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External References - Use Relative Paths?
2

External References - Use Relative Paths?

External References - Use Relative Paths?

(OP)
We are currently evaluating 3D cad packages for our small (<30) consulting company, and Solidworks is top of the list.  I need some help with file management though:

I have used 3D CAD before (2000 hours on ProE), so I know how much of a pain it can be to share files between users.  I was hoping use the same technology our software engineers use to collaborate:  the open source subversion system (subversion.tigris.org), rather than PDM Works, because our users are already familiar with it.  

However I've read Solidworks used absolute-paths for its external references, which sounds to me like assemblies and drawings break if each user has a different checkout root directory (even though the file structure inside is identical).  I guess what I'm asking is:  Is it possible to have Solidworks search paths _relative_ to the checkout directory, rather than absolute to the hard drive

 Thanks in advance

RE: External References - Use Relative Paths?

They will break the paths if you move any of them to another directory thru Win Exp.

Chris
Sr. Mechanical Designer, CAD
SolidWorks 05 SP3.1 / PDMWorks 05
ctopher's home site (updated 06-21-05)
FAQ559-1100
FAQ559-716

RE: External References - Use Relative Paths?

Tools/Options/File Locations, select "Referenced Documents" from the list and add the root level folder(s). As long as the sub folder structure doesn't change, it should work.

The help has a rather long winded explanation of how it works and it can get fairly complicated, most people don't realize how extensive the search for external files can get. Look up "Search" in the help and there's a topic "Search, file locations for external references".

Jason

UG NX2.02.2 on Win2000 SP3
SolidWorks 2005 SP5.0 on WinXP SP2
SolidWorks 2006 SP1.0 on WinXP SP2

RE: External References - Use Relative Paths?

(OP)
OK, but what if I move ALL of them to a different directory through windows explorer.  In other words, I keep the internal folder structure, but I move the root directory around.

In fact, I just tried that this morning with my demo copy of solidworks 2005.  I made the following files and folders

rootdir1/
- subdir1/
- - part1
- subdir2/
- - assembly1 (references part 1).

I cut and pasted rootdir1 to a new location on my hard drive using windows explorer.  When I double clicked assembly1 in the new location, the assembly came up fine!  Solidworks found the reference without complaint!

Maybe I got lucky?  If not, then Subversion is a definate possibility.  (I'm not only worried about training time, but also having our business data locked in a proprietary database.  Subversion is open source, so I know we'll have access to our data, even if we switch CAD packages later on.)

RE: External References - Use Relative Paths?

(OP)
Thanks Gildashard.  I'll look into that.    Is the tools/options/file locations setting a property of the file (meaning I'd have to reset it for every file, every time the repository is checked out), or the machine (meaning I'd only have to reset it every time someone changes the location of their working copy)?  

RE: External References - Use Relative Paths?

bsimons,
Concerning your test.  You dind not get lucky.  If you move the root, the assembly will open fine.  The method you describe is how my company used to collaborate prior to getting pdm.
-Shaggy

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