Gahhh one of those days

Its in the SolidWorks Explorer now... Hopefully you're not trying to use an Admin Image install (spent all day doing this myself), but if so, the /qn and /qb switches don't seem to allow the addin to be installed- I spent an hour trying to solve this before determining that the /qr seems to work fine. Or if you're just shuffling discs (or the cd) choose the option for PDMWorks in the Explorer install.

-Kevin

Kevin

Ok got the explorer installed but it gave me some grief and I found a workaround for those that need it

When installing the explorer I was given this 'error 1316 A network error occured while attempting to read from the file c:\WIndows\installer\solidworks Explorer.msi'

the file did not exist at this location so I copied its equivalent file from the DVD to that location.

Then I got the same error but for Client.cab and I did the same copy from the DVD

Then it installed and all was well with that machine! Whew, ahhh but its not over......

Now I have network issues though with my laptop connecting to the PDM vault with my laptop. I have the Vault services running on \\****desk on my network and I have several folders shared on this computer and they are visible on my laptop from this computer as well the computer shows up on 'network places'. But when asked where the pdm vault computer is it says 'Could not connect to the PDMWorks Workgroup vault. Please check that the vault computer name is correct and that the PDMWorks workgroup server is running on that computer'? Now I have triple checked that the name is correct and have confirmed that the service is running, I have tried in the location of the server dialog box \\****desk, and since the network name is \workgroup I have tried \\workgroup\mountaindesk and neither work? Suggestions on this one?

I wish just once that a new install would go smoothly. I have used SW since 1999 and have done all my own installs and not one, I say again "NOT ONCE" has it gone smoothly. I am not claiming to be an expert but given all the other software I use on multiple platforms and rarely do I have install problems, but with SW I ALWAYS have install problems.

Ben

Ben this has been one of my top complaints about SolidWorks, and indeed all software. I've been doing all my own software installs for 20+ years, and the problems with installations continue.

Most of the softwared developers put their top talent into the development of the application code, and then the installation installers, manuals, and detail explanation help files and papers with the CDs/DVDs often are either incomplete, contradictory, have confusing differing terms from one piece of documentation or another or have special instructions or procedures that require use of "KnowledgeBase" documents to accomplish installs.

When I have called my VAR and explicitly showed where contradictory information on SolidWorks installs exists and thus why things don't work right the first time, their answer was "File an SPR. Tell it to SolidWorks". My answer to them is, "You do it. It is as important to you as a VAR, to minimize your customer headaches to have consistent instructions, as it is to SolidWorks."

It is time to get truly TOP LEVEL TECHNICAL REPORT WRITERS, and INSTALLTION software experts to match the level of the SolidWorks application programmers.

Bo

Ben Eadie wrote:

I'm glad you got the explorer installed, but I'm not sure where to start troubleshooting your vault problems. Ours have thankfully always installed nicely. You have installed the Vault from the server and it upgraded the

2006 installation it found there? Somehow in my practicing I managed to install the vault locally last week and it was a bit confusing- I forgot to use our remote desktop to run the Setup program for the vault.

But once the vault is up and some time has gone by so that it reinitializes the files, I've never had trouble connecting. Might it be a firewall issue on either end? Can you ping the server and vice versa? Other than that I'm not too sure.

Good luck, Kevin