Show SOLIDWORKS Descriptions in Windows Folders
Written by: Terry O'Reilly
Published: Apr 9, 2021
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When working with SOLIDWORKS it’s vital to give every part a unique name and because of this it’s common to use part numbers as the file name, as they provide a unique identifier. However, part numbers by themselves aren’t very descriptive and sometimes this means parts take longer to find than they should.
Displaying a description alongside the part number makes it easier for users to quickly identify what they are looking for; in SOLIDWORKS descriptions can be added to parts as they are saved but by default these descriptions do not display in Windows explorer. In this blog we’ll show you how to change this.
SOLIDWORKS Descriptions in Windows Folders
If you want to display SOLIDWORKS part descriptions in your windows folders then watch our short video guide or follow the steps below.
1. Navigate to your project folder, which will contain all your SOLIDWORKS models.
2. Right click on any of the column headers, click More.
3. Scroll down to Description in the list – there are usually two and it is usually the top one that is required. Check the box next to Description. If the Description column is blank, repeat the process but select the second description option when adding the column.
4. In Windows Explorer, the Description column has been added.
You may drag this to position it how you wish.
This has only made changes to the current folder, however we want this change to propagate to all folders with SOLIDWORKS models inside. To do this:
5. In Windows Explorer, select File > Change Folder and Search Options.
6. Select the View tab, and click Apply to Folders.
7. All your folders within the SOLIDWORKS project folder should now have the description property added.
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Categorised as: SOLIDWORKS Design | Tech Tips
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