Skip to main content
5-Regular Member
July 16, 2026
Question

Config.pro won't update

  • July 16, 2026
  • 14 replies
  • 214 views

Hi folks,

I’m running Creo Parametric Educational Edition 12.4.0.0. and I’m having issues with my config.pro file.

I’m trying to turn on “tol_display” so that I don’t have to manually turn it on every time I create a drawing. Up to this point I go into the Configuration Editor make my change, export the updated file to the “C:\Program Files\PTC\Creo 12.4.0.0\Common Files\text” folder but nothing happens. Whenever I create a new drawing, I have to manually turn on tol_display for that session. Inside the new config.pro file it’s set to “tol_display yes”.

So why isn’t Creo reading the updated configurations from Config.pro?

14 replies

12-Amethyst
July 16, 2026

I’m using the “commercial” version, the shortcut to start Creo has a “Start In:” path. I always put my settings files there, that way they are loaded every time when starting Creo.

6-Contributor
July 16, 2026

Hi,

Instead of editing the config.pro file inside the Creo installation folder, create a new config.pro file in your Windows user folder.

For example, create the file in C:\Users\your_username\config.pro.

Inside this file, add the following option:

tol_display yes

Save the file and completely restart Creo Parametric.

5-Regular Member
July 16, 2026

Thanks for the reply! 

I just added it into my designated “Start In” folder and it didn’t work. Anytime I create a new drawing “Tolerance” box is still greyed out.

KenFarley
21-Topaz II
July 16, 2026

As others have stated, in the shortcut you use to start Creo, there is an entry for “Start In” which designates the initial working directory. That is where Creo expects to find a config.pro file, if it is expected to use one. The default Start In is, I believe, something like your Users\username\Documents directory, or something like that.

I think most people have a specific directory they will use for Creo (mine is C:\ptc) as the Start In. That way you can put your config.pro in there, as well as the other many configuration and other files you might be using. You can have directories for start parts/assemblies, materials, etc.

5-Regular Member
July 16, 2026

Thanks for the reply Ken! 

I just added it into my designated “Start In” folder and it didn’t work. Anytime I create a new drawing “Tolerance” box is still greyed out.

KenFarley
21-Topaz II
July 16, 2026

I’m sorry, the tol_display setting needs to be in a different file, one that specifies your desired defaults for drawings. It’s called drwsetup.dtl. The way this stuff is setup for me is:

 

config.pro has line

drawing_setup_file              c:\ptc\DefaultFiles\drwsetup.dtl

 

drwsetup.dtl has line

tol_display yes

5-Regular Member
July 20, 2026

I really appreciate the advice Ken, so thanks for weighing in again. Unfortunately I still haven’t gotten it working as the tolerances are still greyed out.

 

I created a second file “drwsetup.dtl” in my startup folder and threw in “tol_display yes”. In addition to that, I added “drawing_setup_file c:\temp\drwsetup.dtl” into the config.pro files in the startup folder (called “temp”) and again into the original location (C:\Program Files\PTC\Creo 13.4.0.0\Common Files\text). 

17-Peridot
July 21, 2026

If you look at the loaded config.pro do you see this.

and 
if you look at the drawing setup of the active drawing do you see this

 

The DTL file is copied into the drawing on creation and is not updated after that. 

 

5-Regular Member
July 21, 2026

Hi Bryan!

Regarding picture 1, upon opening the config file I do see tol_display is set to yes.

 

 

RE picture 2, underneath Active Drawing, it’s set to no by default. I have to change that every time I make a new drawing.

 

MikeBennett
17-Peridot
July 21, 2026

Hi ​@A_Gaillard

I think you’re missing one last step from all the previous assistance.

the config.pro tol_display is for 3d models.

the detail option tol_display is for 2d drawings.

If you set tol_display in the .dtl file defined by config.pro drawing_setup_file, this will apply to new, empty drawings.

Changing .dtl options will not retroactively apply to existing drawings as the .dtl options are applied at drawing creation.  You can manually update existing drawings or reapply .dtl files through File > Prepare > Drawing Properties > Detail Options change > open a configuration file.  If you have multiple drawings that need to be updated, you could set up a mapkey to help automate the repeated task.

If you use a template drawing for new drawings, the new drawing inherits the detail options from the template, not from drawing_setup_file.  This means to change the option for new drawings which use that template, you should open the template drawing and update the tol_display option then save the template.  New drawings from this template will use the updated value.

 

I hope this helps but let us know if there are any further requirements

Mike

5-Regular Member
July 21, 2026

Howdy Mike!

Thanks for pitching in with the clarification. Unfortunately I’m still having problems when I make a virgin drawing from a new sample part. I’m not creating a drawing from a template either, just an empty A-sized drawing.

17-Peridot
July 21, 2026

Hi,

One other thought.

Its possible that the student license doesn't have pro_detail in it, which may allow for tol’s

can you start Creo and click File > Help > System information > System information.

That shoud list all the modules avalible

KenFarley
21-Topaz II
July 22, 2026

I don’t think there is a separate “module” for pro_detail anymore. I don’t remember it ever being something you had to load in - and we started with Pro/ENGINEER V10.

That being said, since it’s been so long, I don’t recall the settings needed to “activate” the tolerance display exactly, or more importantly the symptoms when they’re not set right. But I do believe it’s one of those things where you have to have the tolerances turned on in both the model and in the drawing? For example the part I’m making a drawing for has to have tol_display set to “yes” and the drawing also needs to have tol_display set to “yes”.

I think the previous replies explained these things, it’s just a matter of having them set in the right place and loaded in correctly.

Some possible reasons for someone’s settings being “ignored”:

  • The specification of the .dtl file might have spaces in the directory/file name. Creo is notorious for ignoring anything after a whitespace in a file/directory designation, sometimes. It might be necessary to enclose the setting in quotes.
  • If there’s something incorrect in the config.pro file prior to your tol_display setting, it might be failing and not getting to that particular setting. This might also be true for the drwsetup.dtl, too.
  • A classic error is having a setting for the parameter in the beginning of the file, not knowing that there’s another setting for the same parameter later in the file. It’s “last to set it wins” for parameter setting, so the last setting specified is what you end up with.
  • Typos or wrong specifications, i.e. if Creo is expecting a “yes” or “no”, having “true” probably won’t work.
  • If you’re doing things on a network that has common settings applied to all installations of Creo, like a classroom at a university or a lot of companies, there might be another config.pro or config.sup file that is overriding settings that you are making.
17-Peridot
July 21, 2026