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DriveWorks Pro 21
Autopilot

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DriveWorks Autopilot

DriveWorks Autopilot is a module of DriveWorks Pro that runs automatically to perform any or all of the following:

  • Process Specifications and generate documents (that are released to an automatic state in the Specification Flow).
  • Send Emails.
  • Generate SOLIDWORKS Files (requires SOLIDWORKS).
  • Generate 3D Preview files for rendering back to the 3D Preview Box (requires SOLIDWORKS when the 3D Preview Box is run in Autopilot Mode).

DriveWorks Autopilot Checklist

Check you have the following in place before DriveWorks Autopilot can generate the outputs:

  1. The Group and Projects are located so they that can be accessed by all required DriveWorks applications. See DriveWorks Data and Files in How To: Deploy DriveWorks Pro
  2. The machine DriveWorks Autopilot is installed on follows the recommendations. See Deployment Scenarios in   How To: Deploy DriveWorks Pro
  3. If you are using DriveWorks Autopilot for Design Automation purposes we recommend using a Fixed SOLIDWORKS licence.

Opening Groups

A Group is opened by one of the following methods:

  • The last group used can be set to open by selecting Automatically open last used group from the DriveWorks User Settings.
  • From the recent list
  • From the Group button

The Group button activates the Open Group Wizard when clicked. Or it will display a list of recently opened Groups by clicking the drop down arrow on the button.

Shared Groups

When Autopilot is connected to a Shared Group (through DriveWorks Pro Server) and a network connection issue occurs, the following message will be displayed:

This message will be displayed if Autopilot cannot reconnect after 10 seconds.

Any Autopilot functionality that requires connection to Pro Server will be unavailable until connection is restored.

Click Retry to attempt to re-establish connection.

If connection cannot be re-established clicking Quit will close the application.

If connection is re-established during display of the message, Autopilot will continue as usual.

This is designed to indicate network disconnects are occurring.

System Tray

System Tray

Once DriveWorks Autopilot is launched it will appear in the Windows System Tray.

Right click the icon in the System Tray to Start or Stop Autopilot.

A Group must be open to Start or Stop Autopilot.

DriveWorks Today

When the machine is connected to the Internet, DriveWorks Today will display dynamic community content containing useful links to information, news and events to do with DriveWorks.

DriveWorks Today also contains a list of your recent groups to make accessing them faster.

DriveWorks Autopilot Header Bar

The DriveWorks Autopilot header bar contains icons that will launch

Additionally the header bar displays the standard windows icons to the Help file, minimize and maximize the application and to close the application.

Task Explorer

The Task Explorer allows browsing between DriveWorks Today, Autopilot, Model Explorer, and Emails and Specification Explorer in the Specification stage.

Model Generation Order

DriveWorks Autopilot will give generation priority in the following order:

  1. 3D Preview - Any required generation coming from a 3D Preview control will be given top priority.
  2. Tags - Any components that have been tagged will be generated next.
  3. Date Released - The date a component set was released (oldest first) will be generated next.

Components Released before DriveWorks 15

Any components released before installing DriveWorks 15 will be generated before anything released after installing DriveWorks 15.

A mode of operation for the 3D Preview Box control to display 3D content.


This mode will create and render SolidWorks files using the specified engine.