SolidWorks Web Help

Web Help was introduced to help SolidWorks keep the Help files updated without having to send out help updates in the service packs. It also enables the use of other search tools and links to online data sources to make finding help that much easier.

You can access SolidWorks Web Help through the Help ➢ SolidWorks Help menu selection as usual, but you need to make sure that the Use SolidWorks Web Help option (also in the Help menu) is activated. The following three sections pertain only to the traditional (non-Web) Help.

Contents

SolidWorks terminology has been a sticking point at times in the writing of this book because terms are either unclear or overlap. Still, it is difficult for two people to talk about the software if they are not using the same terminology. The Glossary, found at the bottom of the Help Contents list, is one of the most useful and yet most underused portions of the Help files. Often when a new user asks me a question, it can be impossible to discern what the user is talking about because he is not familiar with the SolidWorks terminology, is substituting AutoCAD or Inventor terminology, or is assuming all modeling terminology is universal. As dull as it may be, this Glossary should be required reading for all new users. Simply understanding the language being used by the training materials, Help files, and other users can give you a big head start when it comes to learning the software. Look through it. I promise you'll learn something useful.

Search

Many users overlook the three options at the bottom of the Search window: Search Previous Results, Match Similar Words, and Search Titles Only. All three are useful in narrowing your search. With the new Web Help, Search is improved, includes a section that allows you to further narrow the search results, and works like a guided search. Guided search provides a list of results, but also provides an index-like set of topics (in the upper-right corner) that you can use to narrow the search further.

Additionally, most of the Help linked to from the search results has a link to search the Knowledge Base (KB) on a related phrase. This search of the KB may or may not include any results. I have seen several links from the Help to the KB that were empty.

Graphics Cards

To get to the SolidWorks website Graphics Card information, go to the main SolidWorks page, click the Support link, click the System Requirements link, and finally the Graphics Card Drivers link. SolidWorks has tested the range of most popular graphics cards and drivers for compatibility with various versions of SolidWorks and has rated them at various levels.

SolidWorks Forums

The SolidWorks Forums have areas of wide interest for most users. They include about 40 different topic areas, each with a constant flow of information. SolidWorks employees sometimes answer questions, and knowledgeable users often give good answers and invaluable perspectives on not just modeling and CAD admin topics but also general mechanical engineering or materials sourcing.

You can read the forums without an account, but you need an account to post messages. Accounts can be granted to anyone even if you are not on maintenance. You can find the forums at http://forum.solidworks.com.

Make sure to read the Terms of Use available at the bottom of every Forum page. The moderators do not usually apply the rules strictly, but I have seen posts removed that should have been allowed and posts allowed that should have been removed. Generally, if you ask, answer, or comment in good faith, you will not have any problems.

Knowledge Base

If you have used the Knowledge Base before and found it less than satisfying, you owe it to yourself to try it again. The KB is constantly updated with new information, which comes from several sources, including general technical support results and the Help documentation. Searches actually turn up a lot of useful information. Results may include tech support responses to customer issues, SPRs (software performance reports—also known as bug reports), white papers, articles, and so on. In addition, you can look up SPR numbers you have received from tech support to check the reports' statuses. I consulted the KB several times while writing this book. It has been built from vast amounts of internal SolidWorks corporate support documentation, as well as the support database. I give it very high usability marks!

Software Downloads

Manually downloading and installing software and upgrades for SolidWorks is becoming outdated, although you can still do it. The SolidWorks Installation Manager works much like Microsoft Automatic Update. It downloads and even installs updates for you automatically. There is also a new Background Downloader that will download service packs while your Internet connection is otherwise idle, so they will be available to you when you want to use them. You can also work with automated administrative image installations. I particularly like that Background Downloader can download service packs before the links on the SolidWorks website are active. Of course, if you need or simply want to download service packs manually, this option is also available.

Release Notes

All the Release Notes for all the service packs of the current version are also available from the main Customer Portal window. This is essential information for CAD administrators. Technical Alerts, changes to the System Requirements (www.solidworks.com/sw/support/SystemRequirements.html), and new installation details are listed here.

Even if you think you do not need to know any of this information, it still makes for interesting (and at times alarming) reading. The Technical Alerts typically warn of severe bugs or other problems and how to work around or fix them.

What's New

What's New is a great document to refer to when you are learning a new version of SolidWorks. The What's New document comes in HTML and PDF formats. I find the PDF to be easier to access and read, but possibly less up-to-date than the HTML version. What's New is an important document to read before considering installing a new version, or if you have skipped versions. If you are looking for a What's New document from a version that you do not have installed, you can find all of the What's New documents on Ricky Jordan's blog (www.rickyjordan.com/whats-new-guides).

Installation and Administration Guides

Installation and administration guides are available for SolidWorks, eDrawings, and SolidWorks Simulation. They contain the basics about the topics and are not as detailed as other sources of information.

CAD Admin Dashboard

The CAD Admin Dashboard allows an administrator to view hardware, benchmarks, and settings for various machines under his or her control. This information is all stored in a SolidWorks database, which you can access from the website with a sign-in.

Some of the information listed here appears to be incorrect—in particular, all of the video cards on my computers are listed as “Not Supported,” even though I'm using drivers downloaded from the SolidWorks website. The Windows Experience Index is also listed, but it is rounded to one digit. So just approach this with that in mind.

Online Forums

There are many types of online forums for SolidWorks. I have already discussed the forum on the SolidWorks website. Other forums are not directly sponsored by SolidWorks Corporation, and they may vary in quality. Your reseller may have available resources, so ask.

Blogs

Blogs for SolidWorks and related topics cover everything from opinion-based essays to speculation about future products, tips and tricks, or CAD industry news. Most are written by SolidWorks users rather than journalists, so you'll get specifics about a tool that you actually use.

I write a blog, which you can find at http://dezignstuff.com/. It covers many SolidWorks subjects that you may not find elsewhere, including CAD Administration topics, and articles on competing products and technologies. I also provide links to many other SolidWorks-related blogs, forums, and websites.

My blog has updates to books, notices of new books, lists of errors found in books, and a lot of other content. I deal with philosophical and ethical questions related to product design and CAD in general. I post advanced tips and sometimes excerpts from books. I also post questions for readers and polls where readers can express their opinions.

Many other blogs exist, including very good general CAD or other non-SolidWorks topics, and you should be able to find most of them from the links on my blog and the others listed here. These blogs do not all fit the same mold. Some are highly optimistic; others focus on tech gadgets, social networking, tech tips, or CAD news; some simply parrot press releases; and so on. For the best list of other CAD, design, 3D, rendering, and engineering blogs, view the blog roll in the right column of my blog.

Forums

Some forums are commercial, which means they are likely to contain advertising. These forums include:

• https://forums.solidworks.com. This is SolidWorks' site with official forums. The forums are very active in a wide range of topics and lightly moderated. This requires a login but does not require a current SolidWorks subscription.
• https://my.solidworks.com/mylearning. This site contains a lot of free self-directed training information.
• www.productdesignhub.com. This site is aimed at both industrial and product designers. It has an active forum for sharing ideas as well as a lot of great articles, videos, and other useful content.
• www.core77.com. This is probably the premier industrial design website available.
• www.mcadforums.com. This site has a lot of traffic and content, but it also uses Flash advertisements.
• www.eng-tips.com. This forum receives plenty of traffic, has a sign-in popup, and is highly censored.
• www.3dcadtips.com. This site is run by the owners of the Design World magazine, and it has a lot of information on general engineering topics as well as CAD.