CATI Tech Notes

Where is the Link Values option in SolidWorks 2012? It's back in SP1.0.

SolidWorks does listen to its customers.
In response to customer feedback, the Link Values feature has been brought back to SolidWorks 2012 SP1.0. Right click on a dimension and pink Link Value / Unlink Value.

Why was it replaced in the first place?
Here's some information on the reasoning to replace this feature and how to take advantage of the new capabilities:

Linked or shared values are used to link two or more dimensions without using equations or relations. Changing any one of the linked values would change the other to which it was linked. SolidWorks 2012 has made things even easier. SolidWorks 2012 provides a completely redesigned dialog box for creating and editing equations, global variables and dimensions. With this update, you can use global variables in the equations dialog / modify value dialog. Global variables are much easier to find, change, and manage than linked values.

How do I use a global variable to link dimensions?
1. Create a global variable Modify dialog box for dimensions. (Note: you can create and display a global variable in the Equations dialog box, but this way is faster.)

Double click on a sketch dimension to bring up the Modify dialog box. By typing the equal sign you indicate to the system that you will start an equation. After the equal sign you can start to type the name of the global variable. SolidWorks does not recognize this as a global variable until you click the small "Create Global Variable" button that appears as you type. As soon as you click on the button, the global variable is created and allows you to edit its value.

To the left of the dimension is a toggle button that shows the global variable or the value.

2. That's it! To set another dimension to that same value, type the equal sign and then pick your new global variable and click the green check mark.

When you change the value of either of these dimensions, both dimensions are changed to the new value because you are really changing the value of the global variable.

How do you remove the link to the global variable?
1. Double click on the dimension to display the Modify dialog box.
2. Click the toggle Global Variable button to show the global variable.
3. Highlight and delete it. Then, click the green check mark.

Neil Bucalo
Technical Analyst
Computer Aided Technology, Inc.

SolidWorks Sheet Metal and Flat Pattern View Direction

One of the questions that came out of one of our training classes today is “How does SolidWorks determine the direction of the view layout for the Flat Pattern view it automatically generates?”

So we started looking and trying out different options and here is what we found, prior to SolidWorks 2011 we were unable to specify a Grain Direction in a sheet metal part so the Fixed Face viewed Normal To was the direction for your Flat Pattern. With SolidWorks 2011 SolidWorks added a series of new properties for Sheet Metal parts that a lot of information that is useful for manufacturing. Two of the Properties are Bounding Box Length and Bounding Box Width and because of this SolidWorks now lines up your Flat Pattern view with the Length in the Y and your Width in the X directions, thus for many people not give them the desired view layout. So if you want to change this you can use the Grain Direction, found by editing the Flat Pattern feature, and selecting an edge or sketch line for the Grain Direction (X).

The alternative option is:

1. Select the view to rotate.
2. Select the Rotate View icon found in the Heads-Up Toolbar.
3. Enter the value of the rotation angle.

How Do You Batch Convert Files to the Latest Release of SolidWorks?

With each new release of SolidWorks, the file format is updated to take advantage of the latest performance upgrades, Each time a file is opened that has not been saved in the new release, a message will appear that this is an older file. Customer's continually ask what is the easiest way to convert all their files at once.

The Easy Solution - SolidWorks Task Scheduler
You can create a task to convert files from an earlier release of SolidWorks to the current release.  This optimizes them for the latest software enhancements. You can create a task to convert files on your computer or create a distributed task to run on a group of computers. You must have a SolidWorks Professional, SolidWorks Premium, or SolidWorks Office license to create a distributed task. In general the Task Scheduler should convert all the old version files.

Note: Please back-up all files before converting files. Once files are saved in the latest release, they cannot be opened in an earlier release of SolidWorks.

Click Start - All Programs - SolidWorks Install Directory - SolidWorks Tools - SolidWorks Task Scheduler

1. Click Convert Files on the sidebar, or pull down the Tasks menu and pick Convert Files.
2. In the Convert dialog box, type a title for the task or leave the default.
3. Select the files or folders you want to convert. Simply click the Add File or Add Folder button and select the files or folder to update and click Open. Repeat to select additional files or folders. If you do not want to include subfolders, uncheck Include subfolders. To delete a file or folder from the list, click its number or path, then click Delete.
4. Under Task schedule, set the Running mode (Specifies how often the task runs: Once, Daily, Weekly, or Monthly.), the Start time and the Start date.
5. For distributed tasks: Click Network Monitor if it is not running. Select Distribute Task. Click Network Test (recommended) to verify group read and write access to files and folders.
6. Click Options to change conversion options and backup locations.
7. Click Advanced to change the working folder, time-out values, and other options.
8. Click Finish.

I cannot install 32 bit SolidWorks on my 64 bit computer!

Due to architecture changes in the 64 bit window 7 machines, you are no longer able to install 32 bit SolidWorks on a 64 bit machine.  The installation manager will not allow you to even attempt the install.

