10 Replies Latest reply on Sep 29, 2014 5:50 PM by Clyde Gibson

What is the purpose of the "Sheet1, Sheet2..." tabs in SolidWorks Drawing data card

David Diehl Sep 14, 2009 11:08 PM

I can understand (I think) what the " @ " tab, "default" tab and any additional configuration specific tabs are in a SolidWorks Part or Assembly data card. But, in the SolidWorks Drawing Data Card, it seems to only utilize data contained in the " @ " tab. I had assumed the "Sheet1, Sheet2..." tabs were similar to the configuration specific tabs in the Part or Assembly data cards in that you could have values in fields on the "Sheet1" tab that were different than values in fields on the "Sheet2" tab. However, it seems in the Drawing data card, only the values set in the " @ " tab apply and populate all sheets of our drawing's title block. If this is the case, what is the purpose of those "Sheet1, Sheet2..." tabs?

What brought this to my attention was that we have our part and assembly data cards automatically set the same properties in our drawing data card. The update occurs automatically when we change a value in the part or assembly card, but it only updated the drawing data card's " @ " tab. It left the old data in "Sheet1, Sheet2" tabs.

Thank you,

Dave

Re: What is the purpose of the "Sheet1, Sheet2..." tabs in SolidWorks Drawing data card

David Mandl Aug 8, 2011 11:06 AM (in response to David Diehl)

For the life of me, I can't figure out the actual purpose of these tabs either.

It's not like parts and assemblies, where you will be using a configuration to document different versions of similar parts. How often do people really use multiple sheets (or layouts in .dwg and .dxf files, for that matter) for anything besides a multiple sheet drawing? It is exceedingly rare that I have ever used a single drawing file to have prints for multiple parts.

If I had it my way, there would be a way for me to turn off those tabs altogether for .sdldrw, .dwg and .dxf parts.
Like Show 0 Likes(0)

Actions
- Re: What is the purpose of the "Sheet1, Sheet2..." tabs in SolidWorks Drawing data card
  
  Charles Gary Aug 8, 2011 12:23 PM (in response to David Mandl)
  
  Sometimes a part has so many features their details won't all fit on a single page drawing. I have had occasions where one page of a drawing package had nothing but hole callouts on it. The other pages get used for other details, and breaking things up onto different pages can really help with keeping things clear on the shop floor.
  
  Like Show 0 Likes(0)
  
  Actions
  - Re: What is the purpose of the "Sheet1, Sheet2..." tabs in SolidWorks Drawing data card
    
    David Mandl Aug 8, 2011 12:30 PM (in response to Charles Gary)
    
    That's what makes sense to me. That's actually fairly standard on your more complicated parts.
    
    What seems off to me isn't the use of extra pages for a multisheet drawing. It's the notion that those seperate pages would require a different tab in the Data Card in the Enterprise PDM window. Aside from maybe having a different description (hole callouts vs. details, for instance), nothing is going to change in your card (part number, material, purchasing information, etc.).
    
    If the data on the card isn't going to change from one sheet to another, then it's just death by too much information for someone to look at the data card and see numerous tabs that have no function.
    
    Like Show 0 Likes(0)
    
    Actions
    - Re: What is the purpose of the "Sheet1, Sheet2..." tabs in SolidWorks Drawing data card
      
      Wayne Matus Aug 8, 2011 1:24 PM (in response to David Mandl)
      
      There are companies that have small assemblies and will detail the entire assembly in one drawing file. One sheet for the assembly and a sheet for detailing each part file. I do not condone this method, but EPDM needs to be flexible.
      
      Like Show 0 Likes(0)
      
      Actions
      - Re: What is the purpose of the "Sheet1, Sheet2..." tabs in SolidWorks Drawing data card
        
        Brian Dalton Aug 16, 2011 11:25 AM (in response to Wayne Matus)
        
        Flexibility is good, but what's better is being able to turn off unwanted features when they just get in the way or are confusing. Most companies probably have no use for these extra tabs, so SW should make it easy to decide whether they are even visible or not. Or how about making them invisible by default and allowing those very few who want them to activate them on demand.
        
        Like Show 2 Likes(2)
        
        Actions
        
        Re: What is the purpose of the "Sheet1, Sheet2..." tabs in SolidWorks Drawing data card
        
        Wayne Matus Aug 16, 2011 1:02 PM (in response to Brian Dalton)
        
        For those that want to be able to turn off the sheet tabs on solidworks drawing datacards, submit an enhancement request.
        
        Like Show 2 Likes(2)
        
        Actions
      - Re: What is the purpose of the "Sheet1, Sheet2..." tabs in SolidWorks Drawing data card
        
        Clyde Gibson Sep 26, 2014 12:10 PM (in response to Wayne Matus)
        
        I know that this is 3 years late but my company uses them in this way. We have to because we are not a manufacturing company. Also is does not make sense to split an assembly plus the 5 pages of assembly details up into non-linked files, when it can be done in one file. Has a solution be made to this EPDM problem yet?
        
        I would like my drawing number be a per sheet basis instead of only the "@" tab. I want each tab to be useful.
        
        Like Show 0 Likes(0)
        
        Actions
        
        Re: What is the purpose of the "Sheet1, Sheet2..." tabs in SolidWorks Drawing data card
        
        Brian McEwen Sep 29, 2014 4:27 PM (in response to Clyde Gibson)
        
        We don't do this, but you can manually change the info displayed on the sheet tabs. I just tested it, if you add a part number or other info on one of the extra sheet tabs, it is searchable... It does seem like it should use the info driving the corresponding sheet title block (if different than the default or parent that runs the first sheet) - or have some way to auto-fill those extra tabs if you use em.
        
        Is that what you need Clyde? To have those tabs filled in based on what is shown on the sheet?
        
        And I agree we should be able to turn off the display of the extra tabs, that many of us don't use. Tho perhaps more would use it if functioned more elegantly.
        
        Like Show 1 Likes(1)
        
        Actions
        
        Re: What is the purpose of the "Sheet1, Sheet2..." tabs in SolidWorks Drawing data card
        
        Clyde Gibson Sep 29, 2014 5:50 PM (in response to Brian McEwen)
        
        That is what week currently do. We manually enter in each in both the slddrw file and the data card, which is repetitive and annoying. Yes I want to have "per sheet" custom properties in other words and then have the card drive those properties.
        
        The only one of these I got to work was the sheet name by using the custom properties. (DRAWINGNO)
        My current work around will be trying to use the SWComments, Title, subject, and keywords to fill in my other custom properties.
        
        Like Show 0 Likes(0)
        
        Actions
Re: What is the purpose of the "Sheet1, Sheet2..." tabs in SolidWorks Drawing data card

Kevin Vaughan Dec 15, 2011 8:32 PM (in response to David Diehl)

Anybody get a good explaination for these? I have the same confuson, updating of display information in cards is not consistent, I can't force updates to all configurations. My VAR cannot come up with a good rational for the existance of these additional tabs either.
Like Show 0 Likes(0)

Actions

Go to original post