SOLIDWORKS Pack and Go – Your Essential Tool for File Management and Collaboration

In the world of CAD, managing complex design files, especially those with numerous interconnected components, can quickly become a daunting task. Assemblies, parts, drawings, simulations, and various referenced files often reside in disparate locations, making sharing, archiving, or transferring projects a headache. This is where SOLIDWORKS Pack and Go emerges as an indispensable utility, a true lifesaver for designers, engineers, and anyone working with SOLIDWORKS data.

This comprehensive article will delve deep into the functionalities of SOLIDWORKS Pack and Go, exploring its core purpose, step-by-step usage, advanced options, and best practices. We will also touch upon its role in collaborative workflows and how it simplifies common file management challenges.

What is SOLIDWORKS Pack and Go?

At its heart, SOLIDWORKS Pack and Go is a powerful utility designed to gather all related files for a SOLIDWORKS model design – be it a part, assembly, or drawing – into a single, organized location. This can be a new folder on your local drive or a compressed ZIP file, ready for sharing, archiving, or transferring.

Imagine an assembly with dozens of sub-assemblies, hundreds of parts, linked drawings, design tables, custom materials, and even simulation results. Without Pack and Go, manually locating and copying each of these individual files, while ensuring all references remain intact, would be a tedious and error-prone process. Pack and Go automates this, ensuring that when you move or share your project, every single piece of data required to open and work with it is included and correctly referenced.

Why is Pack and Go So Crucial?

The importance of Pack and Go becomes evident in various scenarios:

• Sharing Designs with Colleagues or Clients: When you need to send a complete design to someone else, whether they are in the next cubicle or across the globe, Pack and Go ensures they receive everything needed to open and manipulate the files without missing references or broken links. This is especially vital for external collaborators who may not have access to your network drives or specific project structures.

• Archiving Projects: As projects evolve, older versions or completed designs need to be archived. Pack and Go provides a reliable way to create self-contained archives that can be retrieved and opened years down the line, without worrying about missing files or outdated links.

• Moving Projects to a New Location: If you’re transferring a project from one computer to another, or from a local drive to a server, Pack and Go simplifies the migration process, guaranteeing data integrity.

• Creating Design Iterations: When exploring different design concepts or making significant modifications, you might want to create a separate, independent copy of your project to work on. Pack and Go allows you to do this quickly and efficiently, preventing unintended changes to your original files.

• Troubleshooting and Support: When seeking technical support or collaborating with a reseller, sending a Pack and Go file ensures that the support team has all the necessary data to diagnose and resolve any issues you might be encountering.

How to Use SOLIDWORKS Pack and Go: A Step-by-Step Guide

Using Pack and Go is remarkably straightforward. There are two primary ways to access this utility:

Method 1: From within SOLIDWORKS Application

1. Open your SOLIDWORKS file: Begin by opening the part, assembly, or drawing document you wish to package. This will be the “root” file for your Pack and Go operation.
2. Access Pack and Go: Navigate to File > Pack and Go in the SOLIDWORKS menu bar.

Method 2: From Windows File Explorer

1. Locate your SOLIDWORKS file: Browse to the SOLIDWORKS document (part, assembly, or drawing) in Windows File Explorer.
2. Right-click the file: Right-click on the SOLIDWORKS file.
3. Select Pack and Go: In the context menu, choose SOLIDWORKS > Pack and Go. (In Windows 11, you might first need to select “Show More Options” to reveal the SOLIDWORKS context menu).

Once you initiate Pack and Go, a dedicated dialog box will appear, providing a comprehensive list of all associated files and various options for customizing your package.

