Problem

This article goes over how to change the Color of Sketch Entities and Annotations in SOLIDWORKS Drawings. We will also go over how to set the base color options for sketch entities and annotations that have not yet been created. This is useful to know when these drawing entities have had their color changed without putting them on a Layer.

Solution 1: Changing color of existing sketch entities and annotations

1. Open SOLIDWORKS and open a Drawing

2. Right-click the Command Manager at the top to enable the Line Format Toolbar

   

3. The line format toolbar has an option called Line Color, with a paintbrush icon.

   

4. If a sketch entity or annotation in a drawing is already selected when the Line Color option is clicked, the "Edit Line Color" menu will appear.

   

5. If the Default box is checked, the selected sketch entity or annotation will pull its color from the layer it is on, or the color specified in Tools > Options > System Options > Colors if it is not on a layer.
6. If the Default box is unchecked, the selected sketch entity or annotation will pull its color from the selection in the basic colors or custom colors section of the menu.

For example, the Drawing image at the top of this article has its colors changed. If we select all of these colors and change to the "Default" box, then it will go back to normal.

Solution 2: Setting Color options for new sketch entities and annotations

1. Open SOLIDWORKS and open a Drawing

2. Right-click the Command Manager at the top to enable the Line Format Toolbar

   

3. The line format toolbar has an option called Line Color, with a paintbrush icon.
   

4. If a sketch entity or annotation is not selected and the Line Color option is clicked, a similar menu appears with a different name. This menu is titled "Set Next Line Color".

   

5. The Set Next Line Color menu allows users to choose the base color settings for new sketch entities or annotations. If Default was checked in the Set Next Line Color menu, each sketch entity or annotation created after that would have the default option checked.  

For example, we changed the next line color to be Red so the dimension and note added are Red.

In summary, the Edit Line Color menu allows us to modify color settings for existing sketch entities/annotations, while the Set Next Line Color menu allows us to choose the base color settings for sketch entities/annotations created from that point forward.  

For additional support, existing customers can submit a ticket or new customers can contact Hawk Ridge Systems.