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.