Contains Tab Options

You can use the Contains tab to identify vault files that are referenced by the selected file.

The list is generated from the vault database and reflects only local changes that are not checked in.

Toolbar

Toolbar icons are arranged in three sections.

When the Explorer window is wide enough, all icons are visible. If you shrink the size of the window, the sections are compacted into flyout buttons. Clicking any of these buttons displays the controls for that section.

The sections are compacted in this order:

  1. Commands (right section)
  2. Options (center section)
  3. Source (left section)
Version The file version for which references are displayed.

The default is the most recent version.

Expand the control to select a different file version.

indicates a revision.

indicates the original version.
Configuration The configuration for which references are displayed.

The default is the active configuration.

Expand the control to select the configuration for which to list references.

If you select Do not show configurations, all files referenced by any configuration are shown.
Levels Displays file references for the entire file hierarchy (Show All Levels) or only the top level of the file hierarchy (Top Level Only).

The option is set to the most recent option that you used.

To expand or collapse the hierarchy, click and in the File name column.
Next Warning / Previous Warning Shows only 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.

Clicking a warning icon expands the hierarchy if it is collapsed and the warning is on a referenced file.
Export > Export All Saves all files in the file list as a comma-delimited .txt file.
Export > Export Visible Saves only the visible files in the file list as a comma-delimited .txt file.
Open as CSV > Open All Opens all files in the file list in Microsoft Excel ®.
Open as CSV > Open Visible Opens only the visible files in the file list in Microsoft Excel ®.
Open as CSV > Open All with thumbnails Open all files with thumbnail preview in the file list in Microsoft Excel ®.
Open as CSV > Open Visible with thumbnails Opens only the visible files with thumbnails preview in the file list in Microsoft Excel ®.
Custom References Displays the Edit User-Defined References dialog box.
Table view Displays files with their references in a tabular format.
Treehouse view Displays files with their references in a hierarchical tree format.

Properties

Three types of column set preferences are available based on the assigned administrative permissions:
  • Default Columns
  • My Columns
  • Administrator-defined column sets

For more details, see Types of Column Set.

To switch preference, right-click any column header, select Column Sets, and then select your preference.

Select Sort to specify the default and custom columns in ascending, descending, or tree structure order. Column sorting is useful within large data sets. 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.
Tree structure sorting is available only on File Name.

Drag a column head to change the position of a column.

Type Displays a thumbnail preview of the file when you hover over the file type icon.
File name Displays the file name.
Warnings Displays The file is not rebuilt if the file needs to be rebuilt in the SOLIDWORKS software. Click the message to display a list of references that require a rebuild.

This column is blank if there are no warnings.

To quickly locate files with warnings, use Next Warning and Previous Warning or Ctrl + up arrow or down arrow.
Configuration name Configuration of the CAD file, or a hyphen (-) for files without configurations.
Quantity BOM quantity.
Version Version of the selected file and the versions of the files to which it is linked.
Checked out by User who has the file checked out, or blank if not checked out.

If you hover over a user name, a pop-up window displays user information such as login status and files checked out, and provides a link so that you can email the user.
Checked out in Computer and local folder where the file is checked out, or blank if not checked out.
Found in Vault folder containing the file.
State Workflow state of the file, such as Under Editing or Waiting for approval.
If you do not have rights to a file, you cannot view information of that file. The warning message No rights to get latest or attached version displays.

Shortcut Menu

Right-click a file to access these options:

Browse to Changes the focus of the dialog box to the selected file without opening a new SOLIDWORKS PDM File Explorer window.
Browse to in a New Window Opens a SOLIDWORKS PDM File Explorer window with the focus on the selected file.
Open Opens the selected file in the associated application.
Print Prints the selected file according to options that you set.
Open with Lets you select an application to open the file.
Properties Opens the selected file's Properties dialog box.
 
You can have other file commands that are based on your permissions and the customization of your file shortcut menu.
Columns Lists column heads so you can display or hide columns.

A check mark indicates the displayed columns.

Click More to open the Choose Columns dialog box, where you can add up to 10 additional columns by selecting SOLIDWORKS PDM variables on which to base column heads.
Select All Selects all files in the list.
Select Files Opens the Select Files dialog box, where you can use wildcards to select files.
Show Tree Lines Toggles lines showing the tree hierarchy on and off
Change Thumbnail Preview Size Changes the size of thumbnail previews as Small, Medium (the default value), or Large.
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.