Large .stp Files

[Eltron]

OK. I have an annoying issue that has burned me on two occasions now, and I wanted to share my workaround. I have a client that wants pretty pictures of their pilot plant model. It has hundreds of pipe runs, reactors, vessels, etc. They use some "other" software to generate the model, so they send me .stp files (well over 100 Mb). It takes some time to open them, but they eventually open up. After it opens I have an assembly complete with parts and subassemblies. I save it, make changes, save it, make changes, save it, take a nap, make changes, etc. At the end of the day I close everything down like a normal person. Next day I open the assembly, and SW forgets its brains. It can't find any of the parts or subassemblies even if I point it to them and they are all in the same folder. All of the previous day's work is flushed down the SW dunny.

Turns out this is a known issue and has been for a while...surprise, surprise (SPR 537279). Since SW knows about it I figure it should get fixed right around the time the Cubs win the world series. I'm not holding my breath. Anyway, my workaround is to save the assembly as a multibody part immediately after extracting the .stp file. I lose assembly functionality, but at least I can make a pretty picture...and keep from punching a hole through my monitor and polluting the innocence of my office mates with offensive language.

Dan

http://www.eltronresearch.com

Dan's Blog

 

[Updraft]

Dan,

With all due respect, any office mates of yours are, by definition, already polluted.

I guess your VAR cannot get you any idea of the status of a solution from SWX?

- - -Updraft

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

It can't find any of the parts or subassemblies even if I point it to them and they are all in the same folder.

So the parts exist, but they can't be opened ... not even separately?

If you open the STP file, do a Save as to SW formats, close and then re-open (before any editing), do the assy & parts open correctly?

 

[Eltron]

You know me all too well, Updraft. No the VAR wasn't able to help.

Limey, the parts exist and can be opened individually. The top level assembly and any of the subassemblies open but can't find any of the parts, so they end up in a suppressed state. No, they can't be unsuppressed, even if the parts are currently open. I've been through pretty much every attempted fix on this thing, and it boils down to SW having problems with complex .stp files that contain subassemblies.

Dan

http://www.eltronresearch.com

Dan's Blog

 

[JMirisola]

Back in '08, I was doing something similar. Importing large files from Revit into SolidWorks. At first it was a nightmare, but then I started having the drafter break up the assembly into smaller chunks. Be default, the origin in each small chunk was in the same location so reassembly was easy and the conversion time to SolidWorks was cut by like 75%. Also, as soon as the file was converted, I would do a 'Save as' and save the assembly. I would then do another 'Save as', select 'references', amend the names of the lower-level parts and save them. Never had problems finding anything and still had full functionality.

Jeff Mirisola
Director of Engineering
M9 Defense
My Blog