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Miller PDF
Miller PDF
Before starting
-Turn off Command Manager
-Remove check in cmd mgr for weldments, mold tools, sheet metal.
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Customizing SolidWorks
• Newer Users
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Customizing SolidWorks
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Customizing SolidWorks
We will be talking about SolidWorks 2008 & 2009, but the items discussed
may apply to other versions as well.
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Customizing SolidWorks – Session Goals
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Customizing SolidWorks
Menus
• Standard Menus
• In-context menus
• Showing and hiding menu items
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Customizing SolidWorks - Menus
Standard Menus
• Before opening a part, assembly or drawing:
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Customizing SolidWorks – Standard Menus
View
File Edit
Standard menus:
-File: Create, Open, Save, Print files and access their properties
-Edit: Undo, Redo, Repeat Last Command, Cut/Copy/Paste, Suppress/Unsuppress,
Bend Table, Appearance
-View: Display, Modify, Hide/Show non-solid items, Task Pane, Appearance
callouts, Toolbars
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Customizing SolidWorks – Standard Menus (cont’d)
Tools Insert Help
Toolbox
Window
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Customizing SolidWorks – In-context Menu/Toolbar Examples
In-context menus are also called shortcut, or pop-up menus. They are activated with
a right-mouse-button click. Located above the in-context menu is the in-context
toolbar. This toolbar provides access to frequently performed actions for that
context. The tools in the context toolbar are a subset of items previously found on
the shortcut menus
They are called “in-context” because the items displayed differ depending on your
context. Your context changes when your cursor is over different types of objects,
and when different tools are active.
Show examples (use part1.sldprt – show solid / show sketch)
Depending on what tool may be active or inactive, and where the cursor is pointing
when the right-mouse-button is pressed, the user sees a different menu. The idea is
to give the user the most common commands for what they are doing, or where
their mouse is. Most of the time, a user should be able to right-click and quickly find
the next function they want to use.
It is also important to realize that in-context menus can contain commands that look
similar, but are really quite different. For example, a face is created by a feature,
and it contributes to a body. When we right-click on a face, there are commands to
affect either that face, or the feature that created it, or the body that it belongs to. To
help avoid confusion, SolidWorks groups commands together, giving each grouping
a BOLD title. When starting to use the in-context/shortcut/pop-up menus, make sure
the command you’re selecting is from the correct group of the menu.
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Customizing SolidWorks - Customize Menu
Tools
The graphic on the slide demonstrates removing the checks from each command
between and including ‘Measure’ and ‘Equations’.
Clicking away from the control list (in an empty space of the graphic area, for
example) implements the change.
The next time the tools menu is selected, those items are not displayed.
Of course, those items can be redisplayed by selecting ‘Customize Menu’ and
putting a check back in their boxes.
Demonstrate – use Part1.sldprt from previous example
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Customizing SolidWorks - Show All
We now have an option to either show all of the menu items, or to restore all of the
menu items to their default display state (not all menu items may be set to be
displayed by default).
Go to ‘Tools’, ‘Customize’ (or right-click in the toolbar area and select ‘Customize’,
or go to ‘View’, ‘Toolbars’, ‘Customize’) to bring up the Customize dialogue box.
Go to the last tab, which is ‘Options’.
Under Menu customization, the ‘Show All’ button will display all items on all
standard menus, and the ‘Reset to Defaults’ button will reset all standard menu
items back to their original display setting.
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Customizing SolidWorks - Customize In-context Menus
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Customizing SolidWorks - Show All
We have an option to either show all of the in-context menu items, or to restore all
of the shortcut menu items to their default display state.
Go to ‘Tools’, ‘Customize’ (or right-click in the toolbar area and select ‘Customize’,
or go to ‘View’, ‘Toolbars’, ‘Customize’) to bring up the Customize dialogue box.
Go to the last tab, which is ‘Options’.
Under Shortcut customization, the ‘Show All’ button will display all items on all in-
context/shortcut/pop-up menus, and the ‘Reset to Defaults’ button will reset all in-
context/shortcut/pop-up menu items back to their original display setting.
Demonstrate using Part1.sldprt file
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Customizing SolidWorks - Toolbars
Toolbars
• Heads-Up Tool Bar
• Standard vs Command Manager
• Icon Size and Tooltips
• Working with Standard toolbars
• Working with Command Manager
We will discuss:
•The head-up toolbar.
•The difference between standard toolbar configuration and the command manager,
as well as how to enable and disable the command manager.
•Changing toolbar icon size and the display of tooltips will be demonstrated.
•Turning standard toolbars on and off, as well as how to move and locate standard
toolbars.
•Adding and removing buttons from the toolbars.
