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part of drawing view shows as hidden lines--can't change.

Question asked by Jim Steinmeyer on Feb 13, 2018
Latest reply on Jun 12, 2018 by Dan Pihlaja

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Ok,

this has happened before and the cause was that we had envelopes in use. I have looked and can not find any envelopes in this assembly. The front end and a couple of other sub-assemblies insist on showing as dashed lines in the drawing. I have tried everything I can think of but can not get them to show solid for longer than 60 seconds. I have gone to the tree, selected the subs and changed the component line font to solid for all lines, the lines look good when the model regenerates, and then in about 60 seconds, poof, back to dashed. I have selected Show Envelopes in view properties, no change. I have set all views to high quality, no change. I have looked at the system options and can't find anything there either.

I have to add that this is a bad model somewhere and it lags terribly for anything I attempt to do with it. I thought it was because of errors so i have gone through each sub and cleaned up all errors i can find, but there is something that someone before me did that definitely isn't to Hoyle because it is very slow. Someday given time I will have to rebuild it from the ground up but not today.

At this point the only thing I have found that works is to select each line and set the individual display to solid.

Does anyone have any ideas?

I should add that this model has quite a bit of information in it so I probably shouldn't share it.

Jim Steinmeyer Aug 8, 2018 12:15 PM

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To kind of wrap this thread up, I have had this issue occur again with a totally unrelated model. With the help of my VAR, (thank you Darcie Hall) we have been able to determine that this is a know bug that has been fixed in 2018 SP2 as per SPR 1017466. So now I have another reason to push for going to 2018, we'll see how long that takes....

UpDate: we have transitioned to 2018 SP3 and all drawings seem to be acting correctly as of this point in time. It appears that this issue has been resolved.

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Marshall Wilson Feb 13, 2018 4:58 PM
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As an experiment, you could try this:

1. Pack & Go to a temporary folder. close out all files and re-open in the new folder
2. Create a copy of one of the offending parts (Save As copy...). Lets call it Bracket-1_copy.
3. In the assembly, replace the original of that part with Bracket-1_copy. It should replace pretty cleanly since all the reference elements are identical.
4. Check the Drawing to see if the line properties for Bracket-1 have changed.

I recently tried something like this when I had trouble getting my "component Line Font" to display correctly in a drawing, and it was the ONLY thing that worked after trying a lot of other stuff.
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Jim Steinmeyer @ Marshall Wilson on Feb 13, 2018 5:41 PM
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Marshall
That might be a good try at getting it to work, but I would like to figure out the why. In the mean time I am almost finished selecting the offending lines and changing their font individually. Interestingly enough there are even a few lines I can't get solid even if their individual line font is set to solid. Also I have found that if I am zoomed in enough that the view fills the screen and I pan side to side the lines will go solid for about 15 seconds and then back to dashed. I am looking forward to having time to totally remodel this bugger as I think that is what it will take to get it to function properly. Probably happen in about 10 years.
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Marshall Wilson @ Jim Steinmeyer on Feb 13, 2018 5:48 PM
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Good question Jim - I wish I knew.

My theory in trying it in the first place was that somehow the file's display info got corrupted or something. Even with Pack-n-Go to another folder the problems persisted with being able to change line font on parts. Only with the copy-n-replace strategy did I get somewhere.
As you can see it would have been hard for me to change all the lines on the Fireplace Mantel!
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Jim Steinmeyer @ Marshall Wilson on Feb 13, 2018 5:56 PM
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It sure would have. Glad you were able to get something to work.
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Dan Pihlaja Feb 14, 2018 8:56 AM
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Some questions:
(I apologize if these are answered somewhere already).

1) Have you tried to uncheck "Show Envelope"?

Envelope components by default come into a drawing as dotted lines.

(I had other questions, but then I realized that they were impossible, so I deleted them )

Another edit:

So, yeah, you tried that already. LOL *sigh*
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Jim Steinmeyer @ Dan Pihlaja on Feb 14, 2018 8:58 AM
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Yes, that was the first thing I tried as I had that problem about a year ago. I also checked and don't find and envelopes in the assembly, certainly not for the parts giving the problems. I have tried editing the component font in the tree as Glenn had suggested as a solution in a earlier post and that appeared to work for about 20 seconds and then that didn't work either.
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Sergio Monti @ Jim Steinmeyer on Feb 14, 2018 9:13 AM
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Silly suggestion... have you tried exit SolidWorks and start it again?
Anyway I experienced troubles with line fonts, too, in complex assemblies. I couldn't get on, once, with a big one. A few days later I opened back the drawing and magically it was right!! I still don't know why....
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Dan Pihlaja Feb 14, 2018 9:22 AM
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Ok, here is another thing to try:
Is the view set to lightweight?

