Table of Contents

PDMShell Changelog And Release Notes

Track PDMShell releases, new command-line features, SOLIDWORKS PDM add-in updates, script library templates, bug fixes, and upgrade notes.

Important

PDMShell 4.0.50 and newer use a signed per-user installer. Updates replace the existing installation automatically without requiring a manual uninstall or administrator privileges.

4.0.94 (2026-10-07)

  • Added highlighted code editing, autocomplete and readable expression quotes, with Raw view and Copy executable script.
  • Restored left-drag panning; added Ctrl-drag rectangle selection, Ctrl+Shift additive selection, group movement and a shared Delete command with confirmation.
  • Added double-click visual-name editing, saved with document metadata without changing executable commands. Enter/click-away saves, Escape cancels, and blank restores the default.
  • Added validated IF handler renaming, adaptive connector sides and obstacle-aware routes. Fixed pointer-centered mouse-wheel zoom and the low-zoom text-height exception.
  • Enabled multiple folders in the run picker. Added Download CEX and revised vault settings, plus a troubleshooting-guide alert after setup failure.
  • Updated the editor/setup guides with screenshots rendered from the current application controls using sample data. No live-vault execution is implied by those captures.
  • Standalone/add-in assemblies: 4.0.94.0; vault add-in version: 4094.

4.0.93

  • Fixed Create log file (dump / dmp) month/minute placeholders, invariant filename formatting and literal Windows path backslashes.
  • Included session history and accumulated script output. Unique temporary files and atomic publication protect existing logs from incomplete writes.
  • Improved vault destination checks and add/checkout/check-in failure reporting. Protected checked-out working copies and unversioned local files; kept dmp usable during cancellation finalization.
  • Added 159 automated log-command checks using files and simulated PDM failures, not a production vault.

4.0.92 (2026-10-06)

  • Added Run from here and Run this action only to visual action context menus, with the same colors, icons, target options and recent files as the top Run menu.
  • Run an exact source snapshot without replacing or saving the complete script. Confirm skipped setup and possible file/vault changes before starting; normal licensing, permissions, target selection and Stop behavior still apply.
  • Preserve complete containing IF/Else blocks. UNTIL and explicit-jump scripts require the full Run menu. Stale selections and duplicate pending runs are rejected.
  • Added regression coverage for all six run targets, nested conditions, cancellation and light/dark menu parity. Standalone/add-in assemblies: 4.0.92.0; vault add-in version: 4092.

4.0.91 (2026-10-06)

  • Fixed an installer self-lock: the wrapper and embedded setup use Temp as their working directory rather than holding the existing installation directory open.
  • Added Processes blocking installation with process names, PIDs, paths, reasons and Recheck.
  • Added explicitly confirmed Close application, Force terminate… and Restart Explorer… actions. Identity is checked again before acting; services, critical processes and unsafe targets are not controllable. Nothing closes automatically, and actions do not automatically retry installation.
  • Report incomplete scans, explain MCP server relaunches, and include the installer log location in failure details. Other applications or directory handles can still block an update.

4.0.90

  • Added explicitly confirmed vault add-in repair, including same-version reinstall and repair after failed inspection. Inspection, installation and verification each run in a separate process.
  • Retained login, Edit add-ins permission, payload validation and known-downgrade protection. Unknown-version repair warns that replacing a newer installed version cannot be ruled out.
  • Improved diagnostics with the stage, worker, exception type, HRESULT and dependency filename when available. Failed verification reports an uncertain outcome without automatic retry or rollback.
  • Expanded MCP and embedded AI expression discovery to all 35 evaluator functions and aliases, placeholders, variables, regex, revisions, context requirements and side effects.
  • Fixed task import button caption contrast.

4.0.89

  • Disabled Prefer 32-bit for standalone PDMShell and managed helpers. AnyCPU runs as 64-bit on 64-bit Windows, addressing failures loading 64-bit PDM components during operations such as check-in.
  • Added build and packaged-executable architecture checks to prevent x86/Prefer 32-bit regressions.

4.0.88

  • Added upper and lower string functions, including nested expressions and empty values. Casing is invariant; ordinary evaluation preserves the original text's casing.
  • Fixed mkdir lowercasing absolute vault folder names. Root comparison is case-insensitive with a directory boundary; the remaining path keeps its spelling.
  • Preserved literal backslashes during mkdir directory evaluation.

4.0.87

  • Fixed a stack overflow before showcard opened a file or folder data card.
  • Preserved UI-thread dispatch, return values, exception propagation, card save behavior and vault permissions.

4.0.86

  • Redesigned local license-key removal with readable light/dark colors and explicit Cancel / Remove key actions. Removing a saved key does not deactivate the license or change vault licensing.
  • Replaced the task's bare saved-vault-script picker with a searchable list, read-only preview, counts and empty states. Import copy stores an independent task snapshot without changing the vault original.
  • Improved confirmation defaults, task picker keyboard navigation and resizable layout without adding editor dependencies to the lightweight add-in.

4.0.85 (2026-10-05)

  • Redesigned Evaluate: start with sample text and $value, use optional PDM context, choose examples, press Ctrl+Enter, and copy results.
  • Improved light/dark appearance and compact-window scrolling, with Evaluate and Close always available in the footer.
  • Aligned the splash progress indicator with the footer divider and retained the Blue Byte Systems branding.
  • Standalone/add-in assemblies: 4.0.85.0. Vault add-in version: 4085.
  • The proposed vault SQL Query Manager is not included. Do not use SQL=queryName as a released PDMShell feature.

