Resizing Shortcut Toolbar (S Key)

If you are attempting to resize the shortcut toolbar (S-Key) and are unable to, it maybe that you are running solidworks on your secondary monitor. This is a know issue that has been reported to Solidworks development under SPR #390779.

The workaround for this is a rather simple one. Simply move Solidworks back into your primary monitor and re-size the toolbar.

Are you planning on Installing 2010 and would like more information on how to do this?

If so the following link has all the info you would ever want to know about installing 2010 and more. Everything from how to install a single seat of Solidworks to deployment of multiple seats using administrative images. Just follow the link below, or from your Solidworks customer portal account select Technical documentation / Administration guides / Solidworks Installation and Administration Guide.

http://files.solidworks.com/Supportfiles/SW_Installation_Guide/2010/English/install_guide.pdf

Is your Cad workstation still using Pentium 3 processors?

Some of you may still be using older Cad stations with Pentium 3 processors especially if you had Dual processors. If this describes your workstation, please note that Solidworks 2010's core modeler is built on having the P4 processor instruction set or higher available. Solidworks 2009 was the last version that included the libraries for P3 class processors.

Installation Issues and .Net framework

Are you having issues with your Solidworks installation and receiving errors about .Net framework? The issue may be in the Microsoft .NET framework installation. To correct this issue:

1. go to add remove programs and remove any .NET framework installations listed.

2. use a registry clean up utility that will clear any old registry entries. There are several applications that will do this several of them are even freeware. The reason this step is listed is that the registry sometimes retains information even after the application is removed. If this step is not done then there is potential that one of the old registry entries will be used instead of the correct entry which could result in still having the same symptoms even on a "new" install.

3. using your Solidworks DVD. Browse to the folder PreReqs/dotNetFx and run the install dotnetfx3.exe (for 32 bit installations) or dotnetfx3_x64.exe (for 64 bit installations)

Where in the World is the VaultAdmin Tool?

You are your company's SolidWorks Workgroup PDM administrator. Every time you install a new service pack of SolidWorks, your SWPDM VaultAdmin tool is missing. To correct the issue, you can browse to your SolidWorksExplorer.msi file in the swexplorer folder of the SolidWorks service pack download. Run this msi file and modify your SolidWorks Explorer install. You will want to do a custom install and pick SolidWorks Workgroup PDM VaultAdmin.
To prevent this from happening the next time you install a service pack using the Installation Manager, you can pick which products to upgrade.

You can now pick to install SolidWorks Workgroup PDM VaultAdmin with all of your other products to install.

Accessing Dimensions From Multiple Features

In order to have access to multiple feature's dimensions at the same time, RMB on the Annotations folder in the Feature Manager Design Tree. Then, select show feature dimensions. This will display all of the dimensions in the model at once so that they are easily selected for use in equations.

Save as and update references

In order to save the components of an assembly and update the references of each new part name in one easy step, simply choose file->save as-> then click on the references button. In this dialogue box, if you choose "more options" you can add a prefix or suffix to all components in the assembly that are selected in the list. Then you can choose the file location for the new files. This will update all the references while creating copies of the components.

FIles of type dropdown

SolidWorks should remember the last filter that was applied in the Files of type" drop down box when a file was opened. If you choose all files as the filter, next time you choose file open it will revert back to the last SolidWorks file type that was chosen. However, if you choose "SolidWorks files" and open a document, it will show all SolidWorks file types next time you choose file open. The trick is to change the files of type dropdown to whatever you would like it to start from, then actually open a document from the list.

Simulation Premium Course, Jun 9 &10, Houston

We hold Simulation "Premium" courses quarterly. This particular course is two days and covers nonlinear static behavior such as: what happens when your model starts to yield? How far can you continue to yield the material until it rips open? Another nonlinearity deals with rubber gaskets and sealing issues. How do you know for sure the O-ring will deform or squish correctly and fill-in all the gaps? You can conduct a cross-sectional view in the SolidWorks Simulation, and determine the forces required to make that seal work correctly.
We have a PDF brochure at: http://www.texaseng.com/trainingdesc.cfm.
Click on "SolidWorks Simulation Premium -Nonlinear". Thanks for reading and have a great week! Anthony Botting

Photos from SolidWorks World 2009

Well, what is the old saying "the best laid plans of mice and men often go astray" or something close to that. As I found updating the blog while actually in Orlando with the packed days of activities was more than I could handle. The good news is that I took notes, and know what I want to write about each days activities. I also took some pictures of the activities each day, I have posted the pictures on my (our) flickr site. Please use the link that I added to the links toolbar up in the top right corner of our BLOG. Please use these as a preview of what I will be posting about last weeks activities. It was a busy week, and I am looking forward to recapping it all for you right here.