If so, try to resolve it.
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Jim Steinmeyer @ Dan Pihlaja on Feb 14, 2018 9:42 AM
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I wasn't even aware that was possible. But no nothing is light weight.
Looking back, the last time I had this issue it was with the same large subassembly used in another instance. i really think a total remodel is long past due.
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Dan Pihlaja @ Jim Steinmeyer on Feb 14, 2018 9:47 AM
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You could try the solution from Elmar here: Can't see planes in sub assembly
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Jim Steinmeyer @ Dan Pihlaja on Feb 14, 2018 10:13 AM
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Unfortunately here is the "subassembly" basically the top level of a feeder with virtually everything on it but we can use it for adding custom orders to it. I think this would be a good place to start with John's SSP so that many of the subassemblies could be placed without need for all of the reference parts that add to the size.
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Jim Steinmeyer Feb 26, 2018 3:08 PM
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Well, now I have another drawing doing the same thing. Before starting to fix it I did a pack and go and sent to the VAR so maybe they can help. After trying all of the ideas I am once again selecting each line and changing the line font. This is getting tedious.
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Glenn Schroeder Feb 26, 2018 3:18 PM
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Jim,

I know you've checked on this already, and it probably won't matter, and I haven't read through all the responses, but I couldn't help but notice that in your one screenshot "Use document defaults" isn't checked. Shouldn't it be?
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Jim Steinmeyer @ Glenn Schroeder on Feb 26, 2018 3:37 PM
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Glenn Schroeder wrote:

Jim,

I know you've checked on this already, and it probably won't matter, and I haven't read through all the responses, but I couldn't help but notice that in your one screenshot "Use document defaults" isn't checked. Shouldn't it be?

That is one of the things I tried in an attempt to get it to work. It is checked by default and in trying to set the component font I unselected this one, didn't do anything for me though. The maddening thing is that the components on the bottom show fine but not the components higher up. In hand selecting the lines I still had 8 to 10 of them that I could not get solid and had to sketch a line over them.
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Glenn Schroeder @ Jim Steinmeyer on Feb 26, 2018 3:51 PM
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That's what I figured, but wanted to mention it anyway just in case. I suspect you're right about it being a bad model somewhere in the assembly that's causing the problem.

I just did a little playing around and discovered that if you select a model face in a drawing view and then the "Convert Entities" sketch tool, it will place sketch lines (with the properties of the active Layer) on all edges of the selected face. If you aren't already using that workflow it might save you a few clicks.
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Vladimir Urazhdin Feb 26, 2018 4:00 PM
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Another silly question: how looks like your Line Format toolbar?
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Kevin Chandler Feb 26, 2018 5:49 PM
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Hello,

I read through the above, but forgive me if I'm repeating:
1. Did the drawing previously exist along with the model?
  If so, have you tried creating a new drawing?
2. Have you tried deleting the view and creating a new one?
3. I didn't see any images of doc properties:
  Have you checked the Solid and Dashed line definitions (perhaps they're goofy and SW is struggling to figure it out)?
  
  Have you checked to see what line type is assigned for hidden?
I hope this helps.

Cheers,

Kevin
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Jim Steinmeyer @ Glenn Schroeder on Feb 26, 2018 6:04 PM
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Glenn Schroeder wrote:

I just did a little playing around and discovered that if you select a model face in a drawing view and then the "Convert Entities" sketch tool, it will place sketch lines (with the properties of the active Layer) on all edges of the selected face. If you aren't already using that workflow it might save you a few clicks.

Thank you, that might help. I have been having a heck of a time with some of the lines trying to select the edge and not the part. Converting entities was something I didn't even think about.
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Jim Steinmeyer @ Kevin Chandler on Feb 26, 2018 6:10 PM
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Kevin,
Both model and top level assembly were just created this morning. I am using my standard templates that I use for all of my other drawings and assemblies. Both drawings that have given me problems have been for an assembly about 3 levels down. The problem drawings have been sales drawings where I have added a couple of features and options to the base unit. The main feeder shell that is not showing correctly has a drawing that shows correctly and the sub assembly within it that I suspect is causing the problem also has a good drawing.
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Jim Steinmeyer @ Vladimir Urazhdin on Feb 27, 2018 7:22 AM
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Vladimir Urazhdin wrote:

Another silly question: how looks like your Line Format toolbar?
Vladimir,
Here are my layer and default settings and they are set correctly, I think. Most of my other drawings come out fine that is why I suspect there is a problem of some kind with one of the parts or subassemblies. This has been really strange. I am hoping my VAR can track it down for me.
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Jim Steinmeyer @ Glenn Schroeder on Mar 12, 2018 4:11 PM
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Glenn Schroeder
I just created a new drawing of a new assembly that is exhibiting the same behavior. One of the sub assemblies is part of the assembly causing the drawing problems before. It is interesting that while the (suspected) problem subassembly is dashed, some new components are dashed too.
I tried the convert entities trick and have found a couple of limitations. First the whole face outline is converted including the hidden parts of the item. Secondly objects that are rounded towards the plane of view, i.e. hoses or hydraulic cylinders are not able to be converted. However this was still a time saver for the many parts that did show.
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Mauro Picano Mar 13, 2018 8:14 AM
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smells like Bug, checkout SPR 1017466
Drawing view display with phantom lines if subassembly contains subassembly envelope
Drawings Line Font, Envelope: Lines will incorrectly be Phantom lines, if some sub-assemblies are set to be envelope components.
Implemented 2018 SP02 , HotFix_1017466.exe for SOLIDWORKS 2017 SP05
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Jim Steinmeyer @ Mauro Picano on Mar 13, 2018 9:24 AM
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The problem is there is no envelope. Anywhere.
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Dan Pihlaja Mar 13, 2018 10:31 AM
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You know Jim, I wonder if this issue is the same as yours, just coming from a different direction:
Having an issue with Component Line Font - A particular part won't retain the settings that I have.
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Surachet Nualpring May 8, 2018 11:48 AM
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I am having the same problem, it seem to be bug in program. For me the assemble that show hidden line have sub-sub-assembly have assembly that was envelope in them. It seem that in drawing think that the whole entire sub-assemble was envelope. So I suppress them and when I came back to upper assembly the line be solid line again. Hope this help.
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