Pack and Go of multiple top level assemblies that share common components

[bnemec]

Our entire CAD data set is pretty much a standard parts library.
Roughly 90% of our parts and sub-assemblies (ex. welded parts, purchased assemblies) have multiple where used.
Files are not organized in project folders or product folders. Our files are named with serial number and divided into folders that cover 100 numbers. For example, filename 1000000.sld* through 1000999.sld* go in folder named 1000.

We seldom use pack and go, for a bunch of reasons, but when we do it's to send out and it's a pain in my side to explain that we don't have duplicate file names in various project folders. I have not found a way to get Solidworks Pack&Go to do multiple top-level assemblies at the same time and only make one copy of files that are used in more than one place in the pack and go.

Is there some kind of a pack&go function in PDM that will not make multiple copies of the same file when it's used in several places that I'm not seeing?

Thank you.

[jcapriotti]

You are copying outside of PDM?

[DanPihlaja]

Well....

If you had say, 20 top level assemblies to pack and go....
Then add all 20 to a temporary assembly and then pack and go that assembly.

But if you mean that you do one assembly into a specific folder.... then a few days later pack and go another assembly into the same folder....and those two assemblies share components

Then it should overwrite the components with the filenames that are already there.....although that may wreak havoc with your drawing dimensions.

[bnemec]

You are copying outside of PDM?

Yes. It's not part of normal workflow, but when we do it often times the receiver of the pack and go is confused with multiple files with same names. They don't get it that it's the same part.

We copy assemblies inside PDM daily, that's how most of the new top-level assemblies are created.

[jcapriotti]

So I assume you are using "Copy Tree" instead of Pack n Go? PnG works fine as long as everything is cached.

In Copy Tree, I'd pick the same destination folder, each assembly and its references will prompt to overwrite if it's already there. Since you may not have the latest, I'd let it overwrite.

I do like Dan's idea of adding all of your assemblies to a master assembly, then you could get them all. I created a "Master List" Word document, then did a copy on the assemblies and "Paste as reference" on the Word doc. Then do a "Copy Tree" on the Master List Word document.

[SPerman]

When I was preparing to migrate my work into PDM I created a master assembly of all of the products we sell. I still reference it from time to time when I can't remember where a part is saved.

[bnemec]

So I assume you are using "Copy Tree" instead of Pack n Go? PnG works fine as long as everything is cached.

In Copy Tree, I'd pick the same destination folder, each assembly and its references will prompt to overwrite if it's already there. Since you may not have the latest, I'd let it overwrite.

I do like Dan's idea of adding all of your assemblies to a master assembly, then you could get them all. I created a "Master List" Word document, then did a copy on the assemblies and "Paste as reference" on the Word doc. Then do a "Copy Tree" on the Master List Word document.

image.png

I liked @DanPihlaja's method of grouping them as well.

I didn't realize there was an overwrite option, I was looking for it on the P&G dialog but wasn't there so didn't go through with it. So doing the top levels one at a time and keeping full folder structure does work with the overwrite option. That is one solution.

I was trying out the master assembly method. The word/text doc instead of a master assembly is a good addition as it would be like the "ReadMe" file explaining what's in the data set. I usually include that in the zip file to help the consumer make sense of the file names and part numbers etc. The only thing I'm not sure if it will be helpful or hindrance is what it does to the where used. A benefit of seeing that master file in where used would be record keeping of what was packed up and sent. Also, our top levels don't usually have where used so it's not adding extra clutter to a where used list that's already too busy.

@jcapriotti Here's the moment: I thought Copy Tree destination had to be in the vault path. I never considered using Copy Tree to save files out of the vault. As you stated the Pack and Go and cached version will cause problems, where CopyTree shows the version to be copied right in the dialog. Further more having them all referenced by a single master fill will assure they all use the same version of any single file.

[RMcHugh]

...
I created a "Master List" Word document, then did a copy on the assemblies and "Paste as reference" on the Word doc. Then do a "Copy Tree" on the Master List Word document.
...

Thanks for the lesson today,

Ray