NX6 annoyances

[tomstickland]

Every time I find something that appears to be illogical I'll add it in here. I can then see if anyone else agrees, and hopefully the NX6 developers might be able to take it on board.

1)OK, Apply, Cancel.
Different menus behave in different ways.
Sometimes if you OK the action it occurs again.
Sometimes you apply things then cancel.
Sometimes you OK to make something happen and then exit.

2) Menu clicks required to edit a parameter.
The new hole system is a lot better than the old one and now a double click allows you to edit the dimensions. This is good.
However, old features like slots, you still have to go through:
right click
edit dimensions
then select add, delete or edit
then edit
then ok, then ok again

3)Drafting and model views
When several files are open, some are on drafting view, others are models. As you navigate between the windowns you have to keep changing from model to drafting application. Why can't the various windows remember what application they are running?

4)Quickly finding specification files
If I have a model open and want to see any specifications, the only way seems to be to do a search in the file-open window. Is there a direct way to get to specifications?

5)Editing arrays
Why can't I click on an instance to edit the feature and on the array to edit the array? Instead I have to click on an instance and then select "edit feature" or "edit array". This makes the whole process more labourious than it should be.

 

[looslib]

OK should always do the action and exit the menu.
Apply should do the action and leave the menu open for you to repeat what you just did.
Cancel should close the menu with no action performed.

More specifics as to which menus are behaving inconsitently.


"Wildfires are dangerous, hard to control, and economically catastrophic."

Ben Loosli

 

[uwam2ie]

ok apply cancel works nice in the new block ui dialogs.
Remember the active step has a orange background,
the green backgrounded buttons are mapped on the MB2.
Ok -old dialogs the old boss pocket,f.arrays and pad are poor especially the feature positioning - Its hard to understand if you look at SE - I started not to use those old features.
...quickly find specification - use the file new master model drafting templates - it adds _dwg to the partfiles by default and is customizable. there's a lot to do - but I like the new things they are not perfect - but I can see enhancements.

 

[JohnRBaker]

To start with, you must remember that the "NX6 developers" are now all working on NX8.

As for the OK, Apply, Cancel behavior, as was already noted, those functions which been updated to the new style (introduced in NX 5.0) dialogs are much more consistent and easy to use. Also, as was mentioned, previous use an OK or Apply makes them 'sticky' the next time meaning that all that you have to do is press MB2 and you will get that action. As for you comment about using Apply and then having to Cancel, there's no need to do that. If you've already hit Apply and you're satisfied that you got the result you desire, all you have to do it select you next function or operation. There is NO need to actually 'Cancel' a dialog before you move on (I can never understand why so many people haven't figured that one out yet). If you do know this and remember to actually work that way, you will find that using apply, particularly with the 'sticky' MB2 behavior, that you will NOT add any additional clicks and will actually save clicks when you find that you're doing the same operation several times in a row.

But to be fair, if you find something which looks like it should work a certain way with respect to the OK/Apply/Cancel behavior, please contact GTAC and have them open a PR, but I must warn you, we will soon be shipping NX 7.5 and each release, more and more functions are being updated or replaced by ones which do comply with this new Navigator (what we call the OK/Apply/Cancel arrangement) Button behavior, so even looking at just NX 6.0 is looking at the past.

As far as your comment about an "old feature like the slots", you hit the nail on the head, it's an 'old feature' which will eventually get the 'treatment'.

As for you comment about drafting versus modeling, these are different applications which take different licenses (unless of course you're running something like a MACH Bundle, but trust me, DON'T even think about suggest that perhaps bundled software should behave differently than floating licenses because that could really mess things up) and therefore take an explicit action. Besides, between Drafting and Modeling there are actually THREE different states which would have to be tracked, two in Drafting (with or without a displayed drawing) and one in Modeling. So how do we handle going from SOMETIMES a displayed Drawing to Modeling and back, and sometimes from not displaying a Drawing to Modeling and back? And that doesn't even bring in the issue of multi-sheet drawings and how should that behavior be handled if we did try and automatically return to the last Drawing status?

