Import Settings Dialog Box



Options available in the Import Settings dialog box depend on the type of model you import.

Geometry tab

Part grouping    
  Part grouping Groups geometry into parts based on your choice of layers, appearances, and divisions in the source model.

Options are:

  • Automatic

    Uses the best combination among Layer/Appearance, Appearance/Layer, Layer, and Appearance to mimic the way the product is assembled in real life.

  • Flatten

    Ignores all grouping and imports a single part (helpful for troubleshooting)

  • Group/Appearance

    (Specific to Autodesk Alias .wire files) Retains the group hierarchy within the .wire file, subdividing or subgrouping items based on the appearance, color, and appearance that is assigned.

  • Layer

    Imports based on which surfaces are assigned to layers within the CAD package, ignoring any appearance, color, appearance assigned. All surfaces assigned to each layer in the CAD file are imported as a single part

  • Layer/Appearance

    Order is important. Favors layers first, then appearance second.

  • Appearance

    Imports based on which surfaces are assigned the same appearance and color within the CAD package, ignoring any grouping or layering. All surfaces assigned the same appearance and color is imported as a single part and has a part for each layer in the CAD file.

  • Appearance/Layer

    Order is important. Favors appearance first, then layers second.

  • Retain Structure
    Retains the raw structure (hierarchy) of the assembly (model) that is in the CAD package.
    This could yield many parts and can affect performance.
  Monitor File Automatically updates models when the original file is updated and saved in the 3D software. The software notifies you when models are externally updated, and you can accept or ignore the change.
  Snap to floor Automatically snaps the lowest point of your model to the floor of your Visualize scene.
  Apply Auto-Paint Applies auto-paint (that is, the software assigns an appearance) based on the naming pattern of the part or model.
Tessellation Settings    
  Quality Determines the accuracy of the results when converting a model to polygons. The higher the quality, the more polygons are used to represent curved surfaces in the model and the smoother the results. Higher tessellation quality can impact file size.
  Advanced Settings Lets you fine-tune how models are tessellated (converted into polygons).

Options are:

  • Tolerance. Defines the maximum distance between a polygon edge and the NURBS surface. Use a low value to create high quality tessellations.

    A low tolerance value generates a large number of polygons.
  • Maximum length. Defines the maximum length of a polygon edge. Use a lower value for a denser tessellation of flat surfaces.

  • Maximum angle. Defines the maximum angle between normals of adjacent polygons. Use a lower value to prevent small bumps from disappearing.
Design Program Settings   Lets you set the alignment (Vertical Axis and Depth Axis) and the CAD Units to match how the model is set up in the source software.

Units within SOLIDWORKS Visualize are meters.

Appearances tab

To import materials, select on the Appearances tab. To ignore materials, clear on the Appearances tab.
Texture Options    
  Ignore texture references Ignores all textures associated with appearances in the source model.
  Auto search for missing textures Looks for missing textures referenced by appearances in the source model.
  Manual search for missing textures Lets you specify where the software looks for textures referenced by appearances in the source model. Under Texture Auto-Search Paths, click Add Path to specify a location.
Texture Auto-Search Paths Add Path Lets you navigate to and designate auto-search paths.

Animation

Use the SOLIDWORKS Visualize add-in for SOLIDWORKS CAD to import animations and motion studies in SOLIDWORKS Visualize Professional.

Cameras

By default, all cameras in the source file are imported, if possible. To ignore cameras, clear next to Cameras.

Scene

When enabled, the software lets you import environment, backplate, and lights that are saved with the model. To prevent the stored scene from being imported, clear next to Scene.

Environment

When enabled, the software imports environments that are stored with the model.

To prevent stored environments from being imported, clear next to Environment.
Backplate

When enabled, the software imports a backplate that is stored with the model.

To prevent stored backplate from being imported, clear next to Backplate.
Lights

When enabled, the software imports lights that are stored with the model.

To prevent stored lights from being imported, clear next to Lights.

Decals

When enabled, the software imports decals that are stored with the model.

To prevent stored decals from being imported, clear next to Decals.

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