22-ENG-ELSZ-0021 Creating Project Templates

Creating Project Templates – Part 1

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1.1.0 Module Welcome to the module, Creating Project Templates.

Introduction
A project is used to store the many different file types that contain
reports, data, and other files that together define an electrical machine,
assembly, installation, or system fully.

Every project is configurable and contains one or more document books.

Books can contain multiple folders to manage the different drawing types
and files related to the book itself, in order to make even the most
complex designs more manageable.

Project templates are projects saved in a specific state. They can contain
as much data as required, from the symbols and parts libraries available
to entire document sets with multiple books, folders, and drawing types.
This ensures considerable time savings by providing predefined
configuration settings, required wire styles, palettes, configuration files,
and even standard reports and drawings.

In this module, you will learn how project configurations can be changed
and a project can be saved as a template for use in the future.

1.2.0 Module Objectives In this module, you will learn how to navigate the user interface and
employ an environmental archive to populate different types of program
data to local or shared network systems.

You will examine projects in detail to clarify configuration settings used to

affect design data, how projects are structured, and where they are
stored. You will also learn how to save the modified project as a template
for use in future designs.

1.3.0 Module Map This module is divided into several topics.

Click the topic titles in the list for a brief overview of each topic.

2.1.0 Layout and Naming The SOLIDWORKS Electrical user interface is reactive, displaying and
Conventions hiding commands and panels based on the current program design focus.

Click each button to learn more.

2.1.1 The Quick Access toolbar is always available and allows for the quick
execution of some of the most common commands.

In addition to the standard commands, like Save, Print, Undo, Cut, Copy,
and Paste, there are other unique electrical commands.

The Project Manager function is activated where it’s possible to create,

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open, duplicate, archive, and delete projects.

The Previous/Next Drawing function is used to automatically move to,

and open, the next or previous drawings.

The Execute Last Command function is used to execute the last command
that was run.

The Project Search function is used to access the Project Search interface
to quickly locate specific project information.

The Insert Symbol function is used to activate the Insert Symbols

command, in either the schematic, line diagram, or mixed scheme
drawings to add project components.

2.1.2 The Ribbon, or CommandManager menu, contains input commands

sorted into multiple groupings (tabs). Tabs will be automatically shown or
hidden, based on the drawing type currently active. This ensures that only
relevant commands are available, based on the current drawing
environment and design intent.

2.1.3 The Pages side panel lists all currently opened projects and the drawings
contained within them. There are multiple types of drawings, which can
be managed by grouping them into as many books, folders, and sub-
folders as might be required for the design.

The Components tab lists the currently active project components

grouped by location or function.

The panels are dockable, and can be moved to a preferred location in the
dialog if required.

2.1.4 The Resources panel has multiple tabs, allowing quick access to general
resources, such as the customer portal and forums.

On selection of a project object, such as a book, a folder, or any drawing

entity, it is possible to review or edit the properties of a selected project
entity.

On opening a schematic or line diagram drawing, the Macros and Symbols

tabs are activated automatically. The Macros tab allows for grouping and
insertion of commonly-used macros circuits, while the Symbols tab
groups preferred or commonly-used drawing symbols.

2.1.5 The Graphics Zone displays the currently opened drawing; multiple
drawings can be opened simultaneously and activated by selecting the
appropriate drawing tab, or clicking the Drawing window where they are
shown in a tiled view.

Symbols and Titleblocks can also be opened and edited in the graphics

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area.

If preferred, it is possible to redline project drawings in DraftSight, as well

as open and edit symbols and Titleblocks directly in DraftSight via the
right-click contextual menu.

2.1.6 The status bar shows cursor coordinates on the left-hand side, although
these can be toggled on or off by clicking the bar. The right side of the bar
shows drawing parameters that can be toggled on or off, either by
manually clicking or using F keys.

Right-clicking on the parameters opens the Drawing parameters dialog,

where a range of settings can be defined. Any changes made apply to the
currently active drawing only.

