8 Replies Latest reply on Jul 30, 2018 8:42 AM by Jason Schultz

    Publishing Whole Projects to eDrawings

    Jason Schultz
    Jason Schultz Jul 26, 2018 4:11 PM

      We have been wrestling with the measurement feature in eDrawings 2018 for a while.  We know that in order to enable measuring in eDrawings standard, the original assembly must be published to edrawings and then saved while checking the "Enable Measurement" option.  The problem has become how time consuming this is for our designers.

       

      We design and build custom machinery. When a project reaches the build phase, our builders use eDrawings to take measurements on parts and assemblies.  With 2018 however, the measurement tool is disabled on all files by default.  We need a way to enable measurements on all parts and assemblies of a project so we don't have to open each file one by one and publish them with measurements enabled.

       

      Is there a way to do something like a pack n go, but instead save them as eDrawing files?

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        • Re: Publishing Whole Projects to eDrawings
          Neville Williams
          Neville Williams Jul 26, 2018 7:16 PM (in response to Jason Schultz)

          Hi Jason,

           

          My experience and subsequent frustration with EDrawings, leads me to suggest trying using 3D PDF. (Saveas 3D PDF)

          There is a measurement tool included (along with other tools) that works fine.

           

          Edrawings is like the unwanted child that Solidworks gave birth to and should have been aborted at birth

           

          It has so many bugs and flaky behaviour.

          • Graphics performance is abysmal, unless using a relatively higher spec'ed machine. Regular computers get taken to their knees with graphic demands placed on them. Alot of workshops do not have CAD ready computers to run this stuff.
          • Colours are all over the place...
          • Display States still do not work.
          • It creates files that are huge compared with 3D PDF... so emailing is a challenge.

          Colours & display states particularly are pretty basic within Soildworks.

          In past times, I recommended it to clients. It was just plain embarrassing trying to explain all it's bad behaviour and problems, when they started using it, after being told it was Solidworks best and greatest solution to viewing.

          • Re: Publishing Whole Projects to eDrawings
            Chad Huleatt
            Chad Huleatt Jul 26, 2018 7:41 PM (in response to Jason Schultz)

            We use e-drawings a lot. We use Customtools to batch export .eprt and .easm of all the models from each project. For a bigger project, the routine can take a couple minutes but its still 10x faster than opening every part and saving e-drawings.

             

            Eliminate your SW routines! | Home

             

            The guys in the fab shop have several screens for viewing e-drawings, and they really like it.

            • Re: Publishing Whole Projects to eDrawings
              Jason Schultz
              Jason Schultz Jul 27, 2018 8:50 AM (in response to Jason Schultz)

              Thanks for your replies so far.  I'm looking into 3D PDFs as an alternative but I'm having trouble viewing them.  What program do you use to view 3d PDFs?

               

              Also, I tried using Solidworks Task Scheduler to export a bunch of files to eDrawings, which seems like exactly what i need.  However when exported this way they still don't have measure enabled.  Task Scheduler doesn't really give many save options so i don't know if they are being exported with the "enable measurements" box checked.  We have network licenses, so is it possible that task scheduler is using a standard license?  Can i specify which license to use?

                • Re: Publishing Whole Projects to eDrawings
                  Chad Huleatt
                  Chad Huleatt Jul 27, 2018 7:37 PM (in response to Jason Schultz)

                  Jason Schultz wrote:

                   

                  Thanks for your replies so far. I'm looking into 3D PDFs as an alternative but I'm having trouble viewing them. What program do you use to view 3d PDFs?

                   

                  Also, I tried using Solidworks Task Scheduler to export a bunch of files to eDrawings, which seems like exactly what i need. However when exported this way they still don't have measure enabled. Task Scheduler doesn't really give many save options so i don't know if they are being exported with the "enable measurements" box checked. We have network licenses, so is it possible that task scheduler is using a standard license? Can i specify which license to use?

                  IMO, edrawings is better than 3dPDF for measuring, sectioning etc. I recently joined an online product demo for MBD, and the rep said the same thing - edrawings is a better user experience. That said, PDF is a much more common file format, so if you are sending files to suppliers etc. it might be better.

                   

                  You should be able to view 3d pdf's with adobe reader.

                   

                  RE exporting, if task scheduler isn't working, try  #TASK

                   

                  I'm sure users like Deepak Gupta also have macros for batch exporting edrawing files.

                   

                  I use Customtools because if is a well developed add in with many good features, and they have great support. IMO it's worth the price.

                  • Re: Publishing Whole Projects to eDrawings
                    Neville Williams
                    Neville Williams Jul 28, 2018 3:17 AM (in response to Jason Schultz)

                    Hi jason,

                    If you need to measure, I'm not sure whether Acrobat Reader has the measure tool functionality enabled.

                    Best checkout the toolbars here

                  • Re: Publishing Whole Projects to eDrawings
                    Duncan Gillis
                    Duncan Gillis Jul 29, 2018 6:30 AM (in response to Jason Schultz)

                    Hi Jason,

                     

                    Not sure if its relevant, but you need SolidWorks Professional or higher to allow the measure tool to work. For some reason when you save out an eDrawings file from SolidWorks Standard with measure enabled, it doesn't work. something to do with eDrawings Professional that is supplied in SW Pro/Premium.

                     

                    Otherwise as Chad Huleatt mentioned, CUSTOMTOOLS is a handy tool to export the full set of eDrawings files once a project is ready for manufacture.

                      • Re: Publishing Whole Projects to eDrawings
                        Jason Schultz
                        Jason Schultz Jul 30, 2018 8:42 AM (in response to Duncan Gillis)

                        Yes, the difference between pro and standard is something I've run into.  Most of our network licenses are either Pro or Ultimate but we have some legacy versions of Solidworks Office, which reads as a standard license that can be pulled during busy periods.  However, even when i have a Pro license, Task Scheduler doesn't export measure enabled eDrawings.  I thought it would pull the settings from Solidworks, but i guess it doesn't.

                         

                        Looks like the only way to do this is with a 3rd party tool?  That's disappointing.