BluePrint Now, the latest in our collection of SolidWorks Labs applications,
is an online drafting tool which can be used on any computer that supports the
new Silverlight plug-in from Microsoft. This means that you are able to load, review
and edit a drawing from almost anywhere on almost any computer. It also means
that you can create a dwg file from almost anywhere and save your creations on
our secure Labs server to share with your colleagues.
Where do I get it?
BluePrint Now is currently accessible on our Labs servers. Simply click
the link on the main page, enter your SW Labs account information, and start exploring!
How do I use it?
We’ve made an effort to make BluePrint Now as easy to use as possible. The user interface is divided by functional groups.
In the top section, you’ll find standard input / output commands for controlling both your server-side and client-side data.
- Open from Labs Server
- Open from the Client Machine (local)
- Save to Server
- Save to Local (Download)
- Save as PDF
- Send Email
Just to the right of that, you’ll see the user interface for layer management, and numerical input. The numerical input box will define geometry exactly, such as circle diameters and line lengths. Note also that there is a message below the top tool bar which indicates the current command.
The last couple things in the top toolbar are login information and a print command.
On the right hand side, you’ll find view, drafting, dimensioning and snapping tools.
View section
Contains select, pan and zoom functions with which you are probably familiar. Hint: Middle mouse wheel zooms and MMB pans. This may be a more efficient means of navigating your drawing.
Geometry section
Clicking on any of these buttons puts you into that command until something else is chosen. In other words, you don’t have to click Line five times if you want to make a line. Remember that you can specify exact magnitudes using the Input box which should automatically be highlighted.
Dimensioning section
You can create aligned, radial, diametric and angular dimensions by selecting the command and the appropriate geometry, which will highlight on mouse over.
Transform section
Duplicate, scale, rotate and move are all available to you. Select the command first, and then the entity you wish to transform.
Snapping section
Used in conjunction with other commands, snapping will speed up your workflow by constraining geometry to endpoints, midpoints and centers.
Is there a particular function that’s giving you trouble or think deserves some additional documentation? Please let us know!
Enjoy!
SolidWorks Labs