RockSolid Tips & Tricks: Macro Shortcuts

Note: A special thanks to Deepak Gupta, Filipe Venceslau, & Wayne Matus for answering my question on the SolidWorks Forums and for providing me the content for this blog post.

Did you just write that SolidWorks Macro that will solve ALL of the world’s problems? I recently wrote one (with help) that will not solve ALL of the world’s problems but at least it will solve 1 of mine.

However, if you are at all like me, I am a keyboard shortcut kind of guy so that I can keep my UI as clean as possible. So there in lies the problem. I wrote this super awesome macro but I didn’t really want to have a button on a toolbar that was only there so that I could assign a keyboard shortcut to it (see the normal macro button dialog box below).

So I asked the question on my original SolidWorks Forums Discussion if it was possible to assign a keyboard shortcut WITHOUT having to add a button and I was really happy to see that I could so here is how to do it (thanks to Wayne Matus).

So how would you go about doing this? Well, here you go and it is ACTUALLY extremely simple.

1. Create a folder called “Macros” in your SolidWorks install directory which is by default C:\Program Files\SolidWorks Corp\SolidWorks. You will notice that the address in the picture below is set to C:\Program Files\SolidWorks 2011\SolidWorks which I like to do in the case that I have multiple versions of SolidWorks installed on my computer (which I normally do).

2. Copy all of your macros (or only the ones that you will want to assign keyboard shortcuts too) into your new folder

3. Now if you go to add a keyboard shortcut (Tools > Customize > Keyboard tab) you will be able to select “Macros” from the Category dropdown. From there you will be able to assign a shortcut as you would with any other command.

I hope you find that as useful as I did. Enjoy!

Aug 25 2011

RockSolid Tips & Tricks: Mid Surface

This post was driven by a request that I had on one of the presentations I did earlier this year at a user group meeting. I first saw this “trick” performed while watching the infamous Tips & Tricks Presentation that Phil Sluder does every year at SolidWorks World.

The SolidWorks Mid Surface tool is a tool that probably does not get used very often or probably more accurately has its really “specific” uses that are determined by each user. However, I believe the example below would have a more wide spread use by more users.

Below you will notice and extruded rod that will built off of the origin. The original sketch was created on the Front Plane but by not being on the origin it makes the other Planes unusable. Now, you could create new reference geometry to use but for what we are trying to accomplish, I think the Mid Surface tool might be a better fit.

1. Begin by going to Insert > Surface > Mid Surface

2. Select both end faces. Notice that when you select the 2nd face (as long as it is a valid selection), SolidWorks will automatically create a new Face Pair.

3. Now you will want to hide the original Solid Body that you had so that only the Surface Body is showing.

4. Now go to Insert > Surface > Extend

5. Select your newly created surface and type in what kind of end condition you would like to have. In the case of this, I am going to offset the surface by a Distance of .750in. This will insure that no matter what size my initial rod is changed to, my surface will ALWAYS be .750in bigger.

6. Now go to Insert > Boss / Base > Thicken

7. Again, select your surface, and thicken your surface by your desired amount.

In the picture below, I have highlighted the original dimensions from our model. The length was originally drawn at 10.000in and the diameter was originally drawn at 2.000in.

Now, if you would happen to change the length of your rod, you will notice that everything maintains its relationships and stays perfectly centered.

Or if you change the diameter, you will notice that the offsets maintain their relationships.

BUT, probably my favorite reason for using this tool is that you can even change the original sketch shape (in the case below, to a square) and it maintains ALL of your relationships and spacing.

Hopefully this post will trigger some ideas for you on how you can use this in a production environment. Feel free to share how you currently use the Mid Surface tool or how you might use it in the future. Also, feel free to drop a comment if you have any other questions about this tip.

Aug 18 2011

New Page: SolidWorks Presentations

Because of some recent requests and inquiries, I have decided to add a new page to the RockSolid Perspective site. The new page, which is titled “SolidWorks Presentations” will host a Microsoft PowerPoint Show of every (I think) presentation I have ever done along with when and where the presentation was 1st given. To access the new page click on the “SolidWorks Presentations” tab on the top of this page (see picture above).

