Blog Can I add a Custom Property note inside my 3D SOLIDWORKS Model?
Well of course you can, and better yet I will show you how! If you aren’t using Custom Properties in SOLIDWORKS then all hope is lost and stop reading now. Just kidding, but you should be using them as this is intended power just waiting to be used.
Here is how you create a Custom Property value in a SLDPRT, SLDASM, or SLDDRW. You begin by opening either a template or the file itself like a SLDPRT in my example. In this file, you will find the File pull down menu and down towards the bottom you will see a Properties option.
Next we will switch to the Summary Tab and enter in a keyword. I am choosing a Project designation for this particular model:
Now switch to the Custom Tab and let’s enter in some key bits of data about our file:
I selected on the first cell, and picked Description followed by entering in the text ‘Holder’. Continue by selecting the first cell in row 2 and choose Material. Then selecting the drop down arrow when clicking in the Value/Text Expression cell will allow you to pick one of many pre-generated parametric expressions that are linked to various aspects of your model. Since I have applied a material to this part in the FeatureManager Design Tree, the material value shows up automatically and will change if I change it in the FM Tree.
I will add one more for the Weight and choose Mass for the Expression:
Now that I have this information entered, I am ready to either make a drawing of this part and insert notes in the drawing linked to these Custom Properties or as is the case in this example, show you how to add Notes to the 3D Model itself. I begin by accessing the Insert pull down menu and look for the category called Annotations. Then select the Note command:
While placing this note, you can either pick in space which will not add a leader, or pick on an edge or face and this will attach the note to this geometry:
Next while placing the note, you will see in the Property Manager several choices on how to format this text box. In the Text Format box, pick on the icon for Link to Property:
This will open a dialog box and allow you to select the Current Document as the from location and then I will pick the SW-Keyword property.
This will add the text that I typed a few steps ago into the Note on my model:
If I press the Return Key after hitting Ok on the dialog box, this will allow me to add another line to this note. I am going to press the Link to Property icon again and this time select the Material Custom property:
You can even type in manual text, press a space, and again link to another property:
The benefit of doing this at the part level is that I can now send this as an eDrawing file and anyone can view or see my notes or even send the SLDPRT to another SOLIDWORKS user and allow them to open and change my model as well. This is just another way to share your designs without having to always give out 2D prints. Enjoy!
Brian Reel
CATI Field Technical Services Manager