drawing format questions

[KSHansen]

These are not problems, they're just... making me wonder. I'm trying to create a format.

One of my notes in the format is purple. This happens in my drawings in general too. Why?

Why is some of the text blue, when I'm in "edit sheet format" mode? What does it mean? I thought it was for text that was tied to properties, but one of my notes is black, even though it is tied to a property. They all revert back to black when going back to the sheet. (But not the purple one)

What is that "Title Block Table" thing? I forget where now, but it had me create a box. And when I hover over or click on my title block, it shows me a dotted line outline. What is the purpose of that? What does it do?

[the_h4mmer]

I'm going to answer from memory and a bit of a naive standpoint, hopefully others can chime in with additional input, but I hope I can offer some help to start.

One of my notes in the format is purple. This happens in my drawings in general too. Why?

To me, this could be a few things. I'm thinking it could be a matter of line/format coloring and the color display mode option. Off the top of my head, I can't recall where these options are, but you should be able to search for them. First would be to try disabling the color display mode option (if on), if that doesn't change anything, then I would click that note and then select the line color option and see if you can change it back to black. This may also be due to that single note being on a different layer where the line color is blue, so you could check to see what layer it's on and/or change the layer settings.

Why is some of the text blue, when I'm in "edit sheet format" mode? What does it mean? I thought it was for text that was tied to properties, but one of my notes is black, even though it is tied to a property. They all revert back to black when going back to the sheet. (But not the purple one)

Blue text is the Solidworks default highlight for unconstrained items. So on your sheet format, if your note/textboxes are free to move, that's probably why. You could try making them blocks and then positioning them or using the Anchor text option to keep the note position locked.

What is that "Title Block Table" thing? I forget where now, but it had me create a box. And when I hover over or click on my title block, it shows me a dotted line outline. What is the purpose of that? What does it do?

If it's what I think it is, it's akin to a form for your Title Block. Whatever the fields are for your Title block, those dotted outline boxes are supposed to be the fields where you would enter Title, Author, Rev, Date, etc. for the Title Block. It's supposed to be a quick way to fill in that information if you're not using Custom or PDM variables.

[DanPihlaja]

These are not problems, they're just... making me wonder. I'm trying to create a format.

One of my notes in the format is purple. This happens in my drawings in general too. Why?

Why is some of the text blue, when I'm in "edit sheet format" mode? What does it mean? I thought it was for text that was tied to properties, but one of my notes is black, even though it is tied to a property. They all revert back to black when going back to the sheet. (But not the purple one)

What is that "Title Block Table" thing? I forget where now, but it had me create a box. And when I hover over or click on my title block, it shows me a dotted line outline. What is the purpose of that? What does it do?

If you have this turned on:

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image.png (11.33 KiB) Viewed 4516 times

Then it will show the colors as their system status instead of layers.

Try turning that off and see what you get.

Edit: And I just realized that @the_h4mmer said the same thing in his first paragraph.

[the_h4mmer]

If you have this turned on:
image.png
image.png

Then it will show the colors as their system status instead of layers.

Try turning that off and see what you get.

Edit: And I just realized that @the_h4mmer said the same thing in his first paragraph.

No worries Dan, the images always help and I didn't have a great way to add them myself

[KSHansen]

OK, so...

The purple thing... I switch the color display mode, and everything is black & white, and some of the lines change thickness. But that doesn't really explain anything. But either way, when I create a pdf, I do it in b&w, so I guess it doesn't really matter. I'll just ignore it.

The one where some of notes were blue and some were not, the blue notes were ones that were connected to properties. The ones that I thought should have been blue, actually were not connected. So that was my own fault.

If it's what I think it is, it's akin to a form for your Title Block. Whatever the fields are for your Title block, those dotted outline boxes are supposed to be the fields where you would enter Title, Author, Rev, Date, etc. for the Title Block. It's supposed to be a quick way to fill in that information if you're not using Custom or PDM variables.

Right now, if I doubleclick inside the Title Block Table area, it lets me modify the text of the notes that are in there (except the ones that are controlled by properties). There's something I chose to make it editable in that way, but I can't find it now. So the note has to be inside the Title Block Table area before I can do that to it?

[DanPihlaja]

...

Right now, if I doubleclick inside the Title Block Table area, it lets me modify the text of the notes that are in there (except the ones that are controlled by properties). There's something I chose to make it editable in that way, but I can't find it now. So the note has to be inside the Title Block Table area before I can do that to it?

