SOLIDWORKS Electrical Schematic - Exercise 1

This exercise introduces some fundamentals of SOLIDWORKS Electrical Schematic. You learn how to use a specific environment, the difference between simple files and schematic drawings, and how to use basic view and selection tools.

Unarchiving an Environment File

An environment archive file contains all the data that you need in SOLIDWORKS Electrical, such as symbols, manufacturer parts, configurations, or electrical projects. You can use an environment archive to:
  • Forward data to another company or another computer
  • Save data before reinstalling the app
  1. Download the EnvironmentForTraining.tewzip environment archive file.
  2. In SOLIDWORKS Electrical, click Home > Unarchive environment .
  3. In the Open dialog box, browse to and select EnvironmentForTraining.tewzip, and click Open.

    The Unarchive message box shows the progress of the unarchiving action.

  4. In the Unarchiving: Environment wizard, on the Selection tab, select all the objects and click Finish.

    SOLIDWORKS Electrical lists all the objects that are restored or imported.

Drawings and Files

Drawings and files are two document types in which you can draw.
  • Drawings or electrical drawings automatically save in the database. This allows for automatic processes such as reports or terminal strips.
  • Files are simple DWG files without intelligence.

You must develop your electrical scheme in a drawing, not in a simple DWG file.

View Controls

To control your view of a drawing, use the commands in the View menu.

You can also use the mouse wheel to:
  • Zoom in or out by turning the mouse wheel
  • Pan by clicking and holding the mouse wheel as you move the mouse
  • Zoom to the extent of all the drawing entities by double-clicking the mouse wheel

Selecting Objects

To:
  • Select a single object, click the object
  • Select several objects, do one of the following:
    • Ctrl+click the objects
    • Make a rectangle selection by dragging left to right around the objects. All objects that are completely included within the rectangle are selected.
    • Make a rectangle selection by dragging right to left across the objects. All objects that are at least partially within the rectangle are selected.