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Auto Collapse

Question asked by Matt Lombard on Sep 6, 2009
Latest reply on Sep 23, 2009 by Scott Furr

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I can't find this one in the help at all, and it doesn't seem to work properly, but how would you know? Anyway, in the detached PropertyManager, how is the Auto Collapse supposed to work?

Does it not work for the 2010 b3 Delete Face feature (but does work for 2009 delete face)?

Is this going to be fixed, or should I add the new functionality to the 2010 book (along with the FeatureManager Tabs hiding under the CommandManager, which is going to be documented in the book because it has been in the software for at least 2 releases now)?

Jim Wilkinson Sep 7, 2009 9:38 AM

Correct Answer

Hi Matt,

The Auto Collapse option collapses the entire PropertyManager down into just a title bar so it "gets out of the way" for you to do other things. While this option is on, if the PropertyManager has focus (if the user has clicked anywhere within it) then it stays open until the user clicks anywhere else and then the PropertyManager collapses after a very short delay. If a command is currently active and the PropertyManager is collapsed to a title, the user can move their mouse over the title bar to expand the PropertyManager. If the PropertyManager is currently collapsed to a title, it will also automatically expand if the user chooses another command (to show the PropertyManager for that command).

The pin in the PropertyManager title bar controls two things; it makes the PropertyManager always visible (does not ever go away) and it controls the height sizing of the PropertyManager. If the PropertyManager is pinned, then the PropertyManager always uses the last height that the user set (regardless of using Auto Collapse or not; it will use the user set height when it un-collapses). When unpinned, the PropertyManager is supposed to always automatically size itself to its contents. What I find is the auto-height sizing is working properly when the PropertyManager is unpinned and Auto Collapse is off, but if I have the PropertyManager unpinned and Auto Collapse is on, then the sizing is getting confused and it often truncates the contents of the PropertyManager and I have to manually drag the height. This is incorrect behavior since it should always properly size to the contents.

Is this the behavior that you are seeing? I just want to confirm before pursuing further.

Thanks,
Jim

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Jim Wilkinson Sep 7, 2009 9:38 AM

Hi Matt,

Is this the behavior that you are seeing? I just want to confirm before pursuing further.

Thanks,
Jim

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Matt Lombard @ Jim Wilkinson on Sep 7, 2009 10:26 AM

Jim,

The Delete Face PropertyManager, when detached, is showing about 60% of the PM, with scroll bars. I was expecting it to show the whole thing without scroll bars. I don't know if the Auto Collapse is on or off when the red arrows are in it, I don't use it in any other state. I always use it this way.

I'm trying to document this, and finding it difficult to put it into words in a way people will understand.

I appreciate your description, but it still doesn't seem exactly clear to me.

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John Kreutzberger Sep 7, 2009 11:22 AM

I don't have the level of understanding that either of you have, but would like to point out that the partial collapsing of the property manager has been happening to me in 2009 up to and including the current service pack-randomly; not all the time.

The feature I see it on is the parting line feature. Sometimes I need to drag the corners down to get to the area where my p/l edges get collected. Maybe I am talking about something else and this is not a big deal-it just semed relevant to this discussion.

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Matt Lombard @ John Kreutzberger on Sep 7, 2009 11:27 AM

Yeah, I think we are talking about the same thing, but we are each seeing it in limited areas. For me, the Delete Face never is correct in 2010, and was correct in 2009.

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Jim Wilkinson @ Matt Lombard on Sep 7, 2009 4:04 PM

Hi Matt,

I just verified your case with Delete Face. After some testing, I found out this is a current problem with all PropertyManagers that use the new Microsoft WPF architecture in SolidWorks 2010 (it was working in SolidWorks 2009). I'll have our developers look into it. The list of PropertyManagers that use this architecture and therefore have this problem are: Sketch Construction Geometry, Split Entity, Jog Line, Delete Face, Convert to Sheet Metal, and SpeedPak.

For clarification on when Auto Collapse is on vs. off, when the icon has the arrows on it, that means it is off, when there are no arrows, it means it is on. You would easily see the behavior of the PropertyManager collapsing down to just a title if you had it on. The icon is supposed to represent what behavior you will get if you pick it (like how the icons in the upper right corner of an application change to represent maximize, restore down, minimize, etc.) We struggled with what icons to use and whether they should represent what mode it is currently in vs. what you will get if you pick it; we went for consistency with what MS does for their icons in the window border.

In your earlier post, you mentioned the CommandManager tabs overlapping the FeatureManager tabs. Do you see this regularly? Is it random or is there some sequence that causes it? I remember seeing that way back when we first developed SolidWorks 2008, but I haven't seen or heard about it since then.

