Navigating Content with Links in SOLIDWORKS Schematic

In an earlier post, I introduced links in reports. Navigating and finding that “one” component or reference can seem like a big task. SOLIDWORKS Schematic has several easy ways to find them, and one simple trick is to add links to content in reports you have added to your project.

We will need to be in the report manager to view the content of our project. The Reports manager allows you to manage the reports you wish to use in the project. The left-hand side of the dialog box displays the list of report configurations used in the project. The right-hand side displays the results of the selected report.

A report is a list which can be a BOM or a list of cables. Reports retrieve data that is stored in the project. This data can then be generated into tables on drawings or exported to different file types for other uses. While in the design or simply interrogating content, we may need to find the corresponding drawing and locations of these entries.

While in the report manager, going to the properties of an added report, you can edit the linking for that column. Also, in a report configuration, the same type of setup can be done.

To create links in the reports, use the Go to settings in the Report Configuration.

The navigation done when you click on the link will depend on the linked object defined in the report. The table below shows the “go to:” selection and what the action will be for that item.

The report will then include links to navigate to the project elements, such as symbols, location properties or manufacturer parts. The link is shown as an underlined blue text entry. To use the links, click the text and it will open the location for that entry. If several objects are associated with the selected entry, use the contextual menu to select the element you wish to navigate to.

Corey Kubichka
CATI Electrical Product Manager
Computer Aided Technology, Inc.