•Changing the size of the Command Manager buttons (by showing/hiding the
description).
•Adding and removing toolbars to and from the Command Manager.
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Customizing SolidWorks - Heads Up Toolbar
The heads-up toolbar is a transparent toolbar in each viewport providing all the
common tools necessary for view manipulation.
Demonstrate – use Part1.sldprt file
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Customizing SolidWorks - Standard setup
Demonstrate opening tool bars, moving & docking – Use Std Toolbars.sldprt
file.
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Customizing SolidWorks - Command Manager
• One toolbar
• Always docked at top of screen (2008)
• Dockable on Left, Top or Right (2009)
• Contains multiple toolbars
• Tabbed interface
• Icon size can be changed
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Customizing SolidWorks - Enable/Disable Command Manager
When customizing toolbars, the first question to ask is whether or not to use the
Command Manager.
To enable or disable the Command Manager select ‘Tools’, ‘Customize’ (or right-
click in the toolbar area (not on the Command Manager) selecting ‘Customize’, or
select ‘View’, ‘Toolbars’, ‘Customize’). On the first ‘Toolbars’ tab, the first checkbox
is for the Command Manager. If there is a check in that box, the Command
Manager is in use, if there is no check in that box, the Command Manager is not in
use.
Note: Both the Command Manager and standard toolbars can be used at the same
time. This presentation will assume that only one or the other is being used at any
given time. Please feel free to enable/disable standard toolbars while using the
Command Manager.
When customizing Cmd Mgr tabs are grayed out if available but not selected.
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Customizing SolidWorks - Customize Command Manager
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Customizing SolidWorks - Working with toolbars
There are different ways to work with toolbars. Explain 3 ways to get into editing
toolbars.
Explain difference between ‘View’, ‘Toolbars’ and ‘View’, ‘Toolbars’ on View menu.
Moving toolbars around is as simple as drag and drop. If a toolbar is floating in the
graphics area, it can be moved by placing the cursor over the title bar on the
toolbar, pressing and holding down the left mouse button, and dragging the toolbar.
While dragging a toolbar around the screen, it can be docked on any side of the
graphics area. If the user drags it into the left or right portion of the toolbar area, it
will, at some point, snap into a vertical position. It can then be dropped, and it will be
docked there. It can then be easily dragged up and down the toolbar area. It can
also be dragged away from the toolbar area to either become free-floating or
docked somewhere else. Any toolbar can be docked on the top, bottom, left side, or
right side of the screen.
If docked, each toolbar will have a dotted line either at the beginning or the top
(depending on the orientation of the menu). When the cursor is over that line, it
changes to the pan symbol. At that point, the user can press and hold down the left
mouse button, dragging the toolbar. The toolbar can be dragged anywhere on the
screen. If the user drops the toolbar in the middle of the graphic area, it will float
there until the user drags it somewhere else or turns it off. When a toolbar is turned
off, then turned back on, it should reappear in its most recent position.
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Customizing SolidWorks - Customizing Toolbars
• Change shape/size
• Commands tab
• Select category
• Drag and drop icons to/from
toolbar
Floating toolbars can have their size and shape modified by placing the mouse
cursor over an edge of the toolbar and then pressing and holding the left mouse
button while dragging the edge of the toolbar box. Release the mouse when the
shape and size are what you desire.
To remove toolbar buttons from the toolbars, access the Customize dialogue box by
choosing ‘Tools’, ‘Customize’ (or right-click in the toolbar area (not on the Command
Manager) and select ‘Customize’, or select ‘View’, ‘Toolbars’, ‘Customize’).
Simply drag any button off of any toolbar into either dead space in the graphic area
or anywhere in the ‘Customize’ dialogue box. That’s it.
Demonstrate – remember drop down boxes – you can duplicate commands.
To add toolbar buttons to the toolbars, access the Customize dialogue box by
choosing ‘Tools’, ‘Customize’ (or right-click in the toolbar area (not on the Command
Manager) and select ‘Customize’, or select ‘View’, ‘Toolbars’, ‘Customize’).
Go to the second tab labeled ‘Commands’. Select a category from the list on the left
side of the box. Each category contains many buttons. To find out exactly what a
specific button does, select it. It’s description will show up in the lower portion of the
dialogue box.
Drag any button to the toolbar you want the button added to. A black line will
preview the location of the button once added. Drop the button, and it will be added
to that toolbar, in that spot. While the ‘Customize’ dialogue box is active, users can
also drag and drop buttons already on toolbars to reposition them.
You can create your own “Super Toolbar” using this method.
Flyout/dropdown buttons are individual toolbar buttons that actual contain entire 22
Shortcut Bar
Adding a sketch
Press the ‘s’ key to activate the shortcut bar. It appears near your cursor
position.