All of the presentations are currently hosted on my Box.net site so when you click on any of the links it will take you to the Box.net download page. From there you will have the option to view or save the PowerPoint show.

If you have a question about any of my presentations please feel free to send me an email and I would be more than happy to help you out.

Enjoy!

Aug 17 2011

This Blog IS NOT DEAD!

Over the course of the last week there has been some blogs that have been stating that SolidWorks has lost its mojo because the blogs have quieted down over the last year. While this is true, the blog posts have been few and far in between for most of the SolidWorks blogs, I do not feel it is a result of SolidWorks losing any sort of mojo.

I personally want to speak to this, not for all of the other bloggers, but for myself personally and the future of THIS blog. The reason for the decrease in the number of posts here at RockSolid Perspective is because my personal and professional life has changed dramatically since I started this blog.

In my personal life since 2007 my wife and I have welcomed our 1st child and will soon be welcoming another. What this means is that the times I usually spent on my computer at night writing blog posts have now been replaced with dolls, Little People, coloring books, and spending quality family time with my daughter because I will never get these days / times back.

In my professional life since 2007 I have changed job roles, increased my hours, and have added responsibility in my every day job which is what pays our bills. I have recently moved into a Sales Engineer role which has allowed me to continue to use SolidWorks but in a sales environment as opposed to a design environment. This has also required me to spend some more time on the road which has limited my desk time and also points back to the reason why I make sure to spend time with my family when I am home. On top of my Sales Engineer role, I am also hold the Project Manager, CAD Administrator, and IT roles at work. So as you can see, my time is precious when I am at work. I have been extremely blessed in my professional life with a bunch of work, a good job, great owners, and a fast growing business.

In regards to this blog, I have a LARGE list of blog posts in the queue that I need to write when I have time. Starting this week you will see the beginning of a series of posts that cover some of my main points in a presentation I have given titled “Utilizing SolidWorks for Sales & Marketing”.

So in response to the question whether SolidWorks has lost their “mojo” or not, I am going to say NO! I feel that the reason for the decrease in activity is directly related to workload and other commitments as opposed to not having anything exciting to write about. So stay tuned because this blog IS NOT DEAD!

Aug 12 2011

Detroit SWUGN Summit

On Tuesday, August 9, 2011, the SWUGN Summit show made a stop in Troy, Michigan (just outside of Detroit) and I hope the pleasure of attending and presenting.

As always, Richard Doyle did an outstanding job lining everything from the facility, to the food, to the presenters up. The event was held at The San Marino Club and was well attended with around 90 users or so registered.

The day was chocked full of some AWESOME presentations as well and the list of presenters was nothing short of a who’s who in the SolidWorks universe. The presenters in Detroit were:

Richard Doyle – DS SolidWorks
Darin Grosser – DASI Solutions
Avelino Rochino – DS SolidWorks
Mike Garvelink – Gentex Corporation
Lars Christensen – CADimensions
Ken LaVictor – Fisher / Unitech
Michael Beem – FANUC Robotics
Jeff Cope – Extensible CAD Technologies
Glen Desmier – Inductoheat, Inc.
Elton Smith – DS SolidWorks
Me

The hard part about any Summit or SolidWorks World day is that usually you want to be able to be in multiple places at one time. This day was no different. I decided to attend the following sessions and I was not disappointed.

8:45am – 10:00am – Using Advanced Mates in Assemblies (Darin Grosser)
10:15am – 11:30am – DUMB Solids: Making Them Your Friend (Lars Christensen)
12:30pm – 1:45pm – Working with Macros and the API (Michael Beem)
2:00pm – 3:15pm – Preparing Drawings for Inspection (Jeff Cope)

Needless to say, looking at that list of presenters, these presentations were awesome. However, I was disappointed that I missed out on a session called “SolidWorks Admin “Stuff”: The Things SolidWorks Doesn’t Tell You to Do!” which was done by Mike Garvelink. This was a presentation that Mike did at our user group meeting in July and was AWESOME! If Mike does, and he should, submit this for SolidWorks World and gets his abstract approved, you WILL NOT want to miss this presentation.

