SolidSmack - Latest Comments in The 7 Best SolidWorks Keyboard Tricks

Re: The 7 Best SolidWorks Keyboard Tricks

joshmings — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 16:23:05 -0000

hmmm, that could be cause by a few things. In 2009, you may be able to hit Esc to cancel the operation. To avoid them we would have to look at all the possible causes.

It could be the computer - make sure your temp folder is empty, do a defrag
It could be the graphics card - make sure it's an approved card
It could be the model - make sure there are no circular references (parts referencing parts)
It could be a combination - complicated library features and surfaces can increase rebuild times.

Hope this gives you a place to start looking Erica!

Re: The 7 Best SolidWorks Keyboard Tricks

erica — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 11:39:11 -0000

can anyone tell me how to avoid or get out of those "operation cannot be interrupted or document is not accessible at this time" other than force-quitting solidworks? it's happening every 10-20 minutes and it's driving me nuts.

Re: The 7 Best SolidWorks Keyboard Tricks

Ivan — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 14:20:29 -0000

*sigh* sorry, issues here. these comments won't show anything in a 'sharp parenthesis' i guess. it's the ones above the comma and period. then you type MOD-DEG... MOD-DIAM... MOD-BOX... etc

Re: The 7 Best SolidWorks Keyboard Tricks

Ivan — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 14:17:40 -0000

uh oh... somethin didn't work.

let's see if that posts correctly... no spaces of course

Re: The 7 Best SolidWorks Keyboard Tricks

Ivan — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 14:14:57 -0000

@Josh, tom, I find it much easier to remember this for degree symbol , and diameter , and square ... the list goes on.

Re: The 7 Best SolidWorks Keyboard Tricks

tom — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 11:05:21 -0000

Thanks Josh, I was looking so hard to make Solidworks do it that Alt codes never occured to me. Great post.

Re: The 7 Best SolidWorks Keyboard Tricks

Josh — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 16:44:40 -0000

Yes! I did a post on Alt Codes that give you all the special symbols you'll ever need! hit Alt + 0176 to get a degree symbol.

Re: The 7 Best SolidWorks Keyboard Tricks

tom — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 14:54:57 -0000

Any way to add the degree symbol when typing a text note with a keyboard shortcut?

Re: The 7 Best SolidWorks Keyboard Tricks

Jason — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 14:08:11 -0000

I belive the key to shortcuts is making them logical to the user so they are easy to remember. For instance, I use "T" for viewing the top view. Certain keys may make sense to one person and not to another. I use so many that if I didn't make them logical, it would be too hard to remember everything.

Another key to shortcuts is to make them as simple as possible by using as few of keys as possible. Most of my more frequently used keys are a single key instead of having to hit two or three keys at the same time. I only have one three-key shortcut and I don't need to use it very often. But since I rotate my model many times in a day, most all of my views are set to a single key. I apologize to all of those who may use a Space Pilot type of device, but I don't think I would ever use one even if it was given to me. I can do most of my rotation very quickly with my left hand on the keyboard and still have my hand in position to access many shortcuts that make sense (at least to me). I still do freehand rotation with my middle mouse button, but usually sketches and other viewing needs are done on orthogonal views, so the single shortcut keys are very quick.

Here are some of my shortcuts I use with the logic I used to pick it. I've used many of them for about 10 years. Many of my co-workers use some of them too.

Viewing: T-top view, B-bottom view, F-fit to screen (SW default), C-front view (F was already taken by fit to screen), X-left view (to the left of C), V-right view (to the right of C), Shift+B-back view (not used as much as bottom view), I-isometric view, O-orientation box(only need for saved views), Spacebar-zoom to area(quick zoom to specific area), A-previous view (to the left of the keyboard like going back when reading), W-wireframe (great for quick picking of edges without rotating), Q-shaded with edges (next to W), Cntrl+N-norma to view (not needed much with other ortho views keyed), R-toggles RealView

Sketching usually has Shift with it (both start with "S"): Shift+R-rectangle, Shift+C-circle, Shift+A-arc, Shift+E-ellipse, Shift+X-centerline, Shift+F-sketch fillet, Shift+S-spline, Shift+V-view sketch relations, Shift+M-mirror, L-line, D-smart dimension

Alt key for viewing alternate things: Alt+A-toggle axis view, Alt+O-toggle origin view, Alt+S-toggle shown sketches, Alt+N-toggle shown planes, Alt+V-tile windows vertically, Alt+H-tile windows horizontally

Again, the key is to choose shortcuts that are logical and simple in your own mind, no matter how twisted it may be.

Re: The 7 Best SolidWorks Keyboard Tricks

Brad — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 15:20:51 -0000

Not precisely a keyboard shortcut, but I've mapped the Control key to one of the thumb buttons on my mouse. The other thumb button is mapped to the Escape key (which is annoying for those all-too-often "The current operation cannot be interrupted or the document is not accessible at this time" messages). On top of that, the three additional buttons on my mouse are mapped to keystrokes "f", "d", and "m"... which are, of course, "zoom to fit," "smart dimension," and "measure," respectively. This leaves even more buttons open to customizing keystrokes on my SpaceExplorer.

Re: The 7 Best SolidWorks Keyboard Tricks

John — Fri, 30 May 2008 09:48:49 -0000

I have a few basic ones but my favorites are using the number pad on the keyboard:

5-top view
0-bottom view
4-left view
6-right view
+-isometric view
2-front view
8-back view

It really speeds things up.

