SW printing capabilities...

[D3sign3r]

Is it just me or is the solidworks printing functionality useless?
Whenever i need to print special views out of a drawing (like quick 1:1 zoomed-in-views for the guys on the shopfloor) i need to save the sw drawing as a dwg file...open up autocad and use the printing options there, which are easy to use and work like charm. Even Autodesk's Inventor's printing options were far superior.
I've tried the 'selection' option in the print window, but the view-frame doesn't even show up now when i select the 'custom scale' option in sw.

When will sw finally improve their printing functionality??

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

I have never had a problem with printing using any of the options.

What version of SW?

Have you tried the screen capture then print from an image viewer?

PDF?


Helpful SW websites FAQ559-520
How to get answers to your SW questions FAQ559-1091

 

[ctopher]

The printing functionality is not useless, just a matter of learning how to use it.
I would use screen capture as CBL suggested, or just change the scale of the view.
IMO, saving as a DWG makes the file useless.

Chris
Systems Analyst, I.S.
SolidWorks/PDMWorks 05
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home site (updated 06-21-05)
FAQ559-1100
FAQ559-716

 

[D3sign3r]

Im using sw06-sp3
I just find the printing in sw very limited. Im trying to print a 1:1 area on a certain part of the drawing sheet on an 11x17", instead of printing the full size "D" size drawing on the plotter. (trying to save a tree).
Is there a way to isolate an area on a typical drawing and print that to a specific scale?

Ive been using sw since '02...but still find sw falls behind as far as printing is concerned
I guess autodesk has coined the printing functionality.

 

[ctopher]

You have to remember you are working with a parametric software, not a 2D sketching software. If you want to print how you mentioned above, please follow our suggestions above.

Chris
Systems Analyst, I.S.
SolidWorks/PDMWorks 05
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home site (updated 06-21-05)
FAQ559-1100
FAQ559-716

 

[D3sign3r]

Taking a screen capture of the sheet pretty much blows all scaling out of the water. I dont think that is a professional thing to do.
Im not talking printing 3D pictures...Im looking to isolate specific 2D detail drawings (.slddrw) views and plot them out 1:1. Surely ymost of us have used autocad or something like that in the past and had to generate scaled plots of an entire drawing or just partial sections of a drawing.

 

[ctopher]

Change the scale of the view you want to print to 1/1 or create a new view that is 1/1. You need to forget ACAD when working with SW, 2D vs 3D.

Chris
Systems Analyst, I.S.
SolidWorks/PDMWorks 05
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home site (updated 06-21-05)
FAQ559-1100
FAQ559-716

 

[Heckdogg]

when printing a selection of a drawing, make sure you are zoomed out before printing. I have only encounter the missing selection box when I am zoomed in on the area I am trying to print before selecting the print button. But if I am zoomed out and see the entire drawing, then hit print, choose selection, then change the scale, I always get the box.

SolidWorks 2006 SP3.1
Intel Xeon 2.8GHz 2GB Ram
NVIDIA Quadro FX3000

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Are you using the Selection" option?

http://img355.imageshack.us/img355/568/selection0rl.jpg

http://img355.imageshack.us/img355/7/modelscale8hh.jpg

Helpful SW websites FAQ559-520
How to get answers to your SW questions FAQ559-1091

 

[D3sign3r]

I agree Heckdogg, zooming out does fix the problem with that window not showing up. The only issue now is that if you print it out 1:1 and measure it with a ruler, it's hit and miss weather its accurte or not.
Alot of guys on the floor like to place certain parts on a 1:1 plot for quick reference of size and accuracy (sort of like a paper version of a shadow-board).

Now CorBlimey, try printing that view 1:1, then measure it with a tape measure. Do you get 8.5" for the hole pitch? Sometimes it works, sometimes i find it is out of scale. I have a feeling it can be caused due to the sheet scale itself, and the printing scale set.

Any chance a "Print Preview" button will be added to the print window eventually?

 

[wgchere]

The only issue now is that if you print it out 1:1 and measure it with a ruler, it's hit and miss weather its accurte or not.

And this is precisely why all drawing formats have "Do Not Scale Drawing" somewhere in the title block.

 

[ctopher]

Just a FYI.
1:1 is metric, 1/1 is inches.

Chris
Systems Analyst, I.S.
SolidWorks/PDMWorks 05
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home site (updated 06-21-05)
FAQ559-1100
FAQ559-716

 

[wgchere]

1:1 is metric, 1/1 is inches.

I wish someone would get that into the head of SolidWorks. In 2005 they gave us the ability to choose which we want on Detail/Section scales, but the "Sheet Scale" property still reads "1:1" with no options (that I'm aware of).

(If this is fixed in 2006, then I'll find out in a few weeks when we finally upgrade.)

 

[ctopher]

I did turn it in to them a couple times. I have had someone there ask me "What's the differnece?". Oh well.

Chris
Systems Analyst, I.S.
SolidWorks/PDMWorks 05
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home site (updated 06-21-05)
FAQ559-1100
FAQ559-716

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

D3sign3r ... I have often used that method to get a full size scale and have never had a problem. Is the scale way off or just slightly

I have no idea about the "Print Preview" function being added, but how would that help anyway?


Helpful SW websites FAQ559-520
How to get answers to your SW questions FAQ559-1091

 

[D3sign3r]

Just would be nice to know what im printing before i hit the print button. (like is my sheet nice and centered on the page)

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

1:1 is metric, 1/1 is inches.

While I agree the 1/1 notation is to be used on imperial drawings, a scale by definition is unitless 1:1 or 1/1 or 1=1 means 1 unit equals 1 unit no matter what actual unit the measuring stick is calibrated in.


Helpful SW websites FAQ559-520
How to get answers to your SW questions FAQ559-1091

 

[ctopher]

I agree. It is indicated in ASME standard. I don't have it here now to look up chapter.
But, it was just a FYI here anyway.
Anyhoo ... printing at 1/1 most likely will not get you an accurate print. It's in the printers/plotters, not the CAD software. Most printers/plotters will get you very close. A lot of companies do not print a dwg that indicated a scale. They will indicate "NTS" or "Do not scale this dwg", etc. I think SolidWorks corp sees this and has not been a factor. Now that more ACAD users are coming on board, maybe the print function will be expanded.
D3sign3r, turn in an Enhancement Request.

Chris
Systems Analyst, I.S.
SolidWorks/PDMWorks 05
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home site (updated 06-21-05)
FAQ559-1100
FAQ559-716

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Just would be nice to know what im printing before i hit the print button.

File > Print Preview

(like is my sheet nice and centered on the page)

If your border is centerd on the sheet (standard template?) and your views are centred in the border ... why wouldn't it be?


Helpful SW websites FAQ559-520
How to get answers to your SW questions FAQ559-1091

 

[D3sign3r]

ctopher, i would definitely send in a request...if i knew how. I have lots! lol

Corblimey, couldnt they put a 'Print Preview' button in the print window aswell...would be handy. Plus, when some of us are tinkering with scales and custom views it would be nice to know that the print coming out matches whats on the screen.

2D prints are a very inportant part of Mechanical Design. You could have the perfect, solid model or assembly on screen, but it means nothing if it's not presented correctly on paper for the vendors and assemblers to work with. Hence why it would be nice if the printing features were a bit more versatile in sw (...and not so 'microsoft windows generic').