default units 1

[fatcheeto]

Hello,
I'm new to Solidworks(2006) and my IT guy installed it for me. Whenever I start a new part my units are in metric(mm). I change them to INCH by going to Tools|Options|Doc Properties|Units but I would like to have the application startup in Inch mode. I don't see a setting in System Options for units. Do I need to Uninstall/Reinstall to get the INCH default?
Thanks,

 

[GunT]

Open the corresponding Document Template and change the settings there and save it. Then you will have default units as "Inches"

Regards

 

[fatcheeto]

I tried that and it doesn't seem to be working. I opened Part1.prtdot changed the units in Tools|Options|Doc Properties|Units. Saved the template and closed SolidWorks. When I start Solidworks and start a new Part I'm back to metric???
I also confirmed that part1.prtdot is the default template setup in the system options.

Thanks

 

[brengine]

I also confirmed that part1.prtdot is the default template setup in the system options.

Where did you check this at?
Tools/Options/System Options/Default Templates
or
Tools/Options/System Options/File Locations/Document Templates

I'm guess you confirmed the "Default Templates", but you probably want to verify the "Document Templates" settings instead. Both are important, but they do different things.

Ken

 

[fatcheeto]

Hello,

Both.
The Tools|Options|File Locations|Doc Templates is only a location setting where the actual template resides. This is set to the folder where part1.prtdot is located.

It doesn't seem like Solidworks is looking at the part1.prtdot file at all.
Thanks

 

[brengine]

Seems like I had deleted all of my templates files once, and SW was still able to create a new component. But I have no idea what template it was using (since there weren't any), and I do remember that the Units and Plane names weren't our standard.

You could try this:
Make a backup copy of your part1.prtdot file. Open the part1.prtdot file. Change one of the reference plane's names. Save and Close.

Start a new part file. Does this new file have the plane with the changed name? If not then I can definitely say that SW didn't pull the new part from "that" Template.

You could also try:
I'd doublecheck your SW install directory for any other template files. In Windows Explorer search for *.???dot Then perform the same experiment with any of those (if you find any).

Ken

 

[fatcheeto]

Thanks KenBolen,
I think my problem was that I had more than one .prtdot file. I removed all the .prtdot files from the templates folder except the one I wanted and then the part file units were correct. It seems like if there are more than one .prtdot files it wouldn't use the one that was selected as "default".

Thank you... all is well.