Print Dialog Box

You can use the Print dialog box to print SOLIDWORKS files.

To display this dialog box:

  • In SOLIDWORKS PDM File Explorer, select the files to print, right-click, and click Print.
  • In the Administration tool, under Tasks, click Task List. In the Task List dialog box, click Add Task, select the Print task, and select the files to print.
The options available in this dialog box depend on how the Print Files task is configured. Some settings described might not appear.

Version of references

When a SOLIDWORKS file references other files, it can reference the latest version of a file or an earlier version. For example, the last time an assembly was built, it might have referenced a version of a drawing that has since been modified.

Select one setting for all files in this print task:

Referenced version Prints the version of a referenced file that was used when the source file was last built.
Latest version Prints the latest version of the file.

Files Tab

The files you selected in SOLIDWORKS PDM File Explorer are listed, along with the files they reference. The files that are checked in the Print column depend on administrator-defined settings. For example, the print task can be configured to print the drawings referenced by the files you select.

Check the files to print and clear files that should not be printed.

If an assembly references subassemblies or contains multiple configurations, files might be listed more than once.
Right-click in the Files tab to access the following options:
Columns Lets you modify the Files tab display by adding or removing columns.

Choices are:

  • Type. Type of the file.
  • File Name. Name of the file.
  • Warnings. Warning message.
  • Configuration Name. Configuration the file is used in.
  • Print. Lets you select whether to print the file.
  • Version. Latest version in the vault.
  • Found in. Location of the file in the vault.
Changes you make to the column display are retained in the Print Files task definition.
Select All Selects all files so that you can check or clear the files in a single operation.
Select Files Displays a Select Files dialog box, where you can specify a wildcard pattern to select files.
Show Tree Lines Adds tree lines to the File Name column.
Change Thumbnail Preview Size Changes the size of thumbnail preview as Small, Medium, or Large. By default, Medium is selected.

Margins Tab

Paper margins Specifies alignment of printed output:
Use printer's margins

Uses printer defaults.
Use custom margins
Lets you set the following print margins:
  • Top
  • Bottom
  • Left
  • Right
Custom header Select Use custom header to specify header text. You can specify text to align in the:
  • Left section
  • Center section
  • Right section
Custom footer Select Use custom footer to specify footer text. You can specify text to align in the:
  • Left section
  • Center section
  • Right section
Orientation
  • Portrait
  • Landscape
Printer Printers in this list are defined by the administrator.
Paper size  
Number of copies The Total is the number of files selected to be printed multiplied by the number of copies.
Even if a file is selected multiple times because it appears in multiple configurations, it is only counted once.