SolidWorks 2010 Bible

Chapter 25: Using Layers, Line Fonts, and Colors

The image to the left in Figure 25.8 is the old setting with the draft quality view, and the

image to the right is the new setting with the high quality view.

11. In the Component Line Font dialog box, set the Line Weight setting back to Default
    for the Bracket part, but keep it on the Bracket layer.


12. In the isometric view, Ctrl+click all the tangent edges on the Bracket part, as shown
    in Figure 25.9. Click the Hide/Show Edges toolbar button on the Line Format toolbar.

FIGURE 25.9

Hiding edges

Before After

13. Click the Hide/Show Edges toolbar button. The PropertyManager message changes to
    indicate that you can now select hidden edges, and the hidden edges are shown.
    Ctrl+select the hidden edges and right-click when you are done.

Summary

While SolidWorks is not primarily built around the strength of its 2D drawing functionality, it

offers more capabilities than most users take advantage of. Layers in SolidWorks offer adequate

functionality, but could be improved by some automation to put parts on layers automatically; this

would enable SolidWorks to show the parts in wireframe with the same colors assigned to the

solid.

Other line and edge display functionality is sometimes difficult to find or access, or may have

obscure functions. Creating drawings that use color to make them easier to read should be easier

in SolidWorks than it is in AutoCAD.