Getting Started with 3DEXPERIENCE SOLIDWORKS
If you’re just getting started with 3DEXPERIENCE SOLIDWORKS and you’re looking for a guide to get up and running, you’ve come to the right place. In this blog, we’ll look at installing, opening, and navigating SOLIDWORKS Connected, as well as Opening, Saving, and Exporting data with SOLIDWORKS Connected.
If you need help getting your 3DEXPERIENCE Platform activated first, you can check out our guide here.
NOTE: This blog is specifically related to the 3DEXPERIENCE SOLIDWORKS Offers, not Collaborative Designer for SOLIDWORKS connected to your Desktop SOLIDWORKS license.
Topics covered in this post:
Installing SOLIDWORKS Connected
With your platform activated, you’ll need to have a 3DEXPERIENCE SOLIDWORKS Role assigned to you. You can confirm this by going into the 3DCompass app list and searching for SOLIDWORKS Connected.
If you aren’t already assigned a 3DEXPERIENCE SOLIDWORKS role, please contact your platform administrator and have them assign 3DEXPERIENCE SOLIDWORKS to your account.
NOTE: If your interface is different, and you are not seeing any apps in the 3DCompass app list, please ensure you are on your own private commercial platform. You will also need to ensure you are on a Windows device, as it will be filtered from view on macOS and mobile devices.
Pro Tip:
You can add it to your favorites to provide easy access in the future by clicking and dragging it to the favorites section.
Upon clicking on SOLIDWORKS Connected, if this is the first time carrying out a 3DEXPERIENCE installation on a given device, a wizard for the 3DEXPERIENCE Launcher will appear and have you download a Microsoft installer application.
NOTE: There may be a slight delay after clicking on SOLIDWORKS Connected, as it is searching your computer to see if it is already installed. Do not be alarmed if it takes 10-15 seconds to appear.
Note:
Once the 3DEXPERIENCE Launcher has been successfully installed for the first time, you will be prompted to use a URL as a trusted third party. You can select ‘Always’ as this is linking back to your private platform, known as a ‘tenant’.
Open the .MSI file to carry out that installation. Once complete, you can select continue on the “Welcome to the 3DEXPERIENCE Launcher” pop-up in your browser.
Next, select “Install All Roles Containing SOLIDWORKS Connected”. If you are assigned more than one role that has apps that require local installation, you may see an additional option to “Install All Granted Roles” and this will allow you to install everything at once for all of your assigned roles.
Either of these selections will open an installation wizard that will carry you through the respective installation.
Once complete, SOLIDWORKS Connected has been installed and is ready to use. This process can be carried out on all compatible devices you would like to use SOLIDWORKS Connected on.
What is SOLIDWORKS Connected?
SOLIDWORKS Connected is the SOLIDWORKS app that is provided with the 3DEXPERIENCE SOLIDWORKS Offers. This app provides all the traditional SOLIDWORKS desktop design capabilities and is optimized to work with the 3DEXPERIENCE Platform.
Opening SOLIDWORKS Connected
Once SOLIDWORKS Connected has been installed, there are two main methods to open the software. The first option is from the platform and the second option is opening via a Desktop shortcut.
Opening SOLIDWORKS Connected from the 3DCompass
Once you are logged in to your platform in your web browser, open the 3DCompass and locate the SOLIDWORKS Connected application. Click on this and SOLIDWORKS Connected will launch and automatically recognize your credentials. If it does not appear to be launching, refresh your browser window and attempt to launch again.
Opening SOLIDWORKS Connected from a Desktop Shortcut
Upon installing SOLIDWORKS Connected, a desktop shortcut should be created automatically. To create a desktop shortcut if needed, you can select the dropdown arrow next to SOLIDWORKS Connected in the 3DCompass and select the Create Desktop Shortcut icon (small grey circle with an arrow in it). This will create a SOLIDWORKS Connected desktop shortcut that you can now launch without having to access the platform in your web browser.
If you launch from the shortcut, you will have to sign in with your 3DEXPERIENCE credentials.
Once SOLIDWORKS Connected has launched, via either of the prior described methods, you will have to wait for a connection to the 3DEXPERIENCE PLM Services. A successful connection can be visualized by seeing your profile picture appear in the top right of the screen as well as the drop-down for the selection of Collaborative Spaces.
Waiting for a Connection
Connection Successfully Established
An internet connection is required to maintain the connection to your licensing and if the connection is lost, you will be warned five times. SOLIDWORKS will then provide the option to save and will close. If SOLIDWORKS is needed where there is no reliable internet connection, Offline Mode can be utilized.
Navigating SOLIDWORKS Connected
For SOLIDWORKS users, the interface of SOLIDWORKS Connected will be nearly identical. The main difference you will deal with is the 3DEXPERIENCE MySession pane, which can be located on the right side of your screen.
When you open parts or assemblies in your SOLIDWORKS session, you will see the structure appear in this pane. You will also see some symbols in the various columns. The main two columns you will be looking at are the status and lock status columns. The status column will give you symbols to signify the save status of your data to the cloud servers. The lock status column will give you context on who has edit ownership of a part/assembly/drawing or if it is available to edit yourself. You can hover over each symbol to gain additional context.
