CAD Forum

Austin Schukar wrote: ↑Thu Mar 31, 2022 2:46 pm I'm wondering about creating a custom line style, similar to AutoCAD, by modifying this file:

<install_dir>\SOLIDWORKS\lang\<language>\Swlines.lin

I don't see how to include shapes, symbols, text, etc. into the formatting. Is there a trick that I'm not seeing, or am I limited to only creating linetypes that consist of dashes, spaces, lines?

DanPihlaja wrote: ↑Thu Mar 31, 2022 3:54 pm Pretty sure you are limited to length of solid segment and length of break....

https://solid-blog.pl/tworzenie-wlasneg ... h/?lang=en

although I have been entirely wrong before...

Tom G wrote: ↑Fri Apr 01, 2022 1:25 pm I thought that a Revision Cloud may be useful to try this. However, its only controls are minimum arc radius and Line Style, also defined as linear-only types of gaps and dashes.

I've made similar 'constructs' where a straight line is drawn on a layout layer which I later turn to hidden, then I sketch a series of parallel lines across it and define each as equal length. You could make this a library block, which could be inserted, exploded and then and dragging its ends would lengthen it, but it would have the same number of zigs and zags, only larger or with a more obtuse angle between them, depending on its relations applied.

You could instead, not explode it and line multiples of these up to make a longer line. Maybe explode the end blocks where you'd like to trim it.

This is still not what you want, but a kludge that is difficult to manage and repeat.

Austin Schukar wrote: ↑Thu Mar 31, 2022 2:46 pm I'm wondering about creating a custom line style, similar to AutoCAD, by modifying this file:

<install_dir>\SOLIDWORKS\lang\<language>\Swlines.lin

I don't see how to include shapes, symbols, text, etc. into the formatting. Is there a trick that I'm not seeing, or am I limited to only creating linetypes that consist of dashes, spaces, lines?

jcapriotti wrote: ↑Fri Apr 01, 2022 6:01 pm Just curious where you would use this? I can' think of anytime I've wanted to do this on a drawing in SolidWorks.....maybe AutoCAD for doing break views I guess.

JSculley wrote: ↑Fri Apr 01, 2022 3:50 pm The AutoCAD zig-zag is a marriage of two files. The .lin file and a corresponding .shp (shape) file. SW only mimics the .lin part.

Tom G wrote: ↑Fri Apr 01, 2022 1:25 pm I thought that a Revision Cloud may be useful to try this. However, its only controls are minimum arc radius and Line Style, also defined as linear-only types of gaps and dashes.

I've made similar 'constructs' where a straight line is drawn on a layout layer which I later turn to hidden, then I sketch a series of parallel lines across it and define each as equal length. You could make this a library block, which could be inserted, exploded and then and dragging its ends would lengthen it, but it would have the same number of zigs and zags, only larger or with a more obtuse angle between them, depending on its relations applied.

You could instead, not explode it and line multiples of these up to make a longer line. Maybe explode the end blocks where you'd like to trim it.

This is still not what you want, but a kludge that is difficult to manage and repeat.

Austin Schukar wrote: ↑Mon Apr 04, 2022 1:04 pm Good question. Really is just personal preference. I use Crop View quite a bit, and really prefer something like CATIA's clipped view linetype for the clipped borders. Something like this...It's just what I'm used to seeing, that's all. AFAIK the only border options for cropped views in SW are: None, solid, and jagged. Detail view allows you to set a border linetype, lineweight, etc. and it's curious that they don't allow it for cropped views as well?

Tom G wrote: ↑Mon Apr 04, 2022 2:06 pm In one previous use, I wanted to indicate that a series of systems were connected to the same linear pipe header, without the additional load of the complete assembly from which to crop or break the view. Each system was a subassembly, and included an enveloped partial representation of the continuous header. I created zig-zag cuts at the header's ends, twice to show in both plan and front views. The sheets containing system views only showed that subassembly.

That is, I placed the Zig-Zag inside the solid body, to appear in its view. There's always more than one way to achieve desired results in context.

It was also a reaction to the drawing limitation that a Break view cannot be open-ended, but must also show the far end of the view, AFAIK using 2018. I did not want to show the irrelevant extent end in a break view detailing a 'middle part', so I represented what I desired by another means.

This may sound tedious, but it was far more productive than viewing the very large assembly in drawings where it was not necessary.

Glenn Schroeder wrote: ↑Mon Apr 04, 2022 1:43 pm Something like this?


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