Mike also was gracious enough to post his outline on his blog (see link above) which he created not to long ago. This is a great idea which I am going to steal from him and do that with the presentation that I did as well which was titled “Using SolidWorks in Sales & Marketing”. Stay tuned early next week for a series of posts that relate to my presentation.

All in all, the Detroit SWUGN Summit was a huge success in my eyes. As long as Richard is in charge of these, they will continue to be great events and you should make a point to attend one if it happens to be in your area.

Jul 25 2011

do you have mad skills?

Do you think you have some mad design skills? Well, here’s your chance to show them off.

3Dconnexion has launched a design contest that challenges you to design the 3D Mouse of the Future. Here is the official press release that was issued on July 11, 2011.

3Dconnexion Kicks Off Global “3D Mouse of the Future” Design Challenge

Design Contest Invites 3D Professionals and Enthusiasts to Create the Ultimate 3D Mouse for the Chance to Win a $5,000 CAD Workstation

BOSTON – July 11, 2011 – Dedicated to improving the way people interact with digital 3D content, 3Dconnexion today kicked off a new contest for designers everywhere – challenging them to create the “3D Mouse of the Future”. For the months of July, August and September, designers across the globe can submit their designs for a chance to win monthly prizes of 3Dconnexion SpacePilot PRO, SpaceExplorer and SpaceNavigator 3D mice, as well as a grand prize of a custom CAD workstation.

“Engineers and designers across the world in a range of industries use 3Dconnexion 3D mice to better understand their designs and improve their workflow,” said Antonio Pascucci, vice president of products, 3Dconnexion. “We initiated this challenge to give people the opportunity to show us their best creative thinking, whether they are using our devices day in and day out or not at all. We’re really excited to see what creative and innovative things the community can bring to the 3D mouse.”

To enter, designers and 3D enthusiasts are invited to create their 3D Mouse of the Future. The only element that must remain constant in each design is the integration of 3Dconnexion’s inherent controller cap. At the end of each month, a panel of judges will select their three favorite entries. The first place winner will receive a SpacePilot PRO 3D mouse, the second place winner a SpaceExplorer 3D mouse and the third place winner a SpaceNavigator 3D mouse.

The nine monthly prize winners plus a community wildcard (the entry with the most “Likes” on Facebook) will be entered into the final phase of the competition where a grand prize winner will be selected by a public vote. The grand prize winner will receive a custom workstation, up to a $5,000 value. More information about the 3Dconnexion design challenge and submission guidelines are available on 3Dconnexion’s website and Facebook page.

About 3Dconnexion
3Dconnexion is the leading provider of 3D mice for 3D design and visualization. 3Dconnexion devices support today’s most popular and powerful 3D applications by offering users a more intuitive and natural way to interact with computer-generated 3D content. 3Dconnexion’s award-winning 3D mice serve a wide variety of industries and are used by 3D designers, animators and artists worldwide. 3Dconnexion is headquartered in Munich, Germany with North American headquarters in Boston, Mass and offices worldwide. For more information, visit www.3Dconnexion.com. You may also connect with 3Dconnexion on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/3Dconnexion) and Twitter (http://twitter.com/3Dconnexion).

Full details on this contest can be found here on the 3Dconnexion website and also here on the official 3Dconnexion Facebook page.

So let’s see what you got! Make your fellow SolidWorks designers proud!

Jul 22 2011

you have options with draftsight

How much do you use DraftSight? Is it multiple times a day or is it only once a month or less? 2D CAD is quickly becoming an antique tool but the need for it is still there because of the mass amounts of legacy data that is still out there.

Core DraftSight is a free product that is available on a multitude of operating system platforms. If you are strictly using DraftSight to access and slightly modify your existing legacy data, core DraftSight is all that you will need and I feel you will be extremely happy with.

However, if you are using DraftSight to create new projects, drawings, etc. you might want to look at the paid DraftSight packages that are available. Since its inception, 3DS has offered a package call DraftSight Premium Service Pack which is a paid version but it offers you the following additional resources.

