Component Library Dialog Box

You can use the CircuitWorks Component Library to view, edit, and create SOLIDWORKS component models.

To display the CircuitWorks Component Library dialog box:

  • From the CircuitWorks application, click the Tools tab, then click Library from the Tools toolbar.
  • From the SOLIDWORKS application, click Tools > CircuitWorks > Component Library.

The CircuitWorks Component Library dialog box has a toolbar and three panels: component list, preview image, and properties.

Component Library Toolbar

Add custom property Opens the New Custom Property dialog box, where you can specify a custom property name and value.

You can select whether to apply the new property to all components and whether to create a column showing the property in the component list.

Delete custom property for all components Lets you select a custom property and delete it from all components.
Edit properties for selected component Activates all editable fields for a selected component.
Accept changes Applies edits that you make to component properties.
Cancel changes Cancels edits that you make to component properties.

Component List

The list of components in the library.

You can:

  • Click the Component Name or Part Number column header to sort the components.
  • Click a component to display its preview image and properties.
  • Double-click a component to open it in SOLIDWORKS.
  • Right-click a component to select an operation from the menu.
Apply Filter Lets you filter the component list by selecting a column property.
Clear Filter Clears the filter when you have applied a filter.
Add column for available properties Displays the Mapping Column to Property dialog box, where you can select a component property as the basis for a column that is added to the component list.

You can remove a column you add by right-clicking the column head and clicking Remove Column.

You can redisplay theMapping Column to Property dialog box so that you can choose a different property to map to an added column by right-clicking and choosing Change Column.

Preview Image

The graphical representation of the component model.

Component Properties

The component properties are read-only when viewing a component and editable when editing or adding a component.

ECAD Component Name

The name of the component.

Used by CircuitWorks to determine if a component is unique.

ECAD Part Number

The component part number.

Might be used by CircuitWorks (with the component name) to determine if a component is unique.

Device Class

The Electronic Component Type or Standard Classification of the component.

Examples of device classes are Capacitor, Diode, Transistor, Fuse, and Filter.

For older library parts already present for ECAD files in install_dir\CircuitWorksFull\Examples, the reference designator prefix is used as the Device Class.

ECAD Component Type

The component type: Electrical or Mechanical.

ECAD Component Height

The height of the component.

A non-zero height ensures that CircuitWorks models the components in 3D rather than as 2D sketches.

CircuitWorks shows zero-height components with a icon in the tree and uses wireframe rather than solid in the preview image.
Build Status
Specifies how CircuitWorks builds this component:
  • Build New - The component part is not in the Component Library, so CircuitWorks creates a new SOLIDWORKS model and adds it to the library.
  • From Library - CircuitWorks uses the existing model from the Component Library.

To replace an existing library model, change From Library to Build New.

SOLIDWORKS component

The path to the component part or assembly file, including the name of the part (*.SLDPRT) or assembly (*.SLDASM) file.

The default path is C:\ProgramData\SOLIDWORKS\CircuitWorks\Components.

Click Browse for component to select the component file, which supplies both the Component Filename and Component Path values.

SOLIDWORKS Configuration

The configuration of the SOLIDWORKS model. If (Last Saved), CircuitWorks uses the configuration that the model was last saved in.

An icon appears next to the field:
  • The part has user configurations.
  • The part has only default configurations.
If the SOLIDWORKS model has only one configuration, select (Last Saved) to improve CircuitWorks performance. 
Reference designator prefix

Specifies the letter prepended to reference designators for new instances of this component.

For example, if your Reference designator prefix is C, the software assigns the reference designator C1 to the first capacitor and C2 to the second capacitor when you export the model to SOLIDWORKS.

X, Y and Z Offsets
Specifies the position offset values to adjust the position of a pre-existing component model (not created by CircuitWorks). For example, you can change a center-origin component model to a pin-one origin model by entering the measured X, Y, and Z offset values from the center of the model to the pin-one location.
The X and Y values are relative to the component's coordinate system, not the board's.
Available only when you select Show component offset information in library from the Library options.
Rotation
Specifies a rotation-offset value (in degrees) to adjust the rotation of a preexisting component model (not created by CircuitWorks). Positive rotations are counterclockwise and negative rotations are clockwise.
Available only when you select Show component offset information in library from the Library options.
Orientation
Specifies an orientation to override the alignment of a pre-existing component model (not created by CircuitWorks). The alignment ensures that CircuitWorks inserts the component into the SOLIDWORKS assembly correctly. CircuitWorks creates new component models using the default orientation (see CircuitWorks Options - Models).
Available only when you select Show component offset information in library from the Library options.

The icon shows how the component appears in the SOLIDWORKS isometric view.

Valid orientations:
  • Modelled off Front (XY) Plane (Positive)
  • Modelled off Top (XZ) Plane (Positive)
  • Modelled off Right (YZ) Plane (Positive)
  • Modelled off Front (XY) Plane (Negative)
  • Modelled off Top (XZ) Plane (Negative)
  • Modelled off Right (YZ) Plane (Negative)