Have you tried the "edit sheet format" selection?

[KSHansen]

Have you tried the "edit sheet format" selection?

Oh yeah, no problem there. If I do that I can edit the format in any way. If I'm in Edit Sheet mode, and I doubleclick in the area of the format, I can edit the text that I have specified to be editable. So that basically answers my question. What confused me is that the specified notes don't have to be inside the Title Block Table area. I can doubleclick the Title Block Table and they'll still light up even if they're not inside it.

Now if someone could just remind me what I have to do to specify those notes as being editable in the Title Block Table...

[DanPihlaja]

Oh yeah, no problem there. If I do that I can edit the format in any way. If I'm in Edit Sheet mode, and I doubleclick in the area of the format, I can edit the text that I have specified to be editable. So that basically answers my question. What confused me is that the specified notes don't have to be inside the Title Block Table area. I can doubleclick the Title Block Table and they'll still light up even if they're not inside it.

Now if someone could just remind me what I have to do to specify those notes as being editable in the Title Block Table...

I think that you are looking for this:
http://help.solidworks.com/2018/english ... d7c33f#Pg0

Although as far as I know, most users don't use the title block wizard. We apply our own notes that have links to Custom properties from the part itself and they fill themselves in automatically once you have them filled in at the part level.

https://www.javelin-tech.com/blog/2016/ ... tle-block/

[KSHansen]

Yes, that's it. Thanks! I think I was trying to choose the note and then look for how to specify is part of the table, rather then choosing the table and looking for a way to specify which notes are connected.

[DanPihlaja]

Yes, that's it. Thanks! I think I was trying to choose the note and then look for how to specify is part of the table, rather then choosing the table and looking for a way to specify which notes are connected.

Here are another couple of resources:
http://help.solidworks.com/2019/english ... t=P&value=

https://www.goengineer.com/blog/link-pr ... ks-drawing

https://www.javelin-tech.com/blog/2012/ ... tle-block/

[Glenn Schroeder]

. . . What confused me is that the specified notes don't have to be inside the Title Block Table area. I can doubleclick the Title Block Table and they'll still light up even if they're not inside it.

Now if someone could just remind me what I have to do to specify those notes as being editable in the Title Block Table...

Maybe you have this figured out now, but to clarify, a note can be part of the sheet format (which means it's editable only when in "Edit sheet format" mode) regardless of where it's located on the sheet. It doesn't have to be within the title block. See below. The yellow "PRELIMINARY DRAWING . . ." watermark across the sheet belongs to the sheet format.

[KSHansen]

Thanks for the links, Dan.

Glenn, yes, it doesn't have to be in the title block to be part of the drawing format. But, more specifically, it doesn't have to be inside the area of Title Block Table to be editable as part of the Title Block Table. *shrug*

Now I have a real question... I've created this format, and it seems to be working like I want it to. I need to make three more versions of different sheet size. I'd think I should be able to do a save-as, and then change the sheet size, but I've been Googling and haven't figured out how to do that.

[Glenn Schroeder]

Thanks for the links, Dan.

Glenn, yes, it doesn't have to be in the title block to be part of the drawing format. But, more specifically, it doesn't have to be inside the area of Title Block Table to be editable as part of the Title Block Table. *shrug*

Now I have a real question... I've created this format, and it seems to be working like I want it to. I need to make three more versions of different sheet size. I'd think I should be able to do a save-as, and then change the sheet size, but I've been Googling and haven't figured out how to do that.

There are several methods. Probably the one used most often would be to go into Edit Sheet Format mode and copy everything you want on the new format. Switch to a new sheet format that's the correct size, go to Edit Sheet Format mode, delete everything there you don't want, and paste. You will need to arrange things the way you want, but if you box-select the ones you want to move together it won't be too bad. When you finish be sure to save the sheet format.

There's some general information about sheet formats and drawing templates at https://www.cadforum.net/viewtopic.php?t=305 that you might find helpful

[KSHansen]

I tried that way. It worked OK except I had to recreate all of the properties, so I was hoping there was a better way.

[Glenn Schroeder]

I tried that way. It worked OK except I had to recreate all of the properties, so I was hoping there was a better way.

That shouldn't have happened. Was this a different sheet in the same Drawing file, or a different Drawing? If it's a different Drawing then you'd need to add those properties to it first.