Re: The 7 Best SolidWorks Keyboard Tricks

Sammy Mah — Fri, 30 May 2008 05:37:46 -0000

- Hold CTRL and arrow keys to pan your model across the screen.
- Ctrl+(1-7) for different views.
- L for line in Sketch mode.
- CTRL-W close window. (this is become universal across Windows)

Re: The 7 Best SolidWorks Keyboard Tricks

fcsuper — Thu, 29 May 2008 19:51:22 -0000

Not only do I have tons of shortcut, I have a keyboard with extra programmable buttons for more shortcuts, and a second keyboard extentsion with even more buttons and programmed with shortcuts.

Re: The 7 Best SolidWorks Keyboard Tricks

Tom Cross — Thu, 29 May 2008 17:31:55 -0000

I put the collapse command on one of the buttons of my 3D Connexion Space Pilot spaceball. I wrote an instruction sheet in WORD format that I would be glad to post on this site, if someone can tell me how to do that.

Tom Cross

Re: The 7 Best SolidWorks Keyboard Tricks

George Tylinski — Thu, 29 May 2008 17:05:22 -0000

I wear glasses, so no arm restraint needed.
I do like #7, where was I when that came along?
I also didn't know you could shortcut the "Collapse"...

I use CTRL+SHIFT+Z a lot: zoom to preveious view.
I have CTRL and ESC programmed onto the thumb buttons on the side of my mouse (for all programs).

Re: The 7 Best SolidWorks Keyboard Tricks

Jason Q — Thu, 29 May 2008 13:02:33 -0000

One that I use often is in assembly, hold alt before you grab a part to start a mate, drag the component to what you want to mate it to, and it will automatically mate the parts, if you need to switch the alignment, the tab key accomplishes this if you press it before releasing the mouse button.

Re: The 7 Best SolidWorks Keyboard Tricks

Kyle Mason — Thu, 29 May 2008 13:00:56 -0000

@marijn Yeah, me too. And thats why I have c for mate, because I learned constrain first.

Re: The 7 Best SolidWorks Keyboard Tricks

marijn — Thu, 29 May 2008 11:44:29 -0000

@kyle thats why i have extrude under e like inventor has :)

Re: The 7 Best SolidWorks Keyboard Tricks

Tom Cross — Thu, 29 May 2008 08:41:32 -0000

Steve and all,

I'm with you....if I'm not leaning on my left elbow, then that hand is definitely on my Space Pilot. I have the "Collapse" command (for the browser) programmed to button #5. Very handy. I wish SW had an "Expand" command like IV.

Tom Cross

Re: The 7 Best SolidWorks Keyboard Tricks

Kyle Mason — Thu, 29 May 2008 08:36:21 -0000

Yeah, shortcuts are great but try using 5 different CAD programs and keeping them straight.

Re: The 7 Best SolidWorks Keyboard Tricks

Steve_Calvert — Thu, 29 May 2008 08:34:37 -0000

Josh, I'm holding out for the direct mind interface so I don't have to use the keyboard. ;-)

I use (and cheerish) my SpacePilot and I'd like to keep my left hand there, so I would tend to have some shortcut keys mapped to one of the seems like endless number of buttons. What a great tool...

Steve

Re: The 7 Best SolidWorks Keyboard Tricks

BRS — Thu, 29 May 2008 06:26:31 -0000

I love the shortcuts on the keyboards.. The only problem I have have is I'll forget and try to use some of those shortcuts in other programs..and I'll keep trying till I remember..all these amazing shortcuts I have only work on SW.. =/..

Re: The 7 Best SolidWorks Keyboard Tricks

Josh — Wed, 28 May 2008 17:31:09 -0000

Wow! you guys are just scrapin' the keyboard shortcut jar till there's nothin left! I love it!

@Charles, yeah, I saw the windows 7 video and it looks great. Like Microsoft Surface but on a laptop. Hope it goes over better than the tablet computer, but I guess we'll see in 2010 or so. I'm thinkin more touchscreen tech will be out before Microsoft gets 7 up and out. The infrared stuff is really picking up steam and allows for some 3D manipulation that a flat screen may not be able to employ as well. exciting stuff!!

Re: The 7 Best SolidWorks Keyboard Tricks

Justin Burton — Wed, 28 May 2008 16:56:55 -0000

a simple one that I use all the time...

Hold down control to break alignment whilst placing a drawing view.
Works nice for sections and iso views

Justin

Re: The 7 Best SolidWorks Keyboard Tricks

keith — Wed, 28 May 2008 15:53:37 -0000

My keyboard may be fully mapped, but why stop there? My favorite trick is fairly unknown - alt key sequences. No custom settings required!

Press the first key combo, release and sequentially hit the next letter(s). Roll your hand into it and you can do it as quick as hitting a cord on the piano.

Alt+F,A = Save As
Alt+F,1 = most recent document
Alt+H,A = About SW (find what version you have)

Some favorite windows sequences:

Right click on desktop,W,F = Create New Folder
Right click on desktop,R,CTRL+SHIFT+TAB = Display Properties
Right click on my computer,G = Management Console
Right click on taskbar,K = Task Manager
Richt click on a item in the taskbar,C = close task

What I really love about these is how quick they are. You don't have to click on something precisely, you can just get close and choose the options you need with the left hand.

It helps to show underlined shortcut keys by default - right click on the desktop,R,C,CTRL+SHIFT+TAB,CTRL+SHIFT+TAB,Alt+E,Shift+Tab,Shift+Tab,Shift+Tab,spacebar,enter