SolidWorks 2011 Parts Bible - Matt Lombard [152]
There is some overlap between the topics of configurations and display states, with colors and hide/show states being controlled by both methods. When you have an option, it is best to control visual properties using display states because they require fewer resources (they're faster). Display states for part documents are covered in more detail in Chapter 5.
Controlling Items with Configurations
With every new release of SolidWorks software, it seems that more items become “configurable”; that is, able to be driven by configurations. Configurable items for parts include the following:
• Feature dimensions, tolerances, driving/driven state
• Suppression of features, equations, sketch relations, and feature end conditions
• Sketch plane used by a sketch
• Configuration-specific custom properties
• Part, body, feature, and face colors
• Derived configurations
• Properties that can be assigned, such as mass and center of gravity
• Configuration of base or split parts
• Sketch pattern instances
• Sketch text
• Scale feature sizes
• Cosmetic threads
• Global variables
• Helix feature parameters
• Size of Hole Wizard holes
You can control configurations in several ways:
• Making changes manually to dimensions and features
• Using the Configure Feature/Modify Configurations table
• Using an Excel-based design table
• Using the Configuration Publisher
Finding configurations
SolidWorks lists configurations in the ConfigurationManager. This is a tab at the top of the FeatureManager area, shown in Figure 11.1.
Tip
You can split the FeatureManager interface into two by dragging the splitter bar at the top of the panel. This very useful function is shown in Figure 11.1, and it enables you to see the ConfigurationManager in the upper panel and the FeatureManager in the lower panel. Also remember that you can detach the PropertyManager from the left-side panel area.
FIGURE 11.1
Locating the ConfigurationManager tab
Deleting configs
Each part has a default config named “Default.” There is nothing special about this config; you can rename it and even delete it. At least one config must always remain in the tree, and you cannot delete the configuration that is currently active. If you would like to remove a config, then you need to switch to another config (by double-clicking the other configuration in the ConfigurationManager), and then delete the one you want to remove.
If you have used the software for a while, you may remember not being able to delete or rename configurations that are referenced by open documents. This limitation (at least for renaming configurations) was removed. Being able to rename configurations referenced by open documents such as assemblies or drawings is an important change that new users will probably take for granted and veteran users need to be aware of.
Cross-Reference
The SolidWorks 2011 Assemblies Bible (Wiley, 2011) deals with configurations of assemblies in depth. This chapter deals only with configurations of parts. Configurations of drawings do not exist, although drawings can reference both part and assembly drawings.
If you try to delete a part configuration being used by an open assembly, SolidWorks simply issues the message “None of the selected entities could be deleted” without explanation.
If you delete a configuration of a part that is used in an assembly, but the assembly is not currently open, the next time the assembly is opened it issues the message “The following component configurations could not be found . . . . If the configuration was renamed the same configuration will be used, otherwise the last active configuration will be substituted for each instance.”
You can delete groups of configs by window select, Shift+select, or Ctrl+select in the ConfigurationManager. You can