SolidWorks 2010 Bible

Part I: SolidWorks Basics

Corner Rectangle creates a rectangle by clicking one corner and dragging to the diagonal corner.

This action creates four lines with Horizontal and Vertical sketch relations, as appropriate. The

Corner Rectangle is also available as a flyout icon with a Corner Rectangle, Center Rectangle, 3

Point Corner Rectangle (rectangle at an angle), and 3 Point Center Rectangle, as well as a

Parallelogram. Figure 3.5 shows the flyout and flyout icons, and the PropertyManager for the

Rectangle, which also enables you to switch types of rectangle easily.

FIGURE 3.5

The Rectangle flyout with associated icons

Notice the Add dimensions check box in the PropertyManager. Selecting this box while creating a

rectangle causes the software to add dimensions aligned with the sides of the rectangle. This option

is also available for lines, arcs, and circles.

Note that if you use this option in conjunction with the Enable on-screen numeric input on entity

creation setting, found at Tools ➪ Options ➪ Sketch, it makes creating sketch entities to the correct

size immediately much easier.

Circle creates a circle using one of two methods, which are available from either the flyout icon or
the Circle PropertyManager:

l Center Creation. Click the center of the circle and drag the radius. The Circle

PropertyManager calls this function center creation.

l Perimeter Creation. To create a circle using this technique, you must select the Perimeter

Creation option from the Circle PropertyManager window after clicking the Circle tool.

There is also a separate Perimeter Creation toolbar button and a menu selection for

Tools ➪ Sketch Entities ➪ Perimeter Circle. This only creates tangent relations with other

entities in the current sketch; if you are building a circle from model edges or entities in

other sketches, you need to apply the relations manually. SolidWorks calls these functions

perimeter creation.