4.0.84 (2026-10-05)

  • Added vault license management to standalone Settings > Vault add-in, with inline vault selection and Refresh vaults.
  • Redesigned the license manager into Licenses, Borrowed seats, and Offline activation tabs. Requires Edit add-ins permission; standalone machine licensing remains separate.
  • Added explicit Save changes. Activation/deactivation requests remain immediate and are not undone by Cancel.
  • Fixed URL-escaped installation paths containing spaces during add-in deployment.

4.0.83 (2026-10-05)

  • Moved all script, visual, condition and AI editing to standalone PDMShell. Removed the editor menu and editor-only dependencies from the vault add-in.
  • Kept task setup/execution, commands/events, licensing, permissions and performance tools in the lightweight add-in.
  • Task setup now imports a standalone file or saved vault script into a read-only, selectable preview. Save task properties to persist this independent copy; later source edits do not update it.
  • Reduced the add-in's DLL count from 43 to 26. Preserved saved scripts, layouts, document filters and folder options.
  • Added a narrowly scoped compatible PDM interop fallback. This does not repair arbitrary COM registration or cache issues.

4.0.82 (2026-10-05)

  • Kept Install / update available without first running Log in and check, and restored it after failed or cancelled checks.
  • Retained permission, confirmation, installed-version and downgrade checks. Busy operations still disable duplicate requests.

4.0.81 (2026-10-05)

  • Isolated add-in checks, installation and verification in separate short-lived processes.
  • Removed the obsolete PDMShell task-input dialog and $(InputName) input-token suggestion. Preserved normal placeholders and saved scripts.

4.0.80 (2026-10-05)

  • Unified standalone and vault script editing in the main window. New, Open, and Save offer both document types; the separate standalone Vault Script Editor toolbar button is removed.
  • Added a resizable, gear-labeled Script settings sidebar for vault script names, execution options, menu/event triggers, conditions, and permitted users/groups.
  • Scripts open in visual view first. Code view remains available, and AI Use draft… reveals the code area without running or saving the draft.
  • Vault scripts save explicitly with their settings. Saving preserves unrelated library entries and checks for changes made since the selected script was opened. Unsaved-change prompts protect drafts when replacing or closing them.
  • Added Delete… to the vault script picker, with confirmation, permission checks and stale-script protection. Deletion is immediate and cannot be undone by closing the picker.
  • Fixed Script settings button alignment, expandable header contrast, and white text on blue Conditions buttons in both themes.
  • The PDM Explorer add-in editor remains available for compatibility. Assemblies are 4.0.80.0; vault add-in registration version is 4080.
  • See Save and open scripts and Vault scripts and Script settings for the updated workflow and screenshots.

4.0.79 (2026-10-05)

  • Fixed ChatGPT session tools with current Codex runtimes, retaining tool approval, validation, cancellation and duplicate-call protection while keeping shell access disabled.
  • Added an early diagnostic for a disabled tool dispatcher.
  • Added full-line # comments, including indented comments, to the visual script editors. Comments remain in the source and do not count as executable actions; hashes inside command values remain unchanged.
  • Enabled main-session script text editing, locked while a script runs.
  • Use draft… copies into the editor and expands its code area, including after the console was maximized, without running or saving the draft.
  • Assemblies are 4.0.79.0; vault add-in registration version is 4079.

4.0.78

  • Improved AI Preview inside PDMShell with saved ChatGPT, Claude, and Ollama connections that remember their selected model.
  • Added a compact provider-logo menu for switching AI providers. Switching providers starts a fresh chat.
  • AI replies now support selectable Markdown, including tables, lists, and code. Wide tables are easier to read in narrow panes.
  • Added Clear text to clear only the visible conversation. New chat resets conversation context and chat approvals.
  • Approval dialogs now show the command plainly, with options for read-only approvals and exact-command approval for the current chat.
  • Improved Claude response handling and the AI tool-status display.
  • Updated app branding and tightened the splash screen layout.

4.0.73 (2026-10-03)

  • Improved startup reliability.
  • Improved SOLIDWORKS macro-worker input handling.
  • Preserves more complete installed PDM version information.

4.0.72 (2026-10-03)

  • Added AI Preview inside PDMShell with ChatGPT, Claude, and Ollama support.
  • Added guided provider setup, model selection, streaming conversations, optional script sharing, and privacy notes.
  • AI can draft scripts for review, insert drafts into the editor, or run a reviewed draft in the selected session.
  • Added approval-controlled command tools so AI can inspect commands and request selected-session operations when enabled.
  • Added AI Preview to the Vault Script Editor for drafting and reviewing vault scripts.
  • Improved the AI pane layout, resizing, and visual editor integration.

4.0.71 (2026-10-03)

  • Improved recoverable-error handling across commands so command failures appear in the console without closing PDMShell.
  • Vault-dependent commands now require a vault login before execution. Supported offline commands remain available without a vault login.
  • After a command failure, progress stops, the console returns to Ready, and the failed input remains editable.
  • Operational errors are no longer incorrectly reported as license failures.
  • Removed misleading corrupted-installation advice from ordinary command failures. Truly fatal startup or runtime errors may still close the app.

4.0.69 (2026-10-03)

  • Script Libraries now load their catalog, icons, and help links from pdmshell.com.
  • Library errors now show which endpoint failed and keep the Refresh retry action.
  • Downloading or adding a library script still creates a draft only; it does not run automatically.

4.0.68 (2026-10-03)

  • Moved PDMShell documentation and in-app help links to https://pdmshell.com.
  • Legacy script-library documentation links redirect to the current site.
  • Licensing, purchase, offline activation, update, and download services are unchanged.

