Custom Properties in SolidWorks

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Custom Properties in SolidWorks
Presentation by Matt Lombard of
Dezignstuff CVSWUG January 10, 2006
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Where can you use or see Custom Properties?

• Templates
• Filling out drawing title blocks
• BOMs
• Notes
• Windows Explorer tool tips
• PDM applications
• Advanced Search

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Templates

• Have part, assembly and drawing templates set up
  with pre-existing properties and default values
• Use different properties with different
  templates, particularly material types or
  sheetmetal / machined / plastic etc.

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Title Blocks

• To put a property field on a drawing
• Edit sheet format
• Start a Note
• Select the Property button in the Property
  Manager window
• Current document means it will pull a property
  from the drawing
• Model in view means it will pull a property
  from the assembly or part which is shown on the
  drawing
• Save the Template when you are done setting up
  properties

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Title Blocks / BOM
Custom BOM columns can be inserted using RMB and
configured using Column Properties
Properties pulled from parts
Properties pulled from assembly or drawing
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Custom Properties in Notes

• In a Note, hit the Link to Property button
• Get the property from the current doc (assembly)
  or the part note is attached to

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Display settings for Custom Properties

• Annotation link errors display when linked custom
  properties are not available
• Annotation link variables show the link syntax
  rather than the property value when the note is
  edited

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Where do you see Custom Properties?

• Windows Explorer shows them in the status bar
• SolidWorks Explorer can display and edit
  properties

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Advanced Search

• Use Property values with search criteria to show
  or hide parts

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Controlling Custom Properties

• To control which properties can be used, use the
  Edit List button in the Custon Properties
  dialog
• To do this for all new documents, edit the file
  ltSW Inst Dirgt\lang\english\properties.txt

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Controlling Custom Properties

• If you want to limit the values to a certain
  list, you will need to use an application or an
  Excel spreadsheet (with data validation)
• Later in the presentation is a list of free
  custom property macros and applications

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How can you drive Custom Properties?

• Custom Property applications / macros
• Design Table
• File gt Properties dialog
• SolidWorks Explorer
• Dimensions, mass properties

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Design Table

• Design tables are a great way to control large
  numbers of properties and when you need to
  combine configurations with properties
• See my user group presentation on Design Tables
  for more information on this technique

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How to put a dimension in a Custom Property

• Create custom property in property dialog
• In Value / Text Expression column, click on
  dimension

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How to put Mass Properties in a Custom Property

• Create custom property in property dialog
• In Value / Text Expression column, click drop
  down and select desired value

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Sources of free programs

• Trimech support, free utilities
• Rhapsody Design (http//www.rhapsodydesignsolution
  s.com/programs_1.html)
• CAD.DE (German Site) http//solidworks.cad.de/mm_b
  oerse.htm
• Stuff I have
• Filename to Number property
• Property creator for all docs in a folder

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General Tips

• Generally, it is a good idea to use configuration
  specific properties as the default
• If you are using PDMWorks or another PDM product,
  make sure that it can read config specific
  properties before applying this across the board.
• Templates should be set up and shared by all
  users, especially if the properties to be used
  are the same
• You can move the list of standard properties
  between computers by copying the text file at
  ltSW Inst Dirgt\lang\english\properties.txt
• A little programming may help you get what you
  need
• Many free applications come with source files
  which you can play with and tweek

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General Tips

• You can move the list of standard properties
  between computers by copying the text file at
  ltSW Inst Dirgt\lang\english\properties.txt
• Get in the habit of using custom properties
  because it really makes more things possible down
  the road
• Use SW Explorer to go through all the parts in an
  assembly quickly, or without having SW open
  (non-SW user could even do this to apply custom
  props)

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The End.