Excellent advice. Thanks Brian.

Can you post a more elaborate list of what files you recommend moving to a shared location. We are already sharing part, assembly, and drawing templates and a material library. We also share the toolbox library (configurations). Are there more that make sense?

Second, when speaking of standard library files, you say, in your other posts regarding admin image creation, that “the old files will be upgraded” do you mean appended? Will they then contain any new data added as well as any legacy customized data? This concerns us most regarding the update of the toolbox hardware data.

Can you post a more elaborate list of what files you recommend moving to a shared location. We are already sharing part, assembly, and drawing templates and a material library. We also share the toolbox library (configurations). Are there more that make sense?

Second, when speaking of standard library files, you say, in your other posts regarding admin image creation, that “the old files will be upgraded” do you mean appended? Will they then contain any new data added as well as any legacy customized data? This concerns us most regarding the update of the toolbox hardware data.

Hi Ken,

I move every file listed under “System Options|File Locations” to a shared location. (https://www.cadfanatic.com/wp-content/uploads/Im…)

As far as Toolbox is concerned, I usually install that local. I broke from using it as a parts library several years back, and now only use it as an as-needed parts generator for our standard design library. If you have done customization of the database in some way, however, it should be shared.

Before doing an update/upgrade, I recommend backing up the entire Toolbox solidWorks Data folder structure (especially if customized!) as well as any other customized files before attempting any updates.

On your second question, when doing a SolidWorks update, the existing Toolbox database and parts will be upgraded to the current version being installed, along with the addition of any new items that have been included. If you are still running an older version of SolidWorks for legacy or some other reason, this will render the Toolbox inaccessible to those older versions. As far as customizations go, I seem to vaguely remember that they will stay intact, but I would still back up just in case.

Your design library components will need to be upgraded manually to a newer version if you desire.

Hi Ken,

I move every file listed under “System Options|File Locations” to a shared location. (https://www.cadfanatic.com/wp-content/uploads/Im…)

As far as Toolbox is concerned, I usually install that local. I broke from using it as a parts library several years back, and now only use it as an as-needed parts generator for our standard design library. If you have done customization of the database in some way, however, it should be shared.

Before doing an update/upgrade, I recommend backing up the entire Toolbox solidWorks Data folder structure (especially if customized!) as well as any other customized files before attempting any updates.

On your second question, when doing a SolidWorks update, the existing Toolbox database and parts will be upgraded to the current version being installed, along with the addition of any new items that have been included. If you are still running an older version of SolidWorks for legacy or some other reason, this will render the Toolbox inaccessible to those older versions. As far as customizations go, I seem to vaguely remember that they will stay intact, but I would still back up just in case.

Your design library components will need to be upgraded manually to a newer version if you desire.