Understanding the Pack and Go Dialog Box

The Pack and Go dialog box is your command center for defining what gets included and how it’s organized. Let’s break down its key sections:

• File List: This central area displays a hierarchical or flat list of all detected related files.
  • Nested View: (Default) Shows files indented based on their parent-child relationships, mirroring your assembly structure. This is often the most intuitive view for understanding dependencies.
  • Flat View: Lists all files at the same level, which can be useful for a quick overview of all individual files.
  • Checkboxes: To the left of each file name, you’ll see a checkbox. You can select or deselect individual files to include or exclude them from the package. This is particularly useful if you want to exclude certain library components or suppressed items that aren’t critical for the intended recipient.

• Options for Inclusion: At the bottom of the dialog box, you’ll find several critical checkboxes that determine what types of data are included:
  • Include drawings: This is crucial. If your assembly or part has associated drawings, checking this box ensures they are gathered. SOLIDWORKS will search for drawings in the same folder as the model, and if you’ve specified “Search Paths” in your System Options, it will also look there.
  • Include simulation results: If your design includes SOLIDWORKS Simulation studies (FEA, Flow Simulation, etc.) and you want to share the results, select this option.
  • Include Toolbox components: If your design utilizes standard components from the SOLIDWORKS Toolbox library, this option ensures those specific components are copied into your package, rather than relying on the recipient’s Toolbox installation. This is highly recommended when sending files externally.
  • Include custom decals, appearances and scenes: If you’ve applied custom visual elements to your models, enable this to ensure they display correctly for the recipient.
  • Include default decals, appearances and scenes: Similar to custom elements, this includes standard SOLIDWORKS appearances and scenes used in your design.
  • Include suppressed components: (Only available when starting Pack and Go from within SOLIDWORKS) This option allows you to include components that are currently suppressed in your assembly. This can be useful for sharing a complete assembly, even if some parts are not actively used in the current configuration, or for creating simplified copies for specific analyses.

• Saving Options:
  • Save to folder: This option allows you to specify a new folder where all the gathered files will be saved. You can browse to an existing folder or create a new one directly from the dialog.
  • Save to Zip file: This is a popular choice for easy portability. All selected files will be compressed into a single ZIP archive, ideal for email attachments or cloud storage.
  • Email after packaging: (Available when “Save to Zip file” is selected) If you have a default email client configured (like Microsoft Outlook), checking this box will automatically open a new email message with the generated ZIP file attached, ready for you to address and send.
  • Add prefix/suffix: These fields allow you to automatically add a prefix or suffix to all the filenames in your package. This is incredibly useful for version control or differentiating copies (e.g., “ProjectX_REV_A_Part1.SLDPRT”).
  • Flatten to single folder: All files will be copied directly into the root of your destination folder, regardless of their original subfolder structure.
  • Flatten to minimal folders: This option attempts to preserve some of the original folder structure, but consolidates empty folders or unnecessary subfolders, resulting in a cleaner, flatter structure than “Keep full folder structure.”
  • Keep full folder structure: This maintains the exact folder hierarchy from your original project within the new Pack and Go destination. This is often preferred for maintaining familiarity with the original organization.

• Select/Replace: This powerful feature allows you to search for specific text within the file names and replace it, or to select/deselect multiple items based on criteria. This is particularly useful for bulk renaming or filtering.

Executing the Pack and Go:

Once you’ve configured all your desired options, click the “Save” button. SOLIDWORKS will then proceed to gather and copy all the selected files to your specified destination, updating all internal references to point to the new locations. A progress bar will indicate the status of the operation.

Advanced Tips and Best Practices

To truly master Pack and Go and streamline your SOLIDWORKS workflow, consider these advanced tips and best practices:

• Understand File References: The core of Pack and Go’s power lies in its ability to manage file references. Always be aware of where your referenced files (parts, sub-assemblies, standard components, drawings, etc.) are located. If they are scattered across many network drives or local folders, Pack and Go will diligently seek them out.

• Naming Conventions: Implement consistent and descriptive naming conventions for your SOLIDWORKS files. This makes it easier to manage projects, identify components, and utilize Pack and Go’s prefix/suffix or select/replace functions effectively.

