Enhancement Request

[StarrRider]

I just placed an Enhancement Request with SW. A modified version reads:

Area: Other
Problem: User Interface in SW Explorer

Solution Ideas:
If I could have only one enhancement request granted by SW, it would be that SW Explorer loose the Outlook User Interface. Why is it named Explorer anyway? The program only operates on a single file and there isn’t a file preview. This is fine providing the name and location of the file is known or when launched from SW.
A User Interface like Windows Explorer makes a lot more sense. Directory navigation becomes simple and files could be rapidly viewed and modified. A Graphics Area would need to be provided for file preview and modifications. I would suggest splitting the file area and adding buttons to migrate between Files/Graphics/Both. Another button could make the Directory Structure contract/expand to provide the maximum area for Graphics.

Reworking SW Explorer in this way would produce a really useful tool. It would provide a launch pad for SolidWorks and increase the users productivity.



This is a big request and it is unlikely to happen unless it is supported. So if you agree with the idea, please make your own Enhancement Requests.

Lee

 

[Rocko]

i agree 100%

 

[StarrRider]

I should add that it only takes a couple of moments to cut on the above message, Log into at

http://solidworks.com/swdocs/support/html/enhanceform.cfm

And paste it in.

Am I cheating?
Lee

 

[macPT]

What do you think, in this Explorer like environment, be able to list properties and custom properties (as we can list summary info properties in Explorer) and also be able to change them, by selection, without the need to open the docs?

Regards

 

[StarrRider]

macPT

I certainly hope all of the functionality that is currently a part of SW Explorer would be maintained. It isn't the functionality that I see as a problem. The problem is the User Interface, which is based on Outlook and is geared to operate on a single file. A User Interface based on Windows Explorer is geared to operate on multiple files.

I think that the main difference would be the way the two programs function together. By default, SW Explorer isn’t normally used as an independent program. An icon for SW is installed on the desktop (I’m not sure about the Start Menu) but an icon for SW Explorer is not. I think that most users access SW Explorer from SW’s menu. If this change occurs then that will probably change. The primary function of SW Explorer would a Launch Pad, providing a fast preview of the file and the ability to make limited changes to it before being loaded into SW. For those of us who normally use Windows Explorer to select and open files this would be a Godsend.

Oh – By the way. Modifying the Summary Information and Global Custom Properties is possible from Windows Explorer right now by highlighting a single file and doing a R-Click and then selecting Properties. The only properties that cannot be modified with Windows Explorer are Configuration Specific Properties.

Lee

 

[macPT]

OK, I know, but...

- can you sort, in the Explorer window, files by custom properties?

- can you modify one custom property in a group of selected docs? (like we do for copy a group of docs)

I can do that using DSOfile macros, but not in the Explorer. But DSOfile only works for custom properties; not for configuration specific.

Caused by it's strange look and strange integration in SW, I only use SW Explorer to change filenames of files linked to other (so the links are updated accordingly). I allways run SW Explorer outside the SW.

Regards

 

[StarrRider]

macPT

No. I wish it wasn’t so but the Sorting capability of Windows Explorer is far too limited. I don’t think anyone likes the games that have to be played with filenames because it isn’t.
Being able to modify the Properties of multiple files would be nice but it might actually cause more problems than it would be worth. I haven't considered that.

I mainly use SW Explorer to make global part replacements. I've found that it is much safer to do this in SW Explorer than it is within SW. If multiple assemblies are open, SW cannot make a global replacement if any of the assemblies use the file replacing the original. It gets worse. If more than one assembly uses the part to be replaced then they all get changed. This sucks big time, especially if the parts being changed are common ones like fasteners.

Lee