Appendix B

Whats on the Website

IN THIS APPENDIX
Reviewing the system requirements
1
Sample files and videos are available from the Wiley website at
www.wiley.com/go/solidworks2013.
To download sample files click the !ownloads tab. The download material consists of a single
"ip file for each chapter.
#$tract the contents of the file to yo%r hard drive in a location that&s easy to access. The download
material contains e$ample and t%torial parts assemblies and drawings as well as templates macros and
tables as appropriate for each chapter. The files are organi"ed within folders for each chapter and are
named for the chapter and the f%nction they demonstrate. Some of the files are starting points for
t%torials and some are finished models meant to be e$amined.
'f yo% make changes to files ' recommend that yo% %se the Save (s command )*ile++,Save (s- to
keep the original file intact. .o% also can retrieve originals from the original downloaded files again if
needed.
Caution
I dont recommend that you open files directly from the Zip files, because SolidWorks responds with messages about read-
only files.
Video
The website includes a ideo introduction for each chapter, plus many ideo tutorials. The ideos are narrated and offer
another learning option to the print-only tutorials found in the book. The ideos do not duplicate the print-only tutorials.
To iew the ideos, click the !otes tab.
If you hae trouble iewing the ideos, you may need to install the TechSmith ideo codec from www.techsmith.com.
System Requirements
/ake s%re that yo%r comp%ter meets the minim%m system re0%irements listed in this section. 'f
yo%r comp%ter doesn&t match %p to these re0%irements yo% may have a problem %sing the
contents of the download site.
Windows versions
These requirements apply to Windows XP Professional, Windows Vista, and Windows 7:
1 'ntel and (/! processors single d%al or 0%ad cores
1 123 4(/ minim%m )223 recommended-
1 5irt%al memory twice the amo%nt of 4(/ )recommended-
1 ( certified 6pen27 workstation graphics card and driver )8heck the SolidWorks website for
details9 www.solidworks.com.-
2
1 ( mo%se or other pointing device
1 /icrosoft 'nternet #$plorer : minim%m )'# ; recommended-
1 ( 8! drive minim%m )!5! drive recommended-
*or more details abo%t the system re0%irements for SolidWorks and a list of certified graphics
cards and drivers visit www.solidworks.com.
Some older systems that r%n Windows <= =rofessional may not be compatible with 5ista. (ny
hardware that r%ns 5ista and most hardware that r%ns Windows <= sho%ld be able to work with
Windows ;. *or the latest information on system compatibility with /icrosoft operating systems
visit www.microsoft.com. (t this time SolidWorks doesn&t r%n on any non>Windows operating
systems s%ch as /ac 6S < 7in%$ or 2oogle 8hrome 6S.
4ealistically yo% will never be satisfied with minim%m re0%irements. 'f yo%&re %sing
=hotoWorks =hoto5iew 3:0 or any sim%lation )*inite #lement (nalysis or *#(- software
m%ltiple processors or m%ltiple cores are advantageo%s. /%lti>body modeling makes %se of
m%ltiple cores b%t also takes advantage of higher processor clock speeds. /a$im%m clock speeds
are %s%ally higher for a lower n%mber of cores so higher speeds take precedence over the
n%mber of cores for general solid modeling. .o% may get better performance per dollar with
d%al>core processors than with 0%ad>core processors for f%nctionality other than rendering and
*#(.
.o% can take advantage of more 4(/ only %p to the limit needed by yo%r data sets. .o% can
check yo%r Windows Task /anager to see how m%ch memory yo%r largest or most comple$
models cons%me. *or e$ample if yo%r largest models %se 323 of 4(/ yo% sho%ld have at least
?23 of 4(/ b%t yo% will probably not see a benefit from 1:23. .o% sho%ld %se a :?>bit
operating system if yo% intend to %se more than 323 of 4(/.
(ll hardware prod%ced in the last several years is :?>bit compatible b%t in order to take
advantage of it yo% m%st have a :?>bit operating system installed. <= 5ista and Windows ; and
@ all have :?>bit versions b%t yo% need to have installed the :?>bit version to benefit from the
h%ge memory advantages of a :?>bit operating system. ( 32>bit operating system can handle a
little over 323 of 4(/. To handle more than that yo% need a :?>bit operating system.
Some software applications have 32> and :?>bit versions and some do not. SolidWorks has both
versions and yo% need to make s%re yo% have disks or downloaded data for the correct
installation type. !ata files are interchangeable between 32> and :?>bit versions so the files on
the website will work with either one.
SolidWorks versions
*iles created in SolidWorks 2013 aren&t compatible with older versions of SolidWorksA there&s
some limited compatibility with 2012 spB b%t it is very limited and not a recommended way to
learn the software. 'f yo% have a version of SolidWorks older than 2013 yo% will have diffic%lty
reading most of the files available from the downloaded materials. .o% may find some files that
came from older versions in the downloaded data b%t this happens only where the files haven&t
been %pdated for new versions.
3
(s a matter of policy SolidWorks software does not open f%t%re version files. 'f yo% have
SolidWorks 200C installed yo% cannot read files saved in SolidWorks 2013. 'f yo% have a
0%estion abo%t this policy of the !assa%lt 8orporation yo% sho%ld contact yo%r SolidWorks
reseller. The a%thor of this book does not have the ability to save 2013 files to previo%s versions.
This book was written %sing the SolidWorks 2013 version software and altho%gh some of it may
be applicable to previo%s versions some of it may not d%e to ann%al changes that happen in the
co%rse of software development. #arlier versions of the book do e$ist )2011 2010 200C and
200;- and are still available which may benefit yo% if yo% have SolidWorks software in one of
those versions.
Trou!eshooting
'f yo% have diffic%lty installing or %sing any of the material in the downloads try the following
sol%tions9
1 Turn off any antivirus software you may have running. 'nstallers sometimes mimic vir%s
activity and can make yo%r comp%ter incorrectly believe that it is being infected by a vir%s.
)3e s%re to t%rn the antivir%s software back on later.-
1 Close all running programs. The more programs yo%&re r%nning the less memory is
available to other programs. 'nstallers also typically %pdate files and programsA if yo% keep
other programs r%nning installation may not work properly.
Conta!t the author. *or problems with the content of the download data visit my website
)www.de"ignst%ff.com- or blog )www.de"ignst%ff.com/blog- or send me an e>mail
)matt+de"ignst%ff.com-.
1 "ee the #ead$e file. 4efer to the 4ead/e file located on the website&s !ownloads tab for
the latest prod%ct information at the time of p%blication.
'f yo%&re having tro%ble viewing the videos please install the TechSmith video codec.
Customer Care
'f yo% still have tro%ble with the download data call the Wiley =rod%ct Technical S%pport
telephone n%mber9 )@00- ;:2>2C;?. 6%tside the Dnited States call 1 )31;- B;2>3CC?. .o% can
also contact Wiley =rod%ct Technical S%pport at http9//s%pport.wiley.com . Eohn Wiley F Sons
will provide technical s%pport only for installation and other general 0%ality control items. *or
technical s%pport on the applications themselves cons%lt the program&s vendor or a%thor.
To place orders or to re0%est information abo%t other Wiley prod%cts yo% can call )@00- 22B>
BC?B.
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