Copying a SOLIDWORKS Assembly

You can copy an entire SOLIDWORKS assembly including reference parts, subassemblies, and drawings.

Before you begin: Locate or create in a Connector for SOLIDWORKS workspace a destination folder for the structure you are copying.
See Also
Copy Structure Dialog Box
Add Prefix Dialog Box
Add Suffix Dialog Box
Replace Dialog Box
Autoname Dialog Box
  1. Perform one of the following:
    • To copy the assembly structure from inside of Connector for SOLIDWORKS, from the Windows Explorer:
      1. Select the assembly.
      2. Click Action > Copy Structure.
    • To copy the assembly structure from outside of Connector for SOLIDWORKS:
      1. Right-click the assembly.
      2. Click Copy Structure.
  2. From the Copy tab of the Copy Structure dialog box, either:
    • In Copy, type the path of the destination folder.
    • Click Browse and from the Browse to Folder dialog box,
      • Locate the destination folder.
      • Click OK.

    Ensure that the folder is inside of a Connector for SOLIDWORKS workspace.

  3. To check in the target (copied) files:
    1. Select the Check-in files with comment check box.

      If you are unable to access the check box, your destination folder is not within a Connector for SOLIDWORKS workspace.

    2. Type a check in comment.
  4. Determine the copy iteration as follows:
    • To copy the latest iteration, click Use latest iteration of referenced files.
    • To copy the file iteration used in the selected assembly, click Use referenced iteration of files.

    Note: Both options are unavailable if you are copying from outside of Connector for SOLIDWORKS.

    The files list updates to reflect your selections.
  5. Determine how the system treats drawings within the structure.
    1. To include drawings in the copy, select the Include drawings check box.

      Clearing the check box does not affect the copying if you select an assembly drawing as the structure to copy.

      If you select the check box, the file listing includes any drawings that are part of the structure.
    2. To have the system name drawings in the copy with their assembly or part names, select the Name drawings after their models check box.
  6. To apply file name changes to specific target files when you use the toolbar commands, select the files from the file list.
    For example, if you select three files from the file list and use Add Prefix, you have the option to apply your prefix only to those three files. If you do not select any files from the file list, the system only allows you to apply your prefix to all files in the list
    1. To add a prefix to the target file names, from the toolbar, click Add Prefix.

      From the Add Prefix dialog box:

      1. In Prefix, type the prefix to add to the file names.
      2. To apply the prefix to all files in the assembly, click All; otherwise, to apply the prefix to only the selected files in the Copy Structure dialog box, click Select files only.
      3. Click OK.

    2. To add a suffix to the target file names, click Add Suffix.

      From the Add suffix dialog box:

      1. In Add, type the suffix to add.
      2. To apply the suffix to all files in the file list, click All; otherwise, to apply the suffix to only the selected files in the Copy Structure dialog box, click Select files only.
      3. Click OK.

    3. To replace a string in the file names, click Replace.

      From the Replace dialog box:

      1. In Find, type the string to replace.
      2. In Replace, type the replacement string.
      3. To apply the replacement to all files in the file list, click All; otherwise to apply the replacement to only the selected files in the Copy Structure dialog box, click Selected files only.
      4. To apply the replacement to file names, select the File name check box.
      5. To apply the replacement to folders, select the Folders check box.
      6. Click OK.

    4. To use the server auto-numbering series for the copied structure, click Auto-name.

      From the Autoname dialog box,

      1. In the File Type column, select the check boxes for the file types you want to auto-number in the target (copied) files.
      2. To apply auto-number to all the selected files in the assembly file list, click All; otherwise to apply auto-numbering to only the selected files in the Copy Structure dialog box, click Selected files only.
      3. Click OK.

    5. To clear all changes from the target names:

      1. Click Reset.
      2. From the CopyTreeDig dialog box, click Yes.

  7. From the file list in the Copy Structure dialog box, select the check boxes of all files to include in the copy.

    To change the file list display, from the toolbar, click the View Mode flyout and select either Details or Content. Details displays the file name list in several columns, whereas Content displays the same data in fewer columns and includes a thumbnail of each file.

    Tip: To copy all the files in the file list, from the Details view, select the Copy check box.

    To view a thumbnail in a preview pane at the bottom of the dialog box, select the file. If you are unable to see the thumbnail, click Show Preview .

  8. Click Copy.

The system copies the assembly and selected subassemblies, parts, and drawings to the destination folder.