Design Library
The Design Library tab 
in the Task Pane provides a central location for reusable
elements such as parts, assemblies and sketches. It
does not recognize non-reusable elements such as SolidWorks drawings,
text files, or other non-SolidWorks files.
|
|
Design Library |
Subfolders populated by SolidWorks with reusable
items such as parts, blocks, and annotations; you can add folders and
content. |
|
|
Toolbox |
To access the content, install and add in
the SolidWorks Toolbox browser. |
|
|
3D
ContentCentral |
3D models from component suppliers and individuals
in all major CAD formats. |
|
|
SolidWorks Content |
Additional SolidWorks content for blocks,
Routing, CircuitWorks, and weldments; Ctrl+click
to download .zip files. |
Previews of annotations, models, and features are displayed in the lower
pane and tooltips, including .dwg
files but not .dxf files. If no
saved preview image is available, a generic image is displayed.
Design Library Tools
The following tools are available on the Design
Library tab:
You can also specify folders for Design
Library in Tools, Options, System
Options, File
Locations.
Working with Design Library Contents
You can drag copies of parts, assemblies, features, annotations, and
so on from:
The Design Library
into the graphics area.
The graphics area into the lower pane of the Design Library.
One folder to another in the Design
Library.
Microsoft Internet Explorer and Windows Explorer
into the Design Library.
When you drag items into the Design
Library, the Add
to Library PropertyManager appears with a default file name, the default
file type, and the selected folder for the Design Library folder.
You can
add multiple selections of features and sketches, but only one item at
a time for other categories.
To copy a complete assembly or part into the Design Library, select it in the FeatureManager
design tree and drag to the lower pane.
To copy annotations or blocks into the Design
Library, hold down Shift
and drag from the graphics area to the lower pane. Annotations are saved
with the extensions for favorites.
To copy features, drag from either the FeatureManager
design tree or the graphics area. Features are saved as library feature
parts.
If you modify an item that
you inserted from the Design Library,
the item is also modified in the library.
Filtering a Folder
You can apply filters to identify forming tools or display only assemblies
in selected folders. Right-click a folder in the upper pane, then select:
Forming tools
folder. Identifies the folder as containing forming
tools. The SolidWorks software handles forming tools differently from
other parts, but the file name extension is the same, so the software
recognizes forming tools by the folder classification.
Assemblies folder.
Displays only the assembly documents in the folder.