Setup a machine to always load SOLIDWORKS Custom Settings

[calculatorwatch]

This isn't something I've ever done before, but I tried to setup an admin image for a specific machine that would load a specific SOLIDWORKS settings file every time a user starts up SOLIDWORKS. No settings are being loaded and it's just running SW as if it's brand new.
I've tried existing users that have already logged into the PC and new users, and doing a complete reinstall (also enabling the option to remove Registry entries).

Does anyone have a different way of doing this ? I just want this machine to be "ready to go" without running Copy Settings Wizard every time.

[jcapriotti]

The "user" settings are stored in the registry under "current user". I suppose there is a way to set this for a "default"
user on the image such that new profiles copy them but I've never been able to figure that out, or I didn't have the authorization.

Instead I have a batch file that I apply to the "Windows startup" for "All users" that always runs on startup. It checks the "current user" registry for a registry key in SolidWorks. I use the template location as a check, if its missing or doesn't match, then I apply the company default registry settings.

[calculatorwatch]

The "user" settings are stored in the registry under "current user". I suppose there is a way to set this for a "default"
user on the image such that new profiles copy them but I've never been able to figure that out, or I didn't have the authorization.

Instead I have a batch file that I apply to the "Windows startup" for "All users" that always runs on startup. It checks the "current user" registry for a registry key in SolidWorks. I use the template location as a check, if its missing or doesn't match, then I apply the company default registry settings.

I ended up going this route and it seems to be working okay.
I thought maybe there was some issue with permissions upon user login with the admin image, but it appears this option in the Admin image straight up isn't working and hasn't for some time!

[VicFrauenfeld]

Sorry, I might be coming to the party late. But have you tried the Settings Administrator in the Admin Image? Here is a link to a blog about some of the capabilities: https://www.javelin-tech.com/blog/2016/ ... istration/.

The one thing I will mention is that If you want to use the Settings Administrator, you must have the version of SOLIDWORKS installed on the machine that you are using to create the Admin Image. So, if you are creating a SOLIDWORKS 2022 Admin Image, you need to have SOLIDWORKS 2022 installed and running on the machine. In my opinion, this is an issue and I have created an enhancement request for this.

[calculatorwatch]

Sorry, I might be coming to the party late. But have you tried the Settings Administrator in the Admin Image? Here is a link to a blog about some of the capabilities: https://www.javelin-tech.com/blog/2016/ ... istration/.

I spent a lot of time attempting this on multiple machines using both SW 2021 and 2022 and could not get the settings to load at any point! I was also told it hasn't been working in a few years (?)
Have you actually done it in recent SW installs?

[VicFrauenfeld]

It seems to have worked for me. The last install I used it on was 2021 SP5. I am locking a number of the settings so that the users cannot change their settings.

[calculatorwatch]

It seems to have worked for me. The last install I used it on was 2021 SP5. I am locking a number of the settings so that the users cannot change their settings.

I didn't lock any settings... I suppose I could just try that.
Do you know how/when you set the settings to load? If I remember right there is an option for both at login or at launch of SolidWorks.

[VicFrauenfeld]

I have it set to "Every Time a user starts SOLIDWORKS (Apply locked options)"

[calculatorwatch]

I have it set to "Every Time a user starts SOLIDWORKS (Apply locked options)"

Yep, that's the one I wanted, and I never saw it work on myself or any other user on multiple machines.
I suppose I'll try locking a few things just for the heck of it.... Sorry for all the questions. Did you pull in any menu customization as well?

[VicFrauenfeld]

No Toolbar layout, Keyboard shortcuts, Mouse gestures, menu customizations, or Saved views are deployed. I just went through the available System Options in the tool.

[calculatorwatch]

No Toolbar layout, Keyboard shortcuts, Mouse gestures, menu customizations, or Saved views are deployed. I just went through the available System Options in the tool.

I never came back to this to answer, but yeah it appears I'm able to import most things just fine, but menu customizations and toolbars, etc, do not seem to pull through. Oh well.