Tech Center

Reset SolidWorks User Profile all versions

Michael Nolte — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 22:20:41 +0000

Is your SolidWorks acting strange? Is it not doing what it should? Then it could be your SolidWorks User Profile, going bad, located in the Windows registry.
***WARNING: MANUALLY EDIT THE WINDOWS REGISTRY AT YOUR OWN RISK. OR HAVE YOUR IT/TECH DEPT. PREFORM THE FOLLOWING.***
The Windows Registry runs the entire Operating System (OS) if the wrong keys are deleted/rename/moved Windows can and will stop working. So “TREAD LIGHTLY.”

Anytime SolidWorks does not shut down properly, “Crash”, it doesn’t have the ability to store all of it’s setting correctly. Over time this will cause the set of registry keys, which we call your “SolidWorks User Profile”, to go bad and cause undesired effect in SolidWorks.

This “SolidWorks User Profile” stores everything from you accepting the license agreement, where your toolbars are located, the file locations and system options, along with many other items that are uniquely your settings in SolidWorks.

To reset the “SolidWorks User Profile” all you need to do is rename or delete single folder (Key) in the registry, SolidWorks will recreate a new one next time you start it. We always recommend renaming the key so that if needed, you can bring the key back. And backing up the registry if required.

Follow these steps:
1) Close SolidWorks and any SolidWorks products (i.e. eDrawings, SW explorer)
2) Open the Windows Registry Editor (XP: Start > run and type “regedit”, click ok) (Win7: Start type” regedit”, click on regedit.exe or hit enter to run)
3) navigate to: “HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/Solidworks”
4) Rename the registry folder (Key) “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Software/Solidworks” (in this way every trace of the previously installation will be removed)
TIP: Rename the file and put the date at the end of the SolidWorks key so that it reads “SolidWorks 02022012″ or just put “SolidWorks Old”
5) start SolidWorks. The install with act as if its a brand new install.

By starting SolidWorks up it creates a new “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Software/Solidworks” registry key

If you ever need to bring back your old settings. delete or rename the new “SolidWorks” key and take the copy that you renamed above and change it back to “SolidWorks” with out the date or “Old”

When in doubt or you are uncertain don’t rename or delete any registry keys.

SW2012 What’s New: Sketching, Features, & Parts

Joseph Richter — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 15:57:25 +0000

This webcast covers some of the new features and enhancements to SolidWorks 2012. Topics include:

- Sketching
- Features
- Parts

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Mold Design with SolidWorks

Bill Mitchell — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 19:54:16 +0000

This webcast covers many of the tools in SolidWorks that a typical mold designer will need. We discuss the basic mold tools and their functionality. In addition we cover some of the more advanced tools need for importing and manipulating non-native SolidWorks files and creating molds for them.

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SW2012 What’s New: Assemblies, Configs, & Equations

Michael Nolte — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 20:52:18 +0000

This webcast covers some of the new features and enhancements to SolidWorks 2012. Topics include:

- Assembly Features
- Large Assembly Design Review
- Configurations
- Equation Manager

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SW2012 What’s New: Fundamentals, General, & UI

Bill Mitchell — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 20:28:14 +0000

This webcasts covers some of the new features and enhancements to SolidWorks 2012. Topics include:

- General Enhancements
- User Interface
- Fundamentals
- Installation & Administration

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3DVia Composer Network License update

Michael Nolte — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 22:25:22 +0000

How is an new/updated floating license file read into the 3DVIA Composer license manager (LMTOOLS)?

1. Open LMTOOLS on the license server.

2. Switch to the Config Services tab.

3. Next to “Path to the license file”, click Browse. Browse to and select the new license file, then click Open.

4. Click Save Service, then click Yes to confirm the save. (If you forget this step, you will be prompted to save when switching to another tab or closing the LMTOOLS window.)

5. Switch to the Start/Stop/Reread tab.

6. Click Stop Server, then click Start Server.

The status bar at the bottom of the LMTOOLS window should read “Server Start Successful.”

(ref. SolidWorks KB S-035226)

Customizing CAMWorks Post Processors

Cody Armstrong — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 21:03:28 +0000

This webcast covers the basics of creating a custom CAMWorks Post Processor. Topics include:

-Editing and compiling custom post processors
-Using the Universal Post Generator
-The EC Editor

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What to do with your legacy data when switching to SolidWorks

Quinton — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 19:05:20 +0000

Considering switching to SolidWorks and wondering what will become of all your legacy CAD data? Are you worried about having to recreate all the data from scratch? If so you will want to watch this webcast as we discuss the many tools in SolidWorks to make sure you legacy data never expires.

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How to Create End User Assembly and Service Manuals

Michael Nolte — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 19:39:03 +0000

When you create your end user assembly or service manuals do you always wait until the final design is complete to start? This webcast will show you how to quickly create “live” assets for these types of documents that can be easily updated using 3DVIA Composer. Not only will 3DVIA Composer help you with 2D product documention it will allow your business to jump into the future by quickly creating 3D interactive content.