As for Arrays, we have a significant project in NX 8.0 intended to provide a consistent 'Patterning' capability across the product (part of this as already been implemented in NX 7.5 with the ability to create 'patterns' of curves inside of a Sketch, which might allow you to avoid having to even 'array' a feature later on).

Anyway, if you've got specific issues, please, bring them up and we will try to get you a status as to what's happening (after all this is a moving target).

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Design Solutions
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA

http://www.siemens.com/plm

http://www.plmworld.org/museum/

To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.

 

[tomstickland]

There is NO need to actually 'Cancel' a dialog before you move on (I can never understand why so many people haven't figured that one out yet).

Why have a cancel button then?

Regarding specifics, I'll have to go and find some, but everyone I know who uses NX6 complains about being caught out with menus that do the action again when they press OK, versus other menus that don't.

Off the top of my head:
rotating a WCS and adding components to an assembly both create a moment where you either do something twice or don't end up doing what you wanted to do.

Whatever the details, I think you would agree that various menus of various ages don't all follow the same style.

 

[tomstickland]

With the old features, it's good to hear that work is being done to bring them within the new style guide.
I like the new hole sketching options, so if other features get brought up to date I think they'll be a lot better.

As for you comment about drafting versus modeling, these are different applications which take different licenses .... and therefore take an explicit action.

Besides, between Drafting and Modeling there are actually THREE different states which would have to be tracked, two in Drafting (with or without a displayed drawing) and one in Modeling. So how do we handle going from SOMETIMES a displayed Drawing to Modeling and back, and sometimes from not displaying a Drawing to Modeling and back? And that doesn't even bring in the issue of multi-sheet drawings and how should that behavior be handled if we did try and automatically return to the last Drawing status?]

Quite simply, I'd like the system to remember what status the file was last in. So it needs to dump into the saved file the details of the package and some specifics.

If that's too difficult, at least it could remember within the same operating session.

As a user it seems really silly that I go to a specification which I was looking at 10 minutes previously and now it shows the raw part, so I have to click on "application - drafting". Then I go back to a part and I'm presented with a blank drafting view. I end up thinking "wh can't it remember what that view is?".

I don't actually understand why it is difficult to do. I do software development as part of my job and if it was me:
-I'd make the file save the application and specific details in the saved part file.
eg:
drafting
sheet 1
view (zoom, centre)

Then when a file is opened to view the system would look to see what application is needed. If that application is not yet open it would open it. If that causes a problem it would open a dialogue eg: "this file wants to display using the drafting licence but there isn't on available" or whatever.

I'll accept that there might be a whole horde of detailed reasons which I don't know about. But, my experience is that software developers love telling you that something is going to be difficult. Sometimes things are difficult, more often it means that an existing system might need some work on it.

See what other people think, but if I'm using Excel or Word then I get used to the idea that each file will remember what the window is showing, so when I flick between them it'll show me what I last saw.

I'm not alone where I work in finding the current arrangement a bit odd.

 

[tomstickland]

I've found a confusing OK menu.
Edit-Transform-Mirror through a line-Existing Line-
select the line

there's now a list of actions, including move and copy.

If I select Copy it does the copy.
If I press OK it then does another copy.

 

[cowski]

Then when a file is opened to view the system would look to see what application is needed. If that application is not yet open it would open it.

The solution you propose would not address the problem you present in your original post. NX6 can already do what you describe above (go to the customer defaults, Gateway -> General -> Part and check the option "Enter Application where file was last saved") it will gladly open the application the file was saved in when you open the file. However, if you have several files open, switching between them is not the same as opening them.

Rather than rotating a WCS with the old menu, I would suggest using WCS dynamics (double click on the WCS to start moving it around) - excellent stuff.

 

[apekim]

Tom,

I can somewhat agree with your comments. I have been using NX6 for a few months now and noticed that there are many unnecessary mouse picks. also, there are too many different areas where you can change settngs, preferences, etc. the tool is just not well refined.

I think part of the issue may be that Siemens just had a lot on their plate when migrating UG and Ideas functions into the NX product. I assume NX7 and NX8 will offer more refinement.