Thanks,

Jim

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Matt Lombard @ Jim Wilkinson on Sep 7, 2009 10:40 PM

Thanks for using holiday time to look into this. You, JK and me are possibly a bit hopeless, working on the last fling of summer.

Anyway, thx for the explanation on auto collapse. Yeah, I think you've got it, and yeah, I thought it was a regression as well.

I see the FM tab icons hiding behind the CM all the time but now that I'm on the spot of course it's not happening. Today, visual basic window is showing up behind SW every time. hmmm.

Ah, here it is, when I have a row of toolbars above the CM, and a toolbar to the right of the CM, it hides the FM tabs. Ay. Moving the width of the FM or of the entire SW window fixes it.

I don't always put a lot of stock in what happens on my computer, because I tend to shred the registry. I've got 07, 09 and 10 installed now, and am usually running 09 and 10 simultaneously.

Anyway, there it is.

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Scott Furr @ Jim Wilkinson on Sep 23, 2009 3:36 PM

Jim,

I saw where you were asking about the CommandManager tabs hiding the FeatureManager tabs. I'm running 2009 SP3 and this happens frequently to me. I'm not really sure what causes it, though. Resizing the FeatureManager doesn't fix the problem for me. I have to try and click on the "Show Display Pane" arrows in the upper right hand corner of the FeatureManager to clear up the problem.

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Jim Wilkinson @ John Kreutzberger on Sep 7, 2009 4:06 PM

Hi John,

The feature I see it on is the parting line feature. Sometimes I need to drag the corners down to get to the area where my p/l edges get collected.

I just reproduced this behavior. When I run Draft Analysis, in this PropertyManager, more group boxes appear, but it does not automatically set the height to show the new group boxes. Is this the problem you are seeing?

Thanks,
Jim

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John Kreutzberger @ Jim Wilkinson on Sep 7, 2009 4:51 PM

Hi Jim,

I thought I was the only one working today-now I feel better.

Yes-as I said in my original reply-this doesn't happen 100% of the time, but more often then not-it does. Exactly as you say-the boxes are created after clicking on `draft analysis' . However, you need to drag the edges of the border down to see them. As you say, the window does not seem to re-size itself automatically.

This is merely a minor annoyance to somebody who uses this feature all the time like I do. It may cause some problems or confusion to a person using it for the first time or only occasionally. When going back to edit the parting line feature, it seems to remember where you dragged the corners to and is not a problem after the initial creation of the feature.

I am not a beta tester (or book writer), so I have not looked at the new version at all.

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9 Replies

Jim Wilkinson Sep 7, 2009 9:38 AM
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Correct Answer
Hi Matt,

The Auto Collapse option collapses the entire PropertyManager down into just a title bar so it "gets out of the way" for you to do other things. While this option is on, if the PropertyManager has focus (if the user has clicked anywhere within it) then it stays open until the user clicks anywhere else and then the PropertyManager collapses after a very short delay. If a command is currently active and the PropertyManager is collapsed to a title, the user can move their mouse over the title bar to expand the PropertyManager. If the PropertyManager is currently collapsed to a title, it will also automatically expand if the user chooses another command (to show the PropertyManager for that command).

The pin in the PropertyManager title bar controls two things; it makes the PropertyManager always visible (does not ever go away) and it controls the height sizing of the PropertyManager. If the PropertyManager is pinned, then the PropertyManager always uses the last height that the user set (regardless of using Auto Collapse or not; it will use the user set height when it un-collapses). When unpinned, the PropertyManager is supposed to always automatically size itself to its contents. What I find is the auto-height sizing is working properly when the PropertyManager is unpinned and Auto Collapse is off, but if I have the PropertyManager unpinned and Auto Collapse is on, then the sizing is getting confused and it often truncates the contents of the PropertyManager and I have to manually drag the height. This is incorrect behavior since it should always properly size to the contents.

Is this the behavior that you are seeing? I just want to confirm before pursuing further.

Thanks,
Jim
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- Matt Lombard @ Jim Wilkinson on Sep 7, 2009 10:26 AM
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  Jim,
  
  The Delete Face PropertyManager, when detached, is showing about 60% of the PM, with scroll bars. I was expecting it to show the whole thing without scroll bars. I don't know if the Auto Collapse is on or off when the red arrows are in it, I don't use it in any other state. I always use it this way.
  
  I'm trying to document this, and finding it difficult to put it into words in a way people will understand.
  
  I appreciate your description, but it still doesn't seem exactly clear to me.
  Attachments
  - 1.png9.5 KB
  Like • Show 0 Likes0
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John Kreutzberger Sep 7, 2009 11:22 AM
Mark Correct
Correct Answer
I don't have the level of understanding that either of you have, but would like to point out that the partial collapsing of the property manager has been happening to me in 2009 up to and including the current service pack-randomly; not all the time.

