Drawings Top Ten list from years past: SWW2012

SolidWorks World 2012 Top Ten list actually included one drawing specific idea, and one more general idea that affected drawings within its scope.   The odd thing about the Drawings ideas this particular year is that one of them is already addressed, and another is not clear about its intent.  Given the variety of situations surrounding SWW2012’s submissions, I’ll add commentary to each idea for clarity.

SolidWorks World 2012 Top Ten Drawings Ideas

1. Address Shaded with Edges Bleed Thru issue – This idea made it on to the official Top Ten for SWW12.  It was implemented in SW2014 for parts, assemblies and drawings.
2. Dimensions should stay where you place them – This idea also made it on to the official Top Ten for SWW12.  However, this idea is an oddity since it is requesting behavior that is already supported by SOLIDWORKS from day one.  Placement and organization of dimensions are controlled by two settings in SOLIDWORKS.  The first setting for model item dimensions is called “Annotation view layout”, and is found at Tools>Options…>Document Properties>Dimensions in the Offset distances area.  This setting places your model item dimensions on drawing views as they are organized in the model.  A second setting was introduced in SolidWorks 2010, called Reduce spacing when dimensions are deleted or edited (add or change tolerances, text etc…).  Yup, that’s the name!  It’s found at Tools>Options…>System Options>Drawings near the bottom of the list.  This setting forces dimensions to maintain assigned offsets.  As you add and remove dimensions, the other dimensions automatically adjust to maintain offsets.  If you don’t need SOLIDWORKS to apply your offsets automatically, then simply turn this setting off.  Here’s an article about this setting when it was introduced.
3. Don’t show hidden lines in section views and broken-out sections – This idea was half implemented in SolidWorks 2013.  Hidden lines are now automatically turned off for section views.  No setting is available for broken-out sections yet.
4. Don’t re-size center marks with scale of drawing view or sheet – This idea has not been implemented as of SOLIDWORKS 2015.
5. Allow multiple exploded views per configuration – Sound familiar?  It was on the SWW11 list as well.  This idea was implemented in SolidWorks 2013.
6. Drawings: make intersection selectable when dimensioning drawings – This idea was imlemented in SOLIDWORKS 2014.
7. Ability to create a “purchased” component BOM and “manufactured” component BOM – This idea is very similar to “Ability to Filter BOMs” from the SWW11 list.  This has not been implemented as of SOLIDWORKS 2015.
8. Drawings: Revision Cloud – This idea was implement in SolidWorks 2013
9. Dashes should not be allowed at the end of a line – This idea has not been implemented as of SOLIDWORKS 2015.
10. Parts as references in drawing views – This idea is a good example of a bad title.  From the title alone, it is impossible to really know what this idea is actually talking about. You wouldn’t have a drawing view of a part unless the part was referenced.  The lesson here being, when submitting your idea, please be sure to use a clear title that explains your idea well enough on its own.

The implementation rate for Drawings ideas from the SWW12 list is a bit harder to calcuate, given status of several of the ideas.  However, I’m going to call it 61%: counting #2, counting half for #3 and not counting #10 at all.

Voting has been open on the current SOLIDWORKS World 2015 Top Ten list for a couple of days.  Go there are vote for your favorites.  Vote on as many ideas as you wish!  Just remember, you have to logon to see the ideas and vote for them.

Author: fcsuper

As a drafter, mechanical designer and CAD engineer, I've been in the mechanical design field since 1991. For the first 8 years of my career, I was an AutoCAD professional. I utilized AutoLISP and many other AutoCAD customization features to streamline drafting activities for 6+ drafters and designers. I authored several custom functions, one of which was published in the March 1997 issue of Cadalyst Magazine. Since 1998, I've been used SolidWorks non-stop. I've worked to utilize the SolidWorks' user environment to simplify drafting and design activities for 20+ engineers. I've created this website to provide current information about SolidWorks from a variety of contributors. More recently, I am now employed by Dassault Systemes as SOLIDWORKS Sr. Product Definition Manager to improve drawing, annotation and MBD related areas. View all posts by fcsuper