Administrative Image Option Settings

The Option Editor enables you to specify option settings for individual clients or groups, including serial numbers, client installation options, which software components to install, and toolbox location.

Serial Numbers

Enter the serial numbers to install products on client machines.
Because there are multiple ways to purchase SOLIDWORKS products, some serial numbers can cover two or more products. For example, a SOLIDWORKS serial number might enable you to install SOLIDWORKS Simulation without entering a separate SOLIDWORKS Simulation serial number. In addition, some products do not require a serial number. If you have any questions about your serial numbers, contact your VAR.
If you are managing licensing using SolidNetWork Licensing:
  • In the first serial number field, enter the SolidNetWork serial number.
  • In the SNL Server port@server field, enter the SolidNetWork License Manager server name and port in the form nnnnn@servername. Separate multiple entries using semicolons.

For details about SolidNetWork licensing, see Installing and Configuring SolidNetWork Licensing.

Client Installation Options

How do you want to perform client installations of major versions? You can specify how client installations handle an existing prior major version installation:
  • Upgrade an existing major version (if one exists).

    Specify this option to replace the prior major version installation with the new version installation

  • Create a new major version.

    Specify this option to keep the prior major version and create a new installation for the new major version. To specify a location for the new version installation, click Browse.
Do you want to uninstall the most recent previous version before installing a new major version? You can specify whether to uninstall the existing prior major version installation:
  • No, do not uninstall first.

    Specify this option to retain the prior major version installation.

  • Yes, perform a custom uninstall.

    Select this option to remove these items: Data Files and Folders created by an earlier install.

How do you want to apply SOLIDWORKS settings? You can specify a settings file when starting the software. Client installations reference a settings file. Store the settings (*.sldsettings) file on a shared UNC path that is visible to all installations. Specify a *.sldsettings path before installing SOLIDWORKS. Client installations detect the *.sldsettings file path during the installation.
Secure the *.sldsettings file by setting Windows file permissions to allow write access to designated users only.

To create or edit a*.sldsettings, click Launch Settings Administrator. The SOLIDWORKS Settings Administrator tool lets you define which SOLIDWORKS system options to apply and optionally lock for end users. You can also define how and when to apply the settings to individual installations, and you can modify *.sldsettings file at any time by running the Settings Administrator tool and overwriting the existing file.

You can use different *.sldsettings files for different machines or groups.

The path to *.sldsettings sets at install time. Once deployed, do not rename or move the *.sldsettings file.

You must have an existing SOLIDWORKS [current major version] installation to run the Settings Administrator tool.
How do you want to activate client installations? You can specify whether to complete product activation automatically after running the installation, or require that the user perform product activation manually after installation.
  • Activate automatically when each client installation completes.

    Selecting this option setting specifies that product activation runs automatically using a SOLIDWORKS Product Activation file. Click Browse to find an existing activation file, or New to start SOLIDWORKS Product Activation to create a new activation file.

  • Do not activate automatically.

    Selecting this option setting specifies that no automated product activation occurs. The client user performs product activation after installation.

Administrative Options

Create a diagnostic log during each installation. A client installation can create a diagnostic log to troubleshoot installation problems. Creating this log can make the client installation run slower. The log file is stored in Administrative image directory}\x64\Logs\<machine_name>\Status.xml.
Run the installation as a different user.

A client installation can run as a different user. This option is useful when individual users do not have local administrative permissions on their machines, which are required to install SOLIDWORKS products.

An alternate method of deployment and installation is available when clients do not have administrative privileges. See Deploying Installations from the Option Editor.
Run a program before or after installation. You can specify that a custom program runs before or after the client installation.
Do you want clients to participate in the SOLIDWORKS Customer Experience Program? You can specify that client machines participate in the SOLIDWORKS Customer Experience Program. Performance information is sent to SOLIDWORKS Corporation to help improve the product. The process is transparent and confidential. For details, see Customer Experience Improvement Program Website.

Limitations on the Run a Program Before and After Installation Options

These options let you run other installation programs or scripts on the client machines before or after deploying SOLIDWORKS, for example a script that installs Microsoft Office.

If you are deploying automatically to Windows 10 client machines, there is a limitation on using these options. A failure occurs if you use either option to deploy an installation program or script that displays a user interface, for example a script that displays dialog boxes. When the automatic deployment of SOLIDWORKS runs, it will fail to install SOLIDWORKS on the target machines. This limitation does not occur with Windows 7 client machines.

To use the Run a program before installation and Run a program after installation options, select only programs that can be installed in silent mode.

Software to Install

You can specify what SOLIDWORKS product components to install.
  • Selecting the check box next to the product component specifies that the component installs during the client installation.
  • Clearing the check box specifies that the component does not install.
  • If a component has optional installation subcomponents in it, a + icon appears next to the component. To see the available subcomponents for a component, click the + icon.
  • If a component has been expanded to show optional subcomponents, a - icon appears next to the component. To collapse the subcomponent listing, click the - icon.
The Languages specification limits the languages that are installed for the SOLIDWORKS product only. Other product installations are not affected by this specification. For example, eDrawings® installs all languages.

Toolbox Options

You can specify which standards to support and the default Toolbox location for client installations.

It is common to have multiple users accessing a shared Toolbox, typically through a network location (for example, a UNC path, a shared folder, or a common network drive specification).

If the location contains an older major version of Toolbox, the client installation upgrades that Toolbox to the new major version. The files are no longer be compatible with previous major versions of SOLIDWORKS.
If some clients continue to use an older version of SOLIDWORKS, you must specify a different Toolbox network location for clients that are upgrading to the newer version.

For details about SOLIDWORKS Toolbox administration, see the Toolbox information in SOLIDWORKS Help.

Installing Toolbox Software Without Installing Toolbox Data

If your environment has a PDM or shared Toolbox/Hole Wizard location, you can set client installations to not install or upgrade Toolbox data in that location.

Do this if:
  • You did not yet set up the SOLIDWORKS PDM local view before installing the SOLIDWORKS software.
  • The files in the location are in use and could block SOLIDWORKS installations from completing.
  • The location is unavailable and could block SOLIDWORKS installations from completing.

When you set client installations to not install Toolbox data, the SOLIDWORKS software and settings point to the Toolbox/Hole Wizard location, but you must install the data in a central location later.

To install the SOLIDWORKS software without including Toolbox/Hole Wizard data:
  • When asked if you want this client to install/upgrade the Toolbox files, select No, install the Toolbox software without including the data files.

At least one person, typically the CAD Administrator, must install or upgrade the Toolbox/Hole Wizard data in the central location or the software does not function properly. Anyone in the organization can handle this task with a single manual installation of the SOLIDWORKS software. If you manage Toolbox inside of SOLIDWORKS PDM, follow the steps outlined in the Toolbox section of the SOLIDWORKS PDM Administrator Guide to install or upgrade the Toolbox data.

SOLIDWORKS PDM Client Options

You can select the following options for deploying SOLIDWORKS PDM clients and add-ins:

  • PDM product type
  • PDM client type
  • Features

See the section on SOLIDWORKS PDM for more information about these clients and add-ins.

Electrical Options

You can specify the following parameters for the administrative components of SOLIDWORKS Electrical:
  • Data path
  • Collaborative Server machine name and port number
  • SQL Server machine name and password

See the section on SOLIDWORKS Electrical for more information about these components.