• Regular Use for Archiving: Don’t wait until you absolutely need to share a project to use Pack and Go. Make it a habit to create Pack and Go archives at key project milestones or before making significant design changes. This serves as a robust backup and historical record.

• Consider Flattening Options:
  • For simple sharing, Flatten to single folder is often the easiest, as all files are immediately accessible.
  • For complex assemblies where maintaining the original organization is crucial, Keep full folder structure is preferred.
  • Flatten to minimal folders offers a compromise between the two, providing a somewhat organized yet condensed structure.

• Including Toolbox Components (Crucial for External Sharing): When sending files to someone who doesn’t share your network or Toolbox installation, always include Toolbox components. Failing to do so will result in missing fasteners or standard parts on the recipient’s end.

• Verify the Output: After running a Pack and Go, always navigate to the destination folder or open the ZIP file to verify that all necessary files are present and that the assembly opens without any “missing file” errors.

• PDM vs. Pack and Go: While Pack and Go is excellent for ad-hoc sharing and archiving, if you are working in a team environment or managing large, complex projects with frequent revisions, a Product Data Management (PDM) system like SOLIDWORKS PDM or the 3DEXPERIENCE platform is a more robust solution. PDM systems offer automated version control, revision management, workflow approvals, and much more sophisticated data management capabilities that far exceed Pack and Go’s scope. Think of Pack and Go as a manual, single-instance snapshot tool, while PDM is an ongoing, dynamic data management system.

• “Save to Previous Version” (SOLIDWORKS 2024 and newer): A recent and significant enhancement in SOLIDWORKS 2024 allows you to use Pack and Go to save files to previous versions (e.g., from SOLIDWORKS 2024 to 2023 or 2022). This is incredibly valuable when collaborating with users on older versions of the software.

• Excluding Unnecessary Data: Before packaging, review your model for any extraneous data – suppressed components you definitely don’t need, unused configurations, or older versions of linked documents that aren’t relevant to the current project. Excluding these can significantly reduce the file size of your Pack and Go.

• File Locations (for Drawings): If your drawings are not in the same folder as your models, you can use the File Locations option within Pack and Go to specify additional search paths for drawings. However, exercise caution with the “Include subfolders” option, as it can significantly increase processing time for deep folder structures. It’s often better to ensure drawings are logically organized with their respective models.

Common Issues and Troubleshooting

While Pack and Go is generally reliable, you might encounter a few hiccups:

• Missing Files: The most common issue. Ensure you’ve checked all the necessary inclusion options (drawings, Toolbox, etc.). Double-check if any files were intentionally deselected in the list. Sometimes, a file might be referenced but not directly open or visible in the assembly, so Pack and Go might not detect it unless you explicitly ensure all relevant options are selected.

• Broken References in the New Location: While Pack and Go is designed to prevent this, occasionally, if files are moved or renamed outside of Pack and Go before the operation, it can cause issues. Always use Pack and Go for moving or renaming sets of SOLIDWORKS files.

• Large File Sizes: If your Pack and Go creates a massive ZIP file, review the included components. Are there unnecessary suppressed components? Are you including a large number of simulation results that aren’t critical for the recipient? Use the checkboxes to deselect unneeded items.

• Performance Issues: For very large assemblies with deep folder structures, Pack and Go can take some time. Ensure your system meets recommended specifications and close other demanding applications.

Conclusion

SOLIDWORKS Pack and Go is far more than just a simple file copier; it’s an intelligent file management utility that preserves the intricate web of references inherent in SOLIDWORKS designs. By simplifying the process of gathering, organizing, and distributing your CAD data, it plays a vital role in efficient design workflows, seamless collaboration, and reliable project archiving. Mastering Pack and Go empowers you to confidently share your designs, ensuring that every recipient has a complete and fully functional dataset, free from the frustration of missing files and broken links. Embrace this powerful tool, and you’ll find your SOLIDWORKS experience significantly smoother and more productive.