Scaling Symbols
Scaling Symbols
(OP)
Is there any way to scale a symbol. I am trying to put a surface finish symbol in my Drawing formats but it is too big to fit within the line of text that I would like to put it in.
Thanks,
John
Thanks,
John






RE: Scaling Symbols
"Art without engineering is dreaming; Engineering without art is calculating."
Steven K. Roberts, Technomad
Have you read FAQ731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?
RE: Scaling Symbols
1. The size of the actual surface finish symbol is controlled by the note font size. You can adjust this as you create the callout by unchecking the use document font check box.
2. The size of the roughness value (3.2 in a metric designation) is controlled by the surface finish font. You cannot change this as you are making the note. You can only do this in the options - document properties - detailing - Anotations Font dialog box.
I haven't actually tried to use this format in a real drawing yet and don't know if my symbol will be chanted to by the anotations font setting in the new document.
If this blows up I will post that information here.
RE: Scaling Symbols
I was able to make this work for me by having the surface finish symbol and roughness callouts as two separate notes. By doing this, I was able to control their font size by unchecking the Use Document Font checkbox. Then I just moved the two separate notes where I wanted them so that they looked like one note.
This isn't exactly like I want this to work but I was able to make the symbol small enough to fit into my format. In the final analysis, that is all that matters.
John
RE: Scaling Symbols
"Art without engineering is dreaming; Engineering without art is calculating."
Steven K. Roberts, Technomad
Have you read FAQ731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?
RE: Scaling Symbols
The solustion I found works OK but it just seems that I should have a little more control over the symbols than they give me.
Thanks anyway.
John
RE: Scaling Symbols
Chris
Systems Analyst, I.S.
SolidWorks 06 4.1/PDMWorks 06
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 06-21-06)
RE: Scaling Symbols
There is not a way to specify a different value for this type of font. The one setting controls all of the surface finish fonts for the entire doucment.
By leaving the roughness value blank when I added the surface finish symbol in a note, I am able to get the symbol to the size I want. I then created a separate note with the roughness value and sized it to the font size that I wanted.
I then placed the two notes so that they looked correct.
Although this seems like a work around to me, it did give me what I wanted without me having to redraw the surface finish symbol.
Thanks,
John
RE: Scaling Symbols
Chris
Systems Analyst, I.S.
SolidWorks 06 4.1/PDMWorks 06
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 06-21-06)
RE: Scaling Symbols
When I set the font size for the surface finish symbol in the options dialog box, all of the surface finish fonts for the entire document are that size. You cannot have two different font sizes on the same document.
That is why I had to do the symbol and font as separate entities.
John
RE: Scaling Symbols
Make sure you "format notes box" is part of the drawing template. Change the 'document' Options for the dwg template to the 2 point size.
Now, in your new drawing, change the Options to 10 point.
It worked for me.
Chris
Systems Analyst, I.S.
SolidWorks 06 4.1/PDMWorks 06
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 06-21-06)
RE: Scaling Symbols
When I change my template to have a default of 2 points, the format and template open fine, but when I add a surface finish note to a part and change the documents default surface finish font to 8 points, the symbol in the format changes as well.
I think that the only way to do this is to create the roughness value and symbol as two separate notes like I explained above.
John
RE: Scaling Symbols
I have my template with the text added this way then saved as the template. All options are set to how I want them.
When I start a new dwg, the options are set there also for that file. When I insert the dwg template, everything comes in correct.
Can you show a screen shot of what yours looks like?
Chris
Systems Analyst, I.S.
SolidWorks 06 4.1/PDMWorks 06
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 06-21-06)
RE: Scaling Symbols
Since my last post however, I have made a couple of extra discoveries about how SolidWorks hangles these symbols. (Sorry but I would include screen shots if I had a program that lets me do this.)
1. You can change the font size of just one surface finish symbol.
Before you place the note, you can adjust the actual surface symbol size by unchecking the "Use Documents Font" check box and then selecting the size font that you want.
You then place the note and select the surface finish symbol. This brings up the surface symbol dialog box. Below this dialog box (where you enter all of the information you want to accompany the surface finish symbol) there is a another font check box that adjusts the size of the font used with that particular symbol.
2. Any stand alone surface finish symbol put into the drawing format will not save with the format. It does save with the drawing template but not with the format.
If I start a new generic drawing and insert the saved template, the surface finish symbol mysteriously disappears. There is a text box where the symbol was but it is empty.
On the other hand, if I include some text before the surface finish symbol, it does save with the format. In my case, this didn't work for me because the text and symbol are bottom justified and I need it to be middle justified (In order to match the current format style.) As far as I can tell, there isn't a way to change this justification.
After many hours playing around with this, I have just drawn the symbol inside my format as suggested by several people earlier. I still think that I shouldn't have had to do this but it is the only way that I have found to do this.
Thanks for all of your suggestions and comments. They have helped me learn a little bit more about SolidWorks strengths and weaknesses.
John
RE: Scaling Symbols
What SW version are you using? I can see the problem with 2004 or 2005.
With 2006, I do not have a problem doing what you are asking.
To get a screen shot, "Alt/Print Screen". See FAQ559-1100.
Chris
Systems Analyst, I.S.