•Can be customized.
•Is context sensitive.
•Can save time – but takes a little getting used to.
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Shortcut Bar - Customize
• Press ‘s’
• Right click on toolbar
• Click Customize
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Shortcut Bar - Customize
• Drag ‘n Drop as
other toolbars
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Customizing SolidWorks - Task Pane
May be:
• Visible/hidden
• Expanded/collapsed
• Pinned/unpinned
• Docked/floating
• Cannot be user modified
The task pane is the expandable vertical area on the right side of the SolidWorks
window. It can be expanded by clicking any icon. It can then be collapsed by
clicking anywhere outside of the task pane. The task pane can be pinned by
pressing the push-pin button in its top right corner.
Cannot be user modified but may be modified by vendor (Solid Professor).
Demonstrate any file.
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Customizing SolidWorks - Industry Customization
• Adds/removes shortcuts
• Adds/removes toolbars
• Based on industry standards
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Customizing SolidWorks - Workflow Customization
Activating the a specific work flow customization will alter the tabs displayed on the
Command Manager, resources available in the task pane, and menu items available
on some menus.
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Customizing SolidWorks - Keyboard Shortcuts
• Print List
• Copy List
• Can assign your own
• Can edit existing
Some keyboard shortcuts are provided by default. The user can create their own or modify existing
ones. You can print a list of existing ones.
The copy command will copy the list to the clipboard where you can import it into Microsoft Word or
Excel, or other programs. Note: if you print or copy the list it can be lengthy. You may want to check
the ‘Only show commands with shortcuts assigned’ check box first.
To create your own keyboard shortcuts, access the ‘Customize’ dialogue box by choosing ‘Tools’,
‘Customize’ (or right-click in the toolbar area (not on the Command Manager) and select ‘Customize’,
or select ‘View’, ‘Toolbars’, ‘Customize’). Go to the fourth tab, labeled ‘Keyboard’.
On the Keyboard tab, first select a ‘Category’. The ‘Categories’ are the standard menus. All
Commands does just that – it displays all the commands.
Scroll through the ‘Commands’ list to find the specific ‘Command’ you want to create a keyboard
shortcut for, and select it. The cursor will be placed in the ‘Shortcuts’ column ready for editing. Any
keyboard shortcut assigned to the selected command will be displayed in the column labeled
‘Shortcut(s)’. You can assign more than one keyboard shortcut to the same command. Type in the
keyboard shortcut that you want to assign. (Any keyboard combination involving standard characters,
<CTRL>, <SHIFT>, or <ALT> can be used.)
The keyboard shortcut is created immediately. If the keyboard shortcut was created successfully, it
will be displayed in the ‘Shortcut(s)’ box. If the keyboard shortcut you typed in is already assigned to
another ‘Command’, a pop-up box will tell you which ‘Command’ it is assigned to and ask if you want
to reassign that shortcut to the new command. If you answer ‘Yes’, the shortcut will be deleted from
the old command and assigned to the new command.
Press the ‘Reset to Defaults’ button to return all the shortcuts to their default settings.
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Customizing SolidWorks - Supplied Shortcuts
This is a spreadsheet created using the copy button and then formatted in Excel.
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Customizing SolidWorks - Accelerator Keys
Accelerator keys are another keyboard shortcut available. Accelerator keys are
available for most menu items and dialog boxes and are indicated by underlined
letters. They cannot be customized!
To display the underlined letter for menus or dialog boxes, press Alt.
To access the menu or command, press Alt plus the underlined letter.
Note: Hold down the Alt key to make multiple selections. If you release the Alt key
the menu will close when pressed a second time.
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Customizing SolidWorks - System Customization
• System Options
» Tools
» Options
To implement an option just click the box beside it. If a checkmark appears in the
box it is “turned on”. Deselect to turn the option off. Click OK to implement your
choices. These settings will apply to the current and future SolidWorks sessions.
To find out what a particular option involves select the category in the left column
and click on Help.
Demonstrate – any file.
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Customizing SolidWorks - Default Templates
The default template options specify the folder and template file for automatically
created parts, assemblies, and drawings. You should set the path to the default
templates. I set mine outside of the current SolidWorks version path so they don’t
get overwritten on upgrades.
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Customizing SolidWorks - File Locations
File locations options are used to specify folders to be searched for the specific type
of document. Folders are searched in the order in which they are listed.
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Customizing SolidWorks - Feature Manager
• Redesigned Interface
• Hide/show
• Options
You can control what is displayed in the feature manager design tree by selections.
