Resolve “Sheet Format Could Not Be Located”
Resolve "Sheet Format Could Not Be Located"
SOLIDWORKS
If the sheet format referenced by a drawing sheet is not accessible by your computer when you add an additional sheet, then the warning message ‘The sheet format could not be located’ will be displayed, since SOLIDWORKS uses the referenced sheet format of the sheet being copied to create the new sheet.
Although it can be a frustrating interruption while drafting, the missing sheet format can be solved quickly with a few short steps.
Solution - Correct the Current Drawing
1. Click OK to close the warning message ‘The sheet format could not be located’.
2. In the newly opened Sheet Format/Size dialog, click the Browse button and navigate to the sheet format you would like to use.
3. If you do not know which sheet format is referenced by the original sheet, then click Cancel (the system creates a new blank drawing sheet without a sheet format. Delete this newly created blank sheet).
4. Right-click the original sheet’s tab (typically sheet1) and select Properties.
5. In the newly opened Sheet Properties dialog, under the Sheet Format/Size section, review the file path of the current sheet format and follow one of the steps below:
If the sheet format file path is not accessible
If path listed is not accessible to your computer, such as a coworkers C: drive or an unavailable network location, then obtain a local copy or work with your SOLIDWORKS admin/IT group to gain access to the network location for sheet formats. Once you obtain a copy of the sheet format or access to the sheet format location, proceed to step 6.
If the sheet format cannot be located
If the sheet format cannot be located, was renamed, or if the drawing was provided by someone outside your organization, then you can save the sheet format from the original sheet and apply it to the drawing sheet. Click Cancel to close the Sheet Properties dialog and then select File > Save Sheet Format to save it as a .slddrt filetype. Proceed to step 6.
6. Once the sheet format has been located or saved as new, edit the original sheet’s properties by right clicking the sheet’s tab and selecting Properties. Under the Sheet Format/Size section, click Browse to locate and select the correct sheet format. Click Apply Changes to return to the sheet.
7. Add an additional drawing sheet as normal. SOLIDWORKS will use the newly referenced sheet format when creating the new sheet.
Solution - Correct the Drawing Template
To avoid ‘The sheet format could not be located’ for new drawings, the drawing template should be reviewed and updated to include the current location for the correct sheet format.
Note: We recommend Storing Custom SOLIDWORKS Templates and Sheet Formats in a Custom Location using this guide.
1. Start a new drawing using the drawing template (File > New, choose a drawing template).
2. Right-click the sheet’s tab and select Properties.
3. In the newly opened Sheet Properties dialog, under the Sheet Format/Size section, click the Browse button to locate and select the desired sheet format (.slddrt).
4. Click Apply Changes to return to the sheet.
5. Select File > Save As… and save as a Drawing Template (.drwdot) filetype to your templates folder set in Tools > Options > System Options tab > File Locations, and then select Sheet Formats from the dropdown list.
6. Now when creating a new drawing, the template is referencing the correct sheet format.
Technical Support
If you have any follow-up questions and are an MLC CAD Systems customer, please contact support at 800-364-1652 x 2 or by email at solidworkssupport@mlc-cad.com.
You can also click here to submit your Technical Support Case.