Detached Drawings
Detached drawings are designed so you can open and work
in drawing files without the model files being loaded into memory
or even being present.
To create a detached drawing:
Click Save on the Standard toolbar
(for a new drawing) or File, Save As (for drawing that has been saved
previously).
In the
Save As dialog box, select Detached Drawing (*.slddrw) for Save as type.
Specify
the file name, then click Save.
You can save regular drawings as Detached drawings, and vice
versa.
To create a detached drawing template:
Click New
(Standard toolbar), or File,
New.
In the dialog box, click Drawing,
then click OK.
Click File,
Save As.
In the dialog box, select Detached
Drawing (*.slddrw) in Save as
type, then click Save.
Click Save
As again.
In the dialog box, select Drawing
Templates (*.drwdot) in Save as
type, then click Save.
In the FeatureManager design
tree, the icons for Detached drawings display a broken link:
Drawing icon for Detached drawing
Drawing view icon (model view) for Detached drawing with
model not loaded
When a Detached drawing is out of sync with its model, it prints with
a watermark that states:
SolidWorks Detached drawing
– Out-of-Sync Print
Guidelines for Using Detached Drawings
You can send Detached drawings to other SolidWorks
users without sending the model files. However, you can use the same workflow
with eDrawings. A benefit of eDrawings is that the recipient does not
need a full seat of SolidWorks.
Performance
The time required to open a drawing in Detached
format may be reduced because the model files are not loaded. You have
control over when to load the model, which takes time to load and update
the drawing.
Resolving Models
If the referenced model is needed for you
to complete an operation in a Detached drawing, you are prompted to load
the model file. You can load the model by right-clicking a view and selecting
Load
Model. If the model is unavailable or fails to load, you cannot
perform the selected operation. Model files are necessary when you want
to:
Lightweight Drawings
Detached drawings cannot be lightweight drawings.
Updating Views
Some changes, such as changes to a section
line or projection angle, require a view update.
When a drawing view requires an update, the view is displayed with a crosshatch
pattern.