- [Instructor] We've already talked
about using custom properties.
Now in SolidWorks 2021, we have the option
of using equations in custom properties.
Let me show you how it works.
So right over here you can see
I've got just a basic sketch here.
I've got a dimension of four inches here
and I don't have a dimension here, yet,
but what I want to do is come up here
and go under File Properties
and I'm going to drag that window right over here.
You can see I've some custom properties right in here.
And notice I have description, and things like that.
So you can add as many custom properties as you like.
If you click on the drop-down here
you can come down here and and pull one of these values here
and you can modify these as well.
But for instance, the description over here.
Notice it says, Text.
So right here in Text, you can actually choose the Date,
the Number, Yes or No, or an Equation.
and Equation has been added it's a new thing here.
So click on Equation.
And I can put anything in here that I'd like.
Notice if I click in here,
it says Functions and Properties.
So you can go and grab any of these properties you'd like,
as well as functions, but there's also one other thing
you can do.
And you can pull in global variables.
And that's where I think is
actually the most important feature here.
But notice it doesn't show up quite yet.
Well, that's because we don't have any global variables.
But I can quickly create a global variable
by going over here and clicking on the Smart Dimension tool,
adding a dimension right up here, and instead
of actually typing something in, I can actually hit Equal
on my keyboard, and I can type in something like Length.
There it is.
And notice this little icon that pops up right up here
on top there, and it's Create Global Variable.
Click on that and then type in a value.
So I'm going to type in nine inches and then click Okay.
All right.
Now let's go ahead and exit out of that sketch.
And over here now you can see,
I've got equations inside there.
I have that length equals to nine.
So that's my global variable.
So now if I go up here under Custom Properties,
I can come back over here and go to the equation,
and notice if I click in here,
now I have the ability to grab Global Variable.
So I can choose like, something like the length.
Let's go ahead and get that rid of that dash in there.
And now I'm pulling that value in.
Notice his says, Evaluated Value.
And that's exactly what we're pulling in.
So we can create an equation here with anything we want.
So we can have like, the length,
we can then do some multiplication.
I could say like, that times like, five,
something like that, and it gives you,
it's evaluating this thing and giving it to us.
So, might not use this for a description,
but you might have something like,
maybe you're making a part
that has different lengths in it
and the description you want to have like,
the name of it and then the length of it.
And so you can then pull that value you in,
or multiply it, or do whatever you want to do,
in this equation.
And that shows up directly on your drawings
under the descriptions.
It'll also show up in the Bill of Materials.
So again, that's a really powerful thing that they added.
It's pretty simple and straightforward.
The equation's been in SolidWorks already for a long time
and you can do anything you would do normally
with an equation,
but now it's available
in the Custom Properties dialogue box.