CAD Forum

Frederick_Law wrote: ↑Tue Apr 27, 2021 2:13 pm There was one? It was gone?
No idea

Arthur McR wrote: ↑Tue Apr 27, 2021 2:21 pm I've missed it a couple times. If your project has multiple windows explorer folder levels and you don't have all the referencing assemblies open the internalized tools don't see the extra assemblies. Previously if you knew there was a folder that contained referencing assemblies you could simply point the Solidworks Explorer there. But this is something I've only ran into twice in the last 6 months not not exactly a common occurrence.

SPerman wrote: ↑Tue Apr 27, 2021 2:22 pm I don't miss it, but I don't like the new "file open" interface. (I think it changed when they took away solidworks explorer. Maybe it's been this way longer than that.)

(This is a GIF.)

file.gif

TRKemp wrote: ↑Tue Apr 27, 2021 2:32 pm This always puzzled me. Opening a file is the most basic operation and they've invented about 15 different ways to query what you want to find for just (3) different file types. It's become very convoluted..

Frederick_Law wrote: ↑Tue Apr 27, 2021 2:50 pm And they haven't nail it down yet.
So you'll see another 1251 ways.

JMOS4 wrote: ↑Wed Apr 28, 2021 7:05 am Hi,

Still on 2019, but curious, can you rename files in explorer as that was the only function I used that was part of Solidworks explorer, been a long while since I used that directly

image.png


Also do you still have the option of changing a reference on a drawing or assembly

image.png

Regards,
Jim

TRKemp wrote: ↑Tue Apr 27, 2021 1:55 pm I'm upgrading the office soon from 2019 SP5 , to 2020 SP5 since I've learned to lag about a year behind on versions in the event there a service pack that has allot of issues. With that, we'll be following in line with those who no longer have access to Explorer.

Has anyone run into an instance where this really created a problem for them? From what I can tell, moving it to the menu shouldn't create too many downsides, however I did like using explorer to repair broken references that sometimes arose from doing Pack and Go functions that had suppressed components within them. We use alot of virtual components here, and the Pack and Go has been notorious for not treating those items kindly and losing track of its temporary file location. Thus when you open the assembly in your new location, those parts have gone missing. Using the "Save As" with references as a follow up operation was a work around to this, but the downside is those suppressed components weren't making the trip.

I'm hoping if I run into this circumstance in 2020, I'll still be able to repair those references easily.

Thanks for your feedback, and also .. it's nice to be on a CAD forum you can actually navigate!

Jim Steinmeyer wrote: ↑Wed Apr 28, 2021 12:45 pm Like @zxys001 I kind of miss it but rarely used it because I would open it and go for a cup of coffee while I waited. It was nice to be able to find all of the where used locations but because of the slow operation I have found workarounds for anything else you could have done with it.

Frederick_Law wrote: ↑Wed Apr 28, 2021 12:17 pm I usually do renaming in SW assembly.
When you change the name in the tree, it could change the filename also.
From there, you could search for "where used", ie other assembly and drawing which used that file.

• batch rename

• Batch rename from Excel

• Batch print

• Bach export

• ...

Bibotac wrote: ↑Thu Apr 29, 2021 7:28 am I found it so slow, that I preferred to create my own which uses an index.
And with time I added a lot of other functions

• batch rename

• Batch rename from Excel

• Batch print

• Bach export

• ...

https://sites.google.com/site/bibotacconcept

Glenn Schroeder wrote: ↑Thu Apr 29, 2021 7:01 am Same here, but like with so many SW enhancements, I was frustrated by the implementation. Why didn't they extend that feature to allow re-naming Parts and Assemblies from a Drawing?

That's one I don't think ever made it to the 5% threads started by @Alin on the old forum.

Bibotac wrote: ↑Thu Apr 29, 2021 7:28 am I found it so slow, that I preferred to create my own which uses an index.
And with time I added a lot of other functions

• batch rename

• Batch rename from Excel

• Batch print

• Bach export

• ...

https://sites.google.com/site/bibotacconcept

Tom G wrote: ↑Fri May 07, 2021 12:16 pm Did I find a failing of Solidworks Explorer, or am I doing it wrong?

Somehow, sometime, someone (probably me, duh) duplicated a file into a new subdirectory in my library. It is used incredibly commonly in my work, tee.SLDPRT , a socketweld tee pipe fitting. I wanted to know where THIS file was used so that I can remove references to it and replace them if needed with the proper component. I believe this is not what I got in return. I think that it is returning every assembly or derived part which contains a reference to a file with this same name, but not THIS redundant file in this location.

That is, it shows me Where Used for both this bad one and the other, properly developed and stored file of the exact same name. The results are indistinguishable.

It is also returning, in the case of one derived part, components where this was used and then its reference was broken. What's the point of breaking this reference when it still finds it in a search for where used? I am so confused.

Tom G wrote: ↑Fri May 07, 2021 12:16 pm Did I find a failing of Solidworks Explorer, or am I doing it wrong?

Somehow, sometime, someone (probably me, duh) duplicated a file into a new subdirectory in my library. It is used incredibly commonly in my work, tee.SLDPRT , a socketweld tee pipe fitting. I wanted to know where THIS file was used so that I can remove references to it and replace them if needed with the proper component. I believe this is not what I got in return. I think that it is returning every assembly or derived part which contains a reference to a file with this same name, but not THIS redundant file in this location.

That is, it shows me Where Used for both this bad one and the other, properly developed and stored file of the exact same name. The results are indistinguishable.

It is also returning, in the case of one derived part, components where this was used and then its reference was broken. What's the point of breaking this reference when it still finds it in a search for where used? I am so confused.

TRKemp wrote: ↑Wed May 19, 2021 11:31 am So I updated to 2020 SP.5 yesterday, and lo and behold its missing a primary function for renaming assemblies with virtual components. Originally in 2019 SP.5 - there was a "search" button: you would check the box "include virtual components" , hit the "search" button - it would populate those items, then you could rename your assembly successfully.

Now if you just check the box - there is not a search function - and as I expected after a test - the references of those virtual components do not update and reference the new name

image.png

If anyone still has 2019 - they can probably verify the button I'm describing.

jcapriotti wrote: ↑Wed May 19, 2021 12:30 pm Yeah, you can tell they redesigned the dialogue, a lot of little changes.
image.png

mgibeault wrote: ↑Wed Nov 20, 2024 11:04 am I was looking for SolidWorks Explorer (me too I feel the need for it every 5 years), and discovered it was dead for a long time...
Threehouse would be a nice place to implement the lost functionality. It almost does, as you can rename files and edit it's properties (not always but I don't want to loose time on this), but it's only for display purposes - it does not touch the files.
Again, very little foresight from DS.