To Work with Drawing Templates, Sheets, and Sheet Formats

What's New: 2021, 2021.2 2022.1

Automate New Drawing Creation with Custom Sheets and Sheet Formats

When you create a new drawing file based on a drawing template with sheets with predefined views, you are prompted to select a component for each sheet that has 1 or more views defined. Each view is placed in accordance with the configurations defined in the drawing template. To automate the repetitive task of defining view settings in a new drawing file, define these settings on one or more sheet formats in a drawing template file.

In addition to views and view settings, Sheet Metal settings, the Parts List and its format settings, generic/general tables, and text also persist when creating a new drawing with a sheet with predefined views.

Note: If there is a flat pattern defined, sheet formats and templates are updated to retain the Sheet Metal flat pattern view as they do a base view. When you choose a Sheet Format template with a flat pattern view saved, it is populated based upon the sheet metal part that is the source for the drawing.

Workflow Overview Example (for each sheet format as needed)

Begin by customizing a sheet in accordance with your companies standards. Once the sheet is configured the way you want it, place 1 or more views and edit settings as needed. Then create a new Sheet Format from the sheet.

Customize the Drawing Template

1. Open a drawing template or drawing file and modify or create a new sheet: Add border, title block, etc. and modify as needed to adhere to your company standards.
2. Place 1 or more views, and edit the view settings to adhere to your company standards.
3. Once the file is configured the way you want it, select View Navigate Zoom All. This ensures the thumbnail displays the full sheet in the New File dialog box.
4. Create a Sheet Format based on the configuration of the sheet: Right-click the sheet and select Create Sheet Format.
5. In the Create Sheet Format dialog box, enter name. Select Fit views to sheet checkbox to scale views according to the size of the components and the sheet.
6. (Optional) Now that the Sheet Format is created, delete the sheet that was used to create the Sheet Format unless you want the sheet available in drawings you create with this template.
7. Save the file to the Templates folder: C:\Users\Public\Documents\Autodesk\Inventor xxxx\Templates\%Language% (default file location can be changed in Application Options/Files tab).

Create a New Drawing from a Customized Drawing Template

8. Access the New Drawing dialog box and double-click the template file with the sheet format you want to use.
9. In the Select Component for View on Sheet (Sheet name) dialog box, select a component.

   The new drawing file is created based on the settings defined.

To Create a New Sheet

In a drawing template or drawing file:

1. In the browser, expand Drawing Resources Sheet Formats. Right-click on a sheet format, and select New Sheet.

   

2. In the Select Component for View on Sheet dialog box, select a model file to place views of the model in the sheet and click OK.
3. Select the browser node of the new sheet and enter a descriptive name.
4. To customize the view settings to adhere to your company standards, right-click the view, and select Edit View from the context menu.

To Edit a Drawing Sheet

In a drawing template or drawing file:

1. Right-click the sheet in the graphics window or the sheet name in the browser.
2. Select Edit Sheet from the menu.
3. Change the settings in the Edit Sheet dialog box.

To Edit a Sheet Format

In a drawing template or drawing file:

A sheet format cannot be edited directly. To change an existing sheet format, create a sheet based on the sheet format, and edit the sheet elements as needed. Then delete the sheet format, and save the edited sheet as a new sheet format with the same name.

To Copy a Drawing Sheet

In a drawing template or drawing file:

1. Right-click the sheet in the graphics window or the sheet name in the browser.
2. Select Copy from the menu or from the Tools toolbar.
3. Select Paste from the Tools toolbar.

To Navigate Through Drawing Sheets

In a drawing file:

1. Right-click in the canvas and select Next Sheet or Previous Sheet.

Note: These options are available if the drawing contains more than one drawing sheet. Also, Previous Sheet is disabled if you are on the first sheet, and Next Sheet is disabled if you are on the last drawing sheet.

To Delete Drawing Sheets

In a drawing template or drawing file:

1. In the browser, select one or more sheets to delete.
2. Do one of the following:
   • Right-click, and select Delete from the menu
   • Use the Delete key.
3. (Optional) To change which sheets are selected for deletion, in the Delete Sheets dialog, click More , and then click Delete to specify which sheets to delete.

   

4. Click OK to delete specified sheets.

To Select a Sheet Format When Creating a New Drawing File

Sheet Format drawing template are available for selection when creating a new drawing file:

• From File New: In the Create New File dialog box, click to make a selection in the column on the right. To open the standard.idw (Use Template), click Create. You can also double-click a template to open. View an example.
• From the File New Drawing: Hover over the flyout arrow to display available sheet format templates from the flyout menu, and click to make a selection. View an example.
• In a part or assembly file: Right-click the file name in the browser, select Create Drawing View. The Create New File dialog box displays. To open the standard.idw (Use Template), click Create. You can also double-click a template to open. View an example