3.1.0 What Are Projects? SOLIDWORKS Electrical provides intelligence and collaboration on
electrical designs using a combined database and file architecture. When
working on a SOLIDWORKS Electrical project, the user is never just
working with an individual file. Even a single drawing sheet is comprised
of database elements and multiple files on disk.

The SOLIDWORKS Electrical project structure also allows dynamic

updating between multiple collaborating users, whether using
SOLIDWORKS Electrical Schematic or SOLIDWORKS Electrical 3D. Saving to
disk is not required for most design operations since all changes are
immediately stored in the database. This does make it more important to
occasionally store project snapshots or archives to revert to previous
project versions.

3.2.0 What Are Project Templates are projects that have been saved by users at a specific state.
Templates? They can contain as much data as required; from the symbols and parts
libraries available, to entire document sets with multiple books, folders,
and drawing types.

When creating a project, it is possible to select a template; this provides

considerable time savings by providing predefined configuration settings,
required wire styles, palettes, configuration files, and even standard
reports.

It is recommended that engineers create project templates during the

implementation of SOLIDWORKS Electrical. This will ensure faster program
proficiency—thanks to required data being readily available.

Let’s learn what each of these means.

Click each tab to learn more.

3.2.1 General options include available project languages, units the project
documents will be created in (mm or inches), date formats, default

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configuration files for terminal strips, PLC drawings, and cross-referencing.

3.2.2 Graphic settings enable setting preferences relating to showing or hiding

certain data. It also includes commands to set up colors, line styles, and
line widths for a range of graphical commands. Nodal indicators can be
activated that allow for the definition of point-to-point scheme wiring.

3.2.3 We can set symbol labels for wires, equipotentials, cables, or locations.

3.2.4 We can define font, height, color, and offset positions for a variety of
automatically applied drawing annotations.

3.2.5 Numbering and cross-referencing systems can be defined for all aspects of
the project data set, in addition to drawing analysis directions, and how
unique marks can be handled.

3.2.6 Here, it is possible to apply the default Titleblock for all available drawing
types. These act only as a default and can be changed on a case-by-case
basis in the project, if needed.

3.2.7 We can select the library associated symbols, Titleblocks, macros, and
parts that will be available in the project. It is also possible to select
palettes with user-definable content for different project types. This
provides an easy way to limit the type of data available for specific project
types and so, meet any requirements relating to preferred parts or circuit
design, for example.

3.3.0 How Is a Project Projects are made up of two distinct data types: SQL metadata and the
Structured? electronic design files, reports, and technical data sheets. These are
reliant on one another to ensure full project intelligence.

Due to this, it is recommended that projects are backed up using Archive

Project or Archive Environment, depending on the number of projects.

Archiving within SOLIDWORKS Electrical packs all the required project SQL
database information and electronic files into a single compressed file.

3.4.0 Show Me: Creating Let us see how to set up a new project for future reuse as a template.
a Project – Part 1
Click Show Me to launch a demonstration video.

3.4.1 When first launching SOLIDWORKS Electrical the projects manager will be
open by default.

Click New to create a new project.

3.4.2 Templates can be selected from the drop-down to create the new project.

Click the project template drop-down and …

3.4.3 … click <Empty project>.

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3.4.4 Click OK.

3.4.5 Click OK in the warning message.

3.4.6 The project information card contains project-related data that not only
makes it easier to locate projects but which can also be displayed in
drawing title blocks. This field data can be changed at any time during the
design process.

3.4.7 Type Lesson 1 in the Title field and, …

3.4.8 … Blank Project Configuration in the English Description field …

3.4.9 … then click OK to create the project.

3.4.10 Once the project is created, it is listed in the Electrical Project

Management dialog. The project name being in bold blue text indicates
the project is open, in a network sharing environment, a project shown in
red indicates another user has the project open.

