Is it possible to force a 1:1 drawing insertion scale?

SOLIDWORKS SW General
1

I have a dedicated Sheet Format that I use to create .dxf files of sheet metal parts’ flat patterns.

The .dxf files are later used to laser-cut the part.

Is it possible to force the scale of all inserted drawing views to 1:1?

Is that a setting somewhere?

Thanks.

2

I’m sure it is through programming because our DXF’s are generated that way.


We use Customtools and it has a sorta DXF generator in it.

3

Hi Alex,

By “programming”, do you mean API?

I am not familiar with Customtools.

Is that an SW add-in?

Thanks.

4

If you uncheck the following:
image.png
Then, drawing views should be set to sheet scale automatically. And if your template is set to 1:1, then it should do what you want.

5

Thanks.

I was hoping there would exist a Document Property. If I change it globally, I’ll lose a very useful, efficiency-enhancing feature.

6

[quote=“Mike Gera” post_id=32135 time=1698865675 user_id=1051]
Hi Alex,



By “programming”, do you mean API?



I am not familiar with Customtools.



Is that an SW add-in?



Thanks.
[/quote]

Yeah through programming. CustomTools is a 3rd party tool, but I’m sure someone has or could develop something fairly simple that works the same.



It creates a page using a designed template

It inserts the unfolded view inside of it and hides bend lines/notes

It scales it 1:1 and places it inside the page.





The video is old but the principle is the same:



<LINK_TEXT text=“https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PW-W3EH … SolidWorks”>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PW-W3EHV_HY&amp;ab_channel=CUSTOMTOOLSforSolidWorks</LINK_TEXT>

7

irrc dxf export should have the 1:1 scale option independent from the drawing sheet settings somewhere

8

On an .SLDDRW, Save As → .DXF will always output 1:1?

9

Mike Gera

not always.
when you select the file extension in the saveas dialog the “option” button shows just below.

inside the options you can activate the 1:1 output for dxf.
we do not need it so I have not tested if it works.

10

Ah, now I see that from the .SLDPRT:

File → Save As → .dxf

is a more direct and efficient workflow than doing a .SLDDRW first. And 1:1 is default / implied.

I would like to make a macro / API do to this in one click. Should that be possible?

Thanks.

11

I could make you a list of the options that I think are in the wrong place, but we don’t have that much time.

12

I hear you.

13

SW can export DXF 1:1 all the time. Regardless what scale the view is.

14

Yes. And having it export to anything other than 1:1 requires a deliberate effort, which is (surprisingly) the way it should be.

15

Just need some training and setup defaults which should be default when SW install.

16

Training? Don’t need no stinking training. Need CADForum. :sunglasses:

17

Forum is where most of the training is UU

18

There’s also a lot to be said for just diving in and finding out what works.

19

Hello Mike,

I don’t know if this is what you are looking for or not but we have been using on one that Jaylin Hochstetler modified from a macro that I believe someone else created

Here is a link:

https://www.cadforum.net/download/file.php?id=1387

Edited to add a link to the thread where this is located.

https://www.cadforum.net/viewtopic.php?t=74

20

Thanks!