I think that i speak for many users of the software when i say SW needs to print a comprehensive manual for 2004 with all commands, not a dinky Whats New short story. I think that this is needed because the software has and is becoming complicated and you cannot always reference the online help and see a full screen while working. Plus it's not like we are paying chump change for subscription service.
Eng-Tips is the largest engineering community on the Internet
Intelligent Work Forums for Engineering Professionals
-
Congratulations waross on being selected by the Tek-Tips community for having the most helpful posts in the forums last week. Way to Go!
Solidworks Needs to Print Full Manuals Again!!
- Thread starter Rocko
- Start date
My $.01 worth as I don't use SolidWorks.
Unigraphics and Pro/Engineer don't send any printed manuals with their code and they haven't for 3+ years. They do have complete manuals in .chm, HTML or PDF format that are included with each major release and a What's New guide for each sub-release. If I want to read a manual, I just print it. I have a stack of PTC manuals about 5 inches thick on my desk. I do save paper by printing 2 pages to a single sheet and then double side the copy. (We have our big Xerox on the network as a printer with all sorts of print format options.)
"Wildfires are dangerous, hard to control, and economically catastrophic."
Ben Loosli
CAD/CAM System Analyst
Ingersoll-Rand
Unigraphics and Pro/Engineer don't send any printed manuals with their code and they haven't for 3+ years. They do have complete manuals in .chm, HTML or PDF format that are included with each major release and a What's New guide for each sub-release. If I want to read a manual, I just print it. I have a stack of PTC manuals about 5 inches thick on my desk. I do save paper by printing 2 pages to a single sheet and then double side the copy. (We have our big Xerox on the network as a printer with all sorts of print format options.)
"Wildfires are dangerous, hard to control, and economically catastrophic."
Ben Loosli
CAD/CAM System Analyst
Ingersoll-Rand
I have to disagree. I just started using Pro/E Wildfire and lack of manual is very frustrating. Given the high cost of CAD software, they owe it to their customers to provide them with a decent manual.
Some people may not need the full manual but a lot of people do. And so they should get it.
jevakil@mapdi.com
One nuclear bomb can ruin your whole day.
Some people may not need the full manual but a lot of people do. And so they should get it.
jevakil@mapdi.com
One nuclear bomb can ruin your whole day.
- Thread starter
- #24
We made a corporate decision to go to the training and our VAR is very good about the manuals for the revisions. By all evaluations a good decision. But like so many questions it really is a matter of degrees. I am frustrated by the lack of a "quick reference" manual like the ones available for other softwares. I don't need a tutorial or work thru for every command, but I do need a command reference with structure, syntax and the API functions right with it. Electronic format would be perfect, could be added to the present help format.
- Thread starter
- #26
BOBSHEETS, Check out the above mentioned book. That is why i purchased it. Also the only problem for those pro non printed manuals who say well keep buying the third party books. You have to wait at least 4-6 months before they are published after the new version is out.
Run a search at amazon.com on SW there are more than just his that are good. Planchard's books are good too.
Regards,
Scott Baugh, CSWP![[wiggle]](/data/assets/smilies/wiggle.gif "[wiggle] [wiggle]")
![[alien]](/data/assets/smilies/alien.gif "[alien] [alien]")
3DVision Technologies
faq731-376
When in doubt, always check the help
Regards,
Scott Baugh, CSWP
3DVision Technologies
faq731-376
When in doubt, always check the help
Rocko & Scott; Thanks for the recomend, I hesitate buying 3rd party unless somebody says it has worth or I can preview. As for the updates, the "What's New" is good enough. Most user's are only 25% of the existing capability, I usually have ample time to bone up on anything new before I roll-out the upgrade. Thanks again!
I just looked at Amazon, and David Murray's book got blasted in the reviews section. Everyone seemed to like the Planchard books more. However, the problem is just that: They have 3 books(!!) for 2003: engineering design, assembly modeling, and drawing and detailing, each around $60, which means to cover all of solidworks I'm looking at $180!!!
There was a third author, Sham Tickoo, has anyone read his book? Any comments on whether the poor reviews given to Murray are unjustified? Thanks
There was a third author, Sham Tickoo, has anyone read his book? Any comments on whether the poor reviews given to Murray are unjustified? Thanks
I have both Dave Murray's and the Planchard's books. I personally like the Planchards better, but I have never heard of anything bad about Dave's book either. It was very helpful the first time I read it, but the planchard's book is pretty in depth..IMO.
If you were able to buy the training manuals from your VAR, you pay that at least that if not more, depending on the topic you wanted.
This Sham Tickoo I have never heard of...so I can't say anything about him.
Good luck,
Scott Baugh, CSWP
3DVision Technologies
faq731-376
When in doubt, always check the help
If you were able to buy the training manuals from your VAR, you pay that at least that if not more, depending on the topic you wanted.
This Sham Tickoo I have never heard of...so I can't say anything about him.
Good luck,
Scott Baugh, CSWP
3DVision Technologies
faq731-376
When in doubt, always check the help
I wrote a book review here thread559-8109 on one of the early Planchard books. Needless to say, I hope they have improved.
MadMango
"Probable impossibilities are to be preferred to improbable possibilities."
Have you read faq731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?
MadMango
"Probable impossibilities are to be preferred to improbable possibilities."
Have you read faq731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?
Since I have never seen a manual.... questions:
What makes the manual that much better than the help files? Does it go into more detail? Or is it the comfort of having a physical object separate from the terminal?
I learned SW from the tutorial and help files. I followed this up by reconstructing as many Pro/E and UG models as I could before my imminent layoff.
Over the years, I've learned to reprogram my habits to the resources available. There was a time when I liked having a paper manual, but most of this was just habit.
![[bat]](/data/assets/smilies/bat.gif "[bat] [bat]")
Good and evil: wrap them up and disguise it as people.
What makes the manual that much better than the help files? Does it go into more detail? Or is it the comfort of having a physical object separate from the terminal?
I learned SW from the tutorial and help files. I followed this up by reconstructing as many Pro/E and UG models as I could before my imminent layoff.
Over the years, I've learned to reprogram my habits to the resources available. There was a time when I liked having a paper manual, but most of this was just habit.
Good and evil: wrap them up and disguise it as people.SW Training manauls gives you a step by step process that may not be listed in the help. I have seen things that are in the manual, but not in the help.
These Books either by Planchards or Murray give some of these same steps, but I'm not what the differences are between the both of them and the SW training manuals.
It comes down to what you are willing to spend or what you can afford. If your company could afford training then I would take it. Not just to get the books, but to have the instructor to help guide you and answer any questions that you may have while your there.
I just want to reiterate a couple things I didn't mention above (A few posts ago)
If you don't have the time to go to Training...how would you be able to take the time to train yourself using these manauls or books?
With training you at least get have someone there to guide you through and answer any questions or problems you may encounter...The manauls will not tell you want an error means, someone that has been trained can.
Best Regards,
Scott Baugh, CSWP
3DVision Technologies
faq731-376
When in doubt, always check the help
These Books either by Planchards or Murray give some of these same steps, but I'm not what the differences are between the both of them and the SW training manuals.
It comes down to what you are willing to spend or what you can afford. If your company could afford training then I would take it. Not just to get the books, but to have the instructor to help guide you and answer any questions that you may have while your there.
I just want to reiterate a couple things I didn't mention above (A few posts ago)
If you don't have the time to go to Training...how would you be able to take the time to train yourself using these manauls or books?
With training you at least get have someone there to guide you through and answer any questions or problems you may encounter...The manauls will not tell you want an error means, someone that has been trained can.
Best Regards,
Scott Baugh, CSWP
3DVision Technologies
faq731-376
When in doubt, always check the help
In my experience, training has always been more an issue of timing rather than time. Usually, the money and time are available, but by the time money is budgeted and sessions are scheduled, I usually have already taught myself beyond what the class would offer.
Good and evil: wrap them up and disguise it as people.
Good and evil: wrap them up and disguise it as people.I usually have already taught myself beyond what the class would offer.
It depends on the user. Someone like you or me may pick it up faster and wouldn't really need a class, but there would be things that were discussed in the class that you and I are not aware of. I taught myself how to use this program a long time ago. Even though now that I'm up to speed with most everything about the program. I still learn something new everyday in it. I don't think there is one person out there that knows every single thing about this program. You only know what you do. The Engineers that build sheet metal parts, probably have no idea how to build a mold or creat a solid from a closed surface in SW (NO OFFENSE to anyone) Again - You only know what you do. Being in my position I have to know, or know someone that does know the answer to the many questions I get every day. So even though I have gotten tons of information from the job I'm in no. I do know for a fact that training would have help me when I was learning this program many years ago. I praise myself for learning the way I did and at the fast pace. I also praise anyone that wants to learn it themselves but I know that the time frame for teaching yourself vs having training, it's faster getting the training. Plus since Time is money I still feel the training is the better choice.
Best Regards,
Scott Baugh, CSWP
3DVision Technologies
faq731-376
When in doubt, always check the help
It depends on the user. Someone like you or me may pick it up faster and wouldn't really need a class, but there would be things that were discussed in the class that you and I are not aware of. I taught myself how to use this program a long time ago. Even though now that I'm up to speed with most everything about the program. I still learn something new everyday in it. I don't think there is one person out there that knows every single thing about this program. You only know what you do. The Engineers that build sheet metal parts, probably have no idea how to build a mold or creat a solid from a closed surface in SW (NO OFFENSE to anyone) Again - You only know what you do. Being in my position I have to know, or know someone that does know the answer to the many questions I get every day. So even though I have gotten tons of information from the job I'm in no. I do know for a fact that training would have help me when I was learning this program many years ago. I praise myself for learning the way I did and at the fast pace. I also praise anyone that wants to learn it themselves but I know that the time frame for teaching yourself vs having training, it's faster getting the training. Plus since Time is money I still feel the training is the better choice.
Best Regards,
Scott Baugh, CSWP
3DVision Technologies
faq731-376
When in doubt, always check the help
I know my experience is not typical of most. I am able to work in such a manner that my job performance is maintained while I devote a percentage of time to professional development. I encourage those around me to do the same. Part of my responsibilities include mentoring and staying on top of CAD developments. Time spent "playing" with the tools usually pays off in more effective and cohesive work. My boss understands and supports this.
I am not trying to minimize the value of formal classroom training. I've noticed that in many cases it is much more time- and cost-effective to have training on the worksite, with trainers who are able to come in and tailor the training to the needs of the users at that site.
I agree that the learning never stops. That is the main reason I spend so much time on this forum. It is especially helpful to me to see what problems others that work in different industries are having. It helps broaden my knowledge.
One distinct advantage to off-site training is that the students are able to focus 100% on training without project managers barging in with "emergencies".
Good and evil: wrap them up and disguise it as people.
I am not trying to minimize the value of formal classroom training. I've noticed that in many cases it is much more time- and cost-effective to have training on the worksite, with trainers who are able to come in and tailor the training to the needs of the users at that site.
I agree that the learning never stops. That is the main reason I spend so much time on this forum. It is especially helpful to me to see what problems others that work in different industries are having. It helps broaden my knowledge.
One distinct advantage to off-site training is that the students are able to focus 100% on training without project managers barging in with "emergencies".
Good and evil: wrap them up and disguise it as people.I disagree with training in the workplace. I think training is much more effective if you can do it off site. There are less interruptions and you tend to be more focused on the task at hand.
I do agree that it's more a matter of timing than time. It seems that I can never get away to do anything, I am always on one project or another.
I learned SW via the tutorials, being self-taught. I think I spent 1 hour a day for almost 2 weeks. After that, it was just a matter of constant application and use of the program to get more efficient at it. If there was something I didn't know or forgot, the help files were always there. Of course, as Scott has said, you really only know what you do. I still have trouble with surfaces, just because 90% of my work involves sheet metal. I wish I was in an environment where I could have more exposure to swoopy stuff.
MadMango
"Probable impossibilities are to be preferred to improbable possibilities."
Have you read faq731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?
I do agree that it's more a matter of timing than time. It seems that I can never get away to do anything, I am always on one project or another.
I learned SW via the tutorials, being self-taught. I think I spent 1 hour a day for almost 2 weeks. After that, it was just a matter of constant application and use of the program to get more efficient at it. If there was something I didn't know or forgot, the help files were always there. Of course, as Scott has said, you really only know what you do. I still have trouble with surfaces, just because 90% of my work involves sheet metal. I wish I was in an environment where I could have more exposure to swoopy stuff.
MadMango
"Probable impossibilities are to be preferred to improbable possibilities."
Have you read faq731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?
- Thread starter
- #40
- Status
Similar threads
