Variable Mapping for SOLIDWORKS Example: Mapping to Custom Properties

This example describes how to map the variable Drawing Title to the SOLIDWORKS custom property DRAWING_TITLE.

You can manage SOLIDWORKS files and read and write of properties in SOLIDWORKS PDM without the full SOLIDWORKS application being installed or running.
Other possible mappings are:
Variable name SW property name Block name Attribute name
Drawing Title DRAWING_TITLE CustomProperty DRAWING_TITLE
Weight WEIGHT CustomProperty WEIGHT
Revision REVISION CustomProperty REVISION
Designed By DESIGNED BY CustomProperty DESIGNED BY
Next Assembly NEXT_ASSY CustomProperty NEXT_ASSY
Vendor VENDOR CustomProperty VENDOR

To map to SOLIDWORKS custom properties:

  1. In SOLIDWORKS, view the Custom tab of the Summary Information dialog box to determine the properties to map.
  2. In the Administration tool, right-click Variables and select New Variable.
  3. In the Edit Variable dialog box, create a variable named Drawing Title.
  4. Click New Attribute.
  5. Under Selected attribute:
    1. For Block name, select CustomProperty.
    2. For Attribute name, type DRAWING_TITLE.
    3. Type the SOLIDWORKS file extensions that contain the property, separated by commas.

      For example: slddrw.

  6. Click OK.
  7. In the Card Editor, open the SOLIDWORKS Drawing file data card.
  8. Add an edit box and select the new Drawing Title variable as the Variable name.
  9. Save the card and close the Card Editor.
When a user adds a SOLIDWORKS drawing to the SOLIDWORKS PDM vault, the SOLIDWORKS Drawing file data card shows the drawing title.