SolidWorks - Introduction

This documentation includes all the information you need to know to use the Maxwell for SolidWorks plugin. It goes into the details of some general Maxwell concepts, but it is not intended to replace the regular Maxwell Render documentation.

What do I need to know to use the plugin?

The Maxwell for SolidWorks plugin has been designed to work in as simple a manner as possible. Wherever appropriate, unnecessary items have been optimized away, leaving what is intended to be a very simple and straightforward, yet complete, interface to Maxwell from within SolidWorks. Most of the functionality contained in the plugin is accessed via one of several plugin windows, all of which may be opened or closed using the Maxwell menu or toolbar:

Scene Manager

The Scene Manager window holds the parameters used to define the Maxwell Scene; that is, it contains the values which will be written into the MXS files the plugin produces. It also contains parameters used to determine how and where the Scene is to be rendered. The Scene Manager may be used either as a floating window, or docked in the Task Pane.

Database Manager

The Database Manager window provides an MXM Browser, as well as several object-specific catalogs for storing individual material components (i.e. BSDF, Emitter, etc.). You can drag MXM files into the scene, drag materials from the scene into the MXM Browser to save them as MXM files, or drag components back and forth between the Material Editor’s layers tree and the applicable pages in the Database Manager to build new materials using saved components. The Database Manager may also be used either as a floating window, or docked in the Task Pane.

Material Editor

The plugin implements a native-to-SolidWorks Material Editor which is designed to work in a way very similar to Maxwell’s MXED MXM editor.

Maxwell Fire

This plugin implements Maxwell Fire. By default, the Maxwell Fire window appears docked in the SolidWorks Task Pane, but it may be detached as its own window by clicking the Maxwell Fire item in the Maxwell menu or toolbar.

Camera LCD

This tool is provided for convenience in managing the most common camera parameters; it is made to resemble the LCD back-panel of a digital camera.  

Log Viewer

As you use the plugin, it keeps track of various actions by printing messages to this window. Some of these messages can be useful for diagnosing any possible issues you may encounter. Should you run into an issue you can’t resolve, you can email a copy of the current log directly to support using the Log Viewer’s right-click menu.

Help Viewer

If you open the Help Viewer, the cursor will change to a ‘help’ cursor when the mouse hovers over many of the parameter-labels in the various plugin windows. Clicking (left or right) on any of these parameters will show help specific to the selected parameter in the Help Viewer.