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Customizing SolidWorks - Feature Manager Transparent/Opaque
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Customizing SolidWorks - Backup/Recover
• Set path
• Set frequency
• Number of backups
Use this option to change the frequency and the path of the auto-recover info.
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Customizing SolidWorks - Hole Wizard/Toolbox Configure
2008
Interface
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Customizing SolidWorks - Hole Wizard/Toolbox Configure
User Access Control. If The Administrator has set a password, the user must log on
to be allowed to make changes. Notice left side of the screen is grayed-out – no
password has been set.
You can control how toolbox parts are handled from this area.
Notice read-only status buttons.
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Customizing SolidWorks - Hole Wizard/Toolbox Configure
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Customizing SolidWorks - Hole Wizard/Toolbox Configure
2009
Interface
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Customizing SolidWorks - Search
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Customizing SolidWorks - Collaboration
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Customizing SolidWorks - Advanced
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Customizing SolidWorks - Document Properties
There are tons of settings that the user can customize. Use the help function.
Changes to this page are reflected in the active document. You can also save the
detailing options in a document template.
Show some examples
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Customizing SolidWorks - Document Properties: Units
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Customizing SolidWorks - Templates
Part, drawing, and assembly documents that include user-defined parameters and
are the basis for new documents.
Once you get your system and document options setup the way you like them,
make a template file.
You can save multiple templates with different settings, such as:
•MM/inches
•Dimension standards: Extension line and break line gap
•Grid spacing
•Text scale
•Material density
•Etc.
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Customizing SolidWorks - Create a Template
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Customizing SolidWorks - Customizing Sheet Formats
Sheet size is selected when you start a new drawing. It can also be configured to be
selected when a sheet is added to a drawing (in Document Properties).
Demonstrate
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Customizing SolidWorks - Customizing Sheet Formats
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Customizing SolidWorks - System Properties in Formats
• You can link note text in the drawing sheet format to the value of a
document property, a custom property, or a configuration-specific
property
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Customizing SolidWorks - System Properties
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Customizing SolidWorks - Summary Information
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Customizing SolidWorks - System Properties
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Customizing SolidWorks - Copy Settings Wizard
Once you have tweaked your menus, toolbars, keyboard shortcuts, and possibly
macros, you won’t want to lose that work. You’ll want to save all of those changes.
That way, you can share your time saving tools with other users. In addition, when
you perform a full upgrade to the next full version of SolidWorks, you won’t want to
spend the same amount of time customizing again.
To preserve your customization you need to save your settings.
You can also restore those settings on your own computer, or another computer.
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Customizing SolidWorks - Copy Settings Wizard
Press the ‘Start’ button and find SolidWorks under ‘All Programs’. Go to the
‘SolidWorks Tools’ flyout. Select ‘Copy Settings Wizard’.
This launches the Copy Settings Wizard which is used to both save and restore
customizations.
Make sure that the ‘Save Settings’ button is pressed. Hit ‘Next’.
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Customizing SolidWorks - Copy Settings Wizard
On this page, the user can browse to select a location and name for the file which
will hold the customizations.
Also on this page, the user can select which customizations to save. The keyboard
shortcuts, menu customizations, system options, and toolbars can be saved
separately or together.
Pressing ‘Finish’ creates a file with the extension .sldreg. The customizations are
now saved. Double-clicking this file in the future will start the Copy Settings Wizard
to restore those settings.
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Customizing SolidWorks - Copy Settings Wizard
To restore customizations, make sure that you have the correct .sldreg file. Either
double-click that file, or use the ‘Start’ button. find SolidWorks under ‘All Programs’.
Go to the ‘SolidWorks Tools’ flyout. Select ‘Copy Settings Wizard’. This launches
the Copy Settings Wizard. Make sure the ‘Restore Settings’ button is pressed. Hit
‘Next’.
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Customizing SolidWorks - Copy Settings Wizard
If you did not double-click the .sldreg file to start this process, press the ‘Browse’
button and select the appropriate .sldreg file.
Select which customization(s) to restore on your computer. The keyboard shortcuts,
menu customizations, system options, and toolbars can be restored separately or
together. Hit ‘Next’.
Note version selection if saved under precious version!
Now select who to restore these settings to. Typically an individual user will select
‘Current User’. Administrators might restore settings to roaming profiles, or to
roaming profiles. Hit ‘Next’.
Finally, select whether or not to create a backup file. Hit ‘Finish’. The settings have
now been set on the current computer.
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Customizing SolidWorks
Topics we covered:
• Menus – Standard and In-context
• Toolbars – Standard, Heads-up, Command Manager and In-context
• Task Pane & Workflow
• Keyboard Shortcuts
• System Customization - Custom Templates
• Drawing Sheet Formats
• Copy Settings Wizard
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