Clone Tree

Clone Tree builds a copy plan for the active document and its references. Each included file can have its own name and destination while SOLIDWORKS references are updated to the copied files.

Open PDMPublisher > Settings > Clone Tree to select the shared PDM serial number and maintain command profiles.

Create a Package

1. Save the active SOLIDWORKS document.
2. Select PDMPublisher > Clone Tree.
3. Check the files to copy and uncheck files to exclude.
4. Set the New name and Destination folder values. Use each cell's menu for document values, properties, folder values, PDM values, serial numbers, or formulas.
5. Optionally include companion STEP, PDF, or DXF files and configure ZIP output.
6. Select Copy.

Excluded files keep their original references. Search and type filters change only the visible rows; all checked files remain in the copy plan.

Select files from the grid

Right-click the file tree to change which rows are included:

Command	Behavior
Check All	Checks every optional document row.
Uncheck All	Clears every optional document row. Required root documents remain checked.
Check Selected	Checks the selected rows.
Uncheck Selected	Clears the selected optional rows. A required root document cannot be cleared.

Select multiple cells

Hold Ctrl and click cells to add them to the selection, or Ctrl-click a selected cell to remove it. Ctrl-click selects the target without starting an edit, including when another cell editor is active. Press Escape while the grid has focus to clear the cell selection and cancel any active fill drag.

Cell selection is separate from the file checkboxes that control which documents are copied. Clearing selected cells does not uncheck files or reset pending names and folders.

Copy a Value Through a Column

Open an editable cell's menu and choose one of these commands:

• Copy to all cells in this column
• Copy to all cells above
• Copy to all cells below

Clone Tree copies the cell's value or formula in the grid's displayed order and respects the current filter. Copy All, Copy Above, Copy Below, and drag-to-fill include the ZIP archive row when it is displayed and editable. The ZIP row can also be the source of a copy or fill operation. Hidden, excluded, virtual, and other non-editable rows are skipped. Document-based formulas, such as filename values, are evaluated again for each destination row. Review every resulting name and folder before selecting Copy.

Copy Options

Option	Behavior
Ignore Toolbox components	Leaves Toolbox components out of the copied document set.
Copy latest PDM revision to destination	Copies the latest assigned revision directly to each destination. It does not update the local vault cache or reload SOLIDWORKS. Vault files without an assigned revision cannot use this option.
Version	In SOLIDWORKS 2024 and newer, saves in the current release or either of the two previous releases.
Companion files	Includes existing same-named STEP/STP, PDF, or DXF files found for a document.
ZIP archive	Creates a ZIP after the file copies complete, using its own filename and destination.
PDM serial number	Assigns one reserved number per included row and reuses it when both the filename and folder need that number.
Upgrade legacy custom properties	Upgrades included SOLIDWORKS documents before copying. Each document is processed once on its own; its references are not upgraded recursively.

Profiles and Rules

Clone Tree profiles preserve destinations, Toolbox preference, companion formats, latest-revision behavior, ZIP settings, per-file overrides, and ordered rules. Rules can set a filename or export location when their conditions match; later rules can replace earlier values.

Manage profiles in Settings > Clone Tree, or select the gear in the Clone Tree window. The arrow beside the CommandManager command opens a saved profile directly.

A profile can run a Property Doctor profile after copying. That processing applies to copied files and requires files compatible with the current SOLIDWORKS version.

Validation

Clone Tree can overwrite existing destination documents and an existing ZIP archive. Before writing, it temporarily backs up each existing output. If copying fails, the previous files are restored.

Source documents remain protected and cannot be selected as destinations. Clone Tree also reports errors for duplicate destination paths, destination documents that are open in SOLIDWORKS, read-only destination files, changed SOLIDWORKS extensions, unresolved destination expressions, and unavailable PDM revision data.

Each time you select Copy, Clone Tree creates a fresh SOLIDWORKS Pack and Go object while retaining the current grid settings. This allows you to correct a problem and copy again without closing and reopening Clone Tree. Review the grid again if references change while the window is open.