{"id":36,"date":"2008-03-01T22:06:46","date_gmt":"2008-03-02T05:06:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.fcsuper.com\/swblog\/?p=36"},"modified":"2019-04-21T21:29:13","modified_gmt":"2019-04-22T01:29:13","slug":"drill-and-tap-and-calloutmethodtxt-part-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.fcsuper.com\/swblog\/?p=36","title":{"rendered":"Drill and Tap; and calloutformat.txt (Part 2)"},"content":{"rendered":"
This entry is part 2 of 4 in the series Hole Callouts<\/a><\/div>
*This article is continued from Part 1<\/strong><\/a>.*<\/address>\n
*Updated some references to support current SOLIDWORKS versions [4\/21\/2019]*<\/address>\n

Tip to use Simplified Threaded Hole Callouts<\/strong><\/p>\n

SOLIDWORKS has an usual method to control hole callout formats. Most other types of callouts are managed from with SOLIDWORKS settings.\u00a0 However, hole callouts are controlled with an obscure file buried deep within its folder structure on the hard drive.\u00a0 That file is calloutformat.txt<\/span> (X:\\Program files\\SOLIDWORKS Corp\\SOLIDWORKS\\lang\\english).\u00a0 Additionally, there is also a calloutformat_2.txt<\/span>.\u00a0 What’s the difference between these files? \u00a0Calloutformat.txt<\/span> is the default file which SolidWorks uses to determine how to form threaded hole callouts created with the Hole Wizard.\u00a0 This file establishes the rules to show both the nominal drill diameter and the thread detail in a leadered note.\u00a0 This is the most common method for threaded hole callouts. However, as mentioned, this method has flaws.<\/p>\n

Thankfully, SOLIDWORKS provides an alternative with simplified callouts. \u00a0The user doesn’t have to go through and modify each and every callout instance in calloutformat.txt<\/span>.\u00a0 As obscure calloutformat.txt<\/span> is, one would expect the alternative to be even more obscure; and it is! \u00a0The alternative file is calloutformat_2.txt<\/span>,\u00a0with no identification or in-file description to tell anyone of this fact.<\/p>\n

Tip\/Trick<\/strong><\/p>\n

Here’s the tip to use simplified threaded hole callouts. Before SolidWorks is started, launch Windows Explorer and goto X:\\Program files\\SOLIDWORKS Corp\\SOLIDWORKS\\lang\\english (or similar, depending on SOLIDWORKS installation location). Rename calloutformat.txt<\/span> to calloutformat_1.txt<\/span>. Rename calloutformat_2.txt<\/span> to calloutformat.txt<\/span>. (Make a backup copy of course.)<\/p>\n

The one drawback is that SOLIDWORKS uses different methods to callout the thread between the calloutformat.txt<\/span> and calloutformat_2.txt<\/span>.\u00a0 This places a # in front of every threaded hole callout in this simplified format, and leaves off the series designation.\u00a0 The work around for this is to simply open calloutformat_2.txt<\/span> with Notepad, then use pulldown Edit>Replace to replace “<hw-threadsize> <hw-threadseries>” with “<hw-threaddesc>” in all instances prior to the renaming.\u00a0 (Again, always make backup copies!)<\/p>\n

Additional Networking Tip<\/strong><\/p>\n

Once calloutformat_2.txt<\/span>\u00a0is\u00a0modified and renamed to calloutformat.txt<\/span>, copy it to a network drive location that is available to all other SolidWorks users. \u00a0On each system, goto pulldown Tools>Options>File Locations>select Hole Wizard Favorites Database.\u00a0 Point the folder to the network location of the new calloutformat.txt<\/span>.\u00a0 Also point Hole Callout Format File to the same new folder.<\/span> There are various methods to save this setting for future installs and updates, such as\u00a0 Copy Settings Wizard or Admin Image.<\/p>\n

P.S., Cosmetic Threads<\/strong><\/p>\n

One caveat to this whole story is how SOLIDWORKS automatically labels cosmetic thread annotations on ANSI standard drawings.\u00a0 When you create the drawing view that contains the cosmetic thread, you get a surprize; something like “8-32 Machined thread” is added. It doesn’t really conform to any standard, and cannot be edited at the Part level within the cosmetic thread feature (unless you use a customized thread called “None”).\u00a0 This callout can be inserted on drawings of other standards, such as ISO, by right-clicking on the cosmetic thread and selecting “Insert callout”.<\/p>\n

If edited manually in the cosmetic thread feature properties, one can enter anything they want, and that will be the callout for the cosmetic thread on the drawing. If you want your threaded holes to say “Stop poking me!”, your hole callout will say “Stop poking me!”.\u00a0 But there is no automated method to use the correct callout without directly entering it within the cosmetic thread’s property field and using a custom thread. One advantage is that if this field is edited, it does automatically update drawing where it appears.\u00a0 However, if I’m relying on Hole Wizard information, I wouldn’t want to use the cosmetic thread annotation callout on my drawing anyway.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

*This article is continued from Part 1.* *Updated some references to support current SOLIDWORKS versions [4\/21\/2019]* Tip to use Simplified Threaded Hole Callouts SOLIDWORKS has an usual method to control hole callout formats. Most other types of callouts are managed from with SOLIDWORKS settings.\u00a0 However, hole callouts are controlled with an obscure file buried deep … Continue reading “Drill and Tap; and calloutformat.txt (Part 2)”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[69,10,16,66,4,18,3],"tags":[120,79,80],"series":[1535],"class_list":["post-36","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-asme-standards","category-complaints","category-drawing","category-er","category-how-to","category-part","category-tipstricks","tag-calloutformat","tag-hole-callout","tag-thread","series-hole-callouts"],"yoast_head":"\nDrill and Tap; and calloutformat.txt (Part 2) - SolidWorks Legion<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Calloutformat.txt is the default file used to determine threaded hole callouts from Hole Wizard. 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