Telephone and Email Support
Network Licensing (minimum of 5 DraftSight licenses required)
Access to the DraftSight API’s and API updates

As someone who uses SolidWorks to create and design new projects, the only use I have for DraftSight is to open legacy documents and print or measure items so the above resources / options would be severe overkill for me.

But, yesterday, 3DS announced a new paid service called DraftSight Prosumer Service which again is a paid service but it offers you technical support for installing, activating, configuring, and using DraftSight. If you are a CAD Admin that ends up installing this on multiple configurations of workstations, this may be a service that should interest you.

Whether is does or doesn’t interest you, I wanted to make sure you were aware of the options that were out there for you in regards to what should be your favorite 2D CAD software.

Jul 19 2011

beta test now to turn off the heat later

Summer is in full swing here in West Michigan this week with the temperatures supposedly sustaining in the upper 90’s all week. Some of you are probably thinking that it would be nice to have a cool down to those temps but here in West Michigan, people are freaking out. I would say 90% of the items on my Facebook newsfeed have to deal with how hot it is.

The launch and release of a new version of SolidWorks can usually make CAD Admins feel the heat no matter what the weather is like outside. If you are a CAD Admin, I am sure you know what I am talking about. You will here comments like…”2011 worked better than this” or “how come this is different in 2012” or “we should have waited longer to launch 2012”. At times these comments are valid, however, more often than not, a little research done up front can eliminate 95% of these snide remarks.

How to Turn on the Air Conditioning?

Every year SolidWorks offers all of their current subscription customers the opportunity to beta test the next release of the software. This is a great opportunity for you, whether you are the CAD Admin, a power user, or just a user to test out the normal functions that you do every day. This way, when you are ready to launch the next version to the masses at your company you have developed a comfort level that the software will or will not function properly in your unique design environment.

How to Beta Test?

Simple – click on this link and sign up! SolidWorks 2012 Beta

Also, take note that on that same website there is some other really useful information such as Beta Testing Tips and the current Beta 2012 Leaderboard. Leaderboard? That’s right…while you are doing yourself a favor by testing out the software before it gets released to the masses, you can also when some sweet prizes which are listed here.

So there you go! Get out of the sauna and start beta testing today!

Jul 6 2011

missing in action

Ahhhhhhh…it feels good to be back in the saddle again.

After been missing in action since the middle of April, I think I will finally have some time to post rambling nonsense here again. This summer has been absolutely insane in both my personal and professional schedules.

I spent 2 weeks in June helping out at a boys basketball camp, for 7th & 8th graders 1 week, and 9th & 10th graders the other week, at a local high school. This on top of family, softball, camping, etc. has made my personal life if nothing else, interesting. I also modified & launched a new invoicing system at my father-in-law’s business which tied up some early mornings and late nights at home.

Professionally speaking, I have been heading up (thus heavily involved) in launching a completely new ERP system at work. This has been fun, frustrating, and stressful amongst other things. Our new system went live this past Friday so we are currently working out some bugs, but for the most part has been a successful switchover. Now that that project is somewhat behind me, I can get back into doing my normal tasks on a daily basis.

I am looking forward to posting some content here coming up soon. There has been a lot of things going on in the SolidWorks Community that should be mentioned and also we can’t forget the slew of posts that will be popping up all over the web in a couple of months about SolidWorks 2012.

I am looking forward to bringing all of this to you and I thank you for hanging in there during my dry spout.

Apr 14 2011

hidden gem: total uninstall option now available

First and foremost, I am taking no credit for finding this so I want to give credit where credit is due. Chris Snider, Application Engineer at 3DVision Technologies, posted a few weeks back on their blog that SolidWorks now has the “Total Uninstall” option that so many CAD Admins have begged and pleaded for for a long time.

However, this new option is not easily found unless you know where to look. Starting with SolidWorks 2011 SP3.0, you can start the uninstall process, and click on the program bar at the top of the uninstall window as shown below. From there you will notice the “Total Uninstall” option as shown below.

For more information on this you can check out the Forum Topic for this tool.

As a CAD Admin I want to personally thank the SolidWorks developers for finally adding this to the program. This will make my life much, much, much simpler.

RockSolid Perspective – Jason Raak

Author Archives: Jason Raak