dragging multiple components into a folder

If you've already created your folders, you can CTRL-select a bunch of parts and drag them all to a folder at once, just like in Windows Explorer.

Alternately, you can CTRL-select your parts, RMB on the last one, and select "Add to new folder".

Hi Jeff,

There is no other way to do that except mark all needed parts with CTRL and then drag them to specified folder. Maybe you should consider before you start creating folders mark all needed parts with CTRL and then right click and "Add to new folder".

regards,

Tomasz

Ctrl-dragging doesn't work for me. It creates unwanted copies, leaving the originals behind.

Components can be moved to folders with API; Please look at the example: 2013 SOLIDWORKS API Help - Move Assembly Components to New Folder Example (VBA)
However, you should come up with a some filtering solution so that you can divide files  into groups (first letters of the name or location on PC or component mass)

Jeff Klare wrote:

 

I have an assembly of over 1000 components that was read in from an NX system.  I need to organize all of these components into multiple folders so I can easily hide and unhide components so we can only see certain areas of the assembly.  The components are not grouped together in the assembly tree in any specific order, so I can't just select a group of them from the tree and add them to a new folder.  Does anyone know of any tricks to move multiple components without dragging each one individually to folders?  It would be really nice if I could right click on a component or group of components and tell Solidworks to move all to an already named folder.

Can't you rearrange the components in the tree and then add them to the folders in groups?

...another possibility would be the search tool at the top of the assembly tree.

of course this would only work if the imported parts are named in a fashion were this is possible.

just a thought

Here is my method...

Window select and hide a large group of parts...

Then, Window select the majority parts intend to "move" to common folder. Then for parts not selected during window select, hold Ctrl and select face (will propagate your selection to the whole part, as long as its not part of a sub-assembly) , right click and 'add to new folder'.

Then hide those parts in new folder and show parts originally hidden, proceed with additional selections and insert into new folders...

Also, "Form New Subassembly" can be useful instead of inserting into folders.

Best, Jason