Can you set a default "Save" directory in SolidWorks?

Discussion in 'SolidWorks' started by SW Monkey, Jun 1, 2006.

  1. SW Monkey

    SW Monkey Guest

    I did a searh for threads on this topic, but they were several SW
    releases back. Has SolidWorks ever fixed this problem. It seems like
    alot of people made enhancment request for this.

    Im using SW 2005, and I would like to have a default Save directory.
    SW currently saves a file in the last place you opened or saved a file,
    which is a PITA.

    I know I could make a macro to do this to replace my SAVE or SAVE AS
    button, but is there any alternatives?
     
    SW Monkey, Jun 1, 2006
    #1
  2. SW Monkey

    Mr. Who Guest

    I think you are out of luck. In Office 2003 there is a new drop down
    in top right of save dialog called "tools." From there you can choose
    "add to my place" which will add it to the quick shortcut field on the
    left. Hopefully SolidWorks will add support for this in the next
    release.
     
    Mr. Who, Jun 1, 2006
    #2
  3. SW Monkey

    fcsuper Guest

    No need for a macro. This is nearly completely a windows function
    unless you have PDMWorks where you can set a default folder to its
    fuctions (that becomes kinda the de facto Save As... folder).

    Go to each icon and menu location that you start SW from (on the
    desktop and in the under START). Edit those links. Change your Start
    every time you start SW, this becomes the starting default folder.
    It's not a 100% solution because if you save to another folder, that
    new folder becomes the new default for that session, but when you
    restart SW, the original start from folder is restored as the default
    save location.

    As far as using a macro to make it the same every time? You might be
    able to modify the PDF SaveAs... macros (see other topics on this
    message board) to do that.

    I'm not much of a programmer, so I can't really help out that much on
    the macro side.

    Matt
     
    fcsuper, Jun 1, 2006
    #3
  4. Try this:

    Open SW and a Part. Record a new Macro.

    File, SaveAs, Browse to the folder you always want to Save To.

    Save

    End Macro Recording.

    Do this for Assemblies and Drawings.

    Now, you'll have 3 Macros. It alittle clumsy, but with further editing and
    probably a Dialog Box added, you might be able to combine these into one
    Macro.

    These should be the Macros you need. Also, you can edit the Macro folder
    location to any folder you need. And create multiply copies of this Macro
    with unique names to chose different folders.

    Best Regards,
    Devon T. Sowell
    www.3-ddesignsolutions.com



    Now Edit the new Macro and Edit the specific folder location
     
    Devon T. Sowell, Jun 1, 2006
    #4
  5. SW Monkey

    Mr. Who Guest

    AHA! I think I got it. There is a SolidWorks API -
    SetCurrentWorkingDirectory. I believe when you call it that it will
    change the save folder. So all you need is one macro, run it and if
    you do any save/save as it will default to that directory. Much more
    elegant.

    Combine this with the event notification api - FileSaveAsNotify2 then
    you should be able to change the CurrentWorkingDirectory just before a
    file save or save as and then change it back afterwards. This way file
    -> open will still leave you in your original working directory.
     
    Mr. Who, Jun 1, 2006
    #5
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