Configurations

This information is specific to one or more CAD systems. See the SolidWorks eDrawings functionality matrix for availability information.

If a SolidWorks part or assembly document has multiple configurations, you can select which configurations to save to the SolidWorks eDrawings file when you publish it from the SolidWorks application. If you publish multiple configurations, the file size and the time required to save the eDrawings file may increase.

• You must have SolidWorks eDrawings Professional installed to choose the configurations to save. If you have the free SolidWorks eDrawings Viewer, only the active configuration is published with the eDrawings file.

• Comments are specific to the configuration that was active when you added the comments.

• In assemblies, eDrawings displays component configuration names next to part names for components that have multiple configurations.

To save configurations when you publish eDrawings files:

1. In SolidWorks, click File, Publish to eDrawings ( in the Save flyout toolbar).

2. In the dialog box, select one:

• Current configuration (default).

• All configurations.

• Selected configurations. Select from the list.

3. Click OK.

4. In the SolidWorks eDrawings Viewer, click the Configurations tab .

   The  Configurations tab displays images of the saved configurations.

5. To display a different configuration in the graphics area, select its image on the Configurations tab , or select  the tab with the configuration name below the graphics area.

Display States

If you publish a model with display states from SolidWorks 2008 or later, the display states appear in a Display States section on the eDrawings Configurations tab. To see a display state, select it from the list on the tab.

When publishing models from SolidWorks, you can choose to save all display states, the current state, or a selected state.

You can change the visibility and transparency of components, but the changes are available only during the current eDrawings session. You cannot change the color and texture of components.  

You can change the display mode by linking display states to configurations or keeping display states independent from particular configurations. When you view a document, the initial display mode matches that of SolidWorks at the time the model was published to eDrawings. For linked display states, eDrawings shows only display states created while the configuration was active.  If the display states and configurations are not linked, eDrawings shows all possible display states for the model.

In eDrawings, if your display states and configurations are linked and you change configurations, the last active display state for that configuration is displayed.

To link display states to configurations:

• In the Configurations tab , select Link Display States to Configurations.  

To make display states independent from configurations:

• In the Configurations tab , clear Link Display States to Configurations.  

Only files saved in the eDrawings format have a Configurations tab you can use to change display states. Files in SolidWorks format are fixed, displaying the configuration and display state at the time of publishing. Also, only files saved with eDrawings 2010 or later use the Link Display States to Configurations check box.  If you use eDrawings on the Macintosh, display states are always linked to configurations, so there is no Link Display States to Configurations check box.