How can you use a text editor to determin SolidWorks File Version
How can you use a text editor to determin SolidWorks File Version
(OP)
Hello All,
I've wondered this for a while and finally discovered the answer I was looking for. The list is by no means complete.
USING TEXT EDITOR TO DETERMINE SolidWorks FILE VERSION
How to determine SolidWorks Version a File was created on using a text editor
SolidWorks files contain text for VERSION of the file but it is separated by spaces as follows.
"V E R S I O N _" Search for this string in the SolidWorks file when opening with a text editor.
SolidWorks File Version is listed twice in each file.
_DL_V E R S I O N _ ## 0 0
_MO_V E R S I O N _ ## 0 0
_ #### = YYYY
?? = '95
?? = '96
?? = '97
?? = '97 Plus
_ ??? = 199?
_ 822 = 1998
_ ### = 1998 Plus Beta version?
_ 1008 = 1999
_ 1332 = 2000
_ 1750 = 2001
_ 1950 = 2001 Plus
_ ???? = 2002
_ ???? = 2003
_ 2500 = 2004
_ 2800 = 2005
_ 3100 = 2006
_ 3400 = 2007
_ 3800 = 2008
This list will continue and is still missing data from before 1998 back V E R S I O Ns
Michael
![[thumbsup2] thumbsup2](https://www.tipmaster.com/images/thumbsup2.gif)
I've wondered this for a while and finally discovered the answer I was looking for. The list is by no means complete.
USING TEXT EDITOR TO DETERMINE SolidWorks FILE VERSION
How to determine SolidWorks Version a File was created on using a text editor
SolidWorks files contain text for VERSION of the file but it is separated by spaces as follows.
"V E R S I O N _" Search for this string in the SolidWorks file when opening with a text editor.
SolidWorks File Version is listed twice in each file.
_DL_V E R S I O N _ ## 0 0
_MO_V E R S I O N _ ## 0 0
_ #### = YYYY
?? = '95
?? = '96
?? = '97
?? = '97 Plus
_ ??? = 199?
_ 822 = 1998
_ ### = 1998 Plus Beta version?
_ 1008 = 1999
_ 1332 = 2000
_ 1750 = 2001
_ 1950 = 2001 Plus
_ ???? = 2002
_ ???? = 2003
_ 2500 = 2004
_ 2800 = 2005
_ 3100 = 2006
_ 3400 = 2007
_ 3800 = 2008
This list will continue and is still missing data from before 1998 back V E R S I O Ns
Michael






RE: How can you use a text editor to determin SolidWorks File Version
SolidWorks 95 44
SolidWorks 96 243
SolidWorks 97 483
SolidWorks 97Plus 629
SolidWorks 98 822
SolidWorks 98Plus 1008
SolidWorks 99 1137
SolidWorks 2000 1500
SolidWorks 2001 1750
SolidWorks 2001Plus 1950
SolidWorks 2003 2200
SolidWorks 2004 2500
SolidWorks 2005 2800
SolidWorks 2006 3100
SolidWorks 2007 3400
SolidWorks 2008 3800
-handleman, CSWP (The new, easy test)
RE: How can you use a text editor to determin SolidWorks File Version
Eric
RE: How can you use a text editor to determin SolidWorks File Version
I'm still curious as to why this information (how to find version with text editor) might be useful.
FYI, the file actually contains the entire version history. The history can be easily read with the API.
-handleman, CSWP (The new, easy test)
RE: How can you use a text editor to determin SolidWorks File Version
Thanks for the data I've always heard from users that I've talked to that the Version wasn't shown if file was viewed in text editor. Pro/E shows PTC Wildfire etc then 21001158 or some date code which is similar to the 3800 number shown in SolidWorks.
When I originally tried searching for Version VERSION v16 etc. I found nothing and 3800 didn't seem to be recognizable as an indicator. then when I looked at a 2007 file and saw 3400 and in 2005 Personal edition file saw 2800 something clicked.
This information is useful if you work in multiple versions or are using an older version and don't name your files -06 -07 etc. Before I knew version could be determined I was using a SWversion file property to allow me to search for certain files.
Michael
RE: How can you use a text editor to determin SolidWorks File Version
Matt Lorono
CAD Engineer/ECN Analyst
Silicon Valley, CA
Lorono's SolidWorks Resources
Co-moderator of Solidworks Yahoo! Group
and Mechnical.Engineering Yahoo! Group
RE: How can you use a text editor to determin SolidWorks File Version
Run the macro and hit "Browse". Choose some files. The latest version will be listed along with the file path.
This is a loose framework, and could be easily changed to output to Excel, list entire version history, etc. However, it should be noted that the version history includes the version history of the template used to create the file. So if you have been using the same templates since '98, and making minor tweaks ever since, your version history will include those versions.
-handleman, CSWP (The new, easy test)
RE: How can you use a text editor to determin SolidWorks File Version
-handleman, CSWP (The new, easy test)