Automatically import your files into Lightning

Created On2026-07-08

Last Updated On2026-07-14

When you purchase our Fastener Models, either as a single standard or as a collection, we include an XML file in every subfolder.

The filename will be “Lightning-ImportSettings-” followed by a number. The number has no meaning; it is there to make every filename unique for PDM. Example:

Lightning-ImportSettings-123.xml

This XML file tells Lightning how to import these models. It contains:

How the filenames are structured
The fastener type
The thread type
A description
The preferred thumbnail

Example content:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<ImportSettings xmlns:i="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
  <ConfigurationNamePattern></ConfigurationNamePattern>
  <FastenerType>Washer</FastenerType>
  <FilenamePattern>[Standard]-M[Diameter]-[Material]-[Coating]</FilenamePattern>
  <ThreadType>None</ThreadType>
  <CustomPropertyName></CustomPropertyName>
  <CustomPropertyPattern></CustomPropertyPattern>
  <Description>Spring lock washer</Description>
  <ThumbnailImage>SpringWasher</ThumbnailImage>
</ImportSettings>

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>

<FastenerType>Washer</FastenerType>

<FilenamePattern>[Standard]-M[Diameter]-[Material]-[Coating]</FilenamePattern>

<Description>Spring lock washer</Description>

<ThumbnailImage>SpringWasher</ThumbnailImage>

</ImportSettings>

Some file and folder names contain a material and a coating name, while some do not contain a coating. Therefore, every XML file is unique.

Create your own XML files

If you are not using our fastener files but you want to import your own models into Lightning, that’s also possible. We explain how to do this in How to store patterns in XML files.