SolidWorks 2011 Assemblies Bible - Matt Lombard [206]
You can read the forums without an account but need an account to post messages. Accounts can be granted to anyone, even if you are not on maintenance. You can find the forums at http://forum.solidworks.com.
Make sure to read the Terms of Use available at the bottom of every Forum page. The moderators do not usually apply the rules strictly, but I have seen posts removed that should have been allowed and posts allowed that should have been removed. Generally if you ask, answer, or comment in good faith, you will not have any problems.
Knowledge Base
If you think you have used the Knowledge Base before and found it less than satisfying, you owe it to yourself to try it again. The KB is constantly updated with new information, which comes from several sources, including general technical support results and the Help documentation. Searches actually turn up a lot of useful information. Results may include tech support responses to customer issues, SPRs (software performance reports — also known as bug reports), white papers, articles, and so on. In addition, you can look up SPR numbers you have received from tech support to check the reports' statuses. I have consulted the Knowledge Base several times while writing this book. It has been built from vast amounts of internal SolidWorks corporate support documentation, as well as the support database. I give it very high usability marks!
Software downloads
Manually downloading and installing software and upgrades for SolidWorks is becoming outdated, although you can still do it. The SolidWorks Installation Manager works much like Microsoft Automatic Update. It downloads and even installs updates for you automatically. There is also a new Background Downloader that will download service packs while your Internet connection is otherwise idle, to be available to you when you want to use it. You can also work with automated administrative image installations. I particularly like that it can download service packs before the links on the SolidWorks website are active. Of course, if you need or simply want to download them manually, this option is also available.
If you are still relying on DVDs to install software, you might consider using the SolidWorks Installation Manager (SWIM) to download not only service packs but also entire installation files for the software. You need adequate network bandwidth, as the downloads may take up several gigabytes. Still, this option is useful and convenient, and most importantly, it works much more reliably than it has in the past.
Release Notes
All the Release Notes for all the service packs of the current version are also available from the main Customer Portal window. This is essential information for CAD administrators. Technical Alerts, changes to the System Requirements (www.solidworks.com/sw/support/SystemRequirements.html), and new installation details are listed here.
Even if you think you do not need to know any of this information, it still makes for interesting (and at times alarming) reading. The Technical Alerts typically warn of severe bugs or other problems and how to work around or fix them.
What's New
What's New is a great document to refer to when you are learning a new version of SolidWorks. For the SolidWorks 2010 version, the What's New document comes in HTML and PDF formats. I find the PDF to be easier to access and read, but possibly less up to date than the HTML version. What's New is an important document to read before considering installing a new version, or if you have skipped versions. If you are looking for a What's New document from a version that you do not have installed, you can find all of the What's New documents on Ricky Jordan's blog (www.rickyjordan.com/whats-new-guides).