SolidWorks 06 4.1/PDMWorks 06
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 06-21-06)
RE: Scaling Symbols
Here is the surface finish dialog box. The bottom font box is for the surface finish annotations just for that symbol.
Here is the new surface finish symbol that I created and put into my format.
Here is the new format that I put into a drawing file.
What you cannot see in these images is the surface finish symbol that I broke down and drew myself. It shows up just fine in all of my formats. I don't know why the SolidWorks created surface finish symbol disappears but it does. I guess that there are certain symbols that you cannot use in a format.
RE: Scaling Symbols
Chris
Systems Analyst, I.S.
SolidWorks 06 4.1/PDMWorks 06
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 06-21-06)
RE: Scaling Symbols
Now just so we are completely clear. If I create the surface finish symbol in my format and I save the completed format as a drawing template, when I create a new drawing using the template, the symbol shows up just fine. Even if I reload the format, it stays there.
If I open a new generic drawing and insert the format into that, then the symbol disappears.
I'll download the latest service pack and try it again. Thanks for all the help.
RE: Scaling Symbols
I created a new dwg and loaded the new template. It stayed the same size.
Good luck.
Chris
Systems Analyst, I.S.
SolidWorks 06 4.1/PDMWorks 06
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 06-21-06)
RE: Scaling Symbols
Jason
UG NX2.02.2 on Win2000 SP3
SolidWorks 2006 SP4.0 on WinXP SP2
RE: Scaling Symbols
Chris
Systems Analyst, I.S.
SolidWorks 06 4.1/PDMWorks 06
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 06-21-06)
RE: Scaling Symbols
The service pack didn't fix this problem for me. I guess it must be some combination of hardware vs. software that is causing this not to work on mine.
Jason, I have already drawn the symbol because that is the only way I can get it to work. It just bothers me that for the cost of the software, this simple task should be just that: simple.
I find that SolidWorks is a great design tool, but it has a lot of bugs when it comes to drafting. The drafting should be the easy part. Since most parts are made from drawings, this is extremely important.
Why do I work with people who would much rather create drawings with AutoCAD? Because drafting with SolidWorks is way too complicated.
Don't get me wrong, I like SolidWorks and enjoy using it but even I get a little frustrated when my 25 piece assembly (plus hardware) takes over a minute to save or render. Yes I understand that nuts and bolts are parts too but maybe someone should figure out how to make SolidWorks handle them better.
Drawings that would take about 30 minutes to modify in AutoCAD sometimes takes me 2+ hours to do using SolidWorks just because of the slow render and save times.
Not a rant, but just a response to why I have spent so much time trying to figure out the Surface Finish delima.
RE: Scaling Symbols
What do you mean by render ... are you using PhotoWorks?
"Why do I work with people who would much rather create drawings with AutoCAD?"
Probably because they can't get the ACAD philosophy out of their minds. I've recently been working with a veteran ACAD user & ALWAYS beat the pants off her (figuratively speaking of course) when creating drawings ... and that includes creating the model first.
"sometimes takes me 2+ hours to do using SolidWorks just because of the slow render and save times."
Why are you rendering a drawing?
What video card and driver are you using?
How much RAM?
What are your VM settings?
Helpful SW websites FAQ559-520
How to get answers to your SW questions FAQ559-1091
RE: Scaling Symbols
I use ACAD & SW. I can create a detailed drawing in a fraction of the time I can in ACAD, and I have been using ACAD longer.
One thing you have to keep in mind, it is 3D vs 2D. The 3D files use more recources. Also IMO, knowing machining practices, inspection and CAM helps a lot with creating parametric models.
Working in 2D, well, anybody can do that.
Chris
Systems Analyst, I.S.
SolidWorks 06 4.1/PDMWorks 06
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 06-21-06)
RE: Scaling Symbols
My computer has an Intel Xeno 1.7 GHz, with 1 Gig of Ram.
My video card is a 3Dlabs Wildcat II 5110 with version 5.2.1.12 driver. ( I just upgraded to 5.5.6.18).
My virtual memory is set at 1536 MB.
John
RE: Scaling Symbols
What I was referring to in my previous post is when you have to go back into a finished drawing and make a change. In many instances, the AutoCAD file is easier to modify.
Also, any help that I can get to make handling assemblies easier and faster I am willing to take. I once posted asking this same question and did not get a response that helped.
Thanks,
John
RE: Scaling Symbols
ht
Chris
Systems Analyst, I.S.
SolidWorks 06 4.1/PDMWorks 06
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 06-21-06)
RE: Scaling Symbols
John
RE: Scaling Symbols
Win-XP needs the 06.05.06.18 driver.
Try turning of the Verification On Rebuild option in Tools > Options > System Options
Helpful SW websites FAQ559-520
How to get answers to your SW questions FAQ559-1091
RE: Scaling Symbols
Our IT guy says that we don't need to upgrade for a couple of more years.
John
RE: Scaling Symbols
See ht
That's not to say SW07 will not run OK, but if you have any problems with it, SW support will probably just tell you to upgrade the OS before they can help.
Helpful SW websites FAQ559-520
How to get answers to your SW questions FAQ559-1091
RE: Scaling Symbols
Jason
UG NX2.02.2 on Win2000 SP3
SolidWorks 2006 SP4.0 on WinXP SP2
RE: Scaling Symbols
John