[KSHansen]

It was a different document with the title block copied and pasted in. I couldn't figure out how to change the sheet size of an existing drawing.

[Glenn Schroeder]

. . . I couldn't figure out how to change the sheet size of an existing drawing.

It's in the link I posted above.

[DanPihlaja]

It was a different document with the title block copied and pasted in. I couldn't figure out how to change the sheet size of an existing drawing.

Select the new size or browse for the sheet format

[KSHansen]

OK, I get it. The answer is no. You cannot change the sheet size. You can only change the format, which is tied to a sheet size. But at least this is better than creating a new format from scratch, because even though I still have to copy-paste my format table, I don't have to recreate my properties.

Thanks Glenn and Dan!

[KSHansen]

Now I can't get the zone letters to go away! Ack!

Edit: OK, now it's just messing with me. I can no longer copy/paste the title block entities.

PS, Edit: Nevermind, Ctrl+C works. When I start to get frustrated, nothing works.

[KSHansen]

OMG I finally found it. Expand Sheet then Sheet Format in the drawing tree. Then right-click and delete Border.

Sometimes commands are in the right-click menu when you select an item. Sometimes they're in the toolbars on top, and sometimes they're in the right-click menu on the tree. And in the case of drawing format items, sometimes they're controlled by settings in the properties, and sometimes they're in the other properties.

[DanPihlaja]

OMG I finally found it. Expand Sheet then Sheet Format in the drawing tree. Then right-click and delete Border.

Sometimes commands are in the right-click menu when you select an item. Sometimes they're in the toolbars on top, and sometimes they're in the right-click menu on the tree. And in the case of drawing format items, sometimes they're controlled by settings in the properties, and sometimes they're in the other properties.

Welcome to the "47 different people at different times coded different areas of the software without ever communicating with each other or checking what any of the others did" Solidworks.

[Glenn Schroeder]

OK, I get it. The answer is no. You cannot change the sheet size. You can only change the format, which is tied to a sheet size. But at least this is better than creating a new format from scratch, because even though I still have to copy-paste my format table, I don't have to recreate my properties.

Thanks Glenn and Dan!

When you do copy and paste your table and get it all set up in the new size be sure to save this sheet format for future use (assuming you will need to use it again).

[KSHansen]

Welcome to the "47 different people at different times coded different areas of the software without ever communicating with each other or checking what any of the others did" Solidworks.

The next time someone tries to tell me how much easier Solidworks is than Creo, I'm going to get al Will Smith on them.

[kawuser]

The next time someone tries to tell me how much easier Solidworks is than Creo, I'm going to get al Will Smith on them.

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[Jasong2111]

Howdy, Something relate to drawing, but not on the Text colour. My question is to create a automatic updating method to update all my sheets revision, like when I change Revision from 1 to 2, all my sheets (maybe 6 or 10) all change automatically. Maybe set Revision link to a variable? Thank you in advance

[mattpeneguy]

Howdy, Something relate to drawing, but not on the Text colour. My question is to create a automatic updating method to update all my sheets revision, like when I change Revision from 1 to 2, all my sheets (maybe 6 or 10) all change automatically. Maybe set Revision link to a variable? Thank you in advance

Unfortunately you haven't provided enough information to answer that question in my opinion.
If you are doing one off revisions and don't have a document management system, then I guess you could use a document Custom Property and link to it in the drawing title blocks. I'm sure some people on here are going to tell you all the reasons that's a bad idea. But, as I wrote above you haven't given enough information about your workflow.

[Jasong2111]

Anybody know about how to link revision letter in title block to document property? An instruction or YouTube video will very appreciated.

[Glenn Schroeder]

Anybody know about how to link revision letter in title block to document property? An instruction or YouTube video will very appreciated.

I don't have a video, but how about a screenshot? With the Note function active, click on the icon shown below. After clicking on it there are several drop-downs, but they're fairly easy to understand and navigate. Depending on the type of property you're trying to link to you may need to have a drawing view inserted.

[Jasong2111]

Thank you, Glenn

[mattpeneguy]

Your template may already have the Revision property in it. If not it's easy enough to add it (you have to click for it to play):

[jcapriotti]

Your template may already have the Revision property in it. If not it's easy enough to add it (you have to click for it to play):
revision.gif

I'm more interested in this "chicken coop" you're modeling.

[mattpeneguy]

DM me your email address and I can send you the plans (and SW files). If you are serious about it let me know and I'll send you my phone number, for any questions you may have.