When
you import certain source CAD files into SOLIDWORKS, SOLIDWORKS strives to keep the face and
edge identifiers stable during the entire current full release
cycle.
Benefits: Stable identifiers ensure that downstream SOLIDWORKS features remain
valid if you reimport the source CAD file in a newer
version.
This
information applies to source CAD files from these formats that you import into
SOLIDWORKS:
- Autodesk Inventor®
- CATIA® V5
- PTC Creo®
- SLDXML
- Solid Edge®
- Unigraphics/NX™
During import, SOLIDWORKS imports the face and edge identifiers (IDs)
from the source CAD file. When you then create SOLIDWORKS features in the imported file,
SOLIDWORKS uses these IDs as references.
If you update the source CAD file to a newer version that you reimport
into SOLIDWORKS, SOLIDWORKS reimports these IDs, keeping their original values.
SOLIDWORKS regenerates all downstream SOLIDWORKS features and uses these IDs to match
the changed source geometry.
These IDs are not guaranteed to be persistent forever. The source CAD
system may change the way it saves these IDs or the algorithm used to convert these IDs
during import into SOLIDWORKS may change to improve performance.
SOLIDWORKS strives to keep these IDs stable through all service packs of
the current major release, for example, SOLIDWORKS 2026. SOLIDWORKS would only allow IDs
to change in a service pack of a major release if the stable IDs might cause
regeneration issues for features created using imported geometry when the next major
release is available.