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DWG Columns for Explorer

About

Enhance Your User's Experience with the New DWG Columns for Explorer Handler.
Show the DWG properties and metadata in Explorer columns or even in file dialog boxes within AutoCAD or other applications.
Sort files in Explorer based on any of the columns available like a revision.
Use DWGPROPS in AutoCAD and add information in the Summary or Custom tabs and you can show this information in columns in Windows Explorer.
The columns can show the version of the DWG file, up to 10 custom properties, title, subject, author, comments, created, hyperlink base, keywords, last saved by, last updated, revision number.
PROPULATE allows quick, automated population of the Drawing Properties dialog data fields.
No need to have AutoCAD installed. That means that everyone at your company can see this information.
No need to open the drawing to know information like revision and other valuable information in the drawing.
Supported extensions are DWG, BAK, DWT, DWS, SW$ in any DWG file version.
Column names can be customized for example from "DWG Revision" to "Rev" or into other languages.

The following downloads are freeware versions. Only the DWG version column is working showing the internal version code like "AC1024" for the DWG 2010 version. The full version will instead show all properties and the DWG version as "2010" or whatever the version is of the file. This can also be used as a trial to verify that DWG Columns work in your environment.

DWG Columns for Windows XP 32-bit (1 MB)
DWG Columns for Windows XP 64-bit (1 MB)
DWG Columns for Windows Vista and Windows 7 32-bit (1 MB)
DWG Columns for Windows Vista and Windows 7 64-bit (1 MB)

Contact us for downloads of full version if you are a customer. Let us also know what Windows version you have and if it is 32-bit or 64-bit.

Scripted installation possible of the three required files. Contact us for details.

System requirements

Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7. 32-bit or 64-bit.

Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 Redistributable Package is required for Windows Vista and Windows 7.

Either of the following are needed to be installed. A typical indication that the package is not installed is that DwgPropsX.dll cannot be registered.

"Module C:\WINDOWS\system32\DwgPropsX.dll failed to register. HRESULT -2147010895. Contact your support personnel."

Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 Redistributable Package (x86)
Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 Redistributable Package (x64)
Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 SP1 Redistributable Package (x86)
Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 SP1 Redistributable Package (x64)

Compatibility with any application that creates DWG files.

Purchase

10 EUR for one license or less depending on the amount of licenses.
2 licenses 8.8 EUR each
3-5 licenses 8 EUR each
6- 9 licenses 7.2 EUR each
10-15 licenses 6.8 EUR each

Click here to Purchase with PayPal (Use your credit card or bank account where available) and you will be emailed the software (this is done manually but normally within 24 hours). Calculate the price based on above price list and enter the total price in the Unit Price text box and click on Update. Quantity will say 1 no matter the number of licenses but the total sum determines the number of licenses so that is ok.

Contact us for a quote and include how many licenses you want to purchase and your preferred payment method. If you have a really many users that you want to give access to this software we can discuss a discounted price based on your particular situation. Educational discounts available. Network license needs can be met.

The license is perpetual and support is included.

PayPal, share-it, Mastercard/Eurocard, Visa, American Express, and Diner's Club online are accepted. Alternatively, there is support for bank transfer/wire transfer, or Checks and Money Orders through postal mail. Online transfers via giropay and Nordea Solo are also supported.

To pay by PayPal you can also send payment to the account of info@jtbworld.com at www.paypal.com.

Documentation

Installation

Installation and uninstallation usually requires administration rights.

Run setup.exe (or the .msi) and follow the instructions. Usually a restart or log off/log in of the computer is needed as explorer.exe needs to be restarted.

If you get "The installer has encountered an unexpected error installing this package. This may indicate a problem with this package. The error code is 2203." you can try to install again or make sure to close or disable applications that locks files like anti-virus programs or backup programs like Carbonite.

Customization

Windows Vista and Windows 7

Names of properties (column header) as seen in Windows Explorer can be modified in the DWGPropertyHandler.propdesc file for Windows Vista and Windows 7 installations. For each property you can change the label as seen below:
<labelInfo label="DWG version" invitationText=" " />
changed to a Spanish translation:
<labelInfo label="DWG versión" invitationText=" " />
To activate the changes take these steps:
Run cmd.exe as administrator and then the following:
rundll32 "C:\Program Files\JTB World\DWG Explorer Column Handler\DWGPropertyHandler.dll",InstallPropertySchema
Restart Explorer or log out and log in to see the change.

Windows XP

Names of properties (column header) as seen in Windows Explorer can be modified in the DwgPropertyHandler.txt file for Windows XP installations.
Restart Explorer or log out and log in to see the change.

Enter properties within AutoCAD

Use DWGPROPS within AutoCAD and populate with information.

PROPULATE can be used to automatically populate for example attribute information from the title block into the properties.

See this PROPULATE tutorial.

Usage in Windows Explorer

And here is what it look like in Explorer.

Right click on the column header and you can select columns to view or hide.

When you click on More... you can select among all available details to show.

Now it is possible to quickly see DWG properties or to sort on any of them.

See also the complementary application DwgInfoTip to show the information like an InfoTip (Tooltip).

Troubleshooting

If only the DWG Version is showing it might be that your trial has expired or that the DwgPropsX.dll in the System32 folder is wrong version. Contact JTB World for help.

If the property values are not visible in all columns it can be because of a non-compatible version of DwgPropsX.dll already existing. To update it manually download and extract DwgPropsX.zip into a new folder and run install.bat as administrator.

DwgPropsX.zip (44 KB)

Error: “Module C:\Program Files\JTB World\DWG Explorer Column Handler\DwgPropertyHandler.dll failed to register. HRESULT -2147024770. Contact your support personnel.” Contact JTB World for help.

Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 Redistributable Package is required for Windows Vista and Windows 7. A typical indication that the package is not installed is that DwgPropertX.dll cannot be registered. "Module C:\WINDOWS\system32\DwgPropsX.dll failed to register. HRESULT -2147010895. Contact your support personnel."

If you browse folders that are located on a server that you are connected with through a slow connection (WAN) you may notice that Explorer performance is slow. This is unfortunately a side effect of the need to read all files to be able to show the properties. It seems like newer Windows versions handles this better.

Wish list

Do you have need to see also support for Inventor files (ipt, iam, idw and ipn)? Please contact us with your interest.

DWG Columns

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