File Locations Options

You can specify folders to search for different types of document. Folders are searched in the order in which they are listed.

To display this dialog box:

Click Options or Tools > Options > System Options > File Locations.

Reset Restores factory defaults for all system options or only for options on this page.
Show folders for Lists file types for which you can define a search path.
Folders Displays search paths for a given file type.
Add Adds a folder for the selected type of document.
To create a folder to add, click Make New folder.
Delete Deletes the selected folder. To undo deleting a folder, click Cancel.
Move Up or Move Down Changes the folder search order.

Notes for Specific File Types

  • When you select a file location for Macros, and then you run a macro, the software looks for a macro in the specified location. For example, when you click Tools > Macro > Run, the Run Macro dialog box opens to the file location you specified.
  • Design Checker Files, which sets the location for *.swstd Build Checks files, is available only when the SOLIDWORKS Design Checker is added in.
  • To view annotations, a Symbol Library Folder that contains the file GTOL.SYM must be specified.

Default File Locations

If you are installing SOLIDWORKS on a device with a history of past installations, SOLIDWORKS inherits any customized file locations defined in the most recent installation. A customized file location is one that is outside of ProgramData\SOLIDWORKS\SOLIDWORKSversion or the SOLIDWORKS Installation directory.

Default file locations are assigned for any file location that was not customized in an earlier installation, or for the first installation of SOLIDWORKS on any device.

SOLIDWORKS uses default file locations for the following file types:
File types that have an undefined default location do not appear in the list.
File Type Default Location File Extension Documentation
Document Templates 1 C:\ProgramData\SOLIDWORKS\SOLIDWORKS version\templates .prtdot, .asmdot, .drwdot Creating a Template
Referenced Documents   .SLDPRT, .SLDASM  
Bend Table Template C:\Program Files\SOLIDWORKS Corp\SOLIDWORKS\lang\english .sldbndtbt Table Templates
BOM Templates C:\Program Files\SOLIDWORKS Corp\SOLIDWORKS\lang\english .sldbomtbt, .xlsx Bill of Materials Templates
Color Swatches C:\Program Files\SOLIDWORKS Corp\SOLIDWORKS\lang\english\colorswatches .sldclr Creating Custom Color Swatches
Costing Report Template Folder C:\Program Files\SOLIDWORKS Corp\SOLIDWORKS\lang\english .dot, .xlt Creating Customized Costing Reports
Costing templates C:\ProgramData\SOLIDWORKS\SOLIDWORKS version\lang\english\Costing templates   Costing Templates
Custom Property Files C:\ProgramData\SOLIDWORKS\SOLIDWORKS version\lang\english properties.txt Editing the List of Custom Properties
Design Library C:\ProgramData\SOLIDWORKS\SOLIDWORKS version\Design Library   Add File Location
Dimension/Annotation Favorites C:\Users\user\Documents .sldstl, .sldnotestl, .sldgtolstl, .sldsfstl, .sldweldstl, .sldfvt Style
DimXpert Callout Format File C:\Program Files\SOLIDWORKS Corp\SOLIDWORKS\lang\english txcalloutformat.txt Using DimXpert Size Dimension
DimXpert General Tolerance File C:\Program Files\SOLIDWORKS Corp\SOLIDWORKS\lang\english general tolerances.xlsx Customizing the General Tolerance File
Drawing Scale Standards C:\Program Files\SOLIDWORKS Corp\SOLIDWORKS\lang\english    
General Tables Template C:\Program Files\SOLIDWORKS Corp\SOLIDWORKS\lang\english .sldtbt Table Templates
Hatch Pattern File C:\Program Files\SOLIDWORKS Corp\SOLIDWORKS\lang\english    
Hole Callout Format File C:\Program Files\SOLIDWORKS Corp\SOLIDWORKS\lang\english calloutformat.txt Modifying the Hole Callout Format
Hole Table Templates C:\Program Files\SOLIDWORKS Corp\SOLIDWORKS\lang\english .sldholtbt Table Templates
Material Databases 1 C:\Program Files\SOLIDWORKS Corp\SOLIDWORKS\lang\english\sldmaterials SOLIDWORKS DIN Materials.sldmat, solidworks materials.sldmat, sustainability extras.sldmat Materials
Material Databases 2 C:\ProgramData\SOLIDWORKS\SOLIDWORKS version\Custom Materials Custom Materials.sldmat Materials
Material Databases 3 C:\ProgramData\SOLIDWORKS\SOLIDWORKS version\Sustainability Sustainability Extras.sldmat Materials
Punch Table Templates C:\Program Files\SOLIDWORKS Corp\SOLIDWORKS\lang\english .sldpuntbt Table Templates
Revision Table Templates C:\Program Files\SOLIDWORKS Corp\SOLIDWORKS\lang\english   Table Templates
Sheet Formats C:\ProgramData\SOLIDWORKS\SOLIDWORKS version\lang\english\sheetformat .slddrt Sheet Format/Size
Sheet Metal Bend Line Note File C:\Program Files\SOLIDWORKS Corp\SOLIDWORKS\lang\english bendnoteformat.txt Sheet Metal Bend Line Notes
Sheet Metal Bend Tables C:\Program Files\SOLIDWORKS Corp\SOLIDWORKS\lang\english\Sheetmetal Bend Tables .xlsx, .btl Bend Table
Sheet Metal Gauge Table C:\Program Files\SOLIDWORKS Corp\SOLIDWORKS\lang\english\sheet metal gauge tables .xlsx Sheet Metal Gauge Tables
Symbol Library Folder C:\ProgramData\SOLIDWORKS\SOLIDWORKS version\lang\english gtol.sym Symbol Library File Location
Thread Profiles C:\ProgramData\SOLIDWORKS\SOLIDWORKS version\thread profiles *.SLDLFP Thread Guidelines
Title Block Table Template C:\Program Files\SOLIDWORKS Corp\SOLIDWORKS\lang\english   Table Templates
Weld Table Template C:\Program Files\SOLIDWORKS Corp\SOLIDWORKS\lang\english .sldwldtbt Table Templates
Weldment Cut List Templates C:\Program Files\SOLIDWORKS Corp\SOLIDWORKS\lang\english .sldwldtbt Table Templates
Weldment Profiles C:\ProgramData\SOLIDWORKS \SOLIDWORKSversion\weldment profiles .sldlfp Weldments - Creating a Custom Profile
Weldment Property File C:\ProgramData\SOLIDWORKS \SOLIDWORKSversion\lang\english\Weldments weldmentproperties.txt Custom Properties in Weldments
Structure System - Connection Elements C:\Program Files\SOLIDWORKS Corp\SOLIDWORKS\data\Structure System - Connection Elements    
Inspection Project Template Folder C:\ProgramData\SOLIDWORKS\SOLIDWORKS Inspection version Addin\Templates    
Inspection Report Template Folder C:\ProgramData\SOLIDWORKS\SOLIDWORKS Inspection version Addin\Templates