4.0.67 (2026-10-03)

  • PDMShell follows Windows light/dark app mode by default. Settings > Themes also offers Terminal Dark, Terminal Light, and Classic overrides.
  • Coordinated theme colors across the shell, Settings, licensing, Vault Script Editor, command picker, Script Library, Expression Evaluator, and Conditions dialogs.
  • Combined console output and command entry into a terminal-style area. Enter runs a command; Shift+Enter adds a line; Up/Down recall history. Autocomplete selects the first suggestion.
  • Added a resizable editor/console split and a Console header button to expand output or restore the default split.
  • Moved startup license/update notices to the bottom of the splash screen, with ten-second idle dismissal. Interaction keeps the notice open; toolbar actions appear only when relevant.
  • Fixed update detection to use the latest published feed entry instead of an erroneous historical version number.
  • Bundled the vault add-in and its dependencies in the installer. Standalone/MCP/add-in assemblies are 4.0.67.0; PDM add-in registration version is 4067.
  • Improved installer packaging checks for the bundled vault add-in.

4.0.66 (2026-10-02)

  • Released standalone and PDM add-in assembly version 4.0.66.0 with PDM add-in registration version 4066.
  • Added the Vault Script Editor workflow for managing vault scripts, visual code, script text, script settings, triggers, access, conditions, library drafts, and AI guidance from one editor window.
  • Added explicit vault-script draft behavior: new scripts are enabled by default, edits remain drafts until Apply changes, and running a draft can execute real commands before the draft is saved.
  • Added optional vault add-in installation/update from Settings > Vault add-in using the bundled VeloPack add-in payload, dependency set, and integrity manifest.
  • Updated Settings, License, Offline Activation, and AI Integrations pages with compact layouts, masked license fields, clickable offline activation links, and Codex/Claude local MCP setup panels.

4.0.65 (2026-10-02)

  • Added automatic CopyTree cleanup for newly created AddInSrv.exe helper processes after successful direct-file, normal-search, and CSV-driven copies, while preserving pre-existing helpers and logging cleanup failures without failing the copy.
  • Clarified copytree -search support for normal search queries and <Path.csv> CSV query input, including first-column CSV handling, = token assignment syntax, current-directory search scope, recursive subfolder behavior, and processing all matches for each CSV row.
  • Fixed search filtering so explicitly specifying AllVersions=True or AllVersions=False no longer causes other search tokens such as Name to be skipped.
  • Validated 337 CopyTree checks, live read-only normal searches, installer and add-in builds, and signatures for all packaged EXE/DLL files.

4.0.63 (2026-10-01)

  • Released standalone, MCP, and PDM add-in assembly version 4.0.63.0 with PDM add-in registration version 4063.
  • Added Claude Desktop connection repair and local MCP testing in Settings > AI Integrations, with configuration backups and protection for unrelated settings.

4.0.62 (2026-10-01)

  • Released standalone, MCP, and PDM add-in assembly version 4.0.62.0 with PDM add-in registration version 4062.
  • Improved runswmacro reliability for search and list workflows, including .swp, .swb, and DLL macros, corrected recursive search handling, and CSV list support with headers and quoted values.
  • Added isolated macro-worker execution for standalone, task, and MCP runswmacro calls, with per-file timeout handling, worker recovery, safer unsaved-document handling, and unknown dialogs left for user inspection.
  • Added runswmacro -csv reporting for successful, failed, and interrupted attempts, with incremental recovery output retained in the command log.
  • Improved MCP command metadata, CSV guidance, large-result pagination with pdmshell_read_result, vault-value discovery with pdmshell_discover_values, and password redaction.
  • Marked MCP commands without active implementations (toolbox, rebuild, and preview) as unavailable.

4.0.60 (2026-09-30)

  • Released standalone, MCP, and PDM add-in assembly version 4.0.60.0 with PDM add-in registration version 4060.
  • Added Codex integration for the local PDMShell MCP server alongside the existing Claude Desktop integration.
  • Added Settings > AI Integrations with Connect to Codex and Test local MCP connection actions.
  • Added installed-MCP switches for Codex setup and diagnostics: --configure-codex, --configure-codex-if-present, --unconfigure-codex, and --test-connection.
  • Preserved unrelated Codex configuration, comments, approval settings, and manual PDMShell entries while creating backups and logging setup failures without blocking installation.
  • Verified signed packages and automated MCP setup tests for this release.

4.0.59 (2026-09-28)

  • Released standalone version 4.0.59.0 and PDM add-in version 4059.
  • Added the optional -csv parameter to copytree for writing a successful-operation report with SearchItem, SourcePath, and DestinationDirectory columns.
  • Improved copytree search-batch performance by reusing one vault connection and copy worker, using search-result IDs directly, reducing UI updates, and adding completion counts and elapsed-time breakdowns.
  • Improved copytree dialog handling by disabling native CopyTree progress dialogs, retaining automatic Yes to All confirmation for search-based copying, and cleaning up confirmation handlers more reliably.
  • Corrected outside-vault CSV output handling by removing the incorrect "CSV is checked out" warning across affected commands while leaving existing vault-file warnings unchanged.

4.0.58 (2026-09-24)

  • Fixed copytree when used with -search so it now processes all matching search results.

