Interface description

SOLIDWORKS Electrical Schematic

SOLIDWORKS Electrical Schematic software provides you with all the tools required to create electrical schematics. The interfaces are both modern and intuitive, ensuring that you can easily access the features required for your design.

A . Ribbons

The menu zone, or Ribbons, groups commands that allow you to realize your design. The commands are grouped by ribbon and you can access the appropriate ribbon simply by selecting the tab header. This opens the ribbon and displays all its commands. The available ribbons vary depending on the drawing type you have Current in the graphics area. For example, if you are working on a schematic drawing, then a Schematic ribbon tab will be available; in a Single Line Diagram, a Line Diagram ribbon tab will be available. Some ribbon commands have drop-down menus; clicking one of these icons will cause the drop-down commands to be shown.

You can collapse or expand the Ribbon menu by clicking the following icons:

There is also a Quick access toolbar that you can customize.

B . Dockable panels

The dockable panels contain several specific tabs. They can be placed on the right or the left of the screen.

The tabs can be moved from a dockable panel to the other by using drag and drop. The View menu (Dockable panels section) allows you to manage these tabs.

C . Graphical area

The graphical area displays the schematic drawings that comprise the electrical project (you can open multiple drawings simultaneously). The drawing that is displayed is known as the Current Drawing. All drawings are automatically saved when they are closed or when you open another one. You can switch between active drawings by selecting the tab that displays the drawing name you want to make current. The tooltip on the drawing tab indicates the complete path of the drawing.

D . Status Bar

It contains information relating to the status of the drawing in the graphical area. This includes the cursor coordinates and makes it possible to manage the drawing parameters. Clicking a parameter (such as Ortho, Grid, or Snap) in the status bar or using the keyboard shortcuts allows you to turn it on or off.

GRID: Shows or hides the grid in the drawing.

ORTHO: Turn the ortho trap on or off; this fixes cursor movement on either an X or Y axis.

SNAP: Turns the snaps on or off.  The snaps make your cursor snap to the preferred location and should not be confused with the grid settings.  

LWT: Turn the line weight on or off; this shows or hides the various line thicknesses.

OSNAP: Turns the OSNAP on or off. Right-clicking on the snap allows you to access and change the various OSNAP settings.

SOLIDWORKS Electrical 3D

This interface is displayed when you are working on designs in the SOLIDWORKS software. SOLIDWORKS Electrical allows you to create your assembly layout; the wiring module will automatically carry out the assembly cabling.

A . Menu Zone

The menu zone groups together the SOLIDWORKS Electrical commands.

The SOLIDWORKS Electrical commands are available in the Ribbon menu in the toolbar and in the drop-down menu.

B . Component Explorer

This is displayed when the SOLIDWORKS Electrical tab is active. It lists the components by the location in which they are placed. Checkboxes beside the components allow you to see which ones have been inserted into the graphics area.

C . Graphical area

The SOLIDWORKS graphical area lets you insert your components while allowing access to the SOLIDWORKS commands in the graphical area.

D . Page Navigator

The Page navigator is displayed when the SOLIDWORKS Electrical tab is active. It lists electrical projects as well as the drawings and documents contained within them. Double-clicking an item (or right-clicking and selecting Open from the contextual menu) opens it. Only SOLIDWORKS documents can be opened in the graphical area.

Keyboard shortcuts

Ctrl + W: Closes the current file.

Ctrl + P: Prints the current file.

Ctrl + N: Creates a new DWG file.

Ctrl + O: Opens an existing DWG (or DXF) file

Ctrl + Shift + S: Saves the current file as.

Ctrl + S: Saves the current file.

Ctrl + E: Zoom in on the whole graphic.

Ctrl + F: Search in the electrical project.

Ctrl + K: Hyperlink.

Ctrl + Q: Exits the software.

Ctrl + X: Cut.

Ctrl + C: Copy.

Ctrl + Shift + C: Copy with insertion point.

Ctrl + V: Paste.

Ctrl + Shift + V: Paste special.

Del: Deletes the selected object.