I work with SolidWorks PDM Standard 2017, and MyCADTools. Currently, I have a lot of duplicate names, following a massive data import into the PDM. Duplicates are usually in V01, V02, etc. which were used to make alternative designs.
Today, I would need to RENAME the files, WITHOUT COPYING THEM (because I have to keep the history, revision, state, etc), but in batch (several thousand files), and with rules: Replace V01 with V02 for example, or add a suffix.
What is the right tool for this?
I've already done many tests (Project Explorer, Copy Tree, etc), and I just haven't found the option I'm missing!
With PDM I use move tree, but I stay in the same folder and use the replace with function
The files that I rename that remain in the same place are in yellow line, and I uncheck any other file that could be taken by mistake (e.g. screws, trade,.... )
Whether or not the files are extracted from the vault, renaming with Project Explorer COPIES the files, it does not rename them...
Smart Properties can't rename them: the "renaming" options are only there for the naming policy of the copied files.
Project Manager will also copy the files, not rename them. There is an option to connect to the PDM, but this is only possible with MyPDMTools, which is only available with a PDM Pro...
So, I still don't have a solution with my Standard PDM !!
If no existing tools do what you want, then you may want to consider the "Homemade" method and for that an Excel macro should be able to do the job. Your Solidworks/PDM reseller should be able to help you with this if you don't have enough knowledge of vba.
I don't know if standard PDM is also handled by APIs like PDM Pro and if it doesn't you may have to extract all the files manually before processing and then archive them manually.
[EDIT] maybe a bit more complicated than that, apparently standard PDM doesn't work with APIs like PDM Pro.
Indeed, the Standard PDM does not have an API... So a macro "in the PDM" is not possible. I've tried traditional tools with extracted files, and even offline, but the renaming tools do a COPY, when the files are in the PDM.
@sbadenis
I want to rename WITHOUT COPING, to keep the history of my files (who created it, who validated it the first time, etc.). And the PDM keeps the versions, so making a mistake is not a problem;)
Thanks for sharing. At home, the tool launches with an error, and it doesn't list anything... Maybe because I'm on Windows 10? I'm not an administrator of my computer, but I don't think that's it... I'll gladly send you the full error message if you are interested (Unhandled exception - unable to create the ActiveX component). But if it goes through the SolidWorks API, I'll have the same problem as with Project Explorer, I think.
If I find something else, I'll be sure to update this thread, and if anyone has "the" solution I'm always interested !!
Do you have access to the "Dispatch" add-in in your version of ePDM? This allows you to create small scripts via a (rather limited) graphical interface. I created one in our implementation that renames one or more SOLIDWORKS files from a variable containing a unique reference via a contextual command.
By using a program external to the PDM, I fear that updating the references between files (like when renaming manually) will not be done.
Manually, I can rename the files. Is there another option to enable/allow, for "external" script/program renaming?
If I have to go through a copy, I prefer the "Copy tree" of the PDM, but there too I lose the history... So unfortunately the Project Manager doesn't bring me the renaming solution, despite it being an excellent tool.
The "Dispatch" add-in is only available with PDM Pro (formerly EPDM / Enterprise PDM): http://help.solidworks.com/2017/French/EnterprisePDM/Admin/c_add_ins_overview.htm.
So I can't do a macro in the Standard PDM, which doesn't allow access to the API... And with a PDM Pro, I'd probably use "Move Tree"!
Thank you for your interventions - I will continue my tests and research, and keep you informed.
I just saw the subject, if you have the renaming rights on the files it is possible to go through the VBA Excel to rename the files automatically.
To see if it's accessible on PDM Standard because I'm in the pro version, I can always give the snippet of code and references to activate in VBA Excel.
The use cases are updated since this is the classic way of working with PDM. On the other hand, he will normally ask for registrations at the opening because the names have been changed. Then you can use the SolidWorks PDM File Conversion Utility to save the files and thus you won't have these permanent save messages.
For the macro, I attach an Excel file that contains it. If it doesn't work, you'll have to check the references if the reference "PDMWorks Enterprise 201x Type Library" is active (the x should be a 7). This can be found in the Tools> References menu of the VBA editor.
The columns to be populated come from the vault's search results. Depending on your configuration, there may be more or fewer columns, so you will have to modify the column numbers in the macro so that it fetches the information in the right place.