Associating External SOLIDWORKS Assemblies

You can add existing SOLIDWORKS assemblies to SOLIDWORKS Electrical projects and create shortcuts to the files in the SOLIDWORKS Electrical project folder.

When you associate external assemblies, the software creates a shortcut to the assembly in the document tree, the SOLIDWORKS Electrical project folder, and the SOLIDWORKS assembly dialog box. These shortcuts let you maintain company folder structures. The associated files are not copied to the project folder.

The SOLIDWORKS cabinet layout tool in the Process tab is renamed to SOLIDWORKS assembly.

To associate external SOLIDWORKS assemblies:

  1. Click the Process tab and click SOLIDWORKS assembly .
  2. In the dialog box, in Select existing file, select the assembly to add to the project.
    A shortcut is created in the document tree and project folder.
  3. After the associated assembly shortcut is created:
    • Double-click the shortcut in the document tree to open it.
    • Right-click the shortcut and click Properties . The external assembly file has an internal ID name; the path is grayed out in the property dialog boxes and cannot be changed.
    If you move the external assembly file, the database path updates. When you include shortcuts in an archive, the external assembly file is copied into the project folder and the existing link is replaced.