<< Click to Display Table of Contents >> Navigation:  Introduction > Setup > Setup

Setup procedure

Both Client and Server installers are vbscript free so to be compatible with future operating system updates.

Server setup

The server in a standard configuration does not require to install any software.
It includes the parameter files that contain the options and all the script that define the final customized installation: it works merely as a parameters/script repository for all the clients.
These files are stored typically in a folder named Mechworks_PDM_Server and that's installed through the client setup (Client & Server, see below).

A specific setup for the server features is available to install server specific programs. Currently supported features are:

•DBWAclServer

•MWLicenseManager

The server installer is named MechWorks_Pdm_Server_Msi_R23_SP<sp>.EXE and it's available in the download area of the Mechworks website, together with the client installer.

The main page of the wizard lets the user chose about what's to install (tab Features) and in which folder (tab Installation Folder):

DBWAclServer

Please note this server setup is not able to update the R17 version of DBWAclServer;

so if the service is already installed on the workstation and its name is DBWAclServer rather than MechWorks DBWAclServer (i.e. it's a service deployed with R17 or older) you first need to uninstall it through the MSDOS batch file DBWAclServer_Uninstall.bat (that's usually in <install>\bin\DBWAclServer\x86\ folder)
Before uninstalling the service, we suggest you to take note about

•Username to run the service as

•PDM Users Group name

so to properly set the new service.

When selected DBWAclServer, a logon info page is shown to ask the credentials of:

1.the user that will be used to run the service

2.the groupname used to group all the PDM involved designers.

The setup expects those two identities to be already existing and it performs a check denying the completion if those checks reveal one of them not existing in the system (machine or domain).

Please note that, if the user or the group have to be created yet, we suggest names that reminds DBWAclServer (i.e. DBWAclServerAdmin or DBWAclServerGroup). The setup will grant needed privileges to the user in order to let running the service. For sure the user must be added into the Administrator group before starting the setup. Some minor checks are performed before starting the actual setup execution (i.e. password valid), raising an alert if there's been a problem.

After the installation process is completed, the two product services are installed and running, as this can be seen from the services list:

For an upgrade, i.e. a new service pack has been released, you can run the new setup on a server where a previous setup has been installed already: it will find out that the service and its username is already there so it won’t allow to specify another username and the groupnames (the textfields will be disabled), but it will only require the password:

MwLicenseManager

This option installs the service on the server; a further action by an administrator is required to run it (check the serial file, etc); please refer to the specific help topic for details.

 

Client setup

MechworksPDM requires that the current user has ADMIN rights, both in a network environment or in an off-network installation.
More, it's mandatory to run the installer as admin, despite of the fact the current user is already an admin type account.

This because by default the Administrator account is disabled in Windows7 and Windows8 and run as administrator is the only way to have granted necessary admin rights.

Uninstall first or update?

When installing a minor version (e.g. R23sp1 → R23sp2), you can doubleclick the installer so to update the current installation.
When updating from a major version to another (e.g. R20 → R23), uninstall first (control panel) and then execute (as admin) the installer.

The R23 installer

The client installer is named MechWorks_Pdm_Msi_R23_SP<sp>.EXE

Once started it shows different dialog as described here:

Welcome → Language selection → EULA → Installation type → GPP location → Fetaures selection → Recap → ODBC → Finish

The R24 and R25 installation

Since R24 and R25 are provided as a service, there's no installer available on the website for the customers. Please contact a reseller in order to receive an installation/customization process.

R26 installer

The MWPDM Service installer has been fully redesigned with modern, robust, and future-proof architecture. It is now completely independent from legacy technologies, such as VBScript, and does not rely on any external scripting mechanisms like PowerShell. This design choice ensures that the installation can be performed reliably even on systems where VBScript and/or PowerShell are disabled, restricted by security policies, or no longer available. As a result, the installer is fully compatible with modern, hardened, and enterprise-managed environments. In addition to removing these dependencies, the internal structure and execution flow of the installer have been entirely reworked. This redesign improves clarity, reliability, and maintainability, while significantly reducing unnecessary steps during setup. From the user’s perspective, these changes translate into a simpler, faster, and more intuitive installation experience, with fewer prompts and a more streamlined process. Overall installation time has been reduced, and the setup process is now more consistent across different system configurations. For diagnostic purposes, installation logs can be collected using the CaptureMechWorksPdmLog tool (available from the Windows Start menu), which collects all PDM logs. These logs should then be sent to MechWorks for analysis.

Solidworks Document Manager distribution/deployment

Due to the transition to service architecture, the PDM installer no longer handles the installation and distribution of the Solidworks Document Manager.
Users working with Solidworks documents in MechworksPDM Standalone mode have control over the Solidworks Document Manager installation and configuration.

•The PDM installer will no longer automatically install Solidworks Document Manager components

•Users requiring Solidworks document handling in Standalone mode must manually register the required DLL library

•The PDM installer will display a warning notification when Solidworks is not detected on the machine or when the Document Manager is not properly installed/registered

Users working with Solidworks documents in PDM Standalone mode can ensure a proper library registration through the admin DOS prompt command:

regsvr32 "C:\Program Files\Common Files\SOLIDWORKS Shared\swdocumentmgr.dll"

Installation type: Individual, Local or Client & Server?

Once run the installer, you'll be asked to choose the installation type:

Individual

It's a local installation on one workstation, usually for testing purpose.
In case you can join an already existing environment (network installation) by manually change some registry entries.

