SolidWorks Legion

SolidWorks Labs: Watchit Widget

SolidWorks doesn’t just make CAD software. They also make Yahoo! Widgets. One cool widget from SolidWorks Labs is Watchit Widget. This widget tracks when changes to watched files. When Watchit detects a change, it populates its window with information about that file. This is useful in environments where two or three CAD users are sharing files in a single network folder. I think this is the intended use. As a bonus, this widget is also good for CAD Administrators who want to make sure network locations for support files are kept intact, as it not only tracks files, but also whole folders. The admin can track if additions are placed into the Materials Database folder (say from materials downloaded from Matweb.com). Such notification would allow the admin to then take that file and incorporate it into the company’s material database. It would also allow the admin to detect if some user has “accidentally” modified the SolidWorks template file.

Note, it might seem that this sort of application works best if placed in a corner in the “second” monitor of a dual monitor computer system.

Richard Doyle is looking for first-timers

Ok, Richard Doyle, leader of the SoilidWorks online community, didn’t say he was “looking” for folks who will be attending their first SolidWorks World in Jan 2010. He does have a message for first-timers, including useful advice and links. However, I’m sure he would appreciate comments from people who are planning on attending their first SolidWorks World. As for Richard, he has attended every one.

Windows Desktop Search (what to do?) XP instructions

SolidWorks installation may request permission to install the Windows Desktop Search. My advice is to decline this! It is not needed on any workstations. It potentially degrades performance of even the most pimped-out PC. The reason is that it is always busy updating its index. It is recommended by some that the Windows Desktop Search only be installed on servers.

If it is already installed via SolidWorks or even via one of Windows automatic updates on your workstation PC, you’ll have to jump through hoops just to get to a point where you might be able to kinda remove it. It’s like a legal virus. Once its on your PC, you’ll be engaged in a lengthy battle to remove it. I’m not exaggerating when I say it can take days. This is because in many situations even if you “uninstall” it using Add and Remove Programs, it stays on your system. To truly get it off requires some ugly hacks that should only be attempted by experienced PC users.

If it is accidentally installed on a workstation PC, there is hope. It can generally be successfully ignored with a couple of easy steps. Within SolidWorks, goto Tools pulldown>Options…>System Options tab> and under the Search heading, find the Indexing performance area. Make sure “Index only when computer is idle” is selected and choose OK. One other area that might help is also under System Options tab> under the File Locations heading. Choose “Search Paths” from the “Show folders for:” field. In the “Folders:” field, only add folders of note (removing any extra folders that do not need to be indexed).

These steps may not help other programs such as Windows Explorer, but it should help SolidWorks performance.

Value of training options for SolidWorks

For me, SolidWorks was a fairly easy application to learn. In fact, I am self-taught for the most part. I learned it progressively over a couple of months because it was necessary for my jobs and I had to do it. That was over a decade ago. These days, that may not be an acceptable option. Users often need to hit the ground running. Not every situation is the same. Even still, I’ve created a new poll to get the opinions of others. Imagine you have a new hirer at your company for a position that required the use of SolidWorks, but they don’t have experience with the software. How would you handle that?

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SolidWorks 2010 Save Mod Docs notice

With SolidWorks 2009 and any previous versions, when the user clicks on the X (exit) in the upper right corner of the SolidWorks window and they had a lot of modified files open, they would be presented with notice after notice asking if they wish to save, don’t save or cancel. It was very annoying. And, it was also nearly impossible to understand the relationships between the files being asked about.

SolidWorks 2010 has introduced the Save Modified Documents window. Now, when the user goes to quit SolidWorks, they are presented with a well organized window that shows all visible documents, with detail on how they related to each other.

The window offers the user several choices: save all of the modified documents, selectively save modified documents, don’t save documents, and the all important cancellation of the action to quit SolidWorks. (Sometimes when one sees what they are about to quit on, they will need to cancel the quit.) Oh, and don’t forget that Help button! 🙂

With this new window, the task of quitting SolidWorks is now quicker and more predictable. I think this going to end up being on of these functions we will take for granted very quickly (forgetting just how annoying previous versions where in this).

SolidWorks World 2010 correspondent quest

Just announced yesterday, SolidWorks is conducting a contest to find a worthy person to act as their Official Internet Correspondent at SolidWorks World 2010. The winner of the contest will be loaned a camcorder to use to document their experience at SolidWorks World 2010 on a blog and Youtube (and associated Tweets too)!

The decision as to who wins the contest will be made November 13. I would like to ask everyone to vote for our very own Chris Saller (if he accepts the nominations he has received already). Unless someone has a more clever idea, I say just vote for Chris by commenting on the article linked here.

Have fun!!!