Sick and tired of bugs in SW

[jack3108]

Having over 22 years of design on 5 different CAD systems under my belt I am getting sick and tired of bugs in SW.

The latest - just opened a dwg that was previously saved a couple of months ago under SW 2004.

Now one of the views is totally messed up. Neither CTRL-Q, nor rebuilt helps.

 

[Cryo1]

I choose to differ from Scott B on one point. We are not paid to beta test SW $oftware. We pay for the software and are paid by our company to use it. Crashes and bugs and things that wont' work are worth complaining about. It hurts our job performance. SW doesn't pay us to test software. Our companies pay us to get the job done. Any CAD package either helps or hinders than purpose.

I am satisfied with the SW2005 0.1 release. It has been much more stable than SW2004. I like the flexibility it gives and the new features. It is getting better.

 

[ctopher]

I'm not paid to do it either. But has ehlped in raises and promotion for going beyond my duty.

 

[SBaugh]

Heckler,

I didn't mean my reply in a negative way, just wanted to make sure you understand that it is tested. But thanks for the clarification!



engAlright,

Why did the beta release of SW05 find over 3000 bugs and SW fixed them all. Do you really want that many bugs in your released Software? I think not. I think the Beta Program paid off because this release of SW is the best so far, for a SP0.0 and .1 SP.

If you have a standalone seat of SW at work, you can take that same seat home and use the software at home. If you have time to fiddle around with it, that's great. It's better then nothing at all.

I think the Software is already "Good enough". It has it's problems, but there isn't much you can do about that. It's was created by "Man" and you know what happens when "Man creates something. I will eventually break.

There will always be improvements because the new Enhancements are from users like yourself. You can almost always count on Improvements.

Regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP
3DVision Technologies

http://www.3dvisiontech.com

http://www.scottjbaugh.com

faq731-376
faq559-716 - SW Fora Users

 

[sirmick]

Solidworks, is a tool, nothing more. That said, its a complex tool with a lot of hidden "features" and ways of doing things. After using AutoCad and its solid modeling and moving to SW I greatly prefer SW for modeling. For 2D its still inferior to ACad. Solidworks is an excellant time saver.

However, what makes the software potentially dangerous is the way that it can reinterpret your design from version to version. That is not good practice. Supposedly the way lofts are done can change from version to version.

Now my point is this, what happens in the future when CAD models become the standard reference for a part? How can any sort of trust be had between the software model and what should be manufactured?

For archival purposes, what would be needed to be saved on a optical disc? The 3d model as well as the specific software package and sp necessary to recreate it?

And Scott, how do you define a bug in a user's process?

 

[RawheadRex]

I've gotta say it's gotten hot and heavy on this topic at times. Not to flame this talk even further however we're seeing good number of instabilities in SW05. More so than anyone in our group has seen collectively since we started using SW back in 97-98 it would seem (save perhaps for SW01+ over the first few SPs IMO).

Unfortunately if we choose to upgrade early and/or without a clear plan (perhaps also even when things are planned carefully even) then I personally think that it's virtually inevitable that people will experience the proverbial "bumps in the road." Having said that, it's probably a good idea to mention archiving SW databases to preserve data before upgrades (I think it's actually recommended by SW if I recall correctly anyhow). Obviously in some cases that's prohibitive but giving some forethought does seem warranted to prevent/minimize headaches.

All in all SW has some work to do in order to alleviate some of the colorful language emanating from our department since we upgraded to SW05. For the record, despite the collective dischord the guys I work with are generally very satisfied with SW otherwise.

Speaking for me I can do more today with SW than I could even a year ago (and the year before that, etc.) and I expect it will continue that way for the foreseeable future. No doubt in my mind it is a good package. And while I too perceive some of the "sexy" fluff that they've been trying to sell me for years to be superfluous there are useful, productive and functional upgrades which have been incorporated into every new release that have made my life easier (Sheet Metal, Surfacing, Sweeping, etc.).

Yeah, it sucks when a "bug" hoses all or part of something we've worked on for many hours but I do know from experience that our VAR and SW tech support have bent over backwards to straighten out problems with/for us. Get on them and let know what your problem is. In the end it does serve the larger interests of the entire SW community oftentimes.



Chris Gervais
Sr. Mechanical Designer
Lytron Corp.

 

[SBaugh]

ewh,

Missed your post earlier.

Yes it would be considered. But what if this wasn't ever caught. The user would not think of something workign as being a bug. Would you? I wouldn't... but there might be a similiar issue that is repaired or maybe some else did point this out and turned it in. So in the next release the part fails. You immediately assume it's a bug. When in fact it's not.

I can't say often this happens, but it's another way of thinking about it before acting on "IT"S BUG!!!" HELP!!! - You get the idea.

Best Regards,


sirmick,

How do you mean? Define a bug in a user's process?

The user must give me a list of steps andm aybe files to reproduce the issue at my station. If I can reproduce then I have Legitimate issue I can turn into SW. I add the steps provided by the user and any other information that I tried to do to get around the issus, unless it's just plainly obvious.

Best Regards,

Everyone
There are going to be all users that think differently. Some think like "Cryo1"

We are not paid to beta test SW $oftware. We pay for the software and are paid by our company to use it. Crashes and bugs and things that wont' work are worth complaining about. It hurts our job performance. SW doesn't pay us to test software. Our companies pay us to get the job done. Any CAD package either helps or hinders than purpose.

and there are others the feel like ctopher

I'm not paid to do it either. But has ehlped in raises and promotion for going beyond my duty.

I feel that ctopher's post is showing the love for the use the software. He want's to get the best product for his money and is willing to help SW make it better. Since after all that is way the product is out there. To make the customer as happy as possible. I feel the same way and now that I am on the inside a little bit. I feel like I might make a differenece. then again maybe i won't but I know I'm passionate about this software and I have been for years (since 95-96.)

FYI - Below is meant in General and it is not pointed at any particular person or group. Cryo1 I used your quote as an example.

But you have the choice not to join the beta testing and that's fine. But don't expect perfect software, because it's software. I don't expect perfection, but I do have expectations every year for the software and only once have I seen a bad release. Since then they have made up for it. If you want to complain about bugs find go to comp.cad.solidworks and complain all day. If you want help then come here and we will help to the best of all our abilities.

Beat Regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP
3DVision Technologies

http://www.3dvisiontech.com

http://www.scottjbaugh.com

faq731-376
faq559-716 - SW Fora Users

 

[maxlogan]

SW kicks but...have to say it...sorry guys....I have been contracted to design several different exhaust manifolds to be cast....Inventor, no good....Pro-E, hit a brick wall.....SW ripped the projects in half the time, and was able implement no geometric comprimise at all...
I had SW crash three times in a mater of an hour, now i know what not to ask of it, but got the job done much quicker that the other packages.
Don't mind the bugs, because they will eventualy iron them out. Having said that Inventor does have a more comfortable drawing system.

Conclusion: i must go do some fishing soon, or i will just explode.

 

[ctopher]

Scott, you are correct ... thanks