Table of Contents

Introduction to PDMShell

PDMShell is a command-line and scripting tool for SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional. It helps administrators, engineers, and migration teams automate repetitive vault work without writing a full custom add-in for every task.

You can use PDMShell for quick one-line commands, repeatable .pdmshell scripts, batch operations, workflow transition automation, Dispatch integration, and PDMShell add-in scripts that run directly inside the PDM client.

Install And Activate

Start with Install or Update, then activate PDMShell from License Activation. If the computer is air-gapped or cannot reach the license server, use Offline Activation.

What You Can Do with PDMShell

PDMShell is useful when you need to automate file, folder, metadata, and workflow operations in PDM.

  • Navigate vault folders and inspect files.
  • Check files in or out.
  • Rename, move, copy, delete, recover, and export files.
  • Read and update PDM variables.
  • Search for files and export results to CSV.
  • Run SOLIDWORKS macros and PDM tasks.
  • Automate revision, version, reference, BOM, and Document Manager workflows.
  • Build scripts that users can run from the PDMShell add-in, Dispatch, workflow transitions, or scheduled jobs.

Ways to Use PDMShell

Interactive Command Shell

Use the PDMShell window when you want to type commands directly and see the result immediately.

login -auto -vaultName MyVault
cd "\Projects"
dir

Script Files

Save repeatable work in .pdmshell files and run them with pdmcli.exe or the runscript command.

runscript -source "C:\Scripts\UpdateVariables.pdmshell"

PDMShell can read normal .pdmshell script files as plain text, which makes them easy to store in a PDM vault, review, version, and reuse.

When you save a script from the PDMShell toolbar or visual editor, PDMShell may convert the saved file to an encrypted script format for security. This helps protect scripts that are intended to be distributed or run by users without exposing the editable source text.

Visual Code Editor

The visual editor helps you build PDMShell workflows with command nodes, connections, and command parameters. It is useful when a script needs to be easier to understand, document, or hand off to another administrator.

See Visual Code Editor.

PDMShell Add-in

The PDMShell add-in lets administrators run approved scripts from PDM right-click menus and event trigger points. It can replace many Dispatch-style automations and adds permissions, conditions, command menu scripts, placeholders, headless execution, and visual editor support.

First Commands to Learn

Start with these commands before moving into larger scripts:

Command What it does
login Logs into a PDM vault.
cd Changes the current PDM folder.
dir Lists files and folders.
search Finds files and folders.
getvar Reads PDM variable values.
setvar Updates PDM variable values.
runscript Runs a saved .pdmshell script.
help Lists commands or opens command help.

Using the Help System

PDMShell includes a help system for learning commands while you work.

To view all available commands:

help

To get help for a specific command:

help -command cd

Command Page Structure

Each command page in this documentation follows the same structure:

  1. Description: What the command does.
  2. Syntax: The command format and supported parameters.
  3. Parameters: What each parameter means.
  4. Examples: Common ways to use the command.
  5. Remarks: Notes, limits, and important behavior.
  6. Availability: The PDMShell version where the command first became available.

Example Command Page

Here is a small example using the cd command.

cd [-directory|-id]

Examples:

cd -directory "C:\Vault\NewFolder"
cd -id 755
cd..
cd\

Notes:

  • Use cd.. to move to the parent folder.
  • Use cd\ to move to the root of the vault.
  • If you just created a folder and want autocomplete to see it, use dir -refresh.
  • directory is the default parameter, so cd "\Projects" is valid.

Placeholders

PDMShell scripts can use placeholders for file names, folder paths, variables, dates, and other runtime values.

rename -filePath "$localPath" -value "$fileNameWithoutExtension-$yyyy$extension"

See Placeholders in PDMShell, Expression Evaluator, and Conditions.

Case Sensitivity

As of PDMShell 3.0.1, command names, parameter names, and values are case-sensitive.

Escaping Quotes

Escaping quotes depends on where the command starts, such as Command Prompt, Dispatch, a workflow transition, or an existing PDMShell session.

See Escaping Characters.

Quick Tutorial

This short tutorial shows basic folder navigation with the cd command.

Getting Support

If you need help building scripts or planning automation, contact Blue Byte Systems support:

Get Support

Thank you for choosing PDMShell. We are excited to help you streamline your PDM workflows and unlock new levels of productivity.

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