Things that drive me nuts ... 5

[jacek0841]

.
SW2005 SP4.0

- Open dwg, just for printing, PRINT , after that you want to close the file, without ANY changes - window pops up asking for saving changes ...... WHAT CHANGES ??? I haven't done ANYthing !!!

- Saving dwg with ONE sheet - window pops up saying Views on inactive sheets need updating ... bla ... bla ...

There in NO inactive sheets - there is only ONE sheet dammit !!!!

 

[handleman]

Thanks, Yanceman. I already have a workaround - a macro that turns the grid display off if it's on (SetUserPreferenceToggle), prints, and restores the grid to its previous state. I replaced the print button on my toolbar with a button linked to this macro. Having to do this actually prompted me to check further into automating my printing. That macro now includes a userform with eight buttons - a 100% scale and fit scale for each paper size A through D. A and B are sent to one printer, while C and D are sent to the plotter. I know that print/plot settings are saved with the drawing, but sometimes I want a quick print of a D size drawing fit to B size. Sometimes I start out with one drawing template and decide to change sheet format to a different size. Either of these used to require multiple changes in the print setup dialog. Now I just hit one button.

My original musing was to wonder why SW started printing the grid with 2005 when it never did before.

 

[yanceman]

Handleman,

Nice macro. Sounds like it does everything except pour your coffee!

Yanceman

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

handleman ... Just guessing here but, maybe SW wanted to maintain/complete the WYSIWYG aspect of its drawings ... ie. if you can see the grid on the screen, then it will be printed. It would be nice if they gave a Default=ON or OFF option though. Of course it could also be a glitch.


Helpful SW websites FAQ559-520
How to get answers to your SW questions FAQ559-1091

 

[handleman]

Hey, that's an idea! How's this: ;-)

Sub CoffeAssistant()
Dim myCup as Ceramics.Mug
Dim myBrew as Beverages.Coffee
Dim myPot as Appliances.MrCoffee
Dim myDrain as Breakroom.Sink

While Time() < "5:00 PM"   
  If Not myCup.IsEmpty Then
    If Not myBrew.IsCold Then
      myBrew.Drink
    Else
      myCup.Dump(myDrain)
    End If
  ElseIf Not myPot.IsEmpty Then
    myCup.Fill(myBrew, myPot)
  Else
    myPot.MakeMore
  End If
Wend

 

[yanceman]

That's Great!
I needed a good laugh!

Yanceman

 

[wes616]

My biggest solidworks gripe is

1. that I can not control the linetype for detail circles seperate from their leader.

2. that I can not control the linetype for the detail circles per view or per instance(instead of globally across the drawing)

I used the grid in CATIA pretty regularly. Helps to line things up visually from far across the sheet, when accuracy is not relevant... horseshoes and hand grenades)...

I also liked it in the CATIA sketcher, but it really sucks in the SWx sketcher (but for the life of me I dont' remember why i used it in Sketcher... or why it suck so bad in SWx sketcher)...

Anyway, it's easy to SWx w/o the grid... probablly better in the long run.

and yes... I did submit an ER for my detail circle gripes...



Wes C.
------------------------------
When they broke open molecules, they found they were only stuffed with atoms. But when they broke open atoms, they found them stuffed with explosions...

 

[BiPolarMoment]

This one just happened to me: edges that should be visible are not displayed in the drawing--and no amount of rebuilding or selecting "show edge" will work (it wouldn't print them either). Oddly enough, upon creating the drawing for the third time it decided to display them.

 

[MadMango]

I hate that I can't "Replace a component with another of the same name (but different directory)."

[green]"Art without engineering is dreaming; Engineering without art is calculating."[/green]
Steven K. Roberts, Technomad
Have you read faq731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

BiPolarMoment ... That sounds like a Graphics Card/Driver problem.

MadMango ... That's more a Windows limitation rather than SW.


Helpful SW websites FAQ559-520
How to get answers to your SW questions FAQ559-1091

 

[rich942]

I hate that we have to use uneditable hardware, downloaded from McMaster-Carr for instance. Our IT guys use Linux servers with Samba for file sharing, and won't consider changing. Samba is not supported by SW, and won't handle the file locking-unlocking that Toolbox requires. Even with Toolbox copied parts, PDMWorks won't allow check-in of an assembly with TB hardware, sees them as "non-revision controlled" parts. Shouldn't these SW add-ons be compatible ?

 

[BiPolarMoment]

CorBlimeyLimey: I'd have agreed if it had printed(externally) the lines despite not showing them--but it didn't.

 

[ongybill]

Funny how people like different things.

I really like the fact that new sketches don't automatically change to a 2D flat view. I tend to do most everything in a 3D environment, so even with the 1st sketch I usually pick a plane hit sketch, then <cntrl>7 back to a 3D view. Particulaly on complex parts I find it much easier to work & stay oriented when I'm viewing the part 3 dimensionally.

The thing that really bugs me in SW is having to start all solid models as a line sketch. I wish SW's would add some basic solid shapes you can simply draw (cylinders, spheres, blocks, ect.).

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

ongybill ... I also dislike the auto "Normal to" feature when creating a sketch & often adjust the view so it is slightly skewed. However it would be better if SW was more consistent with this feature ... either do it for all sketches or not at all. Better still give an option to default to the users choice.

As for adding solid features (primitives) you can create your own using the Library Features function. You dont always have to start from a sketch.


Helpful SW websites FAQ559-520
How to get answers to your SW questions FAQ559-1091

 

[ongybill]

CorBlimeyLimey

I'd agree the "normal to" would be better as a user set option.

As far as things that drive me nuts:
I really wish they'd go back to the move/copy/rotate command available in 2005. That was my favorite tool in SW. With 2006 I had to start using 5 commands to do what I did with 1 before. Huge negative for me, I'd drop 2006 & return to SW2005 if I could, but not feasible as I have to interact with others.

Never thought of making library feature primatives. Think I'll give it a try. Still, SW would limit you to drawing in 1 plane. I miss being able to simply draw a cylinder between 2 known points to make a brace for example. Even when it is at a complex compound angle(such as a tapered triangular tower) and the resulting cylinder doesn't align with any existing plane. Major process and pain in SW. 2 Clicks and a diameter entry with some software.

 

[dogarila]

Things that drive me nuts:

In frame drawings using square or rectangular hollow tubes and in sheet metal drawings and more, when adding a dimension, SolidWorks always picks first the hidden line, even it is not shown in the drawing and the option for selecting hidden entities is turned off. It takes me ussually two or three tries before gettting a dimension like that right, and sometimes I don't notice it and it gets me in trouble with the guys who cut a part 1/4" shorter.

 

[handleman]

dogarilla,
I've noticed this at times too. It seems to be somewhat dependent on how far you're zoomed out. If there's a line hidden on the other side of a section that is thin with respect to overall view scale it will go ahead and select it. Seems like possibly something to do with selection point Z value tolerances or rounding internal to SW. Same thing happens in part mode (not drawing) if I have a gusset or something in a large, thin sheet metal part. As I zoom out the hidden edges of where the gusset meets the sheet become both visible and selectable.

 

[ongybill]

Here's one that just happened (sorry gotta vent).

Added 4 mounting holes to Part X to Mount Part Y in context of the assembly.

Suddenly 14 other parts have mate errors (they suddenly all have plus signs).

So adding holes to part X messes up 25 mates that don't mate with either part X or Y. HUH!!!

Reloaded the Assy still has the problem. Guess I'll force-Quit SW and reopen it. If it's still wacked I'll go get the latest backup file. Really don't want to recreate all those "over-defined" mates that have to be there for the assy to move properly. Much rather measure and re-add the holes in the Part File.

I really wish SW would make the mate function more functional.

<END OF RANT>

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Try supressing then unsupressing the rogue mates.


Helpful SW websites FAQ559-520
How to get answers to your SW questions FAQ559-1091

 

[handleman]

ongybill,

Most of the time when I do something that causes a bunch of mate errors there's really only one mate that's really the problem, and all other mates are over-defined because of that one mate. Since SW has no "heirarchy" of mates every one in the chain is shown as over-defining. I usually try suppressing the problem mates one at a time (from the bottom up) to see which one is really causing the problem. Also, the forced rebuild Ctrl-Q is your friend.

 

[ongybill]

If I was creating mates, or editing mates and it messed a bunch up I'd try to trouble shoot it (probably my fault). When they mess up for no reason I figure it's just a normal SW stability problem. If forced rebuild doesn't help I reload the file, if that doesn't help I force-quit.

After forcing SW to quit I reopened the file No Problems.

I then readded the 4 mounting holes in exactly the same way, again No Problems.

I've learned to force quit, because if you quit SW normally, or exit the file normally and choose DON'T SAVE CHANGES, it SAVES the changes. That I find highly annoying. Perhaps we could get a major upgrade so when you don't save it don't save.