Icons in Windows Explorer gone

[handleman]

Just yesterday (I think) Windows Explorer quit showing the icons for sldprt/slddrw/sldasm files. Now it just shows the general file icon as though the files aren't associated with anything. Right-click->Properties still lists them as being associated with SW, and double-clicking opens in SW. I tried checking the SW option for "Show thumbnail graphics in Windows Explorer", but that didn't work. Neither did rebooting or associating the files with another program and then back to SW. Anyone seen this before? (SW06, SP5.0, WinXP SP1)

 

[smcadman]

This happened to me a few weeks ago. I was cleaning up my computer, and I still had SW05 on here, so I un-installed it. Even though I have SW06 on here, the icons and thumbnails disappeared. Eventually whenever I installed SW07 on here, everything returned back to normal.

SW06 SP5.0

Flores

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Performance wise, you are probably better off without them. But if you really want them back, maybe try running a Repair with the SW CD, or per faq559-507.

On a side-note ... You're still running XP-SP1 ???

​

Helpful SW websites faq559-520​

How to find answers ... faq559-1091​

SW2006-SP5 Basic ... No PDM​

 

[handleman]

I figured a repair might be necessary.

Yeah, I'm still running SP1. I have several interesting alternate names for our IS department (Imaginary Support is one). I thought about trying to update myself, but I'm not sure I have sufficient access rights. I do have enough to install and run SW without issue, so I may be OK. I do know that we SW users have more local admin rights than many other people here. I try to fly under the IS radar most of the time. Their stock answer to any problem is "Looks like you're corrupted. We're going to do a re-image of your HD." We're not supposed to even be able to change our internet homepage off the company intranet website. I figured out how to fiddle in the registry to set it to whatever I want, but they still set it back every month or so. So I wrote a VBScript to run when I log in and re-set it to what I want. We're also not supposed to be running Firefox. Guess what I'm using. I think I've got it shielded from the remote software inventory, but I'm not sure. They deleted it remotely a while back before I found the shielding method.

Sorry for the rant! And thanks for the help.

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Are you sure it's not something your IS has disabled somehow? Having the icons displayed does use up resources & will slow the system down. Maybe they are doing some remote "tweaking".

You could try asking in Tek-Tips, but you would probably get severely shot down if you let it be known that you are circumventing your IS department. Many memebers there are IS/IT people & tend to be ... ... "a little sensitive" that way.

​

Helpful SW websites faq559-520​

How to find answers ... faq559-1091​

SW2006-SP5 Basic ... No PDM​

 

[handleman]

It's just the SW icons that are messed up. And I did find out that all of us (SW users) have had the same issue pop up in the last couple of days, so it's definitely something IS has done. I already knew using the preview thumbnails really gives a performance hit, especially when all your files are on a network, but I was talking about the generic part/drawing/assembly icons.

I ran a repair and rebooted, but no dice.

I tried going to Tools->Folder Options in Windows Explorer, File Types tab, choosing a SW file type, and hitting "Advanced". That dialog box shows the correct icon. I can hit "Change Icon" and change to any of the SW type icons, but the change doesn't get reflected back to my Windows Explorer view. For that matter, I can change it to any type of icon, but the change is not shown in Windows Explorer.

Argh!

 

[SBaugh]

Are you running 64-bit?

Question:
Why do the icons for parts, assemblies and drawings not show up in Windows® Explorer when running the 64-bit version of SolidWorks?

Answer:
This behavior has been reported as SPR 304911 - SW X64: After clean install or repair of SolidWorks, files will no longer take on the correct icons for parts, assemblies and drawings.
Please refer to the SPR Look-up Subscription Services site for the latest status of this SPR, (

http://www.solidworks.com/pages/services/subscription/ServicePackMaintenanceNotes.html).

A workaround to this is to open a SolidWorks file in SolidWorks. The icons should then correct themselves.

Regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP

http://www.scottjbaugh.com

faq731-376

 

[SBaugh]

Found this to:

Question:
The SolidWorks icons are not correct on a 64 bit operating system running 32 bit SolidWorks only. Is this a known problem?


Answer:
This is a known problem currently being investigated by our Development Team as SPR 295666. Installing the 64 bit version of SolidWorks will update the icons correctly.
Please refer to the SPR Look-up Subscription Services site for the latest status of this SPR . (

http://www.solidworks.com/pages/services/subscription/ServicePackMaintenanceNotes.html)

Regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP

http://www.scottjbaugh.com

faq731-376

 

[handleman]

Nope, good ol' 32-bit. It's really weird. I can change the icon with the procedure outlined in my last post and go look in the registry and see the change, but it's just not displayed in Windows Explorer.

This only happened to Solidworks files (prt, asm, drw, sldprt, sldasm, slddrw). All other file types still show up correctly.