Table of Contents

Expression Evaluator

The Expression Evaluator lets you test dynamic values before you run a command, script, task, or rename rule.

Use it when you want to confirm what a placeholder, PDM variable, or string function will become at runtime.

What It Helps With

The evaluator is useful for previewing:

  • File and folder placeholders such as $fileName, $filePath, and $folderPath.
  • Vault and user placeholders such as $vaultName, $vaultRootFolder, $username, and $username.email.
  • Date and time placeholders such as $date, $time, $yyyy, and $timestamp.
  • PDM variables such as $(Description) or $(Description.@).
  • String functions such as ${before(...)}, ${replace(...)}, and ${regex(...)}.
  • Revision functions such as ${revision()}, ${nextRevision()}, and ${revisionComponentValue("ComponentName")}.
  • Expressions that will later be used in commands like rename, setvar, bom, export, msgbox, or until.

Why Use It

The evaluator previews the result without changing files, setting variables, checking files in, renaming anything, or writing back to the vault.

This makes it a safe place to test expressions before using them in production automation.

How To Use It

  1. Open the Expression Evaluator from the PDMShell toolbar.
  2. Choose a PDM file or folder when the expression depends on file or folder context.
  3. Choose a configuration when the expression depends on configuration-specific variables.
  4. Choose a variable when you want $value to use the current value of that variable.
  5. Type or choose the expression to test.
  6. Review the evaluated result.
Expression Evaluator toolbar button in PDMShell

The evaluator window shows the selected file or folder context, the optional variable and configuration inputs, the expression being tested, and the evaluated result.

PDMShell Expression Evaluator dialog showing a folder placeholder result

Examples

$fileNameWithoutExtension
$(Description)
${before($fileNameWithoutExtension, "-")}
${replace($value, "DRAFT", "RELEASED")}
${regex($fileNameWithoutExtension, "^([^-]+)-", 1)}
${revision()}
${nextRevision()}
${revision("$folderPath\\$fileNameWithoutExtension.pdf")}

Revision Function Examples

Revision functions evaluate against the selected PDM file unless the function includes an explicit file path argument. The examples below use a drawing whose PDM Version tab shows the current revision as T-016-W.

SOLIDWORKS PDM Version tab showing the current revision T-016-W

Use ${revision()} when you need the current full revision display value. PDMShell formats the result using the active PDM revision scheme, so formatted components such as letters and zero-padded numbers are preserved.

${revision()}
Expression Evaluator showing revision function returning T-016-W

Use component functions when you need to rebuild or inspect only part of the revision. In this example, the revision scheme has Letters and Numeric components. The current component values evaluate to T and 016, producing T-016-W.

${revisionComponentValue("Letters")}-${revisionComponentValue("Numeric")}-W
Expression Evaluator showing revision component values returning T-016-W

Use nextRevisionComponentValue when you need to preview the next formatted component values without changing the file. In the same scheme, the next values evaluate to U and 017, producing U-017-W.

${nextRevisionComponentValue("Letters")}-${nextRevisionComponentValue("Numeric")}-W
Expression Evaluator showing next revision component values returning U-017-W

Revision function names are case-insensitive, but the documentation uses lowercase names for consistency.

File Context

Some expressions need a selected PDM file or folder to return a meaningful result.

Examples:

Expression Needs file or folder context
$fileName Yes
$filePath Yes
$folderPath Yes
$(Description) Yes
${revision()} Yes
${nextRevision()} Yes
${revisionComponentValue("ComponentName")} Yes
${revision("C:\Vault\File.pdf")} No, if the path is complete and the vault is logged in
$vaultName No, if logged in
$vaultRootFolder No, if logged in
$date No
$guid No
$tempFolder No
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