10 Replies Latest reply on Dec 12, 2016 5:53 PM by Henry Herring

Dimension notes keep getting removed?

Christopher Sudlik Aug 30, 2016 11:05 AM

So a lot of our files were made with holes that are just extruded cuts because that was the way the older engineers in our office do it, and to make sure our DXFs for laser cutting are accurate, all of the threading detail is added to the dimension in the text area, and sometimes dimensions on sheet metal are marked as inside or outside.

However, whenever I open many of these files, the dimension shows up with the color of having changed since the drawing was last opened, and all of those details are wrong. If somebody besides me or the creator opens them and prints them, we end up with drawings missing thread notes and other important details on the shop floor getting parts half made, and also misquoted.

I know nobody is going in and deleting that info, it seems the software is reverting the dimension to it's original state for no reason without the part ever having been opened. Is this a known problem? Are there known and documented solutions?

Re: Dimension notes keep getting removed?

Paul Risley Aug 30, 2016 11:21 AM (in response to Christopher Sudlik)

I had that happen to me about 4 months ago on a project from last year. It turned out to be when I installed 2016 my notes favorites had to be formatted again because SW didn't recognize the previous versions folder of favorites. So if those notes were someones favorites file SW cannot find the information it is looking for. Example I have a 1/2-13 hole going into pre heat treated parts, I have special notes dictating tap drill diameter finish condition and thread cleaning necessary after grinding of the heat treat part. A little much for even hole wizard. So I create favorites notes that I can add in.
When we upgraded any drawings with any of my notes were lost. I had to re-establish SW to look for them in the proper locations.
I believe there is a thread here somewhere as well about that, because a lot of people lost hole diameter and all GD, & T symbols because the library was messed up with the 2016 install, it would not look in the proper folder as assigned.

Ok long winded, short answer is it might have been someone's favorites note that they used instead of manually typing in every word. So then it becomes an issue of SW not finding that folder and as far as I know there is no real error that pops up when that happens. Text just disappears.
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- Re: Dimension notes keep getting removed?
  
  Christopher Sudlik Aug 30, 2016 11:38 AM (in response to Paul Risley)
  
  Interesting problem, but nope, all ours were typed in manually
  
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Re: Dimension notes keep getting removed?

John Stoltzfus Aug 30, 2016 11:40 AM (in response to Christopher Sudlik)

I think it's more of a Windows 10 issue..... Can you find out what for text it was? Then check your Windows Text folder and see if the text is there, good chance it's missing and you'll have to download it..
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Re: Dimension notes keep getting removed?

Christopher Sudlik Aug 30, 2016 11:55 AM (in response to Christopher Sudlik)

Windows text folder? The info is still there when you hover over the dimension (showing previous value, also shows previous text since deleted), and for the most part I can infer what it was from the part and the context, the problem is mostly that I'm the only one that notices when data is gone off a drawing, others just print and send them, made incorrect by the software.
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- Re: Dimension notes keep getting removed?
  
  John Stoltzfus Aug 30, 2016 11:58 AM (in response to Christopher Sudlik)
  
  Interesting - Good question for the VAR and SW - keep us posted
  
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- Re: Dimension notes keep getting removed?
  
  Christopher Sudlik Aug 30, 2016 12:03 PM (in response to Christopher Sudlik)
  
  Basically something like this, the text is gone from the dimension text box, despite not being accessed by anybody and therefore not being deleted. Like Solidworks just decides it doesn't like that data anymore and erases it.
  
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  - Re: Dimension notes keep getting removed?
    
    John Stoltzfus Aug 30, 2016 12:04 PM (in response to Christopher Sudlik)
    
    Did you try to restore to an earlier date and find out which update caused it??
    
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  - Re: Dimension notes keep getting removed?
    
    Sarah Dwight Aug 30, 2016 2:07 PM (in response to Christopher Sudlik)
    
    Have you found Isolate Changed Dimensions to be accurate? I thought it would be great to use, but sadly that is not so.
    I constantly get dims that say they have changed but the previous dimension is the same as the current.
    This is a SW14 file opened in SW16 and clearly the tolerance got lost in translation, but SW can't tell me what it was.
    Fortunately we keep PDF's of everything and I can reference them when something like this happens.
    
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Re: Dimension notes keep getting removed?

Christopher Sudlik Aug 30, 2016 12:15 PM (in response to Christopher Sudlik)

Well, it's inconsistent, but it's been happening throughout 2016, all versions, maybe earlier, I can't tell. The author of the file, which version it was authored in (even those authored in 15, 14, as far back as 2006 have done the same thing), which computer, etc. Seems totally random.
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Re: Dimension notes keep getting removed?

Henry Herring Dec 12, 2016 5:53 PM (in response to Christopher Sudlik)

I have had a similar issue with a "Finish Mark"... straight out of the Solidworks library. Several Finish Marks are used on the same drawing, only one "vanished" between Rev.01 and Rev.02 (not due to Revision requirements). It wasn't noticed until Rev.06! Now we're contemplating our "checking" process...not fun. Local VAR suggested it was my PDM software...
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