This is only possible with Windows XP Professional x64 Edition operating system. The 32-bit version of SolidWorks cannot be installed on the 64-bit versions of Vista or Windows 7; the 32-bit Installation Manager blocks the ability to do so with these versions.

These rules apply to all SolidWorks releases.

Reordering an Assembly Feature Tree

A new final design rarely is achieved in a first go. It often takes some jumping around, some changes to get to that final result. An assembly feature tree in SolidWorks may end up with items listed in a "random / as developed" order. Later one might prefer to have the items listed in a different logic sense.

It a part Feature Manager Tree we know we can reorder features by simply dragging and dropping them up or down the part feature tree. Now there are issues, some order changes can have dramic positive or negative results and some attempts to reorder just don't work at first because of parent child relationships between the features.

The assembly Feature Manager Tree is similar but also another "level" of control. You can actually restructure the hierarchy of you assembly with the same drag and drop. That's really nice if thats what you wanted. It's really not so nice when you don't want to change the assembly hierarchy.

So how then does this work? The best thing to do when reordering any item in an assembly Feature Manager Tree is to hold down the Alt key before-during and until the drag and drop has completed. The result will be a simple reorder rather than a restructure of the hierarchy.

Note: The Alt key isn't always required, but even when it's not it still works. Where it really is necessary is; if your asm only has sub assemblies. Without the Alt key being used, dragging and dropping will always try to change the hierarchy. Trying to put a part between two subassemblies, will also not work without the Alt key. Again, it'll just try to rearrange the part "into" the subassembly rather than reorder. Trying to put an item after a subassembly will again default to changing the hierarchy rather than reorder.

More SolidWorks Tips for Microsoft Excel

Last week I posted links to tips for using Microsoft^® Excel and SolidWorks.  Here is a link to an additional 6 videos to help you use Excel with SolidWorks.

Watch Videos - SolidWorks Tips for Microsoft Excel Part 2

Microsoft^® Office Excel helps designers and engineers organize their design data, manage design information, and communicate statistics and ideas. Excel can also help solve difficult design problems. It can accelerate calculations as well as control all aspects of a SolidWorks model.

Watch Videos - SolidWorks Tips for Microsoft Excel Part 2

SolidWorks Engineering Tips for Microsoft Excel

One of the most popular, yet under-utilized, engineering tools is Microsoft^® Office Excel. Excel is far more robust than most people think. Are you missing a chance to improve your design productivity? Excel can accelerate calculations as well as control all aspects of a SolidWorks^® model. SolidWorks has put together a set of tips, in the form a few short videos, to help you use Excel to automate some of your daily engineering tasks.

Watch the Videos.

Video Highlights:

• input data more efficiently
• build easy-to-use interfaces
• utilize powerful functions for advanced calculations
• optimize how the data is displayed

Watch the Videos.

Watch these videos and be more productive today!

 

Jim TeDesco
Marketing
CATI

Changing Component Line Fonts

Not sure where you might see fit to use this, maybe it's been activated accidentally and you want to turn it off... but how?

Well if you wanted to change the font of a drawing view of a component maybe for a tech pub showing where component would be might be useful and selecting every line in the component seems like a waste then I have good news for you. There are 2 other options.

1) navigate to your drawing Feature Manager Design Tree, drill down to the view, and then to the component to change, and right click the component. Choose Component Line Font.

Here you have many options available.

You could also turn on the Line Format toolbar by right clicking the Command Manager ribbon and select Line Format. Then go to the Feature Manager Design Tree, drill down to the component, select it, then launch the Layer tool from the Line Format toolbar, then click the new layer and the Move button.

Happy holidays,
John Van Engen
CATI Tech Support

Big Files = Big Problems

Think your part is way bigger than it should be? Maybe it is... Little known facts from 2011 SP2 there was an error that caused file size to balloon.

The problem was in the creation of multiple redundant display states that are all expendable. In 2011 SP3 the issue was corrected, however files with this issue will continue to have the issue. 2011 SP3 and later added a right mouse click menu to the display states called "purge redundant display states".

This will clean your file, and in some cases a lot. We saw a 200MB+ file go down to around 17MB. Big savings there.

Please make sure to back up your files before attempting this to make sure nothing undesirable happens to any wanted display states.

Happy Purging!!
John Van Engen
CATI Tech Support

Stubborn Program Removal

We used to have a great tool for uninstalling failed installs in XP with the MicroSoft uninstall clean up utility. Since going to Windows 7 this option was no longer available as the tool was not supported with Windows 7. Great News!!! There is now a link to an updated version of the tool that is suited for Windows 7. This utility runs from their website or has options to download for machines not on the internet.

I have tried it a few times with mixed results. Not thrilling, but if there is nothing else left to loose, why not give it a shot?

 Here are the links to the new Microsoft cleanup utility:

 The Windows Installer Cleanup utility (MSICUU2.exe) has been retired by Microsoft and has been replaced a new utility (this is the download link):

http://support.microsoft.com/mats/Program_Install_and_Uninstall

 

 The Microsoft KB article that has more information about this tool can be viewed at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2438651/.

John Van Engen
CATI Tech Support