Solidworks EDrawing

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Eighthnote74

Plastic

Joined

Nov 6, 2019

• Aug 18, 2020

• #1

Hello all, I have the Professional version of E drawings. 2020 version. All updates installed. We have limited number of license for Solidworks so we're always chasing down someone that has left the program open but are not using. (&^%$&*). EDrawings however can be opened without needing an open seat. I'm wanting to use Edrawings to make simple reference only documents that simplify certain operations. Here's my dilemma. The "dimension" feature only recognizes faces and edges. Everything I've read in the "help" section reads there should be an option for holes but that icon isn't there. As is, clicking a diameter is useless as it places the dimension wherever I click. It does not recognize diameters. I can save the drawing as a Tif file but I need to be able to dimension radi and diameters. Any ideas? Thank you in advance.......

 

ChipSplitter

Titanium

Joined

May 23, 2019

Location

Maybe

• Aug 18, 2020

• #2

Just to clarify, are you referring to checking dimensions in a part/assembly file (*.sldprt or *.sldasm) or a drawing file (*.slddrw)..???

 

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Eighthnote74

Plastic

Joined

Nov 6, 2019

• Aug 18, 2020

• #3

Thanks for your time, I'm opening a Solidworks model (sldprt) then simply picking a face and squaring it up. I then choose the wireframe view. I can dimension fine from an edge to an edge but that's about it. I checked another PC to see if it behaved the same and it did. (no one here uses Edrawings) Every one generates drawings straight through Solidworks which of course is the right way and is way more feature oriented. I'm just trying to see if I can use Edrawings as an unused resource so I don't have to track down a seat. Thanks........

 

ChipSplitter

Titanium

Joined

May 23, 2019

Location

Maybe

• Aug 18, 2020

• #4

I just did a quick check and yes, for some weird reason E-Drawings doesn't let you measure from a hole to a face...

It can measure from the edge of the hole, though...see attached pics.

It's a freeby program......I guess ya get what ya pay for.

 

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Eighthnote74

Plastic

Joined

Nov 6, 2019

• Aug 18, 2020

• #5

Thanks for the time. There should be a "hole" icon where the "face'edge and vertex" icons are. As is this is worthless. As far as it being free the professional tier that comes with Solidworks certainly wasn't free. It should be more useful then only being able to measure the distance between parallel edges When you click on Markup-Dimension it shows the option to change from inches to metric and angles to radians. There's got to be more to this. We're missing something here. Thanks again,

---- Some people think we could travel to the Sun if we go at night. ----

 

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Eighthnote74

Plastic

Joined

Nov 6, 2019

• Aug 18, 2020

• #6

ChipSplitter said:

I just did a quick check and yes, for some weird reason E-Drawings doesn't let you measure from a hole to a face...

It can measure from the edge of the hole, though...see attached pics.

It's a freeby program......I guess ya get what ya pay for.

View attachment 297044View attachment 297045

Click to expand...

After looking at your pics close up I noticed you are using the "measure" feature. I'm trying to get the "dimension" feature going. Measure is good for info but as soon as you close measure everything vanishes. Markup-Dimensions can be saved and printed as a Tiff dwg. If you try to reopen a saved Edrawing all the dimensions and orientation is gone. If I can get the diameter and radi to work in "dimension" the Tiff drawings actually retain the text.

 

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garyhlucas

Stainless

Joined

Oct 17, 2013

Location

New Jersey

• Aug 18, 2020

• #7

You know all those bucks you pay in maintenance? This is the kind of question that Value Added Reseller should be all over for you. If the feature doesn't exist they should even go to bat for you with SW about getting that feature.

 

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gregormarwick

Diamond

Joined

Feb 7, 2007

Location

Aberdeen, UK

• Aug 19, 2020

• #8

E-Drawings is basically bloatware. It's about as close to a useless piece of software as you can get.

I suggest you abandon trying to integrate it into your workflow.

Maybe look at a policy of saving a step file with the model or assembly that can be opened in basically anything else.

 

Rewt

Hot Rolled

Joined

Sep 17, 2015

Location

Cleveland

• Aug 19, 2020

• #9

First off, maybe start writing people up for not logging off SW. We use network licenses here and not logging off when not in use is a major major no no.

As for your question about eDrawings, it's useless for other than looking at a picture or printing said picture. It is not, nor was it ever meant to be a program to get useful information from. Why would they give you something for free (or near free in case of edrawings pro) when they could charge you a fee?

 

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Eighthnote74

Plastic

Joined

Nov 6, 2019

• Aug 19, 2020

• #10

Lots of very valid points here. Thank you for your time. Logging of unused Solidworks would be a blessing but sadly I now work at a company that doesn't see value in process control. It's one of those whatever it takes at the moment shops. Tomorrow we'll deal with it again. Against my training and nature but as some of you probably know there comes a time when you just have to let things go and get through the day. Stay safe everyone. Protect the elderly and weak. The rest of us will be fine.

 

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Eighthnote74

Plastic

Joined

Nov 6, 2019

• Aug 19, 2020

• #11

One more point that may help someone. Although I am abandoning using Edrawings for dimensions, I'm posting a pic to show how it can be used to simply identify holes for inspection purpose. Again, thanks everyone.

 

len_1962

Stainless

Joined

Dec 1, 2008

Location

Tempe

• Aug 20, 2020

• #12

All you have to do is open the license manager and you'll see who has SW open and if you know one isn't there using it, have IT shut it down. or go turn their PC off and then the