SOLIDWORKS World Drawings Top Ten implementation to-date (2011-2013)

A few years ago, I reviewed SOLIDWORKS World Top Ten lists specifically for Drawing ideas. These articles not only showed a unique view of the Top Ten that is typically unavailable, but it also provided implementation status (implemented or not). It’s time to update those statuses.

2011

1. Ability to Filter BOMs
2. Print Selection – make it more like cropping a picture
3. On drawings: add function to allow users to apply capitalization of text, implemented in SW2014 for notes and SW2018 for tables.
4. Assign watermark function to drawing sheets, implemented in SW2013.
5. Allow Multiple Exploded Views per Configuration, implemented in SW2013.
6. More control over angle dimensions, implemented in SW2015.
7. On drawings: Allow option for resizing of drawing view outline
8. Directly editing notes with properties in Drawing, implemented before SW2013.
9. Broken-out Section in Section, Detail and Alternate Positions Views, implemented in SW2018.
10. Better line selection in drawings, implemented in SW2014 .

2012

1. Address Shaded with Edges Bleed Thru issue, implemented in SW2014 for parts, assemblies and drawings.
2. Dimensions should stay where you place them, existing behavior in SOLIDWORKS. See previous article for additional information.
3. Don’t show hidden lines in section views and broken-out sections, half implemented in SW2013. See previous article for additional information.
4. Don’t re-size center marks with scale of drawing view or sheet, implemented in SW2016.
5. Allow multiple exploded views per configuration, implemented in SolidWorks 2013.
6. Drawings: make intersection selectable when dimensioning drawings, implemented in SOLIDWORKS 2014.
7. Ability to create a “purchased” component BOM and “manufactured” component BOM 
8. Drawings: Revision Cloud, implemented in SolidWorks 2013.
9. Dashes should not be allowed at the end of a line
10. Parts as references in drawing views; see previous article for additional information.

2013

1. Create auxiliary line for dimensioning angles, implemented in SW2015.
2. Perimeter Dimension or Total Length Dimension
3. Allow mirroring of drawing views in the drawing, implemented in SW2017.
4. Isometric view break, implemented in SW2016 (via Model Break View shown on drawings in the same fashion as Exploded Views).
5. Ability to create half dimensions (Option to change any dimension line to foreshortened), implemented in SW2016.
6. On drawings, zoom to fit should ignore view bounding boxes, implemented in SW2015 with Zoom to Sheet tool.
7. Don’t re-size center marks with scale of drawing view or sheet, implemented in SW2016.
8. Ability to create Alternate position view on sectioned/broken-out section view, implemented in SW2018.
9. Make an easy interface to modify format of hole callouts (without having to edit calloutformat.txt)
10. Projected view of a break view should have option ‘align breaks with parent’ enabled by default, implemented prior to SW2018.

In looking at these Drawings Top Ten idea lists, there’s about 75% implementation rate for the years 2011 thru 2013 as of SW2019. As time allows, Top Tens from later years may be shown in future articles.

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