4.0.57 (2026-09-23)

  • Added external filesystem move support to move with -fsSearch and -fsSearchDir, including recursive filename matching outside vault views and safeguards against overwrites, vault-boundary moves, and linked or reparse paths.
  • Improved command parsing so a parameter without a value no longer consumes the next parameter token, and parameter names are matched as exact command-line tokens.
  • Improved SOLIDWORKS automation ownership for commands such as rebuild, runswmacro, export, and Pack and Go so PDMShell closes only SOLIDWORKS instances and documents it owns and preserves the host SOLIDWORKS session when running inside SOLIDWORKS.
  • Improved PDM Task Setup resizing and layout, including high-DPI ElementHost layout, page switching, and file-extension filtering help.
  • Removed the legacy MSI/MSIX release pipeline; VeloPack is now the supported installer build path, with signed and timestamped package verification and safer output handling.

4.0.56 (2026-09-07)

  • Added a Release All Borrowed Licenses... add-in administration menu command for clearing active borrowed seats from the vault.
  • Fixed runtemplate when it runs from hosted task or add-in script execution by automatically confirming the PDM template Create or OK dialog.
  • Fixed transition when it runs from hosted task or add-in script execution by automatically confirming PDM transition dialogs for single-file, search, and source batch workflows.
  • Updated the PDM add-in description, add-in version, and 4.0.56 release assets.

4.0.55 (2026-08-26)

  • Made the SOLIDWORKS PDM Task Setup dialog resizable so larger PDMShell task configuration pages are easier to edit.
  • Improved the runtemplate silent workflow so PDMShell more reliably detects and confirms the PDM template Create or OK dialog.
  • Updated the PDM add-in version and refreshed the 4.0.55 release assets.

4.0.54 (2026-08-19)

  • Updated the PDM add-in to use the installed PDMShell application instead of carrying and extracting a separate PDMShell archive. It checks the current per-user installation first, then legacy Program Files installations, and shows installation guidance when PDMShell is missing.
  • Improved Script Editor and add-in handling when PDMShell is not installed by showing an installation prompt and linking users to the installation guide.
  • Fixed PDM command dialog ownership by standardizing parent window handle resolution across command implementations, including commands run from hosted scripts.

4.0.53 (2026-08-01)

  • Improved Claude Desktop setup during PDMShell installation and updates so stale pdmcli connections and development paths are replaced with the installed pdmshell connection.
  • Renamed the Claude tools with a consistent pdmshell_* prefix while retaining compatibility with their previous names.
  • Added clearer Claude tool titles, PDMShell product information, version details, and a help tool with documentation, troubleshooting, website, and licensing links.
  • Added PDMShell branding metadata and the PDMShell icon to the MCP executable.

4.0.52 (2026-08-01)

  • Added refresh for reloading current PDM file metadata and state without downloading or modifying files.
  • Added preview-first rollback with targets by version number, previous version, date, or revision name.
  • Added MCP progress updates and cancellation for commands run from Claude Desktop.
  • Improved command parameter controls so PDM file versions use numeric inputs, SOLIDWORKS versions show installed releases, and rollback flags use toggles.
  • Improved PDM Administration compatibility with other WPF add-ins by isolating PDMShell UI initialization and assembly resolution.

4.0.51 (2026-07-31)

  • Added Claude Desktop integration for discovering and running PDMShell commands, including command parameters and advanced searches.
  • Added automatic Claude setup, updates, removal, and version reporting through the bundled pdmshell connection.
  • Claude uses the existing local PDMShell machine license and the same PDMShell version.

4.0.50 (2026-07-31)

Important

PDMShell 4.0.50 introduces breaking changes for the update process. You must uninstall PDMShell 4.0.49 or older manually and download the latest version.

  • Replaced the legacy MSI distribution with pdmcli_installer.zip, containing the signed pdmcli_installer.exe.
  • Added a per-user installation under %LOCALAPPDATA%\Blue Byte Systems\PDMShell, including Desktop and Start menu shortcuts and a Windows Installed apps entry.
  • Improved installation, update, and uninstall handling so the PDMShell window does not open during setup operations.
  • Updated PDMShell Updater to download the ZIP to a temporary folder, extract it, install the update silently, and start the updated application.
  • Removed the updater's administrator requirement, UAC launch, and elevation shield UI.
  • Updated application lookup so PDMShell reliably starts the current installed version while remaining compatible with older Program Files installations.

4.0.49 (2026-07-30)

  • Updated file-specific placeholders, PDM variables, and expressions so they are evaluated when each script command runs instead of before the entire script starts.
  • Fixed command sequences such as setrevision followed by $Revision, $(Revision.@), or a revision expression so the next command reads the newly applied revision.
  • Applied refreshed file context to Visual Code Editor runs, runscript, add-in scripts, IF statements, and add-in condition evaluation.

4.0.48 (2026-07-30)

  • Added a Get trial license button beside Order license for direct access to the PDMShell trial license page.
  • Added an Open PDMShell... Administration command that launches the application bundled with the PDM add-in and uses the current vault's configured license mode.
  • Fixed cancellation so PDMShell returns to the ready state and hides the cancel action after a cancellation request.
  • Improved until conditions by refreshing PDM file state on every attempt and reporting each evaluated condition with its attempt number and pass/fail result.

4.0.47 (2026-07-28)

  • Added a per-script option that allows users to cancel command-menu and event-hook scripts from the progress dialog.
  • Added Cancel and title-bar close actions that request cancellation without reporting the script as failed.
  • Cancelling a before-event hook also cancels the pending PDM operation.

4.0.46 (2026-07-28)

  • Improved add-in command-menu and event-hook script startup by resolving selected PDM files and folders more efficiently and reusing them during execution.
  • Improved the optional script progress dialog with percentage, affected file or folder name, and a clearer command description.

4.0.45 (2026-07-28)

  • Improved nested expression evaluation so PDM variables such as $(Revision) are resolved before functions such as ${lookup(...)} run.
  • Updated add-in script conditions to use the same PDM variable, placeholder, and expression function evaluation as PDMShell scripts.
  • Improved file-specific script errors so PDMShell identifies the affected item and script line instead of continuing with an unevaluated command.

4.0.44 (2026-07-26)

  • Updated $userName and $username so they consistently return the logged-in PDM user instead of the Windows account.
  • Updated PDM user profile placeholders for full name, first name, last name, and email across commands, conditions, and add-in menu, event, and task scripts.
  • Kept $windowsUser as the explicit placeholder for the current Windows account.

4.0.43 (2026-07-25)

  • Added checkout-state expression functions for checking whether a PDM file is checked out, checked out by the current user, checked out by a named user, and identifying the checkout computer.
  • Added optional file-path arguments to checkout-state functions for evaluating another file.
  • Added checkout functions to the Expression Evaluator and PDMShell add-in Conditions editor autocomplete lists.
  • Added checkout-function evaluation to add-in menu, event, and task script conditions.
  • Added an administrator action for releasing stale borrowed add-in license seats.

4.0.42 (2026-07-25)

  • Improved PDMShell add-in script startup performance by reusing PDM user and group permission information during the add-in session.
  • Unrestricted menu, event, and task scripts now skip unnecessary PDM user and group permission lookups.

4.0.39 (2026-07-24)

  • Improved PDMShell add-in script startup performance by skipping autocomplete metadata loading during headless command-menu, trigger-point, and task execution.
  • Clarified add-in runtime documentation for headless execution, optimized autocomplete behavior, and license enforcement during background script runs.

4.0.38 (2026-07-24)

  • Improved until so PDM variable conditions are evaluated during the wait cycle instead of being resolved before the command starts.
  • Improved runscript and visual editor execution so quoted until -conditions expressions are preserved while file target parameters are still resolved for each run target.
  • Clarified checked-out file searches with Locked=true and LockedBy=user in the search token reference.

4.0.35 (2026-07-21)

  • Improved the showcard command window so the PDM data card content resizes with the parent dialog.
  • Improved showcard output so card progress, status, modified, and saved messages are returned to the PDMShell command output.
  • Updated $input(...) to support an optional default value, for example $input("Title", "Message", "Default value").
  • Updated $input(...) so closing the prompt warns that the return value will be cleared, with a Do not show this again option.
  • Added $state, $stateID, $workflow, and $workflowID to the Expression Evaluator autocomplete list.

4.0.34 (2026-07-21)

  • Added a Help action to the Expression Evaluator that opens the placeholder and function reference.
  • Improved Expression Evaluator maximize behavior so the window respects the Windows taskbar.
  • Added the ${lookup(csvPathOrPdmFileId, value)} expression function for returning a second-column CSV value from a first-column match.
  • Updated the placeholder and function reference with a ${lookup(...)} message-box example and screenshot.
  • Added file workflow placeholders: $state, $stateID, $workflow, and $workflowID.
  • Added $input(title, message) for prompting users for a value while a command or script is running.
  • Added the showcard command for opening a SOLIDWORKS PDM file or folder data card from PDMShell.

4.0.33 (2026-07-18)

  • Added a subtle animated PDMShell title-bar logo with hover feedback.
  • Added PDMShell actions to the main window system menu, including Run, Stop, New, Open, Save, Save As, and Expression Evaluator.
  • Added Recent files and Recent scripts submenus to the main window system menu for quick access to recently used run targets and scripts.
  • Added left-aligned native menu icons for PDMShell system-menu actions and recent entries.

4.0.32 (2026-07-18)

  • Improved the main window title bar by grouping command buttons in a single rounded toolbar beside the PDMShell logo.
  • Added hover labels to the title-bar command buttons so users can see each action without opening a menu.
  • Improved title-bar spacing around the PDMShell logo, command toolbar, and status/license area.
  • Updated msgbox so it still displays when -value or the evaluated message is empty.

4.0.31 (2026-07-14)

  • Added a new script toolbar button, recent file runs, and recent script loading in the Visual Code Editor.
  • Added Import and Export actions to the PDMShell add-in Script Editor so script entries can be backed up or moved between vaults.
  • Improved command parsing for expression values so spaces inside ${...} functions are preserved, including nested expressions such as ${inc(${regex(...)})}.

4.0.30 (2026-07-14)

  • Improved the Expression Evaluator window so users can switch back to PDMShell while it remains open, minimize it, and access it from the Windows taskbar.
  • Clarified PDM variable expression documentation: when reading file data card variables from the file @ tab, use the explicit .@ suffix, for example $(Description.@).
  • Added the ${serialNumber("SerialNumberName")} expression function for allocating SOLIDWORKS PDM serial number values in scripts and command values.
  • Improved visual editor script generation and loading for complex quoted expression values, including regex expressions.

4.0.29 (2026-07-13)

  • Improved license handling reliability.

4.0.28 (2026-07-10)

  • Added arithmetic expression functions ${inc(...)}, ${dec(...)}, ${add(...)}, ${sub(...)}, ${mul(...)}, and ${div(...)} for placeholder evaluation, including nested use with ${regex(...)} to increment counters inside values such as vA4-32(74).
  • Added a $value source selector to the Expression Evaluator so users can test expressions against sample text or a selected PDM variable without showing both inputs at once.
  • Updated the Expression Evaluator documentation and screenshot to show the simplified sample text and PDM variable workflow.
  • Clarified Premium licensing documentation so single-machine licenses are activated in the standalone installed PDMShell application, while pooled add-in licenses are activated from the PDMShell add-in license manager in the PDM Administration Tool.
  • Documented the Script Editor prompt that appears when saved add-in changes affect PDM menu commands or command hooks and Windows Explorer needs to restart.
  • Updated the PDMShell add-in Script Editor documentation and screenshot to match the current editor layout without the removed -minimized and -disableautologin options.
  • Moved the add-in workflow screenshots and explanation into the Script Editor article and reduced runtime execution references in the main add-in documentation.

4.0.27 (2026-07-08)

  • Added a PDMShell Download Center... add-in menu command that opens a Microsoft SharePoint folder with PDMShell .cex files for restricted or air-gapped environments.
  • Improved revision placeholder evaluation so ${revision()}, $revision, and revision component functions use the active PDM revision scheme formatting when resolving the current file revision.
  • Improved revision component parsing for formatted PDM revision schemes, including letter components, zero-padded numbers, hexadecimal numbers, and date/time format tokens.
  • Updated Expression Evaluator examples to show current revision values, current revision component values, and next revision component values against a selected PDM file.
  • Updated setvar documentation with an example that writes the next formatted revision value into a data card variable, clarified command-box quote escaping, and documented -stringformat None.
  • Added a dedicated dark license node conflict dialog with resources for pooled add-in licenses and machine licenses.
  • Added a main-window license banner for free-version usage or licenses expiring within 30 days, including a direct Order license action.
  • Updated license conflict wording to use node because a license can be active on a vault node or a single machine.

4.0.26 (2026-07-07)

  • Breaking change: PDM variable evaluation now uses $() expressions such as $(Revision.@) and $(PartNo.Default) for file variables, or $(Project) for folder variables. Bracketed text is treated as literal text, so folder names like [debugging] are no longer interpreted as variables.
  • Updated alias, setvar, runscript, generated script preview, and condition evaluation documentation to use the new PDM variable expression syntax.
  • File variables should use an explicit configuration suffix, such as $(Revision.@) for the file @ tab.

4.0.25 (2026-07-06)

  • Fixed placeholder evaluation when an alias is followed by an underscore or other non-alphanumeric separator, so file-context expressions such as $fileNameWithoutExtension_R_%.pdf resolve correctly in runscript, command alias evaluation, and generated script previews.

4.0.24 (2026-07-06)

  • Updated move so -search is always scoped to the current PDMShell directory and moves matching files to -directory; -source is used only when moving a specific file or folder.

4.0.23 (2026-07-05)

  • Fixed placeholder evaluation when an alias is followed by a file extension separator, so commands such as dump can now resolve paths like c:\Temp\membrane-$guid.txt.

4.0.22 (2026-07-04)

  • Improved placeholder evaluation so the Expression Evaluator, generated script preview, command alias evaluation, and conditions resolve the same common file, folder, vault, user, date, and environment placeholders.

4.0.21 (2026-07-04)

  • Added transition mode for direct file and search transitions so administrators can choose simple or references.
  • Updated the rebuild documentation to clarify that the command is reserved and not implemented yet.
  • Split add-in licensing guidance into a dedicated Licensing section with License Pool and Machine License articles.

4.0.19 (2026-07-04)

4.0.18 (2026-07-06)

  • Added revision-aware placeholder evaluation functions including ${revision()}, ${nextRevision()}, ${revisionComponentValue(...)}, ${nextRevisionComponentValue(...)}, revision component counters, revision scheme checks, and revision value validation.
  • Added optional file path support to revision evaluation functions so scripts can inspect the revision of another PDM file, such as a related PDF derived from the current file name.
  • Updated script evaluation so revision functions without an explicit file path are treated as file-sensitive and evaluate per selected file during script execution.
  • Improved revision function formatting so next revision values use the active PDM revision component format, including padded numeric formats and alpha formats.
  • Updated the Expression Evaluator documentation with revision function examples and file-context guidance.
  • Added until onTimeout behavior so scripts stop by default after a timeout while still allowing final cleanup commands, or continue when onTimeout continue is used.
  • Moved the Visual Code Editor generated script toggle beside the zoom controls so script preview is available where users manage the visual view.
  • Improved the Visual Code Editor generated script drawer by replacing the old tabs with a cleaner generated script header and a Checks status action.
  • Improved Visual Code Editor checks so the validation list is only shown when issues exist.
  • Updated the generated script preview to use a code font while keeping the command picker and visual command boxes in the normal interface font.

4.0.17 (2026-06-30)

  • 🎉 Added support for IF statements and conditions in the Visual Code Editor, including Conditions Met and Else branches during script execution.

4.0.16 (2026-06-30)

  • Improved runtemplate -silent confirmation so template dialogs can be confirmed with Create or OK buttons.

4.0.15 (2026-06-29)

  • Added the Offline Activation workflow in PDMShell settings for air-gapped or restricted computers.
  • Improved the Settings window with a separate Offline Activation section under license management.
  • Improved the Settings window license layout and made the license actions easier to scan and use.
  • Improved the bottom action buttons in the update and settings dialogs for clearer alignment, sizing, and visual consistency.

4.0.14 (2026-06-27)

  • Added Visual Code Editor UI support for IF statement nodes and branch layout. Runtime execution for IF statement branches is not enabled yet.
  • Added result shaping to advanced search queries with SortBy, SortOrder, GroupBy, DuplicatedBy, and Strategy so commands that use -search can sort, group, and keep or exclude selected results.
  • Improved advanced search documentation by splitting search tokens, variable search, result shaping, and search favorites into focused articles.
  • Improved multi-session tab behavior so each session keeps its own vault connection, autocomplete metadata, visual editor metadata, and Connect to Vault action.
  • Fixed tab switching issues that could replay output text or duplicate the welcome message.
  • Improved visual editor autocomplete loading for large vaults by showing busy status and staged progress while vault metadata is loaded.
  • Improved the update available dialog with dark release note styling, larger centered action buttons, an administrator privilege tooltip, elevated updater launch, and a Windows 11-style shield icon when running on Windows 11.
  • Fixed PDMShell Updater stability when the installer is canceled and when the updater is launched from PDMShell before uninstalling the existing version.
  • Updated msgbox so value and title support session-level placeholder evaluation such as $vaultName, $date, $time, $guid, and $tempFolder.

4.0.11 (2026-06-21)

  • Added documentation for the Expression Evaluator, including how to safely preview placeholder expressions against a selected PDM file or folder, use $value, choose configurations, and test string functions before running commands or scripts.
  • Added an on-demand PDMShell add-in script demo to the Command menu scripts documentation, showing how users can launch a rename script from SOLIDWORKS PDM without creating a PDM Task.
  • Updated the visual editor metadata for msgbox so the icon parameter appears as a single-select combo box with the supported message box icons.

4.0.10 (2026-06-18)

  • Added logged-in PDM user profile placeholders: $username.firstName, $username.lastName, $username.FullName, and $username.email.
  • Added a dark themed Expression Evaluator for testing placeholder expressions against a selected PDM file or folder before running a command.

4.0.9 (2026-06-18)

  • Added the pasteasshared command to share one file or search results into another vault folder.

4.0.8 (2026-06-18)

  • Added ${regex(value, pattern)} and ${regex(value, pattern, group)} placeholder string functions.
  • Added the Rename Before Dash script template to the PDMShell Script Library.
  • Fixed Script Library downloads so templates without a SOLIDWORKS macro no longer create or report an empty Macro.swb file.
  • Updated the AI Assistant toolbar button to open the hosted PDMShell Assistant website.

4.0.7 (2026-07-17)

  • Added the PDMShell add-in for SOLIDWORKS PDM (downloadable for Premium users).
  • Added the Script Editor for configuring PDMShell scripts from inside PDM.
  • Added script permissions for permitted users and groups.
  • Added script conditions that control whether a script should run for the selected file, folder, or command context.
  • Added right-click command menu support so configured scripts can appear as PDM menu commands.
  • Added PDM event trigger points so scripts can run on supported PDM command hooks.
  • Added condition test messages to help administrators validate scripts before production use.
  • Added pdmcli.exe -edit "script.pdmshell" support to open a script in the visual editor without executing it.
  • Added headless mode support for add-in automation. Use pdmcli.exe -headless or enable Headless in PDMShell settings to start a lighter execution shell for automation runs.
  • Protected unsaved visual editor work by hydrating the editor from runscript only when the current editor is empty or clean.
  • Added a default check-in comment value of Checked by PDMShell in the visual command builder.
  • Changed wait to a fixed-duration pause and moved condition polling to the new until command.
  • Added session global variables with setglobal, getglobal, clearglobal, and ${global.Name} evaluation.
  • Updated the installer package for this release.

4.0.6 (2026-06-12)

  • Enhanced script execution for command-line and automation scenarios.
  • Added runscript -items for integrations that pass file and folder ID pairs.
  • Updated runscript so items, filePath, and search use the same placeholder and PDM variable evaluation path as visual Run command execution.
  • Added command-line .pdmshell detection so pdmcli.exe "script.pdmshell" runs the script and forwards supported parameters such as -items.
  • Added the Error Mode setting to script execution. Default mode reports missing-file delete operations as warnings, while Aggressive mode keeps the previous hard-error behavior.

4.0.5 (2026-06-10)

  • Enhanced script processing logic.

4.0.4 (2026-06-10)

  • Added and documented the wait command.
  • Added condition expression support for file/folder/process existence, variable and placeholder comparisons, grouped and / or logic, and arithmetic comparisons.
  • Simplified the Visual Code Editor wait conditions dialog to use a variable/placeholder field, operator dropdown, and conditional value field.
  • Expanded wait-condition placeholder autocomplete and runtime placeholder evaluation.
  • Fixed Visual Code Editor command node icon rendering.
  • Fixed visual script loading for root directory cd -directory "\" usage.
  • Improved setvar evaluation so $value falls back to an empty string when null or empty, and literal \n writes a real newline.
  • Updated pasteasreference behavior so source is the source file, search finds files to paste references to, and filePath is the reference to append.

4.0.3 (2026-06-04)

  • Rebuild release.
  • Fixed automatic login behavior when selecting or using vault view names.

4.0.1 (2026-06-03)

  • Bumped PDMShell project versions to 4.0.1.
  • Updated help output to organize commands by category.
  • Improved help responsiveness by reducing repeated UI updates and command metadata lookups.
  • Standardized command descriptions in PDMShell and aligned command documentation wording.
  • Added and documented the whereusedtree command for recursive where-used trees.
  • Improved Visual Code Editor script saving, loading, visual workflow restoration, and unsaved-change handling.
  • Added Visual Code Editor navigation controls such as zoom in, zoom out, and zoom to fit.
  • Added the Check In All Files script to the script library.

4.0.0 (2026-06-01)

3.0.71

  • Fixed solidworks exception with ruswmacrocommand
  • list parameter in runswmacrocommand now assumes first row is header
  • Improved cancellation message when the user cancels the search
  • Improved search with variables.

3.0.70

  • Fixed issue related to PDMShell staying in the task manager when it closes.
  • Add listreferencescommand command

3.0.66-69

  • Remove dialog when calling quit command
  • Fixed few issues with updater

3.0.66

  • Added dark mode to the updates available dialog
  • Added automatic update when you click on Yes, update right now in the updates available dialog

3.0.59-65

  • Added fallback logic for when addtovaultcommand fails.

3.0.58 (2026-03-23)

  • Added retry logic for verifying license due to server overload.

3.0.57 (2026-03-22)

  • dir: Fixed search bug causing dir listing to be incomplete.

3.0.56 (2026-03-22)

3.0.55 (2026-03-20)

  • Added a quick access button to PDMShell AI assistant

3.0.54 (2026-03-20)

  • deletefromsource: API workaround for IEdmBatchDelete3

3.0.53 (2026-03-18)

  • deletefromsource: Fixed some bugs

3.0.52 (2026-03-17)

  • internal build

3.0.51 (2026-03-17)

  • internal build

3.0.50 (2026-03-16)

  • updatesreferences: added csv to save output.

3.0.49 (2026-03-16)

  • Adding verbose logging to to addtovault
  • setvarfromsource: Added error message to error code.

3.0.48 (2026-03-15)

  • Minor change to addtovault: existing files found during add will be added to results file from parameter csv.
  • Added the PDMShell add-in to run scripts from PDM.

3.0.47 (2026-03-07)

  • Added edit token to search. This will force a check out and check-in when using a PDM -search during any command.
  • Added version to specify the version of SOLIDWORKS to use in export and runswmacro commands.

3.0.46 (2026-03-06)

  • Expanded source to take folder in move: This allow folders to be moved.

3.0.45 (2026-03-06)

3.0.44 (2026-03-03)

3.0.42 (2026-03-02)

  • Small bugs fixes with the csv parameter in addtovault
  • If you specify the word "DELETE" in the value of the custom property in the propertymap, PDMShell will delete the property prior to adding the file.

3.0.41 (2026-03-01)

  • Added propertymap parameter to allow to set custom property prior to adding files to vault from a csv file.
  • Changed list parameter in addtovault to map

3.0.40

3.0.39

Ghost builds

3.0.38 (2026-02-26)

  • Added update parameter and changed the logic refresh parameter DocManProps: Update now updates the files and refresh refresh the csv.

3.0.37 (2026-02-25)

  • Added list parameter to addtovault: CSV mapping file list
  • Added batch parameter to addtovault.
  • Improved performance with large data sets addtovault.

3.0.36 (2026-02-24)

3.0.35 (2026-02-23)

3.0.34 (2026-02-23)

  • Fixed bug when enumerating large data volume DocManProps.
  • pdmcli.exe now signed with a verified publisher.

3.0.33 (2026-02-21)

  • Fixed escape and unescape bug in default mode in DocManProps command.
  • Add extensions parameter to DocManProps command.

3.0.32 (2026-02-20)

3.0.31 (2026-02-20)

3.0.30 (2026-02-17)

3.0.29 (2026-02-16)

  • Minor changes and updates to the docs.

3.0.28 (2026-02-11)

3.0.27 (2026-02-09)

3.0.26 (2026-01-05)

  • Happy New Year 2026!
  • get command: Directory parameter is now optional. If not specified, the file is cached in its folder. If specified with an empty value, the file is cached at the root of the vault.
  • Update tooltip for the source parameter in the clear cache command

3.0.25 (2025-12-23)

  • No added commands or bug fixes.
  • Updated parameters tooltip in addtovault, rename, cd and others.

3.0.24 (2025-12-22)

  • parameter tooltips (little box that shows up next to the parameter when you type in the command box) are now uniaue for each command. Over the next releases, we will update all tooltips for all parameters to make them more clear. The same parameter can be used in multiple commands having different function in each.

3.0.23 (2025-12-20)

3.0.22 (2025-12-19)

3.0.21 (2025-12-18)

  • Fixed single instance bug. All commands are now executed sequentially. Output is not during commands execution anymore. This was in 3.0.19 and 20
  • Added getoptions in Get
  • Added checkoutoptions in Checkout

3.0.20 (2025-12-12)

3.0.19 (2025-12-11)

  • Added winlog parameter for pdmcli.exe. See remarks section of dump command.
  • Fixed single instance bug. All commands are now executed sequentially. Output is blocked during commands execution.

3.0.18 (2025-12-08)

  • Rebuild. Previous faulty build.

3.0.17 (2025-12-08)

  • Fixed single instance issue related to Windows enviornment variables
  • Added note for solidworks and pdmparameters in the Version command: RESERVED FOR FUTURE. NOT IMPLEMENTED

3.0.16 (2025-12-07)

3.0.15

  • skipped

3.0.14 (2025-12-05)

3.0.13 (2025-12-04)

3.0.12 (2025-12-03)

3.0.11 (2025-12-02)

3.0.10 (2025-12-01)

  • Rebuild

3.0.9 (2025-12-01)

3.0.8 (2025-11-30)

  • Fixed unhandled exception when license is limited that causes a crash in all commands
  • Fixed evaluation bug (order)
  • Fixed some minor bugs in BOM command

3.0.7 (2025-11-29)

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