Search cards give users various ways to input search criteria when they use the SOLIDWORKS PDM Search tool to search for files, items, and data stored in a vault. Search cards that return file and folder results are also available when users access search within a Windows Explorer dialog box.
The layout of each search card is fully customizable, allowing you to create advanced search cards containing tabs and various fields or simple ones with a single field to search.
When you open a search card in the Card Editor, the card properties pane shows information about the form. If a control has been selected on the card, click somewhere on the card background to show the card properties again.
| Card name
|
Enter a display name for the search card. |
| Card type |
Select Search Card. |
| Resizable |
When enabled, the card adjusts to the width of the Search dialog box if a user resizes the dialog box. When disabled, the card remains a fixed size even if a user resizes the Search dialog box.
If you use the Glue Controls options on a control, if the control is glued to opposite sides (top/bottom or left/right) of the card, the control changes in size as the search card is resized.
See Glueing Data Card Controls.
|
| Result type |
Select whether the search card returns results showing:- Files and folders
- Items and item folders
- Users
|
| Result column set |
Select if the search result for this form should use a specific column set. See Adding a Column Set to a Search Card. Select an existing search column in the list or select <New column set> to create a new result column.
|
| Users who may use the form |
Selected users can access the card. |
| Groups that may use the form |
Users in the selected groups can access the card. |
| Default Values |
Displays the Default Values dialog box, where you can specify preset values for variables used on the search card. Some search variables, such as Find Folders are either on (1) or off (0).
When the search card is opened, the default values are set automatically.
Check boxes on search cards are always selected when opening the form in the Search tool. Use the default value 0 to have them clear by default.
To remove a default variable, select it and select  Remove in the list.
The variable values you set as default do not have to be present on the actual search card. For example, you can set the Find folders search variable to 0 (off) without having a checkbox on the card.
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Search Card Variables
When you add control fields for a user to search in on a search card, you link them to variables. For example to search in the Customer name variable on all file and folder cards that use it, add an edit control to the form and link it to the Customer name variable.
In addition to the usual card variables, when the card type is set to Search Card, you can select from Search variables in the variable list that are designed to search within the vault database for specific criteria. Search variables are indicated by
. For example, the search variable Name searches the file names of all files added to a vault.
You should use some search variables, such as Checked In Files, in checkbox controls because they control what should be returned in the search result. (A selected checkbox is active and a clear checkbox is inactive). For example, when a checkbox is linked to the search variable Find Folders, if the checkbox is selected, the search includes folders. If clear, it only returns files.
You can examine the Full Search card to learn the function of each search variable, because most search variables are used in it.
Assigned Users
For a search card to be available in the Search tool for a specific user, you must enable the user (or group) in the search card properties.
Assigned search cards are available in:
- The Tools menu of Windows Explorer.
- The Search cards and favorites
flyout control in the SOLIDWORKS PDM menu bar.
- The Searches node in the SOLIDWORKS PDM Search tool.
Default Search Cards
When the Professional vault is created, two default search cards are imported: a full search card and a user search card. If SOLIDWORKS PDM items are in use, there are three additional default search cards. If you have upgraded from a previous version, or wish to restore the default search card layout, you can re-import the card.
The default search card names include the search card type (for example, Search Complete) and end with the language (for example, _gb):
all(Search Complete)_gb.crd