Blocks and Templates Again!

[KLineDesign]

thread559-271402

I updated our Titleblocks again this year, and I really need some advice on a better way to set these up. I use blocks (for the titleblock) that are externally referenced onto the format (format is saved) and then the drawing template is saved. This time around my blocks are editable, which I do not want. Currently, the only way I can get a drawing format to behave how I want (with the entire sheet format and blocks write-protected) is to open the drawing template directly and save it as the new file. Can someone explain what settings I may have wrong, or please step me through this procedure once more?

Regards,
KLINE

 

[KLineDesign]

Let me reiterate my previous post to better explain my situation:

Currently, if I open any of our drawing templates they work and look perfect. Note this is only if opening the actual TEMPLATE:

1. The editable text shows up on the correct 'side' of the drawing.
2. The titleblock arrives as a block with external reference and it cannot be edited.

This is what I want, but I want this to be available when I hit 'new drawing' or 'create drawing from part'. Right now when I do hit 'new drawing' or 'create drawing from part' the formats I want to select show up. But, when I select any of them the editable text I need does not make the trip and the titleblock arrives as a block that CAN be edited which I do not want.

Please Help,
KLINE

 

[fcsuper]

From your comments, I'm led to ask if you are using the sheet format mode on your drawings. If this is new to you, look up Sheet Format in the SolidWorks Help file.

Sheet format is the normal way to control title block and border. Entities on the sheet format are not directly editable on the drawing unless you enter the sheet format mode, so I'm guessing that this will resolve your issue.

Matt Lorono, CSWP
Lorono's SolidWorks Resources & SolidWorks Legion
Follow me on Twitter

 

[StrykerTECH]

Instead of using an external block and trying to limit the ability to edit the text. I would use the custom property dialog. This would get rid of having people directly editing the title block at all.
You essentially want to lock down the title block so no one has the ability to edit anything they aren't allowed to?

StrykerTECH Engineering Staff
Milwaukee, WI

http://www.stryker-tech.com/

 

[KLineDesign]

Sorry for the delay, and still needing your assistance. The current problem is that the template does not bring in the editable text, and worse yet the titleblocks are editable (even though they shouldn't be as they were linked in from a read-only to the sheet format). I'll look into the custom property dialog, but Blocks have served us well in that some legacy 2D drawings only need minor updates and therefore can be edited in DraftSight. The titleblocks for these files can easily be updated by deleting the old and importing the same block used to build the SolidWorks Templates.

Thanks for the help, and please share further opinions and options with this matter.

KLINE

 

[fcsuper]

Where are you placing the title block and Block elements. Are these on the sheet or the sheet format? Are you using the Title block wizard?

Matt Lorono, CSWP
Lorono's SolidWorks Resources & SolidWorks Legion
Follow me on Twitter

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Firstly, when you "hit 'new drawing' or 'create drawing from part" are you sure you are opening the same file as when you open the template document? Check that the File Locations > Document Templates and Default Templates point to the same files.

It sounds like one of them is pointing to a template which is still in Edit Sheet Format mode.

 

[moon161]

yah, open new dwg, and right click in the middle of the page, if 'edit sheet' is an option, the format is saved in the edit mode. No views, sketch lines or annotations etc. will be visible.

Click Edit Sheet > File > Save Format to fix it.

 

[macduff]

My 2 cents....Use the SW templates and modify your own from there. This includes CP's, edit sheet format, yada yada yada. I would not use blocks to create or use on templates. It's to confusing. Use the KISS philosophy. It is a PITA because you have to manage each size template separately, but you won't have problem like you're describing in this thread.

Colin Fitzpatrick (aka Macduff)
Mechanical Designer
Solidworks 2010 SP 3.1
Dell 490 XP Pro SP 2
Xeon CPU 3.00 GHz 3.00 GB of RAM
nVida Quadro FX 3450 512 MB
3D Connexion-SpaceExplorer

 

[fcsuper]

Blocks tend to get messy when they are included in the sheet format or drawing template. For good information on how to make title blocks, check out

http://solidworkstemplates.com

Matt Lorono, CSWP
Lorono's SolidWorks Resources & SolidWorks Legion
Follow me on Twitter

 

[KLineDesign]

Thanks for all the replies. I got to the bottom of a portion of this (a little embarrasing even with my limited SW use, but perhaps a slight chance it will help someone). I had named the sheet formats the same as the Template. While this shouldn't be a huge issue it would've been helpful if they were named differently. See, while creating new (in SW2008) there is a button at the bottom for Novice or Advanced. Novice only selects the format, and not all the good stuff that comes with the templates which are what you are indeed selecting while in the 'advanced' tab...shame on me.

I still don't have the blocks locked down as well as I would like. They are indeed on the sheet format side, and it is just good practice to not go in far enough to be able to modify them, but I would like it to not be possible. If anyone has a way to do this please share, but really this thread is probably closed.

Thanks again to all that replied.

KLINE

 

[macduff]

FYI, Here's my template and sheet format naming convention.

Colin Fitzpatrick (aka Macduff)
Mechanical Designer
Solidworks 2010 SP 5.0
Dell T5500 XP Pro SP 3 (32-bit)
Xeon CPU 2.53 GHz 3.00 GB of RAM
nVida Quadro 4000 2 GB
3D Connexion-SpaceExplorer

 

[macduff]

Hmmm...try this

Colin Fitzpatrick (aka Macduff)
Mechanical Designer
Solidworks 2010 SP 5.0
Dell T5500 XP Pro SP 3 (32-bit)
Xeon CPU 2.53 GHz 3.00 GB of RAM
nVida Quadro 4000 2 GB
3D Connexion-SpaceExplorer