How to Create a Pack and Go for SOLIDWORKS

A Pack and Go is a great way to copy and combine all related files for a SOLIDWORKS file into a folder or a zip file without losing file references or necessary files. This article describes the Pack and Go interface, as well as how to produce a Pack and Go with various techniques.  

Pack and Go

A Pack and Go copies all of a SOLIDWORKS file’s related files such as parts, assemblies, drawings, references, design tables, design binder content, decals, appearances, scenes, and SOLIDWORKS Simulation results into one file location or zip folder. Creating a Pack and Go is an easy way to send other users a full file set of a SOLIDWORKS model. For instance, a copy of SOLIDWORKS drawing file can be sent to another user by creating a Pack and Go of the drawing, which includes the drawing file and the components used within the drawing views.  

There are multiple methods of producing a Pack and Go of a SOLIDWORKS file. A Pack and Go of a model can be created in SOLIDWORKS by going to File>Pack and Go.

Another method is to browse to the model in Windows Explorer or the SOLIDWORKS Task Pane File Explorer, right mouse button click on the SOLIDWORKS file and select SOLIDWORKS>Pack and Go.

For only SOLIDWORKS 2020 and older, A Pack and Go of the model can also be made from the SOLIDWORKS Explorer by right clicking on the SOLIDWORKS document and selecting SOLIDWORKS Pack and Go icon.

Once in the Pack and Go dialog box, one can specify the folder location, as well as other options for the Pack and Go file.

Pack and Go Options

There are several Pack and Go options available in the Pack and Go dialog box. The image below shows all the options available within the Pack and Go dialog box.

The Pack and Go window lists the names and file locations of the original files, as well as the names and locations of the files included in the new Pack and Go. To view the file names based on their parent/child relationships select the Nested view option. Choosing the Flat view option will position all file names to the left margin. The text within the columns can be quickly replaced by utilizing the Select/Replace… button. Select/Replace… also can check or uncheck items within the Pack and Go.  

One can specify the location of the Pack and Go by selecting the Save to folder: or Save to Zip file: option and browsing to the output location by selecting Browse. An optional suffix or prefix can be added to each of the file’s names within in the Pack and Go by choosing the Add prefix: and Add suffix: option.

Enabling the options Include drawings, Include simulation results, Include Toolbox components, Include custom decals, appearances and scenes, and Include default decals, appearances and scenes adds the associated drawings, simulations reports, referenced Toolbox components, user created and default decals, appearances and scenes, respectively, into the Pack and Go.  

Starting in Solidworks 2024, the Save to previous version of SOLIDWORKS option allows the user to save the files backwards up to 2 years (i.e. in Solidworks 2024, you could back save the files to Solidworks 2022 or 2023 format).

If the Flatten to single folder is enabled all files in the Pack and Go will be saved to the top level of the specified destination folder. Disabling the option will maintain the folder structure of the files as subfolders in the destination folder.

The Pack and Go options also simplifies sending zip files through emails. If the Save to a zip file is enabled, the Email after packaging option becomes available. Email after packaging automatically attaches the Pack and Go file to an email message, if Microsoft Outlook is set up. Pack and Go is a simple way to create copies of SOLIDWORKS files without losing file references.