Chapter 3: Visualizing Assemblies
In This Chapter
Customizing the view Controlling part visual properties Using Display States in parts and assemblies Using the Apply Edge setting to create boundaries Sorting or displaying in an assembly Using assembly visualization tutorial
With assemblies, even more than with parts, the ability to visualize the geometry is highly important to the success of a modeling project. Between manipulating the view and manipulating the model, you have to be able to see all sides of geometry. Add to that section views, transparency, and mixed-mode display with shading and wireframes, and you have some extreme visualization power at your fingertips.
Manipulating the View
Whether you are working in parts or assemblies, manipulating the view is one of the most important and frequent things that you will do in SolidWorks. You can customize and disable the Heads-Up View toolbar, shown in Figure 3.1, by using the same method that you use for all other toolbars, through the Tools⇒Customize dialog box.
Tip
Some mouse drivers change the middle-button or scroll-wheel settings to do other things. Often, you can disable the special settings for a particular application if you want SolidWorks to work correctly and still use the other functionality. For example, the most common problem with mouse drivers is that when the model gets close to the sides of the graphics window and the scroll bars engage, the middle mouse button (MMB) suddenly changes its function. If ...
