SOLIDWORKS Electrical – Archiving

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An important blog if you use SOLIDWORKS Electrical

OK, so the header is a bit drastic but this is very important to all users of SOLIDWORKS Electrical. Let me explain a little about how the software functions.

All installations of SOLIDWORKS Electrical rely on a Microsoft SQL database and shared locations for application data and projects. (Check out tools/configuration/application settings to see what is set)

 

If you check out the folders you will find your projects, and in the application data folder all the settings and data you have created when setting up Electrical.

So to back-up SW Electrical you need to consider backing-up the database, project files and all the settings to create those projects, help!

Of course we wouldn’t make your life this difficult; in fact doing a full back-up of a whole SOLIDWORKS Electrical installation is very, very simple!

So when would we recommend backing-up?

Doing a full back-up, an archive environment, can be time consuming, so we would recommend doing this at least once a month or with any major IT infrastructure change, it is imperative that this step is conducted to avoid data loss.

SW Electrical Full Back-up

To do a full back-up, open SW Electrical, close the project manager if open and go to file > Archiving and choose archive environment

solidworks electrical archive

The data selection tab enables you to choose what data to back-up and the level of granularity of the back-up

All Objects

Will back-up ALL the data and is what we recommend before any major IT infrastructure change e.g. Software UpdatesCustom

Enables you to select what types of data; here you can see I am choosing NOT to include my projects and SOLIDWORKS files in the back-up.If you hit next you can now scroll through choose what to do for each individual item

To remind yourself to back-up you can set a reminder!

So how do I back-up/archive individual projects?

In the projects manager you can choose to archive the project

An archived project consists of all its documents and all data used in its design (such as symbols, title blocks, or configurations).

Select the project from the list and click the Archive icon. In the Save As window, choose the folder and name for the archive file.

Projects must be closed before they can be archived. The archived project file extension is .PROJ.TEWZIP. Archived projects remain available in the Projects Manager.

 

Since SW Electrical 2016 there has been the ability to “Snapshot” a project

 

A Snapshot is a project back-up performed at a special time, such as a new revision index creation. The Snapshot offers the possibility to restore an old version of the project; it must not be confused with the project archive.

The Snapshot archive is placed into the project folder.
The creation of a Snapshot is automatic when you create a new revision index and if you have activated the options When book revision is verified.

It is also automatic when you activate the option After a period of (days). In these cases, a message box opens allowing you to create the Snapshot.

You can manage Snapshots using the Snapshots manager

solidworks electrical archive

So to recap;

  • Before you make any changes to your system, Software updates, Operating system updates etc.
  • DO A SYSTEM ARCHIVE
  • Also set the system to remind you to do a system archive frequently, the timing of this depends how secure you wish to be, also remember the archive file needs to be treated as any archive so consider copying it and moving it to secure storage.
NT CADCAM

NT CADCAM

NT CADCAM is the UK's most established SOLIDWORKS reseller in England, Scotland and Wales. Offering a fully supported CAD and CAM product portfolio and high levels of expertise internally, makes NT CADCAM unique within the SOLIDWORKS community, giving customers the confidence and assurance they need that their support issues will be dealt with both promptly and efficiently. As a SOLIDWORKS Certified Training Centre, NT CADCAM provides clients with fully certified and accredited trainers who are experienced engineers. NT CADCAM is part of the Solid Solutions Group.
NT CADCAM

@NTCADCAM