10 Replies Latest reply on Sep 29, 2011 10:49 AM by Wayne Tiffany

    Automatic View Update Option

    Don Van Zile
    Don Van Zile Employee Sep 23, 2011 2:38 PM

      There is an option in drawings to not have the views automatically rebuild every time a model change occurs (shown below).

      AutoViewUpdate.png

      I would like to find out if there are any users who work  with this option unchecked, especially for those who work with large assembly drawings that may take some time to rebuild.  Do you find this option useful?  Do you like the fact the out of date views hatch out and can no longer be annotated or worked on until the view/s are rebuilt? What if you could still work on and annotate an out of date drawing view prior to rebuilding (i.e. only small dimensional changes were made to a small portion of the model), would you find this useful? Why or why not?

       

      Don Van Zile

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        • Re: Automatic View Update Option
          Jody Stiles
          Jody Stiles Sep 28, 2011 3:43 PM (in response to Don Van Zile)

          Don,

           

          I can't say that I've ever used this option.  It's always checked off to auto-update.  To be clear, we are in the process of migrating from Pro/E to SolidWorks and as of yet don't have any large assembly drawings done so it has not been an issue.  I can see the benefit of this tool though.  I do think it is lacking a bit of flexibility though.  I would want all of my parts and small assemblies to auto-update but I might not want my large assemblies (say 100 files or more) to auto-update.  Right now it's all or nothing.  I would want to be able to specify my own file count threshold and not be tied to the large-assembly mode system options.  I don't have any data to back it up but I might want large-assembly mode to kick in at 500 files when in assembly mode but only 100 files in drawing mode because I don't need real-time updates in my drawing but I do in my assemblies.

           

          I would also like to see an option on the File > Open dialog where I can (un)check an auto-update option prior to opening the file.  This way, if a system threshold is set to 100 but the components in this drawing are particularly complicated and would result in a very long rebuild, I could avoid that by de-selecting the auto-update prior to opening. (See image below)

           

          File open dialog.png

           

          There should also be an option for when a user chooses to "Make drawing from part/assembly" and the drawing already exists in the workspace and the user gets the "There is a drawing file with same name..." pop-up.  I would want to see the same check box offered on this dialog. (See image below)

           

          File exists dialog.png

           

          I would want to be able to annotate my views even if they are out of date.  It might not make any difference if I update before or after I annotate (I have to do it anyway) but I prefer flexibility over rigidity and I think there should be a switch to choose one or the other.  There will always be some who want it one way and others who want the opposite.

           

          How do you define small dimensional changes to a small portion of the model?

            • Re: Automatic View Update Option
              Don Van Zile
              Don Van Zile Employee Sep 28, 2011 4:18 PM (in response to Jody Stiles)

              Jody,

               

              Thanks for the well thought out feedback, as always it is very much appreciated!

               

              You bring up interesting points about flexibility as it’s currently an all or nothing scenario.  My definition of small dimensional changes means that if I’m working in the context of a large assembly there may be changes that may not even be visible in the drawing or current set of annotations that is currently being worked on (i.e. internal components that may not be views).  I could see this being a real time saver with large assembly drawings myself for the exact reasons as you mention.  I can still annotate even if it is out of date and rebuild later as necessary if it takes a while.

               

              What do you think of the current out-of-date hatching that occurs?  Do you think this is useful for out-of-date views or too intrusive?

               

              Don

                • Re: Automatic View Update Option
                  Jody Stiles
                  Jody Stiles Sep 28, 2011 4:54 PM (in response to Don Van Zile)

                  As it currently stands it is not terrible but it could perhaps be given some customization as to line type, color, spacing, and angle.  I can see a drawing having a lot of views on it becoming overloaded with hatching.  The lines become very compressed when you zoom out on the drawing.  Perhaps the line spacing could update to maintain some specified spacing based on zoom.