The help documentation provides further context for each of the potential symbols.
Another important aspect of the MySession pane is the action bar at the bottom. If you don’t see it, look for a small upward pointing arrow to open it up.
This has multiple tabs for you to navigate relevant tools. By right clicking anywhere on the action bar, you will have the option to show labels which can be helpful to learn what the symbols mean as a new user.
Lastly, if the information in the MySession pane ever seems out of date or you want to just want to refresh the session, you can do so by selecting the drop down at the top of the MySession pane and select the refresh icon.
Saving, Opening, and Exporting Data in SOLIDWORKS Connected
This is where you’ll notice the main differences between a standalone SOLIDWORKS license and SOLIDWORKS Connected. SOLIDWORKS Connected has out of the box cloud based data management included with the installation so you have more options when it comes to saving your data.
Saving Data
Saving data is an essential functionality needed by every SOLIDWORKS user. Once you have some data to save, there are four main selections.
Save to 3DEXPERIENCE
When you select Save to 3DEXPERIENCE for a new file, a dialogue window will appear, allowing you to give the component a title and confirm the Collaborative Space you would like this saved to.
Once the initial save has taken place, the Save to 3DEXPERIENCE command will push your latest changes up to the server. This can also be achieved by right clicking on the component in the MySession pane and selecting Save or Save with Options.
By selecting Save with Options, you will have the option to place the component in a Bookmark (like a folder) for easily locating it in the future.
Save to This PC
The Save to This PC command will allow you to work with data that is saved to your local drive or any network drives that you have access to. By selecting this with a new component, it will open your Window’s file explorer and allow you to save data, just as you would have with SOLIDWORKS Desktop. If you are working on data that is already saved locally, this will just save back to that location.
If you open data from your platform’s cloud storage, when you select Save to This PC, it will save to the working local cache. If you want to save components that have already been saved to your platform somewhere locally, you will want to export that data or use the Save As New command.
Save As New...
This command will only be available once an initial save has taken place. If you select this command with a component that has been saved the platform, it will open a Save As New Dialogue window where you can confirm the Collaborative Space you would like the data saved and give it a new title. With assemblies, you can also select the show references dropdown. This will give you further control over adding a prefix or suffix to all of the referenced components and allow you to choose specific components to save as new or keep linked to the original.
You can also select the Save to This PC button on the Save as New window to save a component or assembly that has already been saved to the platform to your local storage. In the case of an assembly, you will likely want to select the Include all referenced components selection to ensure all the referenced parts are saved to your local storage as well.
Publish
The Publish command can be used if you want to save any template type files to your local storage. This includes form tools (.SLDFTP), library feature parts (.SLDLFP), part templates (.PRTDOT), assembly templates (.ASMDOT), drawing templates (.DRWDOT), and sheet formats (.SLDDRT).
Opening Data
Now that you have some data saved to the platform, you’ll have to know how to open it to make changes! There are a few main ways to open data into your current session of SOLIDWORKS Connected.
From the Open Command
The Open command can be located from File dropdown or in the Quick Access Tools.
It will open a dialogue window that will allow you to search all of the SOLIDWORKS content that you have access to, and filter based on parts, assemblies, drawings, or top level assemblies. There is also an option to open from your local storage.
From the MySession Pane
In the MySession pane, you can use the search functionality to find your data just as was done with the Open command.
You can right click on any of the search results and select open to open it in your current session.
You can also access your bookmarks from the MySession pane. To do this, select the compass in the top left and scroll through your apps and select the Bookmark Editor.
Once Bookmark Editor opens, you can filter and scroll through your bookmarks (folders) until you find the component/assembly you would like to open, right click, and select open.
To return to the MySession window, you can select the dropdown at the top of your 3DEXPERIENCE pane and select MySession.
Pro Tip:
Once Bookmark Editor has been opened initially, you can switch back and forth between MySession and Bookmark Editor with this dropdown.
From 3DEXPERIENCE in Your Web Browser
The same process that was carried out in the MySession pane can be utilized when in 3DEXPERIENCE on your web browser. You can search data and filter through it to find your desired SOLIDWORKS models. Instead of right clicking and selecting Open, you will right click and there will be an “Open With” option with a flyout. Select SOLIDWORKS Connected from this flyout.
The same flyout will be available when opening data from Bookmark Editor in your web browser.
Conclusion
This guide just scratches the surface of what you can do with SOLIDWORKS and the 3DEXPERIENCE Platform. You should now have a working knowledge of how to get SOLIDWORKS Connected installed on your device, how to open and navigate SOLIDWORKS Connected, and how to save, search for and open, and export data from the 3DEXPERIENCE platform. Stay tuned for additional guides as you dive into more complex functionality!
Matt is a Customer Success Manager at SWYFT Solutions and started using SOLIDWORKS while earning his Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering at Grand Valley State University and has been hooked ever since! He now specializes in 3DEXPERIENCE Works solutions, including 3DEXPERIENCE SOLIDWORKS. Outside of work, Matt loves to travel, hike, and discover new music.
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