Page 83 - Mastering SolidWorks

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makiNg the iNterface Work for yoU 51

Hotkeys for menu items are listed on the right side of the regular drop-down menus. They
serve more as learning aids than interface elements.
I have included a spreadsheet of the default hotkeys in SolidWorks 2018 with the download
materials for Chapter 2. You can save the list of settings by using the Copy List button in the
dialog shown in Figure 2.25. If you do a lot of customizations, it might be handy to print them
out and tape them to the side of your monitor. It is a little pointless to have to refer to a chart to
remember shortcuts, but you might think of it more as a training aid or a means to allow other
people to use your workstation effectively.
Using Mouse Gestures
You can customize and use a mouse-gestures interface, shown in Figure 2.26. To make the
interface appear, just drag the RMB slightly, about ¼ inch. After you get used to the interface, a
drag of about ¾ inch in a single motion activates the commands.

Figure 2.26
The mouse-gestures
interface

NOTE i have found that this interface works best when you have memorized the commands available
at various positions around the donut. you can set it to use 2, 4, 8, or 12 divisions. accuracy is more
difficult with the larger number of divisions.

You can establish the donut in four or eight segments; it comes set to four by default. You can
also do the customization in the Customize dialog box (Tools ➢ Customize) using the Mouse
Gestures tab. The advantage of this interface is that it is very easy to invoke. I like the way you
can use the default setup to control views. The mouse moving in a particular direction is easily
associated with a view direction, so it should be easy to remember.
Mouse gestures will probably not replace hotkeys or the S toolbar, but they do add effective
quick access for a few functions.

Using the Keyboard
Moving between the mouse and the keyboard can be bothersome and time-consuming.
In addition to the hotkey approach, you can use another keyboard method to save time.
Many users become adept at using the Alt-key combinations to invoke menu items. Most
menu items in Windows applications contain a single underlined letter.
To access a top-level menu, you can hold down the Alt key, press the underlined letter for
that menu, and then just press an underlined letter in the menu to access specific commands.
This decidedly old-school technique enables you to navigate most of the interface without using