Save as PDF locks up SolidWorks

Must be the Halloween spooks working early.

All of the sudden (no system changes) my drawings are getting clipped when I
print to an HP LaserJet 5000. And, on top of that, saving to PDF is locking
up SolidWorks.

I rebooted the computer, print problems remain. Reinstalled the printer to
no avail.

I was able to generate one PDF after the rebooot, but subsequent saveas's
lock it up again.

Anyone?

Richard

 

What version of SW. Have you used SaveAs PDF before today with no problems.
I wrote a little macro to saveas PDF in the same folder. Maybe skipping the
dialog will save you the trouble. If you have "." in your Part names other
that before ".SLDDRW".

This saves the .PDF with the same name as the drawing title in the same
directory
It closes each drawing without saving changes after saving.
(it also closes any part or assembly that is opened without saving changes)
modify it as you will

Corey Scheich

Dim swApp As SldWorks.SldWorks
Dim Part As SldWorks.ModelDoc2
Dim AsDwgDoc As SldWorks.DrawingDoc
Dim boolstatus As Boolean
Dim longstatus As Long
Dim Annotation As Object
Dim Gtol As Object
Dim DatumTag As Object
Dim FeatureData As Object
Dim Feature As Object
Dim Component As Object
Dim PartName() As String
Dim MyView As Feature
Dim ThisSheet As SldWorks.Sheet


Public Enum swDocumentTypes_e
swDocNONE = 0 ' Used to be TYPE_NONE
swDocPART = 1 ' Used to be TYPE_PART
swDocASSEMBLY = 2 ' Used to be TYPE_ASSEMBLY
swDocDRAWING = 3 ' Used to be TYPE_DRAWING
swDocSDM = 4 ' Solid data manager.
End Enum

Sub main()

Set swApp = Application.SldWorks