SOLIDWORKS offers a number of ways to customize the software to make it faster to access the tools you use the most. Two areas that will benefit you the most:
To access the customization commands:
You’ll see a dialog box with seven tabs:
If you have worked with other CAD software, you may be more comfortable with toolbars rather than the CommandManager tabs at the top of SOLIDWORKS. Here you can turn on/off the different toolbars within SOLIDWORKS and you can disable the CommandManager. Once enabled, a toolbar can be positioned by clicking and
dragging the row of dots, as illustrated below.
Shortcut Bars are amazing! Here’s why:
To add your own command:
The CommandManager/Ribbon Menu is a fantastic way to have all your commands easily accessible without having a hundred icons displayed at once. What happens when the command you need isn’t on the default tabs?
At any point, you can turn on or off additional tabs by right-clicking a tab and selecting a new one from the list.
To create a new tab:
This tab allows you to control exactly what commands are available in the software pull-down menus, as well as where they are located. It’s generally recommended that you leave this alone so you can find infrequent commands on the occasions they are needed.
There are several keyboard shortcuts in SOLIDWORKS. You may want to change these or add your own in some cases.
To change or add a new shortcut:
You can also define search shortcuts here. These are shorthand search keywords for specific commands that when typed into the command search and will take you straight to the command.
Mouse Gestures are one of the easiest ways to speed up your workflow and are completely customizable.
Some recommendations for customization:
In some cases, you might want to reset everything to the same settings as a
fresh install. You can do that this tab by clicking “Reset to Defaults.”
Lastly, when heavily customizing your settings, it can be difficult to go back to the default interface. Therefore, it’s a good idea to save a copy of your settings file. To do so, you’ll use the Copy Settings Wizard.
Now at any point, you can restore the saved settings by launching the same tool and selecting the “Restore Settings” option.
The power of SOLIDWORKS is no freak accident. Download our “How to Become a SOLIDWORKS Superhero” e-book to learn how to master the software’s full potential and wield its powers to defeat (evil) deadlines.
Categories: SOLIDWORKS, Tips & Tricks