You can import SOLIDWORKS files to the CustomTools database without SOLIDWORKS by using the Import Standalone tool. Documents' reference data have to exist in CustomTools database in order to be able to use features such as OpenDrawing and WhereUsed properly.
The Import Standalone tool works like the same named feature in SOLIDWORKS add-in but the standalone tool does not need SOLIDWORKS at all to import files.
You can use CustomTools Import Standalone tool also for migrating from CustomTools 3.x to the newer versions without starting the SOLIDWORKS first.
Importing document data into the CustomTools database:
Import
Imports selected files into the current CustomTools database.
Add Files
Select the individual files to import into the database.
Add Folder
Import all the files of the specified folder into the database.
Selected files or the files in selected folder appears into the Files to import list.
Load From File
Loads the files into the Files to import list from the separate text file.
To load a failed job, locate the desired text file and click Open.
Save Failed
Save the list of files which failed to be imported.
Delete Selected
Removes the selected files from the Files to import list. The files that you remove will not be imported.
TIP: Hold down the Ctrl key and select the files to be removed from the list of the Files to Import list.
Clear List
Clears the file list.
Cancel Operation
Aborts the import process that has been already started.
Close
Closes the Import dialog box.
Options:
Import drawings of 3D models
The drawings related on the models are also imported.
Import revision data
Imports existing revision data also with the documents.
NOTE: When you import the revision data of the document that already has a revision table, the existing revision data is compared with the imported data, so the revision data that appears into the revision table is the most recently added.
Options
Opens the Define Advanced Drawings Settings dialog box which is used to define advanced importing options.
Revision Options
Defines revision data migration settings.
Read CT3 custom property meta-data
Reads the meta-data of the document custom properties which have been made with CustomTools 3.x versions.
Delete unused CT3 custom property meta-data
Removes the un-necessary meta-data from the SOLIDWORKS document properties while importing documents which are made with the CustomTools version 3.x
Removing the un-necessary data from the document properites decreases the file size and saves space in the storage.
NOTE: The meta-data reading and deleting options are necessary only when migrating to from CustomTools 3.x or older versions to the CustomTools 2010 or newer versions.
Don't import referenced files that already exist in the database
Files that reference data already exist in the CustomTools database are skipped on import process.
Open and save file in SOLIDWORKS
Opens the imported file with SOLIDWORKS and then saves the file to ensure that the file version stays correct. This option should be selected when importing files which are the most recently saved with an older SOLIDWORKS version and the file versions are used to be updated while importing their data into the CustomTools database.
Don't process unmapped sheet formats
Drawings which sheet format is not mapped to any revision table are skipped during the import process. Files which are skipped because of the missing sheet format mapping are marked in the list with the icon like in other error situations.
The Don't process unmapped sheet formats option is available only when importing the referring revision data of the documents.
If the import process fails:
If the reference data import fails due to any reason, the user is prompted to continue the process from the state it was when the error occurred. A prompt to continue the failed import process appears when the Import command is performed next time after the process was failed.
Importing the read-only files:
Files that are in the read-only state can also be imported with the CustomTools Import feature. In that case, the import tool removes the read-only status from the files until the importing is done. After the import process is complete the read-only status is restored to the files that had it before the import process began.
Notes when importing revision data:
When you import the revision data of the document that already has a revision table, the existing revision data is compared with the imported data, so the revision data that appears into the revision table is the most recently added.
icon like in other error situations.