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Set Up Your First PDMPublisher Task

Read time: 2 minutes

Note

Before creating a task, make sure:

  • PDMPublisher has been added to your vault.
  • You have activated your license. See Licensing.

After validating the license and before saving your first task, review these important settings:

  • Select the correct Template. This is critical when PDMPublisher needs to calculate assembly references, configurations, or quantities.
  • Confirm Use this version of SOLIDWORKS points to a SOLIDWORKS version installed on the task host computer.
  • Set a valid Export Location and Filename. Avoid trailing backslashes in export paths, and use filename placeholders such as revision, configuration, or sheet name when one source file can create multiple outputs.
  • If you need troubleshooting records, enable Vault Activity Logs and set Log Folder (Vault Only) to (VaultRootFolder)\Logs\PDMPublisher. Create this folder manually and make sure the user running the task, or the task host account, can add log files there.

Create the Task

  1. Open the SOLIDWORKS PDM Administration tool.

  2. Right-click Tasks, then select New Task....

    Create a new PDM task

  3. Enter a unique name for the task. Use a name that clearly describes what the task exports, then review the notes above before saving.

  4. On the Add-in page, choose PDMPublisher from the Add-in dropdown.

    PDMPublisher selected as the task add-in

  5. Click Next.

  6. On the Execution Method page, choose which computers are allowed to run the task.

    This page comes after the add-in selection. Only computers checked in this list are considered as task execution machines.

    PDMPublisher task execution method

    If the computer list is empty, right-click the SOLIDWORKS PDM icon in the Windows tray and open Task Host Configuration.

    SOLIDWORKS PDM tray icon

  7. In Task Host Configuration, permit PDMPublisher on the task host computer.

    Permit PDMPublisher in Task Host Configuration

  8. Configure the Scheduling page if SOLIDWORKS PDM should launch this task automatically. See Scheduled Items when the scheduled task should process a saved list of files.

    SOLIDWORKS PDM task scheduling page

    Scheduling is SOLIDWORKS PDM's own scheduling framework. It controls when the task starts.

  9. Review the PDMPublisher setup pages listed below.

  10. Click OK to save the task.

The task appears in File Explorer under Tasks in the right-click menu.

If the Tasks menu does not appear, see Why is the Tasks menu missing?.

PDMPublisher task in the File Explorer right-click menu

Setup Pages

Use these pages to configure what PDMPublisher exports and how it handles each file.

Tab Use this page to
Options Configure file formats, output paths, filenames, SOLIDWORKS version, templates, logs, and other export behavior.
Annotations Add notes or watermarks that can include fixed text, PDM variables, and SOLIDWORKS properties.
Conditions Decide which referenced files should be included when processing assemblies.
Scheduled Items Define files that should be processed when the task runs without selected files.

Options

PDMPublisher Options setup page

Review the recommended setup items in Options Task Page, especially export location, filename, file formats, SOLIDWORKS version, template, and activity tracking.

Annotations

PDMPublisher Annotations setup page

The annotation table is the workspace where you create and manage notes or watermarks that will be placed on exported PDFs. Each annotation can have its own text, formatting, position, sheet rule, and active state.

Conditions

PDMPublisher Conditions setup page

Use conditions to control which referenced files are processed when publishing assemblies.

Scheduled Items

PDMPublisher Scheduled Items setup page

Use Scheduled Items when this task should always process a saved list of files. Scheduled Items override other selected files.

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