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Access to Help

When you access help, a Web version of the documentation is displayed in a Web-based view. You can choose to view a local help (.chm) file, for example, if your Internet connection is slow or unavailable.

Web-based help includes these features:

Search Identify relevant topics using relevancy ranking, spelling correction, short descriptions in search result views, and guided navigation.
Topic Navigation Navigate using next and previous topic buttons, as well as breadcrumb trails at the top of help topics.
Feedback Provide feedback directly to the documentation team on individual help topics.
Up-to-Date Documentation

Access updated Web help, so you never need to download large compiled help (.chm) files.

You do not have to install SolidWorks to access Web help. In your browser's address bar, enter http://help.solidworks.com and select a language and product to view its Web help.
Links to the Knowledge Base Automatically find related content from each help topic in the SolidWorks Knowledge Base (requires SolidWorks Subscription Service and Customer Portal Login).
SolidWorks Forum Web help automatically searches for keywords from the title of the open topic in the SolidWorks Forum and displays the results in the bottom pane. In the navigation bar, you can refine the search, enter a new search, and view discussions, blog posts, polls, documents, and ideas.

Click Start a Discussion at the bottom of the pane to post in the SolidWorks Forum.

Supported browsers:
  • Internet Explorer 7 and later
  • Firefox 2 and later
  • Google Chrome 3.0 and later
To use Web help from within SolidWorks, you must have Internet Explorer 7 or 8 installed.

To access the currently enabled help:

  • Do one of the following:
    • Click tool_Help_Standard.gif (Standard toolbar) or click Help > SolidWorks Help to open the welcome page.
    • Click Help, click PM_Help.gif, or press F1 in a dialog box or PropertyManager to access context-sensitive help.
    • Click the flyout menu of Help options Flyout_Help.gif in the menu bar.

    To switch between Web help and local help, select or clear Help > Use SolidWorks Web Help

Tips for Using Help

  Web Help Local (.chm) help

To select a topic:

Use the Contents pane Use the Contents tab

To perform a search:

Enter a term and click Search.

View search result descriptions to determine the best match. Beneath each description is a breadcrumb trail that reflects the topic hierarchy.

Narrow the search results by selecting a category on the left.

Click the Search tab, enter a term, and click List Topics. Select a topic and click Display.

Create Boolean searches using "AND," "OR," "NOT," and "NEAR."

Select Search previous results to use only the previously found topics for the next search. This allows you to narrow down your search by adding keywords.

Select Match similar words to highlight similar words in the found topics. For example, if you search for "open," topics with both "open" and "opening" are found.

Select Search titles only to find only topics with the keyword in the title.



Provide feedback on this topic

SOLIDWORKS welcomes your feedback concerning the presentation, accuracy, and thoroughness of the documentation. Use the form below to send your comments and suggestions about this topic directly to our documentation team. The documentation team cannot answer technical support questions. Click here for information about technical support.

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Web Help Content Version: SOLIDWORKS 2013 SP05

To disable Web help from within SOLIDWORKS and use local help instead, click Help > Use SOLIDWORKS Web Help.

To report problems encountered with the Web help interface and search, contact your local support representative. To provide feedback on individual help topics, use the “Feedback on this topic” link on the individual topic page.