- Four Views of Equations
The Equations dialog box offers four views. Each view shows a different combination and sequence of equations, global variables and dimensions to help you perform tasks such as finding a specific equation, viewing all dimensions used in a part or assembly, and changing the order in which equations are solved.
- Disabling and Enabling Equations in All Configurations
You can disable and enable equations in the Equation View 
, Sketch Equation View 
, or Ordered View 
in the Equations, Global Variables, and Dimensions dialog box.
- Sort and Filter Equations
Sorting and filtering capabilities make it much easier to find equations and global variables and see how they are related. Sorting and filtering work in all views of the Equations dialog box.
- Selecting Multiple Rows
You can select multiple rows in the Equations dialog box to perform the same task on all of the equations, for example to delete several equations at once.
- Undo and Redo
You can undo and redo steps by clicking Undo and Redo at the top of the Equations dialog box.
- Type-Ahead Entry
When you enter an equation in the Equations dialog box and type in one or more characters, a type-ahead feature displays a drop-down list showing all global variables, mathematical functions, and file properties that start with those characters. You can select an entry from the drop-down list instead of typing the entire entry.
- Increment Values with Spin Arrows
You can quickly increment or decrement values in equations using the spin arrows that appear at the end of a numeric input field.
- Navigate Table Cells
In the Equations dialog box, you can navigate from cell to cell, across rows, and columns using the following keys:
- Syntax Checking with Color Coding
The Equations dialog box includes syntax checking to avoid errors and reduce the time you spend on troubleshooting mistakes.
- Automatic Solve Order Option
You can use the Automatic Solve Order option to automatically sequence the equations in an order determined by the software to produce accurate results.
- Circular Reference Warnings
SOLIDWORKS identifies circular references, highlights the equations in red, and displays a warning.
- Linking to a Text File
In the Equations dialog box, you can link to an external text file that contains equations and global variables. You can use this option in place of the import and export functions when you want to set up an ongoing link. However, you cannot use it for a one-time import or export.
- Suppressing Features
You can suppress features in the Equation View and Dimension View to help you troubleshoot equations.
- Components with Multiple Instances
The Equations dialog displays components that are referred by unique instance numbers. You can apply equations to specific instances. This ensures there is no ambiguity about the instance referenced in each equation.
- The Measure Option
You can use the Measure... option to create a driven dimension or reference dimension that is based on a measurement of the part or assembly.