By the way have you seen the new U-Print? It is a very cool new desktop 3D printer that we are carrying. Guess the price.... You will never guess $14,900 and that comes with the first years maintainence! I will be discussing the new machine here in the next few days, but if you just can't wait there is a link on our homepage to some marketing info.

Nathan

SolidWorks World 2009 Preview

Let me start off by introducing myself. I am Nathan Dunn the Director of Engineering from TES/Texas Engineering Systems. I am attending SolidWorks World in Orlando this year, and thought that it would be nice to write home about my experience so that anyone that was not able to make it would be able to experience the general highlights of the week.

Well SolidWorks World is almost ready for an official start. I am writing this from Orlando, but I wanted to make sure that we had a perliminary post before the rest of the conference information.

Q. What is SolidWorks World or SWW?

A. SWW is a gathering of 4 to 5 thousand people that all love SolidWorks. SWW happens every year at the beggining of February, and changes location as well. SWW 2008 was in San Deigo, SWW 2007 was in New Orleans, SWW 2006 was in Las Vegas, and so on. This year the conference is back in Orlando at the Swan and Dolphin (a resort hotel in Disney World). The atmosphere at SWW is always amazing. Have you ever had an opportunity to be around 4500 people that love SolidWorks before? Well if you have not please think about attending SWW2010. I will be posting the location of next years conference after the last general session on Thursday.

Alright, so now you know something about what SWW is, now lets talk about some specifics of what happens there. The conference officially starts on Monday morning with the sessions and technical training. However there are some things that start happening on Sunday.

Preview Sunday: Sunday is normally a day filled with invitation only round table discussion for customers, and Reseller specific technical sessions. Sunday is also the day that the certification test are given, CSWP, and CSWA. Sunday night also includes a "Welcome Reception" this is an open event including food that is held in a Partner Pavillion. The Partner Pavillion is always a cool place to be, most of the Gold Partners for SolidWorks are represented with a booth showcasing thier product. There is also a Product Showcase which has real live products that have designed in SolidWorks.

Preview Monday: Monday really starts the conference. Moday will start with a general session, normally the CEO (Jeff Ray) and some of the other top managment of SolidWorks will address the audience and set the tone for the week. After that the technical sessions start. The technical sessions normally include customer, reseller, and SolidWorks employees giving technical information about a specific topic. These are normally about an hour to an hour and a half. and they fill the entire day after the general session is over. Monday night is always the CSWP special event. Only CSWP's are allowed to attend, and Jeremy normally has a fun evening planned.

Preview Tuesday: Tuesday again is started with a general session this one is normally the one that features the special guest speaker. This year the guest speaker is going to be the founder of Virgin. Then another day filled with technical sessions. Tuesday night is the Special Event night for all conference attendees. This year they are opening the Disney Animal Kingdom up to just the SWW attendees for the evening.

Preview Wednsday: Wedneday's general session is the big one, we will get to see a preview of what is will assume is SolidWorks 2010! Then more general technical sessions.

Then everyone goes home, after the exhausting week. I will be posting some pictures, and more specific information as the week progresses. Please stay tuned!

Nathan

Instant3D: snaps note in SolidWorks 2009

Turn on Instant3D (press the big button on the Command Manager) and when you select a face of your constrained model, you can see a blue-colored ball at one end of the dimension witness lines. The dimension shown is the boss feature extrusion depth.
Select the blue ball at one end of the witness line, and while holding down the left mouse button, hover your mouse over the ruler shown and drag your mouse cursor.
The cursor will "index" and snap to the ruler scales as shown by the green line with the green triangles at each end of the line.



Hover your mouse curser away from the ruler, and you will gain arbitrary indexing: when you move the mouse, will not snap to the ruler.
Hmmm....this looks alot like Google's "SketchUp" program.

Dimension - Change Plane

Welcome 2009!
In a 2D drawing on an isometric view, you can change the plane at which a true dimension is shown. Just select the dimension text, right-mouse-button (RMB), and choose "Display Options...Change Plane." Many thanks to John Milbery for that one!
Happy New Year!