premise highly configurable solution whereas ENOVIAworks is a turnkey cloud-based solution.

Here is a quick comparison of the two solutions to help you decide which DS solution is right for your business:

On-premise Solution: SOLIDWORKS PDM/Manage

The existing SOLIDWORKS PDM and SOLIDWORKS Manage solutions are a good choice for businesses that want to manage their own data. SOLIDWORKS PDM provides an easy way for your team to work on product designs without worrying about version control or losing model files. Simply store CAD models and any supporting electronic documents in an indexed central repository that tracks versions and automates workflows to eliminate time spent searching and duplication of efforts.

SOLIDWORKS Manage is an upgrade to SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional providing customers with a set of advanced data management tools. SOLIDWORKS Manage builds upon the file management capabilities and ease of use of SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional while adding powerful project, process, and item management capabilities. Critical product development decisions are simplified with interactive dashboards and reports that help track project progress, resource allocation and quality performance.

Advantages:

• The ability to manage your own infrastructure with internal IT staff.
• The system can be designed around your specific company processes.
• Provide a high degree of configurability and customization.
• SOLDWORKS Manage includes project, process, and item management capabilities.

Disadvantages:

• Need to purchase server hardware and a location to store your data.
• Need an IT staff to maintain and manage the system.
• Need to upgrade the system when new versions of SOLIDWORKS are released.
• There is web access for users but the system is not a true cloud-based solution.

Cloud-based Solution: ENOVIAworks

ENOVIAworks delivers design, engineering and business services on the cloud. ENOVIAworks runs on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform and offers flexibility, capability and scalability with its wide portfolio of solutions and apps. It enables businesses of any size to seamlessly manage all stages of product development – plan, develop, and release – on the cloud with reduced infrastructure costs and less IT overhead. ENOVIAworks solutions provide digital continuity and empower team members to collaborate from anywhere, at any time and on any device.

Advantages:

• ENOVIAworks is a turnkey solution that allows companies to quickly start using an advanced PDM system.
• No need to purchase hardware or install software.
• No dependency on IT staff for system maintenance and upgrade.
• Includes basic lifecycle management, BOM management, project management, and change management.
• Able to be used with just a web browser.

Disadvantages:

• Not as configurable as SOLIDWORKS PDM/Manage
• Less functions and capabilities compared to SOLIDWORKS PDM/Manage
• Limited to best practices governed by ENOVIAworks.

Summary

If you are just starting out with PDM and want a turnkey cloud-based system that is easy to configure and implement then ENOVIAworks is the best choice for you.

If your business wants a more configurable system that you want to manage completely by yourselves then we would recommend a SOLIDWORKS PDM/Manage solution.

The post Comparing SOLIDWORKS PDM/Manage to ENOVIAworks appeared first on The Javelin Blog.