The feature I see it on is the parting line feature. Sometimes I need to drag the corners down to get to the area where my p/l edges get collected. Maybe I am talking about something else and this is not a big deal-it just semed relevant to this discussion.
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- Matt Lombard @ John Kreutzberger on Sep 7, 2009 11:27 AM
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  Correct Answer
  Yeah, I think we are talking about the same thing, but we are each seeing it in limited areas. For me, the Delete Face never is correct in 2010, and was correct in 2009.
  Like • Show 0 Likes0
  Actions
  - Jim Wilkinson @ Matt Lombard on Sep 7, 2009 4:04 PM
    Mark Correct
    Correct Answer
    Hi Matt,
    
    I just verified your case with Delete Face. After some testing, I found out this is a current problem with all PropertyManagers that use the new Microsoft WPF architecture in SolidWorks 2010 (it was working in SolidWorks 2009). I'll have our developers look into it. The list of PropertyManagers that use this architecture and therefore have this problem are: Sketch Construction Geometry, Split Entity, Jog Line, Delete Face, Convert to Sheet Metal, and SpeedPak.
    
    For clarification on when Auto Collapse is on vs. off, when the icon has the arrows on it, that means it is off, when there are no arrows, it means it is on. You would easily see the behavior of the PropertyManager collapsing down to just a title if you had it on. The icon is supposed to represent what behavior you will get if you pick it (like how the icons in the upper right corner of an application change to represent maximize, restore down, minimize, etc.) We struggled with what icons to use and whether they should represent what mode it is currently in vs. what you will get if you pick it; we went for consistency with what MS does for their icons in the window border.
    
    In your earlier post, you mentioned the CommandManager tabs overlapping the FeatureManager tabs. Do you see this regularly? Is it random or is there some sequence that causes it? I remember seeing that way back when we first developed SolidWorks 2008, but I haven't seen or heard about it since then.
    
    Thanks,
    Jim
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    - Matt Lombard @ Jim Wilkinson on Sep 7, 2009 10:40 PM
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      Thanks for using holiday time to look into this. You, JK and me are possibly a bit hopeless, working on the last fling of summer.
      
      Anyway, thx for the explanation on auto collapse. Yeah, I think you've got it, and yeah, I thought it was a regression as well.
      
      I see the FM tab icons hiding behind the CM all the time but now that I'm on the spot of course it's not happening. Today, visual basic window is showing up behind SW every time. hmmm.
      
      Ah, here it is, when I have a row of toolbars above the CM, and a toolbar to the right of the CM, it hides the FM tabs. Ay. Moving the width of the FM or of the entire SW window fixes it.
      
      I don't always put a lot of stock in what happens on my computer, because I tend to shred the registry. I've got 07, 09 and 10 installed now, and am usually running 09 and 10 simultaneously.
      
      Anyway, there it is.
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      55.jpg68.4 KB
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    - Scott Furr @ Jim Wilkinson on Sep 23, 2009 3:36 PM
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      Jim,
      I saw where you were asking about the CommandManager tabs hiding the FeatureManager tabs. I'm running 2009 SP3 and this happens frequently to me. I'm not really sure what causes it, though. Resizing the FeatureManager doesn't fix the problem for me. I have to try and click on the "Show Display Pane" arrows in the upper right hand corner of the FeatureManager to clear up the problem.
      Like • Show 0 Likes0
      Actions
- Jim Wilkinson @ John Kreutzberger on Sep 7, 2009 4:06 PM
  Mark Correct
  Correct Answer
  Hi John,
  The feature I see it on is the parting line feature. Sometimes I need to drag the corners down to get to the area where my p/l edges get collected.
  
  I just reproduced this behavior. When I run Draft Analysis, in this PropertyManager, more group boxes appear, but it does not automatically set the height to show the new group boxes. Is this the problem you are seeing?
  
  Thanks,
  Jim
  Like • Show 0 Likes0
  Actions
  - John Kreutzberger @ Jim Wilkinson on Sep 7, 2009 4:51 PM
    Mark Correct
    Correct Answer
    Hi Jim,
    
    I thought I was the only one working today-now I feel better.
    
    Yes-as I said in my original reply-this doesn't happen 100% of the time, but more often then not-it does. Exactly as you say-the boxes are created after clicking on `draft analysis' . However, you need to drag the edges of the border down to see them. As you say, the window does not seem to re-size itself automatically.
    
    This is merely a minor annoyance to somebody who uses this feature all the time like I do. It may cause some problems or confusion to a person using it for the first time or only occasionally. When going back to edit the parting line feature, it seems to remember where you dragged the corners to and is not a problem after the initial creation of the feature.
    
    I am not a beta tester (or book writer), so I have not looked at the new version at all.
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