new parts in context of assembly.

I've asked this question before and no one else was having the same problem.
When creating a new part within an assembly, I can't see the base sketch
unless I zoom way OUT (not in). Of course this makes it very hard to add
relations and dimensions. We have two seats here, identical machines and
this happens only on the machine I use. I feel that it is a setting in
SolidWorks but I can't find it for the life of me. Anybody else seen this?

 

i never create a new part in the context of an assy. i "rough it" out as a
new part, then insert into assy and mate. origin (and orientation) is right
where i want it every time.

 

Thanks for your reply, but it really doesn't answer my question does it?

 

I'm doing a lot of in context parts in my assys....and I see this
phenmena....from time time
Can't really put my finger on what's causing it, but I have a feeling that
the bigger the assy is the more frequent this behaviour is. Zooming out is
alaways the workaround and as You say it's hard to pick the right line or
edge for dimensions or relations after that.
This is not really related to creating a new part though.....I do it as
Kenneth describe it ....create a party first...roughly....insert in in place
and after that edit it, but I get the behaviour anyhow.

Win2K
Dell Precision 530
2x2,8GHz Xeon
Qadro4 900XGL 128MB

 

i get it, subtle hints are not welcome, ok fine.

you could copy the options from one machine to another.
http://swtools.cad.de/us_index.htm

don't be fooled by the title, it will also copy assy, prt & system options

 

i'm so used to using filters, i forgot about the software flaw. seems to me
this became more problematic when change transparency (part) was added for
2004. i don't remember using filters as much in 2003 as i do now.

 

Interesting idea, I've used the Solidworks copy options utility when I
first noticed the problem. So everything should be the same as the other
machine that works. But the same file can be opened on the other machine
and I don't see this problem. I've even swapped video cards trying to
located the culprit. As you move the pointer over the invisible sketch
entities they become visible briefly. Maybe I tend to over use the in
context part creation but I've had very good form fit & function results
using this method. And considering this is a major selling point of the
software I would think it should work correctly. Actually I didn't take
your reply as a "suntle hint", I just thought you didn't understand what I
was trying to ask.

thanks for taking the time to try to help,
Jeff

 

and now after spell checking...

Interesting idea, I used the Solidworks copy options utility when I
first noticed the problem. So everything should be the same as the other
machine that works. But the same file can be opened on the other machine
and I don't see this problem. I've even swapped video cards trying to
locate the culprit. As you move the pointer over the invisible sketch
entities they become visible briefly. Maybe I tend to over use the in
context part creation but I've had very good form fit & function results
using this method. And considering this is a major selling point of the
software I would think it should work correctly. Actually I didn't take
your reply as a "subtle hint", I just thought you didn't understand what I
was trying to ask.

thanks for taking the time to try to help,
Jeff

(its been the longest week of my life!)

 

as is stated i don't "create" new parts in-context. not doing this is just
a minor side step.

however, as a tool, in-context is "in-valuable" for features and sketches
(even a base sketch) and it works fine for me.

 

Check the setting on both machines for Use Software OpenGL. Is one using it
and not the other? I've seen something similar on machines with slower
video cards.

WT

 

This sounds like an old bug I reported last year. Check to see if
you have the latest SP. Also, the newer Nvidia drivers cause this
problem. I think SP 4.1 fixes something along these lines. Look
at the list on the SW website.

Mike Wilson

 

Since you said the machines were identical earlier, I assume that you were
swapping identical video cards? Are you sure that the two cards are using
the same drivers?

Sure sounds like a video card problem.


Jerry Steiger
Tripod Data Systems
"take the garbage out, dear"

 

I having this problem, once in awhile, in SW2003. But haven't had it in
SW2004.
I really have no idea what you can do to stop it from happening either.

Richard

 

I thought the workaround was to turn on shadows in shaded mode,
then turn them off.

It happened when a sketch reached a certain size. Maybe draw a
giant circle and change sizes until you reach the threshold.

Mike