Know your SOLIDWORKS File Locations

File location is an important aspect while working with files over network, template or profile etc.

The option to set file location is set under Tools > Options > System Options > File locations.

This article will help you to understand some important file locations:

Reference Documents:  There is often confusion between ‘search paths’ and ‘referenced documents’. Reference documents are the ones where SOLIDWORKS searches the documents when you select option ‘Search file locations for external references’. This is under External references option

If you are working with files across network then make sure the file paths are added to this location.

When you navigate to File > Open menu > click References to know the external reference file paths.

SOLIDWORKS follows a certain search routine to locate referenced files. To bypass the existing search routine you can add paths to the search path option.

Weldment Profiles: The default location for weldment profile is <install location>SOLIDWORKSlangenglishweldment profiles. If you closely observe this path has a two level folder structure. If you are working with custom weldment profile it is important to stick the two level folder structures. Otherwise SOLIDWORKS will recognize them as configured profiles or don’t recognize at all.

In SOLIDWORKS 2014 a new function configure profile was introduced. If you keep a configured profile file under at <install location>SOLIDWORKSlangenglishweldment profiles. Next time when you browse the profile through structural member it looks as below

Document Template : There are two ways you can set document template

• System options > File locations: Here multiple paths can be set so whenever a new file is created user can browse through the tabs to select desired template.
• System options > Default Templates: When a new file is imported or mirror part is created it uses template specified at this location. However you can set the prompt option to allow template selection.

Toolbox : When install SOLIDWORKS from Installation manager the path for SOLIDWORKS install and Toolbox. It is important to specify the folder names for both of these installs. This helps us to identify the respective folder for SOLIDWORKS version.

The path to specify under Toolbox/Holewizard is up to …SOLIDWORKS Data <version number>

When toolbox prompts error could not find standard database as below. The database version mismatches with SOLIDWORKS.

To know the version of Toolbox data open file ‘ToolboxVersion.dat’ in a notepad/wordpad. There are details about the Toolbox version file.