SolidWorks:HEARD!

Now that SolidWorks 2012 is out for public consuption and out of Beta, the gritty details will begin to surface.  One of my goals with every release of SolidWorks is to figure out what really changed and what other Easter Eggs can be found.  One of the places I start with is the SolidWorks system options.  I open up the previous release and the new release and start to compare the options that have been moved, added or removed.  Major changes are typically outlined in the Release Notes but no all the minor adjustments.  

Here is a list of what has changed in SolidWorks 2012: (Click on the section title to see a screen shot)

General:

Two options were moved from the 2011 General Tab into a new tab called "Messages/Errors/Warnings".

• Show errors every rebuild (moved)
• Warn before saving documents with update errors (moved)
• Maximize document on open (removed)
• Enable Freeze bar (added)

Drawings:  (Unchanged)

• Display Style (unchanged)
• Area Hatch/Fill (unchanged)

Colors: (unchanged)

Sketch: (unchanged)

• Relations/Snaps (unchanged)

Display/Selection: (unchanged)

Performance: (unchanged)

Assemblies:

• Use Large Design Review whenever working with an assembly containing more than this number of components: (numeric increment box) (added)

External References:

•  Show "X" in feature tree for broken external references (added)

Default Templates: (unchanged)

File Locations:

• Bend Table Template
• Costing Report Template Folder
• Costing templates
• Punch Table Template

FeatureManager: (unchanged)

Spin Box Increments: (unchanged)

View: (unchanged)

Backup/Recover:

• Removed minutes/changes selection list for "Save auto-recover information every.."

 Touch: (unchanged)

Hole Wizard/Toolbox:

This screen is also unchanged, however on a system with SolidWorks Enterprise PDM client installed a new screen pops up with details about the attached vaults and if you would like to have SolidWorks search for a Toolbox database in the vault. (Very nice addition)

File Explorer: (unchanged)

Search: (unchanged)

Collaboration: (unchanged)

Message/Errors/Warnings:

This new section replaces the old "Advanced" section which included the dismissed messages list.  This section now encompasses all the warnings/message options instead of being littered throughout the various sections.

• Show errors every build (moved from General)
• Warn before saving documents with update errors (moved from General)

• Display FeatureManager tree warnings (added)  
  • Always
  • Never
  • All but top level

• Display circular references in equations: (added)
  • Everywhere
  • In equation dialog only
  • Never
• Display potential circular references in equations: (added)
  • Everywhere
  • In equation dialog only
  • Never

More details to come as I continue to dig in and find what I can.  Stay tuned... ~Lou