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the traditional Help format and a Web-based help file. You can use Search capabilities to find what you are looking for. The SolidWorks Help has tutorials and a separate API (application programming interface) help file. Frankly, it lacks detail and often skips over important facts such as what you might use a certain function for, what the interface looks like, or where you might find the command in the first place. This SolidWorks Bible fills in the gaps in information about the standard version of the software.

Checking out the Tip of the Day

The SolidWorks Tip of the Day is displayed at the bottom of the SolidWorks Resources tab in the Task Pane. Cycling through a few of the tips or using them to quiz coworkers can be a useful skills-building exercise.

Switching from hardcopy documentation

Unfortunately, hardcopy documentation has dwindled from all software companies. Software suppliers often claim that keeping up with the changes in print is too much work and inefficient. This is the same reason that SolidWorks gives for changing from help files that are on your local computer to help files that are only available across the Internet. Still many users prefer to have a physical book in their hands, one they can spread out on the desk next to them; earmark, highlight, and mark with Post-its; and take notes in, as evidenced by you holding this book at this moment. Electronic documentation certainly has its advantages, but hardcopy also has its place.

Identifying SolidWorks Documents

SolidWorks has three main data type files: parts, assemblies, and drawings; however, there are additional supporting types that you may want to be familiar with if you are concerned with customization and creating implementation standards. Table 1.1 outlines the document types.

Saving your setup

If you have taken time to set up a computer and then need to reinstall SolidWorks, move to another computer, or duplicate the setup for another user, you need to copy out the files you have used or customized. By default, all these files are located in different folders within the SolidWorks installation directory. Chapter 2 deals with interface settings and creating a registry settings file to copy to other computers or use as a backup.

Best Practice

It is especially important to have copies of these files in a location other than the default installation folder when you are doing complex implementations that include templates of various types of tables or customized symbol files. Uninstalling SolidWorks or installing a new version will wipe out all your hard work. Choose Tools⇒Options⇒File Location to save these files in separate library folders on the local hard drive or on a network location.

Using templates

I have included some of my part and assembly templates on this book's DVD for you. Copy these files to the folder specified at Tools⇒Options⇒File Locations⇒Document Templates.

When you begin to create a new document, and the New SolidWorks Document dialog box gives you the option to select one of several files to start from, those files are templates. Think of templates as “start parts” that contain all the document-specific settings for a part (Tools⇒Options⇒Document Properties). The same concept applies to assemblies and drawings. Templates generally do not have any geometry in them (although it is possible).

Tip

The Novice interface for the New SolidWorks Document dialog box (File⇒New SolidWorks Document) only enables you to select default templates. The Advanced interface enables you to select any available template.

As shown in Figure 1.9, several tabs can be displayed on the advanced interface. Each of these tabs is created by creating a folder in the template directory specified in the Options dialog box (Tool⇒Options). To remove any confusion, I want to note that in Figure 1.9, the Advanced interface shows the button labeled Novice, and the Novice interface shows the button labeled Advanced.

Having multiple document templates available

Having multiple templates available gives you many options when starting