Managing Access to SOLIDWORKS Versions

You can restrict users from using specific versions of SOLIDWORKS in a SolidNetWork environment. This lets you manage the versions of SOLIDWORKS used by different individuals, projects, and business units.

To manage access to SOLIDWORKS versions using a FlexNet options file:

  1. In the Licenses folder in the SolidNetWork License Manager installation directory, create a text file named:
    SolidNetWork_License_Manager_install_dir\Licenses\sw_d.opt
  2. To manage access to a specific SOLIDWORKS version in the license file, add the following syntax next to SOLIDWORKS:
    :SWVERSION=xx where xx is the version of the SOLIDWORKS product you want to manage
  3. To manage multiple versions of SOLIDWORKS, add a line for each version you want to manage.

    Not all FlexNet options are supported. The supported options for version filters are:

    INCLUDE Only the specified user or group can start the specific version. All other users are not allowed to start that version.
    INCLUDE_BORROW Only the specified user or group can borrow the specific version. All other users are not allowed to borrow that version.
    EXCLUDE The specified user or group cannot start the specific version of SOLIDWORKS. EXCLUDE supersedes INCLUDE.
    EXCLUDE_BORROW The specified user or group cannot borrow the specific version of SOLIDWORKS. EXCLUDE supersedes INCLUDE.
    Examples:
    1 SWVERSION=33.0 refers to SOLIDWORKS 2025
      SWVERSION=32.0 refers to SOLIDWORKS 2024
    2 INCLUDE solidworks:SWVERSION=33.0 USER jane
      INCLUDE_BORROW solidworks:SWVERSION=33.0 USER jane
      These lines in the options file would allow only jane to run on SOLIDWORKS 2025. No other users can run or borrow SOLIDWORKS 2025, but they can run and borrow other versions of SOLIDWORKS. jane can also run and borrow other versions of SOLIDWORKS.
    3 GROUP chicago USER john robert eva
      EXCLUDE solidworks:SWVERSION=33.0 GROUP chicago
      EXCLUDE solidworks:SWVERSION=32.0 GROUP chicago
      EXCLUDE solidworks USER don
      These lines define a GROUP of users called chicago and denies them access to both SOLIDWORKS 2025 and SOLIDWORKS 2024. They can run any other version of SOLIDWORKS. don cannot run any version of SOLIDWORKS.
    4 EXCLUDE swinspection_std:SWVERSION=33.0 HOST machine1
      This line prohibits anyone on machine1 from launching SOLIDWORKS Inspection 2025.

    For information about FlexNet, see the FlexNet Publisher License Administration Guide in the SolidNetWork License Manager installation directory (\Docs\flexuser\fnp_LicAdmin.pdf).