This document has detailed instructions on how to download, install, license, and administer SOLIDWORKS Composer.
Before loading any software, you should always login with full administrative permissions and disable your anti-virus and anti-spyware programs.
This is not a troubleshooting guide. If you have any technical issues with SOLIDWORKS Composer, please contact a support technician through our website, or call us at 1.877.266.4469 (USA) or 1.866.587.6803 (Canada).
This document is only to be distributed and used by Hawk Ridge Systems customers. Any other use is prohibited.
Contents
Before Installation
Hawk Ridge Systems highly recommends taking a moment before installing SOLIDWORKS Composer and checking that you are ready to load your new software.
- First, check that your machine meets minimum system requirements and your video card is compatible (NVIDIA Quadro Recommended).
- Next, please confirm that the hard drive has enough space to end up with at least 15% free space, after the full installation has completed so your new software will work as expected. Back-up any older Composer data such as any image folders, saved template files, or other related data files. Composer uses a .smg file, so the year version is not critical. However, SOLIDWORKS CAD is year specific, IE: not forward compatible, meaning older versions of SOLIDWORKS cannot open files from newer versions.
- Login to your computer with full administrative rights.
- Turn down the User Account Control setting (found in the Control Panel). To do this, press your Windows button, either on the screen or on the keyboard. Then type “UAC” followed by the Enter key. The window that follows shows a vertical scroll bar. Make the setting “Never Notify” for the installation (requires restarting the computer to take effect) and change it back after installing if you prefer.
- Disable all anti-virus and anti-spyware tools.
Basic Installation
SOLIDWORKS Composer is installed from the SOLIDWORKS installation download or disc. It uses the same Installation Manager as SOLIDWORKS. You will need to download the SOLIDWORKS Installation Manager from www.solidworks.com customer portal to download and install SOLIDWORKS Composer. You can begin at any service pack download! Also SOLIDWORKS SP 0 discs only are only available by request in 2023.
- Please go to the SOLIDWORKS downloads page and choose the SOLIDWORKS version that corresponds to the version of Composer that you would like to install. (Please note that you will need to login before you can get to that address.) Follow the instructions to download and start the executable. Also, if you have one, you can put in the SOLIDWORKS installation disc and start the Setup.exe.
2. Exit all other programs and click the Next button to continue.
3. Now, you will need to put in your SOLIDWORKS Composer serial number. (If you are unable to find your serial number, please call us so we can send it to a previously established email address.)
4. Press Next to continue. If you are not online, it will warn that you cannot automatically select products to install. Pressing Cancel will continue with the load, but you must manually select all your add-ins during the installation instead of being given a list based on your serial number.
5. If you do not have SOLIDWORKS on your machine, you will want to install the SOLIDWORKS Translator. If you do not select SOLIDWORKS in the product list, you will have an option to put a check mark next to the SOLIDWORKS Translator. This feature eliminates the ability to install the Translator and SOLIDWORKS onto the same computer.
If you have the Composer Player enabled, you may not see SOLIDWORKS Composer as a checkbox initially. If this is the case de-select SOLIDWORKS Composer Player and the SOLIDWORKS Composer option should appear as a checkbox option.
With Composer Player selected
Without Composer Player selected
6. Verify all the information on the screen and continue with the installation.
7. Click the Install (or Download and Install) button to continue.
8. If you have a network license for Composer, you will be asked to specify the SNL location. This is where your SolidNetWork License Manager is loaded and running. The default port number for this is 25734. Type “25734@<server name>” and press OK to continue. To setup the license manager, please see our Network Server Install guide.
9. SOLIDWORKS Composer will install at this time. This concludes the Network License Installation.
Standalone Activation
SOLIDWORKS Composer has activation-based licensing like SOLIDWORKS. The first time Composer is launched it will launch the activation wizard.
Follow the instructions to activate SOLIDWORKS Composer over the internet.
1. If prompted, select ‘Activate/Reactivate a software license’ at the first prompt.
2. Highlight the composer license in the activation wizard by clicking ‘select all’ then enter your email address and choose ‘Next’ – this will launch the activation process.
3. Once the activation process completes, Composer will be fully licensed and installed. If the activation fails, Composer will launch with a temporary 30-day activation.
4. To manually activate the product, you may launch the activation wizard from within the help menu and follow the same steps as above. Go to Help -> Licenses -> Activate
Once SOLIDWORKS Composer is activated, you will be able to use the product. Please note that if you need to install SOLIDWORKS Composer onto a new machine, please transfer the license off the machine that is no longer going to be used.
Your standalone installation of SOLIDWORKS Composer is now properly installed and licensed.
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