Updates and 3DExperience - How to Prevent Downtime With 3DExperience SOLIDWORKS Connected

3DExperience SOLIDWORKS Connected or Collaborative Designer for SOLIDWORKS are cloud-connected programs that detect when a new update is available. An update prompt is given accordingly, but the number of updates these programs receive may feel a bit overwhelming or even confusing at times. This article will help optimize your experience with updating your software, answering questions such as how often you are required to update, what updates can be skipped, where to view release notes, and more. 

This article is written for SOLIDWORKS users, but the same idea applies to any natively installed application from the 3DExperience platform (any app that installs code locally on your machine, 3DExperience CATIA would be another example). 

• SP = Service Pack (Desktop products, each major year release has about 5 service packs planned per year. 
• FD = Functional Development (This is used for 3DExperience cloud and natively installed products).
• GA = General Availability (Can be thought of as FD0 or SP0, the first major release of the year). 
• HF = HotFix (Applicable for both desktop and cloud products, though desktop HotFixes are rarer).

Release Schedule

The most up-to-date provisional release schedule for SOLIDWORKS and 3DExperience cloud products can be found on the SOLIDWORKS user downloads page: Downloads | Support | SOLIDWORKS.

Here is a snapshot for today of the 2024 release schedule: 

Optional Updates

Most HotFixes are pushed out as an optional update and grant you the ability to Skip them. There is also a checkbox to Prompt only when an update is required. Selecting this and then Skip will help avoid too many update prompts if you feel you are seeing these too often. 

HotFixes are pushed out on an as-needed basis and do not necessarily have a set schedule. Sometimes there can be a few weeks without any new hotfixes, other times there may be multiple pushed out in the same week. 

Note: While most HotFixes are optional, if the repair implemented by the update is considered severe enough, these can be required updates as well. 

The release in the update below is going from 3DExperience R2024x HotFix 1.4 to 1.5. This means we are at 2024x FD01, and there has been a total of 5 HotFixes since FD01 was released. 

Required Updates

Every FD (Functional Development) release is a required update. In this example, we are going from 3DExperience R2024x HotFix 0.5 to HotFix 1.5. In other words, we are going from R2024x GA HotFix 0.5 to the newest HotFix on FD01. 

There is some leniency with the required updates. A two-week grace period is in place, that allows you to skip the update and continue using SOLIDWORKS. If you wait too long and surpass this two-week grace period, you will be unable to launch SOLIDWORKS until you update the software. 

In order to update your application, it will need to be launched from the 3DExperience platform compass on the web. This is the same way it was originally installed and is how we often recommend launching it afterward. 

How to View Update Release Notes

Update release notes are posted on the 3DSWYM 3DExperience Platform user's Community. This can be found through this link: Last Major and Minor 3DEXPERIENCE platform updates (3ds.com)

I recommend getting familiar with the wiki and tree navigation in SWYM communities. For major release notes of 3DExperience SOLIDWORKS or Collaborative Designer you will want to find: 

• Last Major and Minor 3DExperience Platform Updates > Major updates and release notes > R2024x FDxx on the Cloud > 3DExperience WORKS > Enhanced Roles. 

Once on the enhanced roles page, the products are listed by brand, and you will be able to find 3DExperience SOLIDWORKS or Collaborative Designer for SOLIDWORKS. 

Knowing what features the updates contain, the schedule that updates are released, and which updates may be required are all aspects that can help optimize the software upgrade experience and prevent downtime. Please keep all these in mind when working with 3DExperience SOLIDWORKS Connected or Collaborative Designer for SOLIDWORKS and plan your work around these updates accordingly to prevent any unexpected interruptions of software access. 

For further technical support, please contact Hawk Ridge Systems at 877.266.4469 for the U.S. or 866.587.6803 for Canada and support@hawkridgesys.com.