15 Replies Latest reply on Aug 11, 2017 5:23 PM by Scott Rypstra

Material Database Editing

Lawrence Kiefer May 20, 2016 9:32 AM

Is there an efficient way to edit the Solidworks Material Database?

Meaning: I have custom libraries, and whenever I add a material it puts it at the end of the list in the specified library folded. The issue with this is they aren't in alphabetical order. I can move them up in the window shown in the attached picture, but that only moves it one up or down 1 place at a time and every time its moved one place it doesnt remain selected so you cant just keep clicking. If the material has to go to the top of the list, this takes a long time.

Re: Material Database Editing

Glenn Schroeder May 20, 2016 9:42 AM (in response to Lawrence Kiefer)

Create a new folder somewhere other than in the SolidWorks installation folder (either on your C-drive or on a network). Save your custom materials in this folder, and point to it at Tools > Options > System Options > File Locations > Material Databases. Then you can collapse the SW materials folder and your new one should appear below it. Also, this way you won't lost your custom materials when you upgrade to a new SW version.
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Re: Material Database Editing

Deepak Gupta May 20, 2016 9:48 AM (in response to Lawrence Kiefer)

You can open them in notepad and modify/rearrange as required. Make sure you keep a copy before modifying the list
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- Re: Material Database Editing
  
  Lawson Jones Sep 13, 2016 2:27 AM (in response to Deepak Gupta)
  
  Thank you Deepak!!! It's taken me ages to find such a simple answer that actually works!
  
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- Re: Material Database Editing
  
  Ray Calhoon May 10, 2017 12:01 PM (in response to Deepak Gupta)
  
  Deepak, can you elaborate on this a little. When I open the material database in notepad, I get a bunch of gobble-di-gook that I can't make heads or tails of.
  
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- Re: Material Database Editing
  
  Scott Rypstra Aug 11, 2017 5:23 PM (in response to Deepak Gupta)
  
  Still way too much copy/pasting/dragging. We should be able to click-and-drag right in the Materials window tree! We should also be able to type in a search/filter bar for a material we know we want.
  Please vote for existing SPR 534949.
  [Edit: See also: Re: Alphabetical order of custom material library ]
  
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Re: Material Database Editing

Lawrence Kiefer May 23, 2016 11:52 AM (in response to Lawrence Kiefer)

Thanks for the help on this. I now have a separate question. I have added a material specific property in the custom material window as shown below. I would like to use this value for the material on the drawing however I cant seem to link it. When I set the Property name in the part properties, nothing shows up.

Basically where it says Value below, I want that to be linked to the Material on the drawing.
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- Re: Material Database Editing
  
  Deepak Gupta May 23, 2016 12:03 PM (in response to Lawrence Kiefer)
  
  These properties are not available directly but can only be retrieved via macro
  
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  - Re: Material Database Editing
    
    Lawrence Kiefer May 23, 2016 12:59 PM (in response to Deepak Gupta)
    
    Deepak,
    SO basically I cannot link these material specific fields to custom properties in my drawing?
    
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    - Re: Material Database Editing
      
      Deepak Gupta May 23, 2016 1:11 PM (in response to Lawrence Kiefer)
      
      You'll have to use a macro to do that. Here are two of them but I had never used them:
      
      Read material properties from "Custom" tab
      Get Material Properties from Material Library
      
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      - Re: Material Database Editing
        
        Lawrence Kiefer May 23, 2016 1:25 PM (in response to Deepak Gupta)
        
        Thank's for the link to the macro code. Unfortunately I am not a code guy. I am at the mercy of what Solidworks already offers off the shelf.
        
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        Re: Material Database Editing
        
        Christophe LAURENT Sep 15, 2016 8:34 AM (in response to Lawrence Kiefer)
        
        During SW 2017 beta phase, i had the same request and opened a SR. Now to answer to this requirement there is the SPR 969590. Hope it'll be implemented quickly.
        
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- Re: Material Database Editing
  
  Glenn Schroeder May 23, 2016 12:07 PM (in response to Lawrence Kiefer)
  
  I'm not sure I understand but I'll try to help. You should be able to set the material property in the part file by right-clicking on "Material" near the top of your FM tree (see below) and choosing the desired property from your list. Then you can link directly to this material property in your drawing. There's no need to "set the Property name in the part properties".
  
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  - Re: Material Database Editing
    
    Lawrence Kiefer May 23, 2016 12:57 PM (in response to Glenn Schroeder)
    
    The reason I am trying to set a custom property in the material file itself as shown in my image is because the standard material name for example would be CRES 302, HOWEVER in our drawing, we list the material spec as well such as "CRES 302 PER SAE-AMS5688, ASTM-A580 OR ASTM-A313 SPRING TEMPER"
    
    That being said, obviously the material description is much too long to use for the solidworks material name so I am trying to add this as a custom material property in the material itself as shown in my image. THEN have that property link to the drawing.
    
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Re: Material Database Editing

Lawrence Kiefer May 23, 2016 1:42 PM (in response to Lawrence Kiefer)

At the end of the day, here is what I need. I need to use the SW material, on my drawings. (Liking as a custom property to material) BUT the only way I know of to get the entire material spec is to actually name the material that way, shown in the image below. I would love to be able to shorten the name in the material database, but have the material spec show up in the title block.
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- Re: Material Database Editing
  
  Raymond 79 Huisstede Sep 27, 2016 6:59 AM (in response to Lawrence Kiefer)
  
  Hello,
  Did you already has a solution to this problem? I've got the same question.
  Thanks already
  
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