Get the latest files¶
Get Latest pulls the newest published state from GitHub into your working folder, so you're editing against your teammates' most recent work.
Prerequisites¶
- You are signed in to a repository.
- Ideally no SolidWorks documents from this repository are open with unsaved changes.
Steps¶
- In the task pane top bar, click Get Latest (the cloud-download icon). A blue count badge on the icon (e.g. 3) means a teammate added or changed that many content files you haven't pulled yet. Hover the icon for a breakdown by type, for example:
5 files updated on GitHub — Get Latest to download • 3 CAD (2 parts, 1 assembly) • 1 PDF • 1 STEP Get Latest downloads all of them.
The badge counts real files you'd want — parts, assemblies, drawings, library parts, PDFs, STEP/IGES, and other documents — but not GitM's internal bookkeeping (thumbnails, BOM data, the part-number registry). If teammates only changed that internal data, the badge stays empty; Get Latest still pulls it down when you click. 2. If you have uncommitted tracked changes (files with unsaved modifications or staged local versions), GitM blocks the pull with a "Check In or Discard First" dialog. The dialog lists the specific files with unsaved changes so you know exactly what to resolve. Check In or Discard those files first, then try Get Latest again. 3. Untracked files do not block Get Latest — they are carried through a pull safely. The only exception is if a remote-added file has the exact same path as one of your untracked files; GitM surfaces that collision with a message explaining which file to move or check in.
Expected result¶
- Your working files update to the latest published state.
- The Files and Snapshots tabs refresh to show the new state.
- The blue count badge on the Get Latest icon clears.
When to use it¶
- When you start a work session.
- When you see a count badge on the Get Latest icon (new content files on GitHub).
- When you're told a teammate published something you need.
- Before publishing a snapshot, if a previous push was rejected because the remote moved ahead.
GitM checks for updates in the background on a timer (configurable under Settings → Preferences → Check for Updates, default: every 5 minutes). That background check runs a read-only fetch — it updates the awareness count badge only and does not change your files. Getting the actual files is always an explicit Get Latest.
Troubleshooting¶
| Symptom | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| "Check In or Discard First" dialog | You have uncommitted modifications to tracked files. | Check In those files (or Discard changes), then Get Latest. |
| "a new file on GitHub has the same name as an untracked local file" | A path collision between a remote-added file and your untracked file. | Move or rename your untracked file, then Get Latest. |
| Get Latest warns about local versions | You have unpublished Save Local Version checkpoints. | Check in first, or accept the warning to keep them through the pull. |
| Pull reports a conflict | The same file changed locally and remotely. | Resolve as use-mine / use-theirs; see Troubleshoot everyday issues. |
| Files still show placeholders after Get Latest | Get Latest pulls versions, not bytes. | Make available on this PC for files you need to open. |
Known limitations¶
- Get Latest updates pointers/versions; it does not force-download every file's bytes. Placeholders stay placeholders until you make them available.
- On a poor connection a large pull can take a while; it runs without a short timeout so it completes rather than failing fast.