Searching for Files and Folders in Windows Explorer

You can search the vault for files or folders from within Windows Explorer. In the SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional vault, to search for users or items, you must use the SOLIDWORKS PDM Search tool.

1. In File Explorer, navigate to the folder you want to search.
2. Do one of the following:

   To open the most recently used search and results:	Click Open Search (SOLIDWORKS PDM menu bar).
   To open a specific search form:	In the SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional vault, expand the Open Search flyout menu and select the search form. In the SOLIDWORKS PDM Standard vault, only Complete Search form is available under Open Search.
   To open a favorite search and its results:	Expand the Open Search > Complete Search > Favorite Searches .

   The search opens in the right pane. Most searches contain one or more tabs.
3. For each tab, specify search criteria.
   For help selecting search criteria for the Complete Search form, see Searching in Data Cards.
4. Click Start search (SOLIDWORKS PDM menu bar).
   The results display in the center section of the right pane.
5. Use the results list to do any of the following:
   • Select a file and view information about it in the Preview, Data Card, Version, Bill of Materials, Contains, and Where Used tabs at the bottom of the right pane.
   • Double-click a file or folder to open it.
   • Right-click a file or folder to access SOLIDWORKS PDM commands.
6. In the SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional vault, to save the search as a Favorite, expand the Favorite Searches flyout menu and click Add to Favorites.
7. To search again with new search criteria, click Clear Search (SOLIDWORKS PDM menu bar).
8. To close the search and return to File View, do one of the following:
   • Click Close Search (SOLIDWORKS PDM menu bar).
   • Click Display > Show Files.