Controlling how flag notes are attached to leaders (part 1)

SolidWorks provides the ability to support many different shapes for flag notes.  In addition to shapes, there are several methods in SolidWorks to create flag notes on a drawing.  Each method gives a slightly different result in how the flag note symbol looks and how it is attached to the leader line.  Part 1 of this article will cover shapes and the flag note symbols.

Flag note symbol shapes

There are two general methods to add flag note symbols to an Annotation Note. 

The first (and older) method is to use the symbol library.  There are literally hundreds of symbols included within the library.  The library supports triangle, square and circle symbols for numbers and letters, with or without the period.  This method inserts a tag into the Annotation Note, which then generates the flag note symbol, based on existing data in the gtol.sym file.

Using the Flag note symbols from the symbol library

To use this method, create the Annotation Note with a leader.

While in the edit mode, click on the Add Symbol button in the PropertyManager.

This opens up the Symbol Library.  Pick the appropriate flag note symbol and OK.This opens up the Symbol Library. Pick the appropriate flag note symbol and OK.

This will insert the symbol into the Annotation Note.

If the triangle is chosen, the resultant symbol is not an equilateral triangle. The square and circle symbols are truly squares and circles, respectively.  Note the gap between the flag note and leader.  This gap can get bigger or be completely removed with a different method, which I will go into in part 2 of this article.

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Comments

Controlling how flag notes are attached to leaders (part 1) http://goo.gl/fb/PpJcU #solidworks #drawing #howto

Trackback by fcsuper on June 23, 2011 @ 1:16 pm

Controlling how flag notes are attached to leaders (part 1) http://goo.gl/fb/PpJcU #solidworks #drawing #howto

Trackback by Kevin Goosie on June 23, 2011 @ 2:02 pm

Hey Just wondering when you are going to post the second part of your article. also, is it possible to pin leaders to dimension lines?
thanks

Comment by MICHAEL on August 16, 2011 @ 1:06 pm

Michael, Thank you for asking. My schedule is full right now; but looking at having some time in Sept.

Comment by fcsuper on August 16, 2011 @ 4:38 pm

Cool, thanks for the help. i will keep an eye out. I am currently using Geometric tolerance Symbols pined to dimension lines. but i want the ability to pull the config name off the part automatically.

Comment by MICHAEL on August 23, 2011 @ 11:55 am

Michael, on the config name topic, have you tried using custom properties in some way?

Comment by fcsuper on September 7, 2011 @ 9:05 pm

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