×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

2006 - 2007 Toolbox Copied Parts File Name Problem

2006 - 2007 Toolbox Copied Parts File Name Problem

2006 - 2007 Toolbox Copied Parts File Name Problem

(OP)
I don't know if anyone else has encountered this problem, but basically I'll explain.

Since 2004, our comapny has steadily been building a library of copied parts from the toolbox. We have got to the point now where almost every screw, nut and washer that we're ever likely to use is in the copied parts folder on our network in the file name format, e.g. 'ISO 4762 M5 x 12 --- 12N.SLDPRT'.

This has been working brilliantly and when dragging a screw for example from the toolbox, SW recocnises that a copy of the part already exists and gives the option to use this existing copy. No problem there.

Since upgrading to 2007, however, things have changed...
Now when I try to drag a screw into an assembly (that I know already exists in the copied parts folder), I get no message informing me that it'll use the existing part, even though the quoted file name in the new configuration box is correct.

Further investigation reveals that a new part has been added to the copied parts folder in the format 'Socket Head Cap Screw_ISO_ISO 4762 M5 x 12 --- 12N.SLDPRT'.

I understand why SW has decided to prefix the file name for 2007 (I always found the ISO number description really helpful - NOT), but have not only got used to this, I have over 2000 files that I really do not want to re-create, especially since I have multiple configurations for each one referencing different materials etc.

How the heck do I get SW to recognise the existing file names as opposed to duplicating each part with a new file name format?

Please help!!

Regards,

Rob

RE: 2006 - 2007 Toolbox Copied Parts File Name Problem

In your Toolbox settings under "Files," it sounds like you have selected the option "Create Configurations."  Is that correct?  If so, try selecting the option "Create Parts" and specify a working directory for the copied parts.

Also, under SolidWorks options, try setting a location for "Design Library" that references your Toolbox parts.

RE: 2006 - 2007 Toolbox Copied Parts File Name Problem

(OP)
The Toolbox settings are all correct and is currently set to 'create part'. The problem I have is that when you create a part in SW 2007, the file name is different to the previous versions. Thus it does not see any of the parts that are already in the network folder, it just starts to re-create them in a new file name format.

Design library is set, but for fixings at least it's easier not to use it as it's so slow, I used to just drag a part from the toolbox and it told me if it was already there or not. Of course now it doesn't, but that's to do with the problem above.

Any other ideas??

RE: 2006 - 2007 Toolbox Copied Parts File Name Problem

Sounds to me like your path is not setup correctly for SW07... because if its not looking or pulling from the correct location, then its going to always try and recreate it.

Regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP pc2
www.scottjbaugh.com
FAQ731-376

RE: 2006 - 2007 Toolbox Copied Parts File Name Problem

(OP)
All paths were set-up correctly, which is proven by the fact that the new format screws etc. get stored and retrieved from the same folder on the network. They get re-created because the filename is different from 2006.

Can someone verify what I'm saying is correct?? If anyone is running SW 2007, create a copied part from the toolbox and let me know what the filename is. Also, if someone is still running 2006, do the same as a comparison. If they are the same then something is seriously wrong with my installation!

Regards,

Rob

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources