How to Manage Files

How to Manage Files

Getting Started

Managing Files in CAD ROOMS

Overview

CAD ROOMS provides two ways to manage your engineering files: the Web App and the Desktop App.
  • The Desktop App is recommended for engineers working with CAD files locally.
  • The Web App is ideal for review, collaboration, and file access without installation.
For day-to-day engineering work, the Desktop App is the recommended workflow. It integrates with native CAD tools and automatically synchronizes local changes with the cloud.
This guide explains how to manage files in both environments and when to use each one.

Managing Files in the Desktop App

Desktop App is the primary environment for daily engineering work.

1️⃣Create a Project

You can create a project:
  • From the Web App
  • Or directly from the Desktop App interface
Once created, the project becomes available locally after synchronization.

2️⃣Open the Local Project Folder

You can open your local project folder in two ways:
  • From the System Tray → Workspace → Project → Open
  • From the Project Page → Open → Reveal Folder
This opens a standard Windows folder that mirrors your cloud project.

3️⃣Check Out Files Before Editing

Before modifying a file:
  • Check out the file to lock it
  • This prevents editing conflicts
Only files checked out by you can be modified or deleted.

4️⃣Edit and Save Normally

  • Open the file in your native CAD software
  • Make changes
  • Click Save
The Desktop App detects modifications automatically.
No manual upload required.

5️⃣Contribute Changes

After saving:
  • Click Contribute
  • This creates a new version in the cloud
Version control runs automatically in the background.
💡
Understanding Staging
After files are added or modified locally, they appear as staged changes.
Staged files mean:
  • The file has changed locally
  • The change is detected by CAD ROOMS
  • The change is not yet part of the official project history
Staging gives you a chance to review and group changes before submitting them.

6️⃣Delete Behavior

Files can be deleted:
  • Via right-click in the Desktop App
  • Or directly in the local folder
Important:
  • The file must be checked out by you
  • Deletion is staged
  • You must click Contribute for the deletion to be applied to the cloud
Local deletion alone does not immediately remove the cloud version.

7️⃣Automatic Synchronization

The Desktop App automatically:
  • Pulls updates made in the cloud
  • Pushes contributed changes from your local machine
This keeps your local project folder and cloud workspace aligned.

Managing Files in the Web App

The Web App is optimized for browser-based access and collaboration.

Upload Files

  1. Go to your Workspace, then open the target Project
  1. Navigate to the Files tab
  1. Choose one of two upload entry points:
      • Click Add (top-right) → select your file(s)
      • Right-click anywhere in the Drive area → select Upload File → select your file(s)
  1. In the Upload File popup:
      • Select the target folder (or leave it blank to upload to the project root)
      • Remove any unwanted files using the X button
  1. Click Upload to confirm
✔️ Supported formats: 35+ CAD and design file types (e.g., STEP, IGES, STL, DWG, etc.)
💡 Tip: Uploading a file does not automatically create a tracked version. Files remain uncontributed until you complete the Contribute step.

Download Files

To download a file:
  1. Right-click the file
  1. Select Download
Files are downloaded manually.
Unlike the Desktop App, downloads are not automatically synchronized.

Share Files

Users with sharing permission can:
  • Open a file in the CAD Viewer
  • Click Share
  • Enter an email address
Used for internal or external collaboration.

View Revisions

Right-click a file → Revisions
You can see:
  • Version number
  • Contributor
  • Date
  • Description

Delete Files (Web Behavior)

Right-click → Delete
You can delete files if:
  • They are uncontributed
  • They are checked out by you
If the file is checked out by another user, deletion is not allowed.

Basic Organization

In the Web App you can:
  • Create folders
  • Rename files
  • Move files
  • Manage permissions

Recommended Workflow

Use Case
Recommended Method
Day-to-day CAD work
Desktop App
Large CAD projects
Desktop App
Initial setup
Desktop App
Quick document upload
Web App
Reviews & collaboration
Web App
For core engineering work, the Desktop App provides better performance, structure, and traceability.

Best Practices

  • Work directly from the local synchronized folder
  • Check out files before editing
  • Contribute changes regularly
  • Group related changes into a single contribution
  • Avoid leaving large staged changes for long periods

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