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Installing SolidWorks

Michael Nolte — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 14:06:53 +0000

Getting ready to install SolidWorks? Need to uninstall and/or re-install? Then this is webcast for you. This webcast covers many of the common pitfalls as well as tips and tricks to successfully install SolidWorks. Topics include:

- How to get a full download of Solidworks
- Creating install logs
- Activation
- Total (clean) uninstall

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Harnessing Your 3D Data in Design Reviews

Michael Nolte — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 18:06:14 +0000

Needing to do a Design Review but worried about a last minute revision change? Wanting to include 3D interactive model to help during the Design Review? Maybe even include an animation to illustrate a point.

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Free 3D Drawings from SolidWorks Models

Bill Mitchell — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 16:05:56 +0000

Join us as we review the Drawing capabilities of SolidWorks. We will cover the basic drawing capabilities and how redundant drafting tasks are eliminated with SolidWorks.

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Updating Folder Variables in Enterprise PDM

Bill Mitchell — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 17:05:02 +0000

Many times a project will start out with a given description, project number or name only to have that information change as development occurs. If your data cards for files are set to capture this project data folder it can be time consuming to manually re-populate all of the metadata for the files. Thankfully there is a utility built into the Entperise PDM client that makes repopulating this data very quick and easy.

Example scenario: A user has decided to copy an entire project into a new folder but needs to update the project name and number as populated in the Project Folder Card. To have the underlying part cards updated all that is required is to:

1) Make the changes in the project card (select the Edit Values tab and then save the changes).

2) Check out the files that need to be updated.

3) Select the folder card whose values have been changed.

4) Select Modify -> Values in Files from the Enterprise PDM pull-down menus

5) Follow the instructions presented in the resulting 6-step wizard.

This utility allows for the filtering of specific workflow states and project card properties in case the change doesnt need to be imposed globally.

The utility is also capable of repopulating sub-project folder variables so a quick update of a projects meta data can be launched from the top level project folder and have the updates cascade down through the folder tree.

Using SolidWorks RX: Problem Capture

Bill Mitchell — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 03:57:02 +0000

From time to time it is necessary to send an issue into technical support for review. Whether the issue is SolidWorks stability or just an inquiry as to intended functionality, SolidWorks RX: Problem Capture assists users in communicating a technical support inquiry to Digital Dimensions.

- To access SolidWorks RX select Start > All Programs > SolidWorks 20XX > SolidWorks Tools > SolidWorks RX.

If you’re using Windows Vista or Windows 7 you can simply type SolidWorks RX in the ‘Search Programs and Files‘ section of the Windows Start menu to find the application.

- Select the Problem Capture tab once SolidWorks RX starts. It will begin by collecting information from your system which may take some time depending on the size of the files that need to be extracted.

- The information gathered includes:

Application Event logs from the Windows Event Viewer.
System Event logs from the Windows Event Viewer.
Copies of registry keys related to SolidWorks for the logged in user.
Copies of registry keys for the installation of SolidWorks.
File Access log indicating what files were opened during the recorded session.
An XML copy of the ‘Problem Capture Details’.
Performance and journal logs from the session of SolidWorks used to capture the issue.

- To begin describing a problem for diagnosis select the Describe Problem button

- Fill in the Problem Capture Details section as succinctly as possible.

Many times a person may have already spoken to a technical support engineer so referencing a name or case number, if known, can be helpful in expediting the technical support request.
If a menu item from the Problem Capture Details doesn’t match your exact circumstance select what seems to be the closest match.

- After completing the Problem Capture Details select the Record Video button to record a low resolution video of a given issue.

SolidWorks RX does not have the ability to capture sound. It does, however, record anything that passes in front of the SolidWorks application window. It can be helpful to use an application like Notepad to type short notes as to what the video is illustrating at a given time frame if the issue is not clear.

- After completing the recording SolidWorks RX will close the session of SolidWorks.

If the issue being recorded causes SolidWorks to fail then the system focus will return to SolidWorks RX.

- Use the Add Files option to include any relevant SolidWorks files or other documents that may assist with troubleshooting the issue at hand.

- Once all relevant files have been added select the Package Files button.

- SolidWorks RX will compress the package into a ZIP file and prompt for a location to save the files.

- Please upload the resulting ZIP files at the DDI eSupport website.

SolidWorks Simulation 102

Enrique Garcia — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 17:10:13 +0000

This webcast is a continuation of Simulation 101. In this presentation we expand the fundamental knowledge needing for setting up a classic single volume linear material structural analysis used in many simulation applications. Topics for this webcast include: postprocessing with Simulation, attaining qualitative and quantitative results.

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