SolidWorks Issue – Cannot Create Design Table

Problem

Design tables are a commonly used feature in SOLIDWORKS in order to manage configurations. A common issue that users call into support with is being unable to create a design table.

When creating a design table, nothing happens or SOLIDWORKS crashes

Solution

When experiencing this issue there are three common solutions that will resolve most cases. I will list them here then elaborate further on the process for each:

Optimize for Compatibility – An option found in Microsoft Excel to improve compatibility with using multiple displays. This option can resolve some issues with SOLIDWORKS using Excel.
Ensure 64 bit Microsoft Office is installed rather than 32 bit, especially when using Office 365.
Disable any alternative graphic device (such as integrated Intel card) outside of dedicated graphics card.

1. Optimize for Compatibility

a. Simply launch Microsoft Excel and go to your options (Location of options will vary between versions. In Office 365 when you launch the program options can be found in the lower left corner).

b. Inside the options in the General settings there is a checkbox for “When using multiple displays” and then a radial checkbox for “Optimize for compatibility”. Check that option, close Excel, restart SOLIDWORKS and retest.

2. Ensure 64 bit Office is Installed

The first thing to do is to identify if your current office installation is 64 bit or 32 bit. To do this,

a. Open your start menu and search for ‘excel’ and then right click ‘open file location’

b. Right click the shortcut and click ‘open file location’ one more time to navigate to the installation directory.

c. Once in the installation directory for excel, note the file-path. It should look something like: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16

d. If instead of ‘Program Files’ you see your path as ‘Program Files (x86)’ then that means it is the 32-bit version of office. You will want to contact your IT to assist with installing 64 bit.

e. After reinstalling to Office 64 bit, retest to see if issue is resolved.

3. Disable Alternative Graphics Device

SOLIDWORKS can have any number of issues when there is more than one graphics device, specifically an integrated card. The first thing to identify is if your issue is graphics related. To do this,

a. Make sure SOLIDWORKS is closed and then open SOLIDWORKS RX (you can find this by searching your start menu for ‘RX’).

b. On the home page of SOLIDWORKS RX near the bottom are Safe Modes that you can use to help diagnose any issue your SOLIDWORKS may have. For this example, choose ‘Click here to launch SOLIDWORKS in Software OpenGL mode’.

c. Test to see if SOLIDWORKS can create a design table. If it now works, then the issue is related to the graphics device(s).

d. Now search in your window start menu for ‘Device Manager’ and open it. Inside the device manager under ‘display adapters’ you will see your current graphic device(s).

e. If you see more than one device, such as an NVIDIA Quadro card as well as an Intel HD graphics, then it could be related to the problem. Try disabling the Graphics cards and checking if you are able to create a Design table in SOLIDWORKS.

f. If after disabling the graphics card you are able to create design table then ask your IT person to either upgrade or reinstall the graphics card drivers.