Create File References Dialog Box

Use the Create File References dialog box to paste copied files as references to a selected file.

To display the dialog box:

Copy the files to be referenced, then right-click the file to which you are adding the references and click Paste as reference.

Toolbar Buttons

Some commands accessed from toolbar buttons are also available on the shortcut menu.

Next Warning / Previous Warning Only shown when warnings are present in the Warnings column.

In the file list, changes the focus to the next file with a warning or the previous file with a warning.
Levels Displays file references for the entire file hierarchy (Show All Levels) or just the top level of the file hierarchy (Top Level Only).

The setting defaults to the most recent setting you used.

You can also expand or collapse the hierarchy using the and controls in the File name column.
Select Files Opens the Select Files dialog box, where you can specify a wildcard pattern to select files.
Open File List Open All opens a list of files in Microsoft Excel.
Open Visible opens a list of visible files in Microsoft Excel.
Save File List Export All exports the list of all files as a comma-separated .txt file.
Export Visible exports the list of visible files as a comma-separated .txt file.

File List

To change the columns that are displayed, right-click any column heading and select columns to display them or clear columns to hide them.

You can sort the default and custom columns in tables in ascending, descending, or default order by clicking column headers. Column sorting is useful within large datasets. If you sort a column in ascending or descending order, the column is highlighted in green and an arrowhead appears. When you sort a column in a table, SOLIDWORKS PDM removes the file structure hierarchy. Sorting turns off Show Tree Lines and Show Reference Selection Control.

Type Displays a thumbnail preview of the file when you hover over the file type icon.
File name Selected file and files referenced by it.
Warnings Displays a warning, if any, after reference validation.
Add Reference Creates a reference to the file.

When you paste references to parent documents like assemblies and do not want to add references to children, clear the check boxes of the files you do not want to reference.
Show in Bill of Materials Includes the file in the parent file BOM after the parent file is saved.
Quantity Quantity of the referenced file.
Found in Location of the referenced files.

Shortcut Menu Options

Right-click in the file list to access these menu options:

Columns Lets you add or remove columns.
Show Reference Selection Controls For files with references (such as assemblies with parts), turns on a second check box to the right of parent files.

Use the left check box to select or clear only the parent file.

Use the right check box to select or clear the parent file and all of its references.

If all check boxes are not in the same state, the added check box displays .
Select All Selects all files, so that you can check or clear the Add Reference or Show in Bill of Materials columns.
Select Files Displays a dialog box where you can specify wildcards to select a group of files. You can then use a single keystroke to check or clear the files in the Add Reference or Show in Bill of Materials columns.
Show Tree Lines Adds tree lines to the File name column.
Change Thumbnail Preview Size Changes the size of thumbnail previews as Small, Medium, or Large. By default, Medium is selected.
When you select the size in one table, SOLIDWORKS PDM sets the same size in applicable tables and on tabs. The thumbnail previews for non-SOLIDWORKS files may not be clear when you select Medium or Large.