solidworks file compression

[SWscience]

Do you know if you compress a solidworks file , it's possible to lose some data ?!
It's really to interesting .. but it's an act.
In some cases you will lose the shadow information of parts.

 

[PDMAdmin]

That doesn't inspire confidence, does it? Are you referring to adding the file to a ZIP file, for example? It might vary by application.

 

[MadMango]

By "shadow information", do you mean the positions of Directional and Abmient Lights, or do you mean loosing the toggle "on/off" of the cast "Shadows in Shaded Mode"?

As [blue]PDMAdmin[/blue] is asking, are you using WinZIP or some other file compression utility like ECOsqueeze or DeFrag?

Ray Reynolds
"Computers in the future may weigh no more than 1.5 tons."
Popular Mechanics, forecasting the relentless march of science, 1949
Have you read faq731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?

 

[SWscience]

Reference General session/last paragraph)

STOP
READ THIS FIRST
SolidWorks 2004
Service Pack 4

Do not use any application that modifies SolidWorks files in an attempt to reduce their size. Several file compression utilities are available that modify SolidWorks model files. These applications typically remove the file "shadow," but some applications might remove more. Using these file compression utilities can cause file corruption. SolidWorks does not support or endorse the use of any such file compression utilities.

Best regard

 

[TheTick]

pasted text below annotated in red...

These applications typically remove the file "shadow," read: "Bloat" but some applications might remove more. Using these file compression utilities can but has it happened? cause file corruption.

This is all alarmist squealing without any real documentation to back it up.

I think now would be a good time to put out a bounty for true firsthand accounts of files corrupted by EcoSqueeze.

Due to illness, the part of The Tick will be played by... The Tick.

http://www.EsoxRepublic.com

 

[ctopher]

SWscience
Where did you get SP4 ??

 

[MadMango]

We've been using ECOsqueeze and DeFrag for the past few years (3 or 4) and have never had any data corruption.

Ray Reynolds
"Computers in the future may weigh no more than 1.5 tons."
Popular Mechanics, forecasting the relentless march of science, 1949
Have you read faq731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?

 

[SWscience]

solidworks has published sp4 as an early version for limited nomber of users. you can download it in sw site.

 

[SWscience]

solidworks has published sp4 as an early version for limited number of users. you can download it in sw site.

 

[SBaugh]

I have talked to lots of people that have had file corruption using both programs. Even though I have talked the same amount of people that use these file compression programs and they have told me the same thing your saying MadMango.

So SW says - If you use it "It's a use at your own risk" If it corrupts a file they are not responsible for that files corruption. Which is fair, because SW didn't write the program.

ctopher,

SP4 is out on early visibility. Maybe he has SP4 already and is using it. I don't install Early SP unless I need too or have too. Because if something has to change in the SP while it's in Early Visibility. I would have to reinstall SW before I could use the fixed SP.

Regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP

http://www.3dvisiontech.com

http://www.scottjbaugh.com

faq731-376

 

[ctopher]

Thanks Scott. I'll wait until it is officially out.

 

[dogarila]

I have been using UNFRAG for over three years. I have "unfraged" tens of thousands of SolidWorks files so far and haven't had a single file corrupted. I don't know about EcoSqueeze but I sure know Unfrag works great for me.

SWscience, what you read reffers to this kind of programs, Unfrag, Defrag or Ecosqueeze, and not to common compression programs like Winzip.

 

[aamoroso]

Here is something I have used in the past. To email a SldPrt file you can extrude a solid block that entirely covers the model and then save it. The file size can be signifigantly smaller. In an assembly you maybe able to cut the entire assembly from a plane or face, I have not tried it yet but this would be interesting to know what this would do to the file size. I am not at my workstation right now to try this.

 

[SBaugh]

That works and saving to a new name brings the file size down too.

netshop21,

I don't think Unfrag is going to help you out on SW04 files. I tried it on a file from SW04 and it didn't make a difference. EcoSqueeze did though.

Regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP

http://www.3dvisiontech.com

http://www.scottjbaugh.com

faq731-376

 

[ctopher]

I ran Ecosqueeze on several hundred SolidWorks files and it reduced overall size by 46%, about 1.9 GB.

 

[macPT]

SBaugh

I've been using Unfrag with Sw04 files and it works fine!
Some minutes ago, I unfraged a project that I am working on: before unfrag 90MB; after unfrag 49MB.
After some years using Unfrag, never detected a corrupted file! (I am knoking on wood!)

Regards

 

[Heckler]

I've used DeFrag up until 2004. It has never, and I repeat never corrupted any of my SWX files. I guess I got lucky, eh? It will be interesting to see SWX 2005....I may just have to buy a personal copy since I'm currently using Pro/E 2001.