Menu Information 1

[fneu]

Is there a paper or publication that clearly shows every menu and its relationship to other menus for the parts case, the assembly case, etc., along with the key steps to have a particular menu item active(turned on). Solidworks is not an intuitive program.

 

[Dennyd]

"Solidworks is not an intuitive program."

I beg to differ!!!!!! SolidWorks is one of THE MOST intuitive programs for solid modeling. It sounds like you are a newcomer to SolidWorks (or perhaps you are electrically and not mechanically inclined, as indicated by the "Electrical" behind your ID). Please take the time to go to the Help menu and go through every exercise in the Online Tutorial. Then come back and tell us what you think about the ease of use and capability of SolidWorks.

- - -Dennyd

 

[TheTick]

In fairness to the original poster, bear in mind that the poster's intuition may not be based on mechanical design experience.

 

[JNR]

Woah there!!! You are all right in your own way. As a solid modelling CAD program, SW is comparatively extremely intuitive. However, if you are used to a different way of doing things, it takes time to convert. We get used to thinking one way when we have to. fneu has an excellent point. It would be very nice to have a published chart of the SW menu structure. Quickcharts by BarCharts, Inc. do some excellent ones, unfortunatley they do not (yet?) do SW. Their charts are fold out and are sealed in clear plastic, so they are very handy and very durable. THey are also well organized. I have a couple of them and find the MS Project chart very useful. Their website is

http://www.barcharts.com

so with over 300,000 seats of SW out there maybe we can interest them in doing this? Why don't some of us suggest it to them?

BTW: They do have a couple of AutoCAD charts.

John Richards Sr. Mech. Engr.
Rockwell Collins Flight Dynamics

There are only 10 types of people in the world - those who understand binary and those who don't.

 

[macPT]

When I started to use SW, as an ex-Pro/E user, it was a bit difficult to figure out how to do things.

That was caused by the different structure and hierarchy of menus, commands and selections (I'm not discussing which is better).

It's the same to all kinds of software (even for word processors) and for all users. When you are used to work in a way, a change allways represents a problem that must not be neglected, no matter how simple and intuitive the new method is (many companies have BIG problems negleting the change issues in their organizations).

So fneu can be right (at lest until he gets used to the SW way of working) as strange it can sound to other users.

Regards

 

[bobsheets]

Solidworks (2001) was the first 3d software I tried to use and the first CAD software I was not able to master without outside training. Was it the software or the required change in my thought process to accomplish my task? I believe it was the latter of the two. Maybe a bit of my age as well (pushing the golden years). After several years and having to make the choice of which software to commit our corporation to, Solidworks is IMO much better than the rest (bang vs $ vs ease of use).

 

[SBaugh]

I have been using SW since it came out in 1995 - 96. I'm what they call a power user. I have NEVER taken course, I taught myself everything. (I have to thank all the Tech support people I ever talked too. They helped me a lot in the beginning, and still sometimes today!) But anyway, I still remember when I was first learning the software and within 1-2 weeks I was working pretty good within a month or less I was actually efficient. Now if I had training I would have cut that time in half.

SW back then wasn't as intense as it is now, but I know I could pick this software up even now like it sits. Even if I had never seen it before. This is just one reason why SW is such a great tool - it's ease of use.

Test it for yourself and see!

Regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP

http://www.3dvisiontech.com

http://www.scottjbaugh.com

faq731-376

 

[TheTick]

fneu:

Perhaps you could tell us more about your background? What type of design work do you do? What MCAD programs are you familiar with?

 

[fneu]

My engineering experience is in analog and digital design. I have a little experience with OR-Cad, a circuit documentation program.
Just for fun, I "re-invented the wheel" (I know it's a no-no). I worked with a retired LBL machinist, and he built the unit from napkin sketches and arm waving. You can see a two minute video of it at

http://www.wmsmedia.com/NEU/walker.rm.

The Patent # is 6,491,119 B1.
I have started a new related fun project, and I want to use Solidworks to make building it easier.
Frank Neu

 

[fneu]

There is a mistake in the address of the two minute video site. The true adress is

http://www.wmsmedia.com/NEU/walker.rm

without a period after it.
Frank Neu.

 

[JNR]

I absolutely understand your problem now, fneu. You are coming from EE/PCB/schematic CAD background. I respectfully suggest you would have had the same problem whichever solid modelling program you chose. Having been in the 3D CAD world (multiple different systems) since 1979, I have to say that as solid modelling CAD software goes, SW is very (in fact the most) intuitive. So take some comfort in the fact that you have chosen the path of least pain.

Note even bobsheets' comment that he had problems moving from 2D to solids. The concepts and thus stratgies of use are so different at first from what you are used to. Heck, even moving from 3D wireframe/surface to solids is different. Your situation is even more so.

I think you will do fine once a few conceptual things start to make sense beyond the "push button A to make B happen" phase.

John Richards Sr. Mech. Engr.
Rockwell Collins Flight Dynamics

There are only 10 types of people in the world - those who understand binary and those who don't.