Converting SLDDRW to JPG is the quickest way to get a drawing into an ERP item card, a work instruction or a web page. PDMPublisher writes JPEG, TIF or Bitmap of the drawing in the same job as the PDF, named by your pattern, from the add-in or as a SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional task.
What you get
An image of the drawing that anything can display: JPEG (jpg) for previews and web, TIF (tif) for archiving, Bitmap (bmp) for older tools. They sit in the Web and images group of the File formats list with HTML, XAML, Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop. JPEG and TIF arrived in version 2026.08.05.
The image gets your Filename pattern plus the format’s extension. Resolution and color depth follow SOLIDWORKS’ image export options where the job runs; PDMPublisher has no image sub-options. Tick Adobe PDF in the same list if you want the printable copy too.
The manual way, and why it doesn’t scale
Open the drawing, File > Save As, pick JPEG (*.jpg), name it with the revision, save. Next drawing, same again.
Fine for one drawing. For forty at every revision it’s an afternoon of clicking, and the ERP still shows last year’s image because nobody re-exported it.
Convert SLDDRW to JPG with the add-in
- Open the drawing in SOLIDWORKS, saved, references resolved (Get Latest first in a vault).
- On the PDMPublisher tab, select Settings, then Publish.
- Set Export location: a fixed or UNC folder, or placeholders from the
>...menu such as(TopAssemblyFolder)\Exports\(Revision). - Set the Filename pattern, such as
(FileNameWithoutExtension)-(Revision);.jpgis added for you. - Under File formats, tick JPEG (
jpg), and TIF or Bitmap if the target system wants those. Other ticked formats come out in the same pass. - Select
PDMPublisher > Publish, confirm the review dialog, and check Publishing results afterwards.
JPEG needs Premium in PDMPublisher for SOLIDWORKS; the free Community Edition does PDF, DXF and STEP only.
Automate it as a PDM task
PDMPublisher for PDM Professional runs the same engine as a task, so the image is made on a state change, not when somebody remembers.
- In PDM Administration, right-click Tasks, select New Task, choose PDMPublisher and name it. Tick the task hosts under Execution Method.
- On the Options page, set Export Location (
(VaultRootFolder)\Exports\Images, no trailing backslash) and Filename. PDM variables such as($PartNumber)are in the>...menu. - Under File Formats, tick JPEG (
jpg), plus TIF or Bitmap if needed. Keep Export affected document on so the drawing that launched the task is exported. - Enable Map Variables Between Source and Destination File to copy PDM variables such as the part number onto the image file.
- Pick Use this version of SOLIDWORKS (a year on the task host, or Latest). For release workflows, enable Get latest revision only; it exports the version tied to the newest revision and its saved references.
- Attach the task to a workflow transition, leave it in the right-click menu, or run it from Scheduled Items.
Settings that matter for images
| Setting | What it does | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Export location | Output folder: vault, relative, UNC or outside. Created if missing. | (TopAssemblyFolder)\Exports\(Revision); no trailing backslash. |
| Filename | Static text, placeholders, custom properties or PDM variables. | (Revision) for released files; keep names unique. |
| File formats | JPEG (jpg), TIF (tif), Bitmap (bmp) in the Web and images group. | JPEG and TIF added in 2026.08.05. |
| Customize Location | Per-format folders that override the main location. | Premium in the add-in. |
| Use this version of SOLIDWORKS (task) | Which installed SOLIDWORKS year runs the export. | Its export options apply. |
| Get latest revision only (task) | Exports the version tied to the newest PDM revision, with its saved references. | No revision, no export; overrides Work with latest version. |
Naming and folders
Placeholders resolve when the job starts, so every image lands in the same place with the same name:
(FileNameWithoutExtension)-(Revision):Bracket-B.jpgin(TopAssemblyFolder)\Exports\Images.($PartNumber)in the task with location\\server\erp\drawing-previews: images named by part number where the ERP picks them up.(VaultRootFolder)\Exports\(TargetExtension):jpg,tifandpdffolders from one task.
Customize Location (Premium in the add-in, standard in the task) gives the
jpgrow its own folder, overriding the main Export location for that format only. Handy when images go to an ERP share and the PDF stays in the vault.
Tips and troubleshooting
- JPEG, TIF and Bitmap need Premium in the add-in; activate a key under
PDMPublisher > License Key. The PDM task is licensed per vault with a 7-day trial and includes every format. - Formats that don’t apply to the source are dropped: STEP and other model-only formats vanish when the source is a drawing. Some also depend on the SOLIDWORKS version where the job runs.
- Image looks wrong (size, colors)? Adjust SOLIDWORKS’ image export options where the job runs.
- An image format ticked on a part or assembly exports the model view, not the drawing. Run the job on the drawing, or tick PDF on the model to get its same-name drawing.
- Can’t see the exported files? You need add and edit permission in the export location. The vault root is usually locked; target a subfolder like
(VaultRootFolder)\Exports.
Availability
Available in PDMPublisher for SOLIDWORKS (the add-in) and PDMPublisher for PDM Professional (the task).
Documentation and related features
- Run a Publish Job (PDMPublisher for SOLIDWORKS)
- File Formats (PDMPublisher options)
- SOLIDWORKS drawing documents
- Extension-specific export locations
- Run as a SOLIDWORKS PDM task
- Publishing profiles and company settings
- Convert SLDDRW to PDF
- Convert SLDDRW to eDrawings
- Convert SLDDRW to DWG
Frequently asked questions
How do I save a SOLIDWORKS drawing as a JPG automatically?
Tick JPEG (jpg) under File formats, set the export location and filename, and Publish. A PDM task does the same on a workflow transition.
Which image formats can PDMPublisher export?
JPEG (jpg), TIF (tif) and Bitmap (bmp), plus HTML, XAML, Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop from the same group.
Where are image resolution and color options set?
In SOLIDWORKS’ export options where the job runs. PDMPublisher has no image sub-options.
Is JPG export in the free Community Edition?
No. Community does PDF, DXF and STEP only. Images need Premium; the PDM task includes all formats.