What would you use to batch covert 8,000 SW drawings to PDF?

We need to batch convert 8,000 SW drawings. Some drawings may need to
be rebuilt (crosshatched when opended in SW), while others could be
opened view-only to save time. I tried the trial of Bluebeam for CAD
users, but the batch program seemed to lockup and/or take a very long
time to convert to PDF. Even creating a PDF from a single file took
2-3 minutes vs seconds in a PDF print driver.

I was hoping to find something that would open a drawing view-only if
it didnt need to be rebuilt (converts alot faster), or if it did need
to be rebuilt, open it read-only and do a force rebuild then convert to
PDF.

Any ideas?

 

Have you tried PAK4SWX from swtools.cad.de It does have the option to
open the file view only, but it opens all the files listed view only. It
wont know whether it needs rebuilt or not.

 

Have your tried the Task Scheduler?

Run this Macro to files in a single folder ( I would think that all files
that the Drawings reference should be in one folder);

'
******************************************************************************
' From Devon T. Sowell, www.3-ddesignsolutions.com
' Save as .pdf to a specfic folder
'
******************************************************************************
Dim swApp As Object
Dim Part As Object
Dim SelMgr As Object
Dim boolstatus As Boolean
Dim longstatus As Long, longwarnings As Long
Dim Feature As Object
Dim Name As String

Sub main()

Set swApp = Application.SldWorks
Set Part = swApp.ActiveDoc
Set SelMgr = Part.SelectionManager

Name = Part.GetTitle()
Name = Left$(Name, Len(Name) - 9)
'The line below; remove the "comment", name and specify the exact folder
path for your computer.
'Part.SaveAs2 "C:\Documents and Settings\<"">\Desktop\PDF\" & Name & ".pdf",
0, True, False

End Sub



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

 

A cheap summer intern....

Half serious though, as that's what we did last summer for approx. 3K prints
when we went (semi) paperless (eng is paperless, but the .PDF's are still
generated for manual shop packets on the floor. We started implementing
touch screens around the shop and have a bunch, but in order to get totally
away from paper, we would need a touch screen at every station...so maybe
someday)

Scott

 

Thanks Devon. I have a macro already to do all drawings in a folder,
but yours looks alot shorter. Ill give it a try. Until then, does your
macro rebuild the drawing if it needs rebuilding?

 

A bottle of whiskey and indirect hours.

 

RE: "Until then, does your
macro rebuild the drawing if it needs rebuilding?"

No. Perhaps use the Task Scheduler to Update Associated Files or include a
Rebuild function in the Macro prior to the SaveAs .pdf.

Send me an e-mail if you want a price to do this task.

Best Regards,
Devon T. Sowell

www.3-ddesignsolutions.com