 

[jerry1423]

Today I noticed something very annoying in NX6:

In "replace component" there is no place to type the name of the file that is being brought in. It can only be picked from what it showing in the menu.
If you have a zillion parts loaded then you can only scroll, find it, and pick it, instead of simply typing the name in.
Unless I am am missing something there.

 

[JohnRBaker]

OK, try this...

In your Selection Bar make sure that the 'Name Selection' option is there and when the list of Components come up, just type the name into this 'Name Selection' entry field, noting the you can also use the '*' wild-card. And if either the wrong component, or more than one is selected, you can use the standard Windows 'Ctrl-Select' gesture to deselect anything from the list of selected Components.

Anyway, give it shot and see if this helps.

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Design Solutions
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA

http://www.siemens.com/plm

http://www.plmworld.org/museum/

To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.

 

[tomstickland]

Some more random things:

When a section cut is done in an assembly all of the parts have the same colour in the cut.

The assembly navigator lists the constraints in one big list. It would be a lot more useful if constraints attached to a part were listed under that part in the assembly navigator. I assume that most people look at a part and then want to select the constraints attached to it.

 

[cowski]

When a section cut is done in an assembly all of the parts have the same colour in the cut

There is an option under section curve settings to change that to use the body color.

For your constraints annoyance, try turning on the 'dependencies' window. When a component is chosen in the navigator tool, all the dependencies (including constraints) will be shown in this window.

 

[ewh]

The assembly navigator lists the constraints in one big list.

As cowski posts, look in the Dependencies window. Click on the magnifying glass icon, and the assembly constraints will appear.

"Good to know you got shoes to wear when you find the floor." - [small]Robert Hunter[/small]

 

[tomstickland]

Thanks for the dependencies info, that's a really good tool.
It's a pity that it can't be used to show hidden constraints though.
ie: I look in the dependencies window and see a list of constraints, but some are in Grey because they are not visible in the model. Is there any way I can highlight them in the dependencies window and make them visible?

I did find something rather odd yesterday.

If I do a CTR-W (show/hide by type window) and turn off all the constraints, I can then turn on selected constraints using the
show constraints ("connected to body" "between bodies") icon from the assembly toolbar.

If I hide all the solid bodies in the model and then go to the assembly navigator to turn selected bodies on then it won't show them.

So in one case it turns things off and allows them to be turned back on. In another it turns things off regardless of what the assembly navigator says.

 

[tomstickland]

Drafting application:

The drawing orientation tool for adding base views, you have to select the normal and the x direction. A middle button click on the mouse does not move from normal to x direction, it applies and continues. Therefore it is necessary to manual click from "normal" through to "x direction".

Annotation editor allows you to select appended text above, below, before or after. There is no clear method of unselecting the above, so the centre text can be edited.

Detailed views: to move the view ID leader you have to edit the view, turn off the leader, redefine the view boundary and click where you want the header to start from, then edit the view and turn the leader back on.

 

[ewh]

There is a much easier way to move detail view ID leaders; when selected, hold down the shift key. This will allow you to move it wherever.

Many annoyances seem to dissappear once you become more comfortable with the software.

"Good to know you got shoes to wear when you find the floor." - [small]Robert Hunter[/small]

 

[tomstickland]

I haven't used it for 4 years and now I'm using it full time for a few weeks. So it's an ideal way to find things that are non-intuitive or annoying.

I used mechanical desktop (Autocad 3D) for a few years and believe that that had a better interface than nx. It was certainly a lot simpler, but seemed capable of doing the same work.

I would say that the current drafting in nx is a lot better than what was there before (a few years ago).

 

[ewh]

mechanical desktop (Autocad 3D)... seemed capable of doing the same work

Really? Then your company bought much more than they needed. I've yet to see any models which include complex airfoils done in desktop. Is Seimens pulling the wool over our eyes (as well as Dasault)? ;-)

"Good to know you got shoes to wear when you find the floor." - [small]Robert Hunter[/small]

 

[tomstickland]

Well, obviously it depends on what you're doing. I'm just stacking up loads of variations of orthagonal and turned components.