Toolbox - User Settings

Use the User Settings page to set preferences for Toolbox operations.

To access the User Settings page:

  1. Open the Toolbox Setup dialog box:
    1. In Windows, click Start > SOLIDWORKS Tools version > Toolbox Settings version.
    2. In SOLIDWORKS, Click Configure in the SOLIDWORKS System Options - Hole Wizard/Toolbox dialog box.
  2. Click 3 - Define User Settings.

Files

Create Configurations Adds a configuration to the master part file each time you use a new size of a particular component.

This option creates fewer part files, but files with many configurations can grow large, which can increase assembly sizes. Also, if Toolbox is managed by SOLIDWORKS PDM, a new file version is created each time a configuration is added, potentially resulting in a large number of versions. Consider using SOLIDWORKS PDM cold storage to remove old versions from the vault.
Create Parts Creates an individual part file each time you use a new size of a particular component.

This option keeps the size of part files smaller but creates more files.
Create Parts on Ctrl-Drag For a standard drag, behaves like Create Configurations. For a Ctrl-drag, behaves like Create Parts.
Create parts in this folder Specifies the folder for parts created when you select Create Parts or Create Parts on Ctrl-Drag.

For network Toolbox installations, specify the shared folder for Toolbox.

If Toolbox is managed by SOLIDWORKS PDM, specify the Hole Wizard and Toolbox folder set in the SOLIDWORKS System Options - Hole Wizard/Toolbox dialog box.

Writing to read-only documents

Always change read-only status of document before writing Specifies that Toolbox temporarily changes the read-only attribute of a file to make a change, such as creating a configuration for a new component size. After a change is done, Toolbox resets the file attribute to read-only.

This option allows multiple users to make changes to the same document because write access occurs briefly during the change. Documents that are read-only because of user rights or security settings in your operating system are not affected.
Error when writing to a read-only document Specifies that Toolbox cannot change read-only documents; an error message appears.
Select this option when you manage Toolbox component files from a PDM system.

Part numbers

You can assign the same part number to more than one configuration of a Toolbox part if the parts are geometrically equal. For example, you might want to change the value of a custom property but retain the same part number because the geometry is the same.

Allow duplicate part numbers for geometrically equal components Allows you to assign the same part number to more than one Toolbox part.

Display options

A designation is the component name specified in the governing standard. Designations are listed under Designation in the component configuration list on the Customize Hardware page. You can customize designations.

To display custom configuration names or other properties in the FeatureManager design tree or Bill of Materials, select:
  • Show as Component Name in FeatureManager to change the component name in the FeatureManager design tree.
  • Show as Part Number in Bill of Materials to change the part number in the Bill of Materials.
  • Show as Description in Bill of Materials to change the description in the Bill of Materials.
Then, for each customization, select from:
  • Filename
  • Configuration Name
  • Description
  • Designation
  • Part Number
  • Toolbox Custom Properties
Designation applies only to the AS, DIN, GB, ISO, IS, and KS standards.