Client

It's the most common type of installation; it requires that a server has already been installed with a shared folder (the Global Parameters Path).

Client & Server

It's the first step when you need to setup a network environment and no other workstation has been installed yet.

When you install a shared solution you are required to select

•The drive that points to the server

•The exact path on the server

•The local installations path for dlls and local settings

Mind that in a Server + Client installation all the clients must have the same drive mapping as far as the MechworksPDM server is concerned.
E.g. if on the first client the server is set to O:\Mechworks_PDM_Server, then on all the clients the drive O:\ must point to the same UNC path as on the first client: drive mappings need to be consistent across the network.

After installing the first client, make sure that the drive mappings are consistent, then select the installation type Client, indicating the Server path as on the first client.

Selecting Features

The installer is able to detect which CAD application is installed on the workstation so to suggest the addin to install.
More, you can choose to enable Standalone and/or Admin tools:

AdminTools should be installed on administrative workstations. The tools allow to modify the database structure and add/remove fields, which could lead to loss of data or inconsistencies.

I you want to change a feature later, after the installation is completed, you can do it in 2 ways:

•from Windows Control Panel → Programs and Features:

•running the same installer and choosing Modify:

x64 ODBC installation

Starting from R20sp1, the MechworksPDM installer detects the MDB x64 driver on the workstation: if missing, it installs such driver by downloading from Microsoft website.

If MSOffice x86 is already installed on the workstation, no x64 MDB driver will be installed during the setup procedure.

See here for further details.

Activating the product

Activate the addin for Solidworks

1.Run SolidWorks then click Tools, Add-Ins ....

Enable the checkboxes to activate DBWorks

2.The following menu entry appears under the Tools menu:

3.optionally you can choose to show the DBWorks toolbar:

4.You are now ready to start working with DBWorks

Activate the addin for Inventor

1.Run Inventor then click Tools, Add-Ins:

2.make sure the DBInventor AddIn is UnBlocked and loaded.

Activate the addin for Solid Edge

1.Run Solid Edge, click Settings, Add-Ins:

2.check the entry to enable the addin.

Passing manually to a network environment with shared resources

1.Install MechworksPDM locally (Individual type, GPP in C:\Mechworks_PDM_Server\) on the workstation as if in an out-of-network environment

2.Change the following registry entries with the remote GPP (GlobalParametersPath) location:

•HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\MechWorks\DBWorks Standalone\98

•HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\MechWorks\DBWorks\98

•HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\MechWorks\DBSolidEdge\98

•HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\MechWorks\DBInventor\98

•HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\MechWorks\DBWorks Standalone\98

•HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\MechWorks\DBWorks\98

•HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\MechWorks\DBSolidEdge\98

•HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\MechWorks\DBInventor\98

•HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\MechWorks\DBInventor\98

SQLServer database

Standard Client or Native Client?

According with Microsoft specifics, Native Client has more optimizations for applications taking advantages from Transaction-SQL (SQLServer native language).
DBWorks is based on an ODBC datasource (that works with a standard subset of T-SQL) so it does not take advantage of such feature.
For this reason we suggest the Standard Client rather than the Native Client.

Installing in silent mode (no prompt)

Here below are the specific MechworksPDM parameters
(further info about msiexec command are available at this Microsoft KB topic).

Command line example

rem features REMOVE=Standalone

rem features REMOVE=DBInventor
rem features DBSolidEdge
rem features DBWorks
rem features REMOVE=AdminTools
rem parameters GLOBAL_PARAMETERS_PATH
rem parameters INSTALLATION_TYPE valid values are Client,Individual,Server
rem parameters DBW_LANG valid values are EN,IT,FR,ES,DE
rem SOLIDWORKS_INSTALLED=Yes
rem SOLIDWORKS_VERSION=2020
rem parameters APPDIR
MechWorks_Pdm_Msi_R20_SP1_0.exe /qb /l*vx %temp%\installmsi.log ADDLOCAL=ALL REMOVE=DBSolidEdge,DBInventor GLOBAL_PARAMETERS_PATH=X:\Mechworks_PDM_Server INSTALLATION_TYPE=Client DBW_LANG="DE" APPDIR="%programfiles(x86)%\MechWorks\MechWorks_Pdm" SOLIDWORKS_INSTALLED=Yes SOLIDWORKS_VERSION=2020

Proprietary command line switches

/extract <path>

Extracts the MSI contained by the EXE to the specified location. If the path contains spaces you must enclose it in quotes:

Mypackage.exe /extract:"C:\My work"

This command will extract the Mypackage.msi file in the "My work" folder.

/? and /help

Both these commands will display a help dialog containing the command line options for the EXE setup.

/exenoui

Launches the EXE setup without UI.

/exebasicui

Launches the EXE setup with basic UI.

The UI level set using the above command line options will overwrite the default UI level specified when the package was built.

/listlangs

Lists the languages supported by the EXE setup.

/exelang <langId>

Launches the EXE setup using the specified language. This command line option will have effect only if the EXE setup was build with the language selection dialog

You can use both an UI level and /exelang command line options at the same time.

These commands affect only the language selection dialog and the dialogs in the prerequisite wizard. In order to also affect the MSI package please use the standard MSIEXEC command line parameters. Note that the MSI parameters must come after the boostrapper parameters.