myCADtools BatchConverter - Automate Exports
Files are likely exported one at a time. You open a 3D model, create a STEP file, and close the model. You open a 2D drawing, create a PDF, and close the drawing. Creating exports has become a tedious task that continues to frustrate SOLIDWORKS users even after they have already completed their project.
You may have already tried to generate batch exports using the SOLIDWORKS Task Scheduler. The Task Scheduler has a number of drawbacks. First, this feature is only available in SOLIDWORKS Professional and higher, and second, you cannot specify a name or select a specific location when exporting a batch.
Visiativ developed BatchConverter to solve this problem. This application is part of myCADtools and helps you keep up with your workload. Automate manual tasks within the fully integrated SOLIDWORKS environment. Sounds great, doesn't it? So choose BatchConverter if you:
- You want to automatically generate exports and name them correctly
- You want to generate multiple exports at once
- Automate manual SOLIDWORKS tasks without programming
- Modify layouts at no additional cost to external designers
Read on to discover the possibilities!
In the example below, BatchConverter is configured to generate a different export for each document type:
In this case, three files are generated. STEP-AP214 for parts and assemblies (1), DXF for drawings (2), and PDF for drawings as well (3). You can specify this in a single batch for each document type. All neutral export formats in SOLIDWORKS are supported.
In BatchConverter, you can create a specific structure to generate the file name. This ensures that you are always working with the correct numerical structure. In the example below, a file name is generated based on a SOLIDWORKS “PartNo” property " (1), a hyphen (2), a SOLIDWORKS “Revision” property (3), a hyphen (4), and the file’s author (5):
The file name structure is very simple. An added benefit is that you can now modify this structure without any programming knowledge.
Export options can be configured centrally. For example, you can specify a central storage location or ensure that a separate folder or subfolder is always created based on rules.
An overview of the benefits is available here:
