Moving the Local Work Folder

When you open files from the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, they download to a local work folder on your machine. Over time, this folder can grow large. If your drive runs low on space, or file paths become too long, use the CacheMove utility to move the folder to another location.

Where Is the Local Work Folder?

  • For the Design with SOLIDWSORKS app and SOLIDWORKS Add-in:

    You can choose a different location during installation. The default location is typically: C:\3DEXPERIENCE

  • For SOLIDWORKS Connected: You cannot choose a different location during installation. The default location is automatically set to: C:\Users\User\Appdata\Local\DassaultSystemes\3DEXPERIENCE

In both cases, the platform creates subfolders for each user and platform tenant. If you have multiple tenants, the platform stores each in its own subfolder. The CacheMove utility moves the entire root folder, not individual tenants.

Before Using CacheMove

  1. Administrator permissions to run CacheMove from the Command Prompt:
    • Required for Design with SOLIDWORKS app and SOLIDWORKS Add-in.
    • Not required for SOLIDWORKS Connected.
  2. Make sure that SOLIDWORKS and related apps are closed:
    • SLDWORKS.exe
    • AsyncSaveInto3DEXPERIENCE.exe
    • SaveInto3DEXPERIENCE.exe
    • ENOPLMCSACLIENT.exe
  3. Follow these path length limits for Windows:
    • Folder paths: maximum 246 characters
    • File paths: maximum 258 characters
  4. Use a local drive only for the target folder.

    CacheMove does not support network drives, such as UNC paths like \\networkshare are not allowed.

Running CacheMove

Step Command
1. Open Command Prompt.

Type cmd in the Windows search bar. For Design with SOLIDWORKS or SOLIDWORKS Add-in, right-click and select Run as administrator.

 No command needed.
2. Navigate to CacheMove.exe location.
For Design with SOLIDWORKS or the SOLIDWORKS Add-in:
B427xcadconnectors reflects the 2025 release.
cd C:\Program Files\Dassault Systemes\B427xcadconnectors\win_b64\USWC

For SOLIDWORKS Connected: cd C:\Program Files\Dassault Systemes\SOLIDWORKS 3DEXPERIENCE\win_b64\USWC
3. Choose to move an empty local cache to a new location (for example E:\3DEXP). CacheMove E:\3DEXP
4. Choose to move a nonempty cache containing existing files to a new location. CacheMove -ne E:\3DEXP
5. Restart your machine if you are using Design with SOLIDWORKS or the SOLIDWORKS Add-in only. This ensures that Windows Explorer refreshes the folder view. No command needed.

Additional Commands

Description Command/Output
Display help options for CacheMove. CacheMove -h or CacheMove –-help
Check the current cache location. CacheMove -d
Example output for Design with SOLIDWORKS or the SOLIDWORKS Add-in: Cache location: C:\3DEXPERIENCE\
Example output for SOLIDWORKS Connected: Cache location: C:\Users\User\Appdata\Local\DassaultSystemes\3DEXPERIENCE

Example: Moving the Local Work Folder for SOLIDWORKS Connected

This example uses SOLIDWORKS Connected. Refer to the sections above to perform the same steps for the Design with SOLIDWORKS app and the SOLIDWORKS Add-in.

  1. Open the Command Prompt.
  2. Navigate to the CacheMove utility folder:

    cd C:\Program Files\DassaultSystemes\SOLIDWORKS 3DEXPERIENCE\win_b64\USWC

  3. Check the current cache location:

    CacheMove -d

    Displays: %LOCALAPPDATA%\DassaultSystemes\3DEXPERIENCE

  4. Move the nonempty cache to a new local work folder on the E:\drive:

    CacheMove -ne E:\3DEXP