Copy Project?

This has probably been asked about 100 times but I could not find the
answer.

What is the best way to copy an entire project to a new directory? I know
PDMworks has this function built in but what would be the alternative to
make sure you get all the drawings subparts and rework the referance paths?

Steve R

 

you can get all the parts & sub parts from a top level assembly by using
solidworks explorer & the copy command. However unfortunately there is no
command to make sure that you get all the drawings of all those items -- I
believe that this is one of the reasons WHY pdm systems exist. The only
other answer is for you to manually open each & every drawings individually
inside of sw explorer & then do the copy. However that will only get the
models of which you have drawings of -- if you have models that do not have
drawings you will have to use the first method as well... regardless it is
not an easy process if your files are scattered on a network drive or you
are not familiar.

However I did see at solidworks world how sw 2007 will have the ability to
grab all the drawings -- however my gut tells me that your drawing file
names will have to be the exact same file name as the model in order for it
to work -- just like when using the "open drawing" command inside
solidworks. But who knows maybe when the beta starts I'll be surprised.

Sorry for the bad news -- maybe something pointed you in the right direction
Steve T.

 

Steve,

I would use SW Explorer. Open up the top level assembly in SW Explorer
then under -Edit- -Copy Document-. You have options to "copy children"
and "find where used". Set the location where you want and click
apply. It will copy the assembly, parts and drawings to the new
location. You could also use -File- -Find References-, but you will
only get the molds and assemblies, no drawings.

Mike

 

Are you sure SW Explorer will copy the drawings?
What version was this feature added?
Cheers
Frank

 

I just tested it in 2006 SP3.0. As long as you click where used and
make sure the drawing is check in the list to copy.

Mike

 

Does this find the drawings, of sub-assemblies and parts, or just the
drawing(s) of the top level assembly?

John Harland

 

The test I did utilized part drawings and assembly drawings.

 

I guess I learned something here. for some reason I thought that the find
children option only worked for rename -- duuh *slap forehead* It would only
make sense that it would work for copy as well (to get the drawings)

Steve T.

 

Hello-

I just tried this and I was unsuccessful.

I have a folder with all SW files inside(drawings, assemblies, parts) I
opened the top level assembly drawing, copy, copy children, where used.

Only the top level assembly drawing, all assemblies and parts were copied.
The part drawings were not copied.

Did I do something wrong?

2006 sp0

Best Regards,
Devon T. Sowell
www.3-ddesignsolutions.com

 

Now, I tried this all in one shot. Of course, using Where Used in a separate
Search will yield a list of Assemblies and Drawings that can then be opened
and copied.

Devon

 

The best workaround I found so far is, after copying an assembly using
SW explorer, then copy the drawings with MS explorer into the new
directory with the assembly open in SW all the drawing references are
updated.

steve

 

I am not sure about SP0, I am using SP3.0 and made sure that find
references was clicked. The drawings will be listed below. Be sure
there are checked for copy.

 

Thanks, I'll try that.

Devon

 

I have found that with you can just copy all the parts, assemblies and
drawings to another folder and they will retain their relationships ie
open a drg and it will know the model has also moved and call the model
from your new folder. This also applies to assemblies.
However, if the drawing is saved not with the model but in another
folder, say a central drg registry, then this doesn't work.

 

Trouble is Bob, that many projects (mine certainly) comprise assemblies,
sub-assemblies, and parts that are drawn from a variety of different folders
because they use sequential part numbers and are saved in folders in batches
of 500.

The OS file/copy process would therefore have to be done in many stages.
Having done this, you're still left with having to give the files new names
to match their new part numbers. This can be done by doing "save as" on the
parts with the sub-assys/assys/drwgs open to maintain the links, but then
you're left with a duplicate file that needs deleting.

Basically I'm just whinging that SW don't supply PDM as standard, and the
company I now work for haven't seen fit to pay the extra for it. It makes
me want to rename it SolidChore.

Regards,
John H