What’s New in SOLIDWORKS 2022-Detailing Mode Enhancements

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Detailing Mode was introduced in 2019 as a new method for working with Large Assembly Drawings without the need to load the assembly model into memory thus speeding up Drawing open times. In my first blog about Detailing Mode, found here, I go “under the hood” and describe how Detailing Mode technology works, what you can do using Detailing Mode and what you can’t.

With the release of 2022 more capabilities have been added to Detailing Mode. One of the new features is Limited Detailing Mode which supports Drawings saved in older versions of SOLIDWORKS or in SOLIDWORKS 2022 without model data. With limited Detailing Mode you will have a subset of Detailing Mode functionality available to you. You’ll know you’re in Limited Detailing Mode by looking at the window title you’ll see file name – sheet name [Detailing – Limited] as shown here. Opening an older Drawing in Detailing Mode in 2022 and you will see this:

Clicking on View Limitations provides a list of functions not available as shown below. In order to use the full Detailing Mode functionality the Drawing must be saved in the latest version of SOLIDWORKS. In this case clicking on Resolve Drawing will load the model data then saving the Drawing closing it then reopening it in Detaining Mode will unlock all of the Detailing Mode functionality.

Another enhancement is the ability to create a Hole Table. Full Hole Table functionality is available.

The biggest addition to Detailing Mode is adding Standard Views by dragging them from the View Pallet. This is a big enhancement. By having Standard Views such as such as front, top, back available to add allows you to work faster. When a Drawing contains both an Assembly and a Part what was active in the View Pallet when the Drawing was opened fully resolved and saved is what will show up in the View Pallet in Detailing Mode. For instance this Drawing below contains a sheet which details the Part shown. The View Pallet shows the Assembly which is detailed on the other sheets. In order to show the Standard Views for the Part the drawing needs to be opened fully resolved and in the View Pallet the select the Part in order to use those Standard Views in Detailing Mode as shown below.

In order to enable the View Pallet in Detailing Mode two new Document Properties option must be turned on. In Tools>Options>Document Properties>Performance

Save Model Data – Saves all Drawings with Model Data to use Detailing Mode. This option was moved from Tools > Options > System Options > Drawings > Performance

Include Standard Views in View Pallet – Lets you create Standard Views from the View Pallet.

You cannot change these options while in Detailing mode, and they only apply when you save Resolved Drawings.

Detailing Mode Save performance has been improved in 2022 from 1.5 times faster up to 4.5 times faster depending on model complexity.

One last change to Drawings in 2022 is the removal of the Quick View mode. Detailing Mode replaces it.

If you haven’t tried Detailing Mode yet give it a shot I’m sure you’ll like the performance improvements and capabilities.

Mike Sabocheck

Mike Sabocheck

Mike Sabocheck is a Technical Sales Director with Dassault Systemes SOLIDWORKS. Mike has been with DS SOLIDWORKS for 21 years. Prior to SOLIDWORKS he worked for Xerox for 17 years and then for Intergraph. His specialties are applying SOLIDWORKS to different design and manufacturing processes.