Administrative Image Option Settings

The Option Editor enables you to specify option settings for individual clients or groups, including serial numbers, client installation options, which software components to be installed, and toolbox location.


Serial Numbers

Enter the serial numbers for products to be installed on client machines.
Because there are multiple ways to purchase SolidWorks products, some serial numbers can cover two or more products. For example, a SolidWorks serial number might enable you to install SolidWorks Simulation without entering a separate SolidWorks Simulation serial number. In addition, some products do not require a serial number. If you have any questions about your serial numbers, contact your VAR.
If you are managing licensing using SolidNetWork Licensing:
  • In the first serial number field, enter the SolidNetWork serial number.
  • In the SNL Server port@server field, enter the SolidNetWork License Manager server name and port in the form nnnnn@servername. Separate multiple entries using semicolons.

For details about SolidNetWork licensing, see Installing and Configuring SolidNetWork Licensing.


Client Installation Options

How do you want to perform client installations of major versions?
You can specify how client installations will handle an existing prior major version installation:
  • Upgrade an existing major version (if one exists).

    Specify this option to replace the prior major version installation with the new version installation

  • Create a new major version.

    Specify this option to keep the prior major version and create a new installation for the new major version.

    To specify a location for the new version installation, click Browse.

How do you want to apply SolidWorks Settings?
You can specify that client installations configure SolidWorks settings based on the SolidWorks settings configured on the client machine or SolidWorks settings exported from the Copy Settings Wizard.
  • Use current settings (if they exist) or use SolidWorks default settings

    If the client machine has defined SolidWorks settings, keep those settings. (For any settings that are not specifically defined on the client, the client installation uses the default SolidWorks settings.)

  • Use a settings file exported from the Copy Settings Wizard.
    Selecting this option setting enables you to specify option settings from an existing Copy Settings Wizard export file. (Typically, this file is named solidworkssettings.sldreg.)
    • Click Browse to find an existing settings file.
    • Click New to start the Copy Settings Wizard to create a new settings file.
How do you want to activate client installations?
You can specify whether to complete product activation automatically after running the installation, or require that the user perform product activation manually after installation.
  • Activate automatically when each client installation completes.
    Selecting this option setting specifies that product activation runs automatically using a SolidWorks Product Activation file. (Typically, this file is named AutoActivation.xml.)
    • Click Browse to find an existing activation file.
    • Click New to start SolidWorks Product Activation to create a new activation file.
  • Do not activate automatically.

    Selecting this option setting specifies that no automated product activation occurs. The client user performs product activation after installation.

If you specify automatic product activation, the administrative image must be available through the shared network location the first time clients run SolidWorks after the installation. If the administrative image is unavailable to clients that installed from that image, those clients will not be able to complete the automatic product activation. They will not be able to run SolidWorks unless they run SolidWorks Product Activation manually.

Administrative Options

Create a diagnostic log during each installation
A client installation can create a diagnostic log that can be used to troubleshoot installation problems. Creating this log can make the client installation run slower.
Run the installation as a different user.
A client installation can run as a different user. This option can be useful when individual users do not have local administrative permissions on their machines (which is required to install SolidWorks products).
This is not supported on Windows Vista, Windows 7, or later.
Run a program before or after installation
You can specify that a custom program runs before or after the client installation.
Do you want clients to participate in the SolidWorks Customer Experience Program?
You can specify that client machines participate in the SolidWorks Customer Experience Program. Performance information is sent to SolidWorks Corporation to help improve the product. The process is transparent and confidential. For details, see SolidWorks Customer Experience Program.

Software to Install

You can specify what SolidWorks product components to install.
  • Selecting the check box next to the product component specifies that the component is installed during the client installation.
  • Clearing the check box specifies that the component is not installed.
  • If a component has optional installation sub-components in it, a + icon appears next to the component. To see the available sub-components for a component, click the + icon.
  • If a component has been expanded to show optional sub-components, a - icon appears next to the component. To collapse the sub-component listing, click the - icon.
The Languages specification limits the languages that are installed for the SolidWorks product only. Other product installations are not affected by this specification. For example, SolidWorks eDrawings®, SolidWorks Workgroup PDM, and SolidWorks Explorer install all languages.

Toolbox Options

You can specify the default Toolbox location for client installations.

It is common to have multiple users accessing a shared Toolbox, typically through a network location (for example, a UNC path, a shared folder, or a common network drive specification).

If the location contains an older major version of Toolbox, the client installation will upgrade that Toolbox to the new major version. The files will no longer be compatible with previous major versions of SolidWorks.
If you want to retain the Toolbox for the older SolidWorks version (for example, if some clients might continue using the older version), you must specify a different Toolbox network location for clients that are upgrading to the newer version.

For details about SolidWorks Toolbox administration, see the Toolbox information in SolidWorks Help.

Administrative Image Option Settings