Hello to all,

Welcome to the new edition of the SOLIDWORKS® Support Monthly News! This monthly news blog is co-authored by members of the SOLIDWORKS® Technical Support teams worldwide. Here is the list of topics covered in this month's Blog:

1. How to add ‘Description’ value from ‘Configuration Properties’ to ‘Configuration Specific’ file properties
2. How to Set Up SMTP Notifications in SOLIDWORKS PDM 2025 Using Gmail
3. Creating Distinct/Discrete Route in SOLIDWORKS Routing - Electrical

1. How to add ‘Description’ value from ‘Configuration Properties’ to ‘Configuration Specific’ file properties

- Rohit CHAVAN
 

As we all know we can create multiple configurations in SOLIDWORKS®. SOLIDWORKS® also provides ability to add unique description to each configuration.  In ConfigurationManager tab, select the configuration > RMB > Properties >, under Description, you can add unique description.

Some of our users have requirement that they want to map this description to the configuration specific custom properties, that is under  - File > Properties > Configuration Properties, so that all the configuration related properties can be viewed at same place. Though this property directly cannot be mapped, we can achieve the desire result using design tables functionality in SOLIDWORKS®. In this blog , we will see how the configuration description can be added to custom properties using design tables.

Once the configurations are created and description is added to each configuration, we need to create the design table for the component. In design table, the description is already added for all configurations, we need to call that property in new column using \$PRP@. This directly maps the description in configuration specific custom properties.

Let us understand this process in detail using simple example. Consider a part file is created having 2 configurations, say ‘Config_1’ and ‘Config_2’ and has description defined ‘Plate without slot’ and ‘Plate with slot’ respectively.

Now go to Insert > Tables > Excel Design Table > OK. Design table is created, You will notice, the configuration description also gets stored in design table for ‘Config_1’ and ‘Config_2’.

Now define the property in new column using syntax \$PRP@ and recall the values which are needed to be displayed in custom properties. Lets say, we need to add custom property named ‘ Unique_Description’ and want to map the values displayed in column \$DESCRIPTION shown in above image. So the syntax will be \$PRP@Unique_Description.  Add the same values in the cell using ‘=’ and selecting the cell as showing in below image.

This will create new property named ‘Unique_Description’ under Configuration Properties tab in file properties. Refer image below.

Using this workflow, configuration description can be mapped to custom properties.

2. How to Set Up SMTP Notifications in SOLIDWORKS PDM 2025 Using Gmail

- Ayush SHARMA
 

Starting with version 2025, SOLIDWORKS PDM introduces built-in email notifications, making it simple to stay updated on file state changes, approvals, and critical workflow events — right in your inbox. In this step-by-step guide, I’ll walk you through how to configure SMTP notifications using Gmail as your SMTP server.

✅ Step 1: Create a Gmail Account

If you don’t already have a dedicated Gmail account for notifications, go ahead and create one.
Tip: It’s best to use a separate email account specifically for system notifications, rather than your personal email.

🔐 Step 2: Enable 2-Step Verification

1. Log into your new Gmail account.
2. Navigate to Google Account Settings > Security.
3. Enable 2-Step Verification to add an extra layer of security.

🔑 Step 3: Generate an App Password

Gmail requires an App Password to allow other applications (like PDM) to send emails on your behalf.

1. Go to Security > App passwords in your Google Account.
2. Generate your unique App Password — it will look like this: xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx.

3. Copy and store it securely. You’ll need it in the next step!

   

⚙️ Step 4: Configure SMTP Settings in PDM

Now, let’s set up the SMTP details inside SOLIDWORKS PDM:

1. Open PDM Administration.
2. Go to Message System > SMTP.

3. Fill in the following settings:
    

   Setting	Value
   Server	smtp.gmail.com
   Port	587
   Login Required	✔️
   Enable SSL	✔️
   User	your Gmail address
   Password	the App Password you created (remove blank spaces)
   From address	SOLIDWORKS_PDM@noreply (default)
   From Name	SOLIDWORKS PDM MailService (default)

    

4. Save the changes.

📩 Step 5: Send a Test Mail

Use the Send Test Mail feature to confirm your setup. If everything is configured correctly, you should receive an email almost instantly.

🛠 Troubleshooting Tips

❗ Error: “The SOLIDWORKS PDM Database Server cannot be found...”

• Check that the Database Server service is properly installed and running.
• Verify that other PDM notifications (like database notifications) are working. If they’re failing, SMTP notifications may fail too.

For detailed troubleshooting, refer to this helpful QA article:
How do I troubleshoot the SOLIDWORKS® PDM database (‘ConisioDbServer’) service?
https://support.3ds.com/knowledge-base/?q=docid:QA00000124884

❗ Error: “Send mail failed Error: Could not send message”

This means PDM could communicate with the database, but failed to send the email to Gmail. Possible causes:

• Incorrect Gmail username
• Incorrect App Password
• Network restrictions blocking SMTP traffic

Double-check your SMTP settings and try again.

3. Creating Distinct/Discrete Route in SOLIDWORKS Routing - Electrical

- Akhil VISWANATH
 

In SOLIDWORKS Routing – Electrical you can now create Distinct (also known as Discrete) route.

To illustrate this, let’s see take an example:

1. There are two identical (can also be different) electrical connectors placed at some distance from each other.Note:
   1. The connectors displayed here are identical.

   2. It is a multi-pin connector with 12 CPoints defined.

      
2. Let us route the connectors using ‘Auto Route’Make the following selection:
   1. Routing Mode: select Guidelines
   2. Routing Options: select Create a distinct route for each wire

   3. Guidelines Actions: select Create distinct route from guidelines

      

3. Left box select the guidelines in the graphics area

   

   The splines are selected and displayed in the selection set.Click OK to exit Auto Route and exit route.

4. The route is now created and would display as below:

   

5. Edit Route  and select a point on spline and drag:

   

   Notice that other spline handles adjust to the new position of the single spline that was dragged in above step:

   

   The other wires adjust to the new position. This is helpful when you want to represent a bunch of wires bundled together that will change position when a single wire position is changed; more often when the space is a constraint and the position of wires need to be adjusted with reference to the alignment of other components.