Nx9 Routing - Quick Path?

[icetea73]

Hi,
I'm reading through some older training material on NX routing applications where the function "Quick Path" is demonstrated.
I can't find "Quick Path" in NX9. Has the function been consolidated with one of the other path creation methods?

Thanks guys...

 

[JohnRBaker]

While I don't have a definitive answer (I'm working on getting that for you) as to WHY has the 'Quick Path' function disappeared, I can tell you WHEN it disappeared and WHERE it went. It was there in NX 7.5 with not problems finding it, but in NX 8.0, while it was technically still there, out-of-the-box it was 'hidden' and when you tried to find it using the 'Command Finder' it told you that it was hidden, but it gave you an option to 'resurrect' it by un-hiding it, that is to make it appear again in the...

Insert -> Routing Path -> Quick Path...

...menu flow.

However, starting with NX 8.5, even the 'Command Finder' couldn't find it, it was if it was gone completely. However that's not really true. In both NX 8.5 and NX 9.0 you can 'resurrect' the 'Quick Path' function by going into Customize and by going to...

Customize -> Commands -> Menu -> Insert -> Routing Path

...and you'll find the 'Quick Path' item listed under the available 'Commands'. You can then drag it to wherever you'd like to access it at, which in NX 9.0 will probably be on the 'More' panel in the 'Path' section of the 'Home' Ribbon for the 'Routing Electrical' application.

One other thing happened starting in NX 8.5 and that was the introduction of two new sub-applications to Routing Electrical, Harnessing and Cabling. Prior to NX 8.5 you only had 'Routing Electrical' but starting with NX 8.5, while it was still possible to launch just 'Routing Electrical' you had to actually be in one of these two sub-applications before you could use 'Quick Path'. In NX 9.0 you can either start Harnessing or Cabling directly or of you can open just Routing Electrical and then go to the 'Application' tab on the Ribbon and in the 'Routing' section of the Application Ribbon you can toggle on Harnessing and/or Cabling from the 'More' panel.

Now if you do use Customize to resurrect the 'Quick Path' function, be sure to save a Roles so that it won't get 'lost' again.

Now, before we go any further, and I will verify this when I speak with the Routing Product Manager, since this function, 'Quick Path', has been moved to this 'hidden' status and even removed from the 'Command Finder', this is usually an indication that the function may soon be removed altogether from NX. Anyway, this is what I hope I learn from talking to the PM and whatever I do learn about the future status of 'Quick Path' or its replacement, if one exists, I'll report back what I've learned.

Until then, have fun...

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Engineering Software
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:

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

 

[icetea73]

Thank you John. Found the function and tried it. It might be difficult to find on purpose or maybe not. The results it provides seem strange but then I have never used it in previous versions so what seems strange to me might be the way it always was.

 

[JohnRBaker]

OK, I've gotten some feedback from the Product Manager responsible for Routing and the status of the 'Quick Path' function is a bit up-in-the-air. Officially, it's not going to removed from NX, at least not until it has been replaced by something new.

As for the reason that was given for this 'hidden but not removed' status is that it was felt that it was not as useful as many people expected it to be and so rather then remove it completely, it was simply hidden away. It was further felt that since it didn't provide any unique or exclusive capability, paths can still be defined using the tools that remain, but if it had been left where it was it could have become the subject of numerous future PR's and ER's that for now, there was going to be no plans to invest any time or resources in what was some feel was an inadequate function to start with, but that the proper solution is the eventual replacement with some future functionality, which unfortunately has not yet been funded nor even committed to being done.

So I guess the short answer is that if anyone thinks that it's a useful feature, there's nothing stopping you from using it after resurrecting it from the Customize 'vault'. Just that there are no plans to expend resources enhancing this particular function. That being said, the Product people are still interested in any ideas about what Routing users would like to see, so opening ER's covering this capability will be reviewed and will help define what the final replacement function would look like, just that if you do open any ER's, remember that your comments will be used to scope some future project and not as something that will find it's way into the current code as a few simple enhancements.

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Engineering Software
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:

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

 

[balambur]

Hi guys,

After I get the quick path button I just keep getting the "nx this routing can be created or edited only when the advanced application is turned on" error. Have anyone an idea why?

Thanks,
Attila