SolidWorks EPDM Vault Audit Log

Looking for an effective way how to track file usage inside SolidWorks Enterprise PDM?

In this post I will introduce you our latest SolidWorks Enterprise PDM add-in application called EPDM Audit Log. It's an application designed for EPDM and used to track file usage inside EPDM. It's especially designed and extremely useful for companies that need to track their files more closely for regulatory purposes such as those involved in the aerospace, defence and medical industry sectors.

How it works?

EPDM Audit Log contains an EPDM add-in and separate viewer tool to access log information. EPDM Audit Log uses Microsoft SQL Server to store file access information. SQL Server Express edition is also supported. Required database can be created trouble-free by using .dacpac file or SQL script delivered with the application.



EPDM Audit Viewer to access event log

EPDM add-in application is used to store file access information to the audit log database. Administrators can access log by using EPDM Audit Log Viewer application. It's a separate application with extremely user-friendly interface which doesn't require an EPDM license.

Following information is recorded when a client computer gets a file from EPDM Vault.

• Time stamp
• Name of client computer
• IP address of client computer
• Logged in EPDM user
• File name
• File version

In the Log Viewer you're able to search events by any search criteria or a combination of them. You can watch my video presentation demonstrating how to setup and use EPDM Audit Log.

Where to get it?

You can get more information about EPDM Audit Log from ATR Soft web page. You may also contact directly sales by email.

What it costs?

Licensing of EPDM Audit Log is made really affordable to customers. A server license with unlimited number of users costs only 1 690 € containing unlimited number of Audit Log Viewer applications. Annual subscription containing technical support and access to software upgrades costs 338 €. In addition you may purchase installation service for 445 €.

Custom Properties for Multiple Files

How is it done in SW?

Custom properties are an important part of your design, defining them with consistency is essential but it can also be a time consuming task.

As a SW user it can sometimes be frustrating to have to open every parts or drawings used in an assembly in order to define the same value for a specific property. This operation is not only time consuming but also prone to mistakes.

Also, when reusing existing design files, the SolidWorks Pack & Go does not allow you to modify the property value of the new copied files. This operation must be performed manually before or after the documents are copied.

Use case

•      Propagating a property value to your parts, assembly, 3D Models and/or drawings
•      Modifying custom property values of the new copied and renamed documents

How does it work in CustomTools (Standard Edition)?

By using the CustomCopy, you are able to propagate Custom property values to your documents. The property values can be propagated to existing documents or to the new copied files. You are able to for instance to use the project definition tool to apply a set of default custom property values to your documents. The property values can be propagated separately for parts, assembly, 3D models or drawings at once.

Using the CustomCopy to propagate a property value

• Step 1: To existing or new copied documents?

Open the CustomCopy, in the BulkEdit panel (Left side) select Propagate, rename or move to apply the CustomProperty values to existing documents. Select Copy to propagate the property value to the new copied documents. The list of documents where the value(s) will be propagated can be viewed and modified from the List of Document panel (Right side).

• Step 2: Propagating custom property values

Custom property values can be defined separately for parts, assembly, 3D model or drawings.

Select the type of documents from Type in the Bulk Edit panel (Left side). The Bulk Edit panel will update the properties panel to display those defined for the selected type of SolidWorks documents.

The custom property values can then be defined individually. Please note that you can also use the Project definition tool to load the default Custom property values associated with the project. Click OK to write the new property values to the selected documents.

Merging SW drawings into a single Pdf file

Issue faced in SolidWorks:

When converting SolidWorks drawings or files to Pdf format you have to create as many Pdf files per drawing. Unfortunately you are not able to create a single PDF file containing all the drawings made for a particular assembly. As SolidWorks only allows you to merge sheets of the same drawing into the same Pdf file.

This operation is very time consuming, because it has to be done manually and also a large amount of files are created. Pdf format is one of the most commonly used format for conversion in SolidWorks.

Use cases:

- Convert and combine multiple SolidWorks drawings to a single PDF file.
- Convert a batch of files at one time

How does it work in CustomTools (Standard Edition):

With CustomTools you are able to merge all the drawings made for the same assembly into the same Pdf file. The merge Pdf is done during the batch conversion of your SolidWorks files. You are able to merge any SolidWorks files into a single Pdf file making it easier and more efficient to manage files.

In addition of merging your SolidWorks drawings into a single PDF, you will get the job done in seconds or in minutes, not in hours or in days. Only 6 clicks are needed to convert and merge an entire assembly into a single PDF file.

Configuring CustomTools

In order to use the merge PDF tool in CustomTools, you have to create a conversion rule.

To create a conversion rule, open the CustomOptions, activate the Profile tab and select File Conversion, and then click Add...  to create a new rule. The Add Batch File Conversion Rule dialog box opens. Select Pdf as the File Type and then click the Conversion Options... button. The CustomTools Advanced Option dialog box opens. Click to select Merge PDF documents and then click OK. Define the destination and naming settings and click OK to save your profile.

Creating a Dxf/Dwg drawing in SolidWorks

Issue faced in SolidWorks:

In order to create a Dxf or Dwg from a sheet metal part many users will create a drawing with two sheets. The first sheet is usually used to insert dimensions and annotations, and used as a designed document, while the second one is only used for Dxf/Dwg export.

Creating that Dxf sheet requires some efforts from the users. After the first sheet has been created, the user must add a second sheet, then edit the sheet properties so that no sheet format is displayed. Then select and copy the flat-partern view from the sheet 1 and paste it into the second sheet, scale it 1:1 and delete all annotations and dimensions, hide the bending lines, in order to have a sheet ready to be converted to Dxf or Dwg.

The two issues faced by the SolidWorks users is that this operations are very time consuming and also mistakes can easily occur.

Use cases:

- Creating a Dxf or Dwg from a sheet metal part
- Title blocks, dimensions, annotations, bending lines, etc... need to be removed
- The view have to be scaled 1:1

How does it work in CustomTools (Standard Edition):

In CustomTools you can use the CNC Tool to create Dxf/Dwg drawings in SolidWorks that are ready to be converted to Dxf/Dwg.

The CNC Tool automatically flattens the view, scales it 1:1, removes all annotations, notes, bending lines, dimensions, title blocks and sheet format. Only one click is needed in order to perform all those actions.

Configuring CustomTools

In order to use the CNC Tool, you only need to define the name of the drawing sheet that will be created, once you click on the CNC Tool.

Open the CustomOptions, activate the Profile Options tab, then select CNC Tool Options. Under the New created sheet name enter the name of the sheet that will be created with the CNC Tool. Then select the Paper size to be used by the new created sheet. Click OK to save the changes.

Reloading or changing your drawing sheet formats

Issue faced in SolidWorks:

Many SolidWorks users face the same problem when the sheet format templates have been modified or if the sheet format used should be replaced. Then all the sheet formats need to be updated manually. This is extremely time consuming as the only way to modify them in SW is to open the drawing, activate the different sheets and then select the right sheet format. This operation needs to be repeated for every drawings.

Use cases:

     - The title blocks have been modified in the sheet formats (Reload)
     - The logo picture has been updated (Reload)
     - Different sheet formats are used for different customers (Convert)

How does it work in CustomTools (Standard Edition):

In CustomTools you are able to automatically reload or convert the sheet formats of your drawings during your batch printing and conversion operations, with the possibility to save the SolidWorks drawings afterward.


Basically the user only needs to add the drawings/folders, containing those drawings, to the list of files to process in the CustomPrint. Then select the proper sheet format action and a conversion or printing profile.

CustomTools allows you to reload/convert the sheet formats of a set of drawings in only 7 clicks.

Configuring CustomTools to reload/change the sheet formats

In order to reload/convert the sheet format, you first need to define the so-called "Sheet format action" profile in the CustomOptions.

Multiple actions can be associated with a single profile. For example if you use multiple sheet formats, then you can create a single "Sheet format action" profile associated with all your sheet formats.