Type Filter annoyance 1

[CNSZU]

Hello,

Is there an easier way to select a type filter? I find it quite a hassle to select the correct filter EVERY time because you have to search through a huge list in the type filter combo box. Is there for example a way to create buttons of the most used filters and put them on the selection toolbar? I would prefer a one-click approach rather search-through-a-big-list approach for such a common task.

Thanks.

NX8 i7-3770K@4.3Ghz 16GB Quadro2000

 

[Toost]

Can you examplify this problem ?, - screenshots ?
There are ways to simplify selection.

Regards,
Tomas

 

[JohnRBaker]

Why are you having "...to select the correct filter EVERY time..."? Have you tried using QuickPick instead?

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.

 

[CNSZU]

The attached image shows 3 examples for Edit object display, Edge blend and Drafting.

My problem is simply a matter of interface. I don't like to scroll down a big list of items, especially when I have to do this quite often. People are probably going to accuse me of being lazy, but I prefer to be efficient.

NX8 i7-3770K@4.3Ghz 16GB Quadro2000

 

[Toost]

There is something here that i don't understand, Why do you at all bother with the filters ?
- Why not only pick the object , i.e single or double click on that thing ?
I use filters only only when there is a mass of objects that will interfere with my selection intent, or to simplify the selection , never else.
Two tips:
In the case of edit object display, if you select the command before the object, ( Ctrl+J) NX will automatically set the correct "filter".)
You can set "selection priority" to simplify selection, see the attached image.
This is always active even when the button is invisible, in this case i have activated the button to show the shortcuts. (i.e try Shift+B for Body objects before Edit Object Display etc.)
Regards,
Tomas

 

[Xwheelguy]

CNSZU,

When you allow your mouse to hover over objects, how long is it taking before you see the 3 dots appear next to the cursor? If it's taking more than a few seconds, you might try adjusting the QuickPick on Delay setting under Preference -> Selection. I believe the smaller the number, the less time it takes for the 3 dots to appear. This setting controls how long it takes for QuickPick to recognize entities lying on top of each other. Once you see the 3 dots, make a selection and the QuickPick dialog should pop up near your cursor. This is where the selection Priority settings, mentioned by Toost, will come into play.

There are also little shortcuts besides hotkeys - particularly the View Popup and Radial menus - which might make certain tasks a little less cumbersome. For example, Preselect an edge on a solid body then click and release MB3 (mouse button 3 - far right). You should see Edge Blend appear in the View Popup menu. Without deselecting the edge, click Ctrl+Shift and MB1 (mouse button 1). You should see a few icons appear onscreen. One of these should be Edge Blend. One of these two (I believe it's the View Popup) will change based upon what you have Preselected.

Hope this makes things slightly more efficient for you.

Tim Flater
NX Designer
NX 7.5.4.4 MP2
WinXP Pro x64 SP2
Intel Xeon 2.53 GHz 6GB RAM
NVIDIA Quadro 4000 2GB

 

[CNSZU]

Thanks toost, I've created shortcuts, "B" for selecting bodies and "F" for selecting features. The quickpick would work too, but the problem with the quickpick is that it sometimes gives you a very long list of items you have to scroll down, like finding a needle in a haystack.

Now, however, there is still the issue of the "rules" filters. There are 3 types of rules filter: face rule, body rule and curve rule.

For example, when creating an Edge Blend, you can make a decision about what kind of edges you want to select to apply the blend. Sometimes, I want to select tangent edges, other times I want to select body edges as shown on the previous image I've attached. I wish there was a faster way to select these different rules. Opening a combo box and searching through the list is hopelessly cumbersome.

Here's an idea: why don't the NX team create a second set of radial menus that activate with a ctrl+alt key combination? Then we can define filters on these menus. Now this would be the ultimate in efficiency: for example ctrl+alt+mb1 swipe to right will set the type filter to solids, ctrl+alt+mb2 swipe to up will set the edge rule to face edges. Brilliant or what? This would seriously reduce modeling times more than anything.

NX8 i7-3770K@4.3Ghz 16GB Quadro2000

 

[Toost]

Did you notice that the order in the quickpick list changed depending on the selection priority ?
Then the three buttons in the quickpick can filter away the other types. ( i never use that but still.)

The selection of tangent edges etc on the edge blend is a completely different story,
this is how i do it, : 1) pick the edge blend icon. 2) select one of the edges and if ( i then read the rule type in the toolbar but i don't touch it) 3)-If the rule was undesired i right click the selected edge and the rule can be changed. See attached image.
Regards,
Tomas

 

[JohnRBaker]

When you allow your mouse to hover over objects, how long is it taking before you see the 3 dots appear next to the cursor? If it's taking more than a few seconds, you might try adjusting the QuickPick on Delay setting under Preference -> Selection. I believe the smaller the number, the less time it takes for the 3 dots to appear. This setting controls how long it takes for QuickPick to recognize entities lying on top of each other. Once you see the 3 dots, make a selection and the QuickPick dialog should pop up near your cursor.

Or you could just toggle OFF the 'QuickPick on Delay' option. Then the "3 dots" will appear WHEN YOU WANT THEM TO WITHOUT ANY SORT OF WAITING OR ADJUSTING THE TIMING. When YOU WANT to use QuickPick, you simply hold-down MB1 for approximately 1/2 second and the "3 dots" will appear and QuickPick will be triggered.

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.

 

[CNSZU]

Toost, that was brilliant, I didn't know you could right click the edge to change the filter rule from tangent edges to face edges. Thanks!

NX8 i7-3770K@4.3Ghz 16GB Quadro2000