3.4.11 Close the Electrical Project Management dialog.

3.4.12 The project is automatically opened and shown in the Components tab.

3.4.13 Click the Electrical Project tab to access all the relevant project
commands, …

3.4.14 … and then click Configurations.

3.4.15 The General tab affects the high-level project options, such as the primary
language field that will be used, the drawing units, date format, and
settings for automatically generated drawings.

3.4.16 Click the Second language drop-down, …

3.4.17 … and scroll down.

3.4.18 Change the second language field to Spanish.

3.4.19 Click the Imperial unit system, …

3.4.20 … and for dimension units, click in, ft.

3.4.21 Next, click the Gauge (AWG standard) radial to set the default cable size
standard to American Wire Gauge.

3.4.22 Next, change date format to …

3.4.23 … mm/dd/yyyy from drop-down to meet US standards.

3.4.24 Scroll down.

3.4.25 Click the Terminal strip drop-down and …

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3.4.26 … click Horizontal.

3.4.27 Then, click the Drawing styles drop-down and …

3.4.28 … select [defaultdrawingstyle_imperial].

3.4.29 Finally, click the Update generated drawings drop-down …

3.4.30 … and select Always.

3.4.31 That brings us to the end of this demonstration.

Click Next to continue.

3.5.0 Try It: Creating a Now you take the controls and find out how much you have learned about
Project – Part 1 how to create and configure a project.

Click Try It to launch the simulation and go through the steps on your
own.

3.5.1 Congratulations! You have successfully completed this simulation.

Click Next to continue.

3.6.0 Show Me: Creating Let us see how to configure the graphic and text settings for the new
a Project - Part 2 project template.

Click Show Me to launch a demonstration video.

3.6.1 Click the Graphic tab.

3.6.2 Graphic settings allow you to show, hide, and set up colors, line styles,
and line widths for a range of graphical commands.

3.6.3 Click the Symbol Display drop-down and …

3.6.4 … click When connected to ensure connection dots are shown only on
symbols connected correctly to a wire or cable core.

3.6.5 Next, set the Symbol Diameter to 0.01 …

3.6.6 … and the Wire Diameter to 0.01.

3.6.7 As the drawings are in inches, the diameter of these needs to be reduced
or else 1-inch diameter connection dots would be shown on all wire
connections.

3.6.8 Click the Line type drop-down for Location …

3.6.9 … and click Dashed.

3.6.10 Set the Location Line width to 0.5.

3.6.11 Repeat the process for Function, changing the Function Line style to

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Dashed and the Function line width to 0.5.

3.6.12 Finally, click to activate the Automatically show nodal indicator checkbox.
This will allow for the definition of point-to-point schematic wiring.

3.6.13 Click the Text tab.

3.6.14 From here, it is possible to define the font, height, color, and offset
positions for a variety of automatically applied annotations.

3.6.15 Change the Main language and Second language text heights to 0.1.

3.6.16 Then set all the other text heights to 0.075 of an inch. It is possible to use
CTRL+C and CTRL+V shortcut keys to copy-paste the values between
fields. To save time, these steps will be done for you.

3.6.17 Next the coordinates need to be changed. These define the offset of the
different texts from their origin point. As the project is in inches, in these
instances, these values should be reduced. Again, to save time, these
steps will be done for you.

3.6.18 Set the origin-destination X coordinate to 0.05.

3.6.19 Then change the Location outline and Function outline Y coordinate to
0.1.

3.6.20 Finally, set the Black box terminal text Y coordinate to 0.025.

3.6.21 That brings us to the end of this demonstration.

Click Next to continue.

3.7.0 Try It: Creating a Now you take the controls and find out how much you have learned about
Project – Part 2 configuring the graphic and text settings for the new project template.

Click Try It to launch the simulation and go through the steps on your
own.

Congratulations! You have successfully completed this simulation.

Click Next to continue.

3.8.0 Check Your Here’s a question to check your understanding of what has been covered
Understanding so far.

3.9.0 Check Your Here’s another question to check your understanding.

Understanding

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