Templates vs Sheet Formats 4

[darnell]

This might be a Solidworks 101 question but what is the difference between these two in respects to having different size title blocks? What are the advantages one way or the other? Should I do my title blocks in a dot format or a drt format?

Thanks in advance

 

[Arlin]

There is a lot of confusion between drawing templates vs sheet formats.

Simply put:
Sheet format is what your drawing looks like. A sheet format consists of your border, title block, and any other stuff that is always on your drawing (part# feilds, notes, symbols, etc.).

A drawing template is a actually one step higher than a sheet format. Drawing templates set all of your drawing options such as dimensioning style (ANSI, ISO..) and all of your defaults. One of those defaults is the Sheet format. Thus, a drawing template USES a sheet format. You may have multiple drawing templates that use the same sheet format (metric and english templates that both use the same format, for example).

Thus, what you want to do is create a drawing format to create the layout of your drawing.

Then, you create a template that uses the format and sets all of your drawing defaults.

The Template is then what you use to start a new drawing.

 

[NanoMan]

If you have a drawing open and you select "Add Sheet", you will be presented with a list of Sheet Format templates to choose from, not drawing templates.

 

[darnell]

Let me clarify me question.

We have different title blocks that we can chose from. A,B,C,D sizes as well as metric and english. We also have assembly and machining ones. All in all, we have 16 title blocks to chose from. My question was on which way is the best way to go about this. I like Arlin's explaination but he/she states that a template is one step higher than a sheet format. Shy would you need a sheet format?

There are times that we bring something in and cannot see the sheet format unless we get in there to edit it? Has this happened to anyone else? We use SW2004, service pak 1

 

[SBaugh]

Sheet Format is the title Block itself and has nothing to do with the template itself. You start a new drawing, pick the appropriate "Sheet Format". Then you can do a "Save as" and save it as a template. Now when you click File\New you will have the new template you just saved and when it opens, it will open with the correct Sheet format already there. So what you just created was a Template with your "Sheet format" already there. You have just saved yourself a few mouse clicks and some time. You can do this for all your differnt types of "Sheet formats" and save yourself a ton of time in the long run.

Sheet Format = The Title block, Sketch type lines you can adjust when you do a "Edit Sheet format" on a drawing.

Template = A template is the Base ingredient for making any part, assembly or drawing. It contains all your Document settings and any options you have setup (Like for a drawing - The type of "Sheet Format" to be used)

I like to think (In a drawing and if you setup a template like I listed above) that the Template is the foundation and the "Sheet format" is the first layer of bricks in making the house.

The help also lists what these two features are. Just type "Template" under the index tab of the help. Double click "Template" to find an answer.

Regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP

http://www.3dvisiontech.com

http://www.scottjbaugh.com

faq731-376

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Document Templates (.drwdot) contain the non-graphical Options that your document will use. (Imperial, Metric, Dimension Standards, etc)
Sheet Formats (slddrt) contain the graphical information & links to your model. (Borders, Title block, Properties, etc)

Once a Document Template is selected, ANY Sheet Format can be inserted into/onto it. Also a Sheet Format can be later changed to another if required.

Once a Document Template is selected & used, it cannot be changed. The drawings would have to be recreated or "copied & pasted" to an alternative Template.

So to answer your original question ... your title blocks & borders should be in ".slddrt" format.

from (the City of) Barrie, Ontario.

OK, so….what's the speed of dark?
faq559-863

 

[SBaugh]

Once a Document Template is selected & used, it cannot be changed.

If I understand you correctly, I'll have to disagree with that statement.

If you create a Document Template it can be changed. You can change any setting including the "Sheet Format" and do a "Save as" and save it to the same name.

Regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP

http://www.3dvisiontech.com

http://www.scottjbaugh.com

faq731-376

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

SBaugh you snuck in their ahead of me

I use two Templates (Imperial & Metric) & have saved each with a basic border (rectangle) only to show the limits of my printer. I usually place my drawing views & then select my Sheet Format to suit, once I have sorted out what components go on which sheet. Just my personal preference.

from (the City of) Barrie, Ontario.

OK, so….what's the speed of dark?
faq559-863

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

SBaugh

What I meant by "Once a Document Template is selected & used, it cannot be changed" is that it cannot be swapped, like a Sheet Format can, by simple selection of another. If you mean that you can edit the Template settings & do a save-as to create a new one, then I agree with you, but it's not as simple as changing formats.

from (the City of) Barrie, Ontario.

OK, so….what's the speed of dark?
faq559-863

 

[SBaugh]

That works too. I personally like setting up all my templates using a Sheet Format. I might have 5 different Drawing templates but all I have to do is click on of them and boom I'm in. If I want to change the "Sheet Format". All I have to do is RMB the sheet\click on Properties and change the "sheet format".

With the way you can setup file locations. That makes it easier to locate your Drawing templates in a different location.

But too each his own!

,

Scott Baugh, CSWP

http://www.3dvisiontech.com

http://www.scottjbaugh.com

faq731-376

 

[pdybeck]

Darnell,

I am in a similar situation. The other posts seem to touch on some things, but I'll summarize because I think it may help. I'll assume that you have more than one seat of SolidWorks, as well. We use A, B, C, and D sized drawings and have 5 different tolerance blocks - Machining, Sand Cast Aluminum, Sand Cast Iron and Stainless, Aluminum Die Cast, and Weldaments. So we end up with 20 different possible combinations for drawings. I have created drawing templates, 1 for each. That way we can start a new drawing and pick exactly the one we want, without having to paste new/different tolerance blocks in - yuk. Also, we place file properties on the templates so that they are automatically generated for us upon creating a new drawing file. Our file properties contain information for the revision of the file, who drafted it, who checked it, and who approved it. All this information appears in the title block. I also opened each drawing template and created a sheet format from that. So, we also have 20 sheet formats, each correlating to a drawing template. The benefit of sheet formats is what the others described - being able to switch formats without copying and pasting to a new file. Its helpful when you start a drawing on a B size and realize it should be on a C size to fit all your views in the scale you want. Its also helpful if you decide the part will no longer be sand cast, but rather die cast. Just reload the sheet format to the one you want (right click any where on the sheet and click properties, then browse to the desired sheet format and click reload). Its really easy and has made drawing setup easier for my company since we started using SolidWorks 18 months ago. If you have any file properties for the document, they are not affected when you reload the sheet format, unless the file property pertains to sheet size and is placed on the template or is set to automatically read the sheet size. Also, each SolidWorks installation has the ability to point to numerous locations for the templates and sheet formats, as well as many other things. These file locations are controlled under Tools..Options..System Options..file locations... Just add the locations of these files once they are on your network. You can manually change the other installations at your company to point to the same locations, or use the copy options wizard to capture one installation's set up once it is final and make that available for others to run on their installations. That way all will be on the same page. Hopefully this doesn't sound too redundant. Good luck.

Pete Yodis
Harold Beck and Sons

 

[darnell]

Thanks for all the responses. Our company has had SW since 97 but really only use it for certain projects as AutoCad was our primary software in Engineering. We are setting up to convert to SW04 as our primary software within a month. We are hitting some basic problems as we start setting up the templates, etc.

Thanks again!