This document provides general information about SolidWorks® Enterprise PDM 2009. For information about new features, see What's New for Enterprise PDM 2009.
To ensure successful installation and optimum performance, verify that your system complies with the requirements specified in www.solidworks.com/sw/support/pdmsystemrequirements.html.
The 32-bit and x64 versions of Microsoft® XP Professional SP03 and Microsoft® Vista Business and Enterprise are fully supported for Enterprise PDM client installations.
SolidWorks Enterprise PDM 2009 supports the following SQL Server versions:
SQL Server 2008
SQL Server 2005 SP2
Note: Microsoft SQL Server 2000 is no longer supported.
Although you can use SolidWorks Enterprise PDM 2009 with SolidWorks 2007, SolidWorks 2008, or SolidWorks 2009, be aware that:
You must convert SolidWorks files to SolidWorks 2009 to use the following Bill of Materials (BOM) features:
SolidWorks BOMs
Weldment BOMs and Cut Lists
Updating named BOMs based on SolidWorks BOMs
To run Enterprise PDM 2009 with SolidWorks 2008 x64, you should upgrade to SolidWorks 2008 SP05 to prevent warnings when you start SolidWorks.
If the Enterprise PDM Web Client will be installed using the on-demand installer (by browsing to a Web page hosting an Enterprise PDM vault), Microsoft .Net 3.0 Framework must be installed.
Contact your re-seller, or log in to the Customer Portal and follow the instructions provided under Popular Solutions.
Obtain a SolidWorks Enterprise PDM 2009 license before upgrading.
To upgrade from an earlier version:
Download the application or load it from the installation media.
Click How to upgrade from a previous PDMWorks Enterprise version and follow the instructions to complete the installation.
If you participated in the SolidWorks Enterprise PDM 2009 Beta or PR1 tests, you should uninstall the client and server components and remove the vault. It is not possible to upgrade the Beta or PR1 installations or vaults to the release software.
SolidWorks Enterprise PDM replaces the previous product name, PDMWorks Enterprise.
SolidWorks Enterprise PDM 2009 support for Pro/ENGINEER® requires:
One of the following Pro/ENGINEER installations on the 32-bit version of Microsoft XP Professional:
Pro/ENGINEER 2001
Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire 1, 2, 3, or 4
SolidWorks Enterprise PDM 2009 on the 32-bit version of Microsoft XP Professional
The full Pro/ENGINEER application must be installed to manage (check in, check out) files from the vault. To preview files, use SolidWorks eDrawings, PTC ProductView Express, or a third-party viewer such as Oracle AutoVue.
After installing, use the SolidWorks Enterprise PDM Administration tool to configure the Pro/ENGINEER add-in:
Load the addrenamer.dll that is located in <install_dir>\Program Files\SolidWorks Enterprise PDM\ProE Connector server components.
Import and save the Pro/E Data Cards
These procedures are described in the Pro/ENGINEER topic of the SolidWorks Enterprise PDM Help, available from the Help menu when you are logged into a file vault.
After specific XP security updates are applied, SolidWorks compiled help files (.chm) cannot be accessed over a network (although they can be accessed from a disk or local installation). The Microsoft Knowledge Base article http://support.microsoft.com/kb/896054/ includes a resolution to this problem.
SP04
There are no release notes for the Service Pack 4 release of SolidWorks Enterprise PDM 2009.
SP03
When you check in an assembly with a mirrored internal component, you may see a warning in the Check in dialog box that the reference to the original file cannot be found.
You can disregard this warning and continue checking in the file.
SP02
Enterprise PDM Sp02 introduces item-centric product data management. Items capture a complete product definition. They collect CAD assembly designs, software, packaging, and other components into a single comprehensive view of a product.
Using items you can:
Model a manufacturing bill of materials (BOM) that includes electrical and consumable components not modeled in CAD files.
Model a packaging BOM for sales and distribution.
Manage the product life cycle by collecting links to requirements, specifications, designs, and test reports under a single item.
Export item BOMs for import into an ERP system.
Import variable values for existing items from an ERP system using an XML file.
To begin using items:
During client installation, install Item Explorer.
See the SolidWorks Enterprise PDM Installation Guide, which is available from the Administration Guides link of the Installer splash screen.
Determine your company methodology for creating and managing items. For example, decide whether to use dynamic or static links when generating items from files.
Use the Administration tool to configure item-related features, including:
Item folder structure and folder permissions
Item workflows, including XML export to ERP
Data card mapping between file data cards and item data cards
File types that can be used to generate items
Serial number used to generate item numbers
Variable used to generate item names
Items Bill of Materials columns
For details, see the Administration tool documentation, available in two formats:
Online help - Click Help in most dialog boxes or select Help from the Help menu.
SolidWorks Enterprise PDM Administration Guide PDF file - Select Administration Guide from the Help menu.
Use Item Explorer to create and manage items and item folders.
To open Item Explorer, do one of the following:
From the Windows Start menu, select All Programs > SolidWorks Enterprise PDM > Item Explorer.
From File Explorer, select Tools > Item Explorer.
Use the toolbar buttons and right-click menus to create item folders and new items, and perform actions on items such as Link Files to Item, Copy, Check Out, and Change State.
Note: You can also generate items from files when in the File Explorer. Right-click the file and select Generate Item.
For details, see the Item Explorer online help: click Help in most dialog boxes or select Contents from the Help menu.
If you install Service Pack 2 and then upgrade a vault database from a previous installation, the upgraded database will not include the default item data card, search forms, and BOM or the serial number that is used to generate item numbers.
To work with items in this vault, use the Enterprise PDM Administration tool to import the cards, item BOM, and serial number.
See the section on upgrading file vault databases in the SolidWorks Enterprise PDM Installation Guide, located in the <install_dir>\Program Files\SolidWorks Enterprise PDM\Lang\<language> directory.
Renaming of Pro/ENGINEER files is now supported.
There are two situations where rename may fail:
Renaming a part that is contained in multiple assemblies and sub-assemblies
View the Where Used tab for the part to be renamed to see if this situation exists.
Renaming a part in an assembly that is open in Pro/ENGINEER but has not been checked out in the Enterprise PDM vault
To avoid these problems:
Check out the files that reference the document to be renamed.
Open the file to be renamed in Pro/ENGINEER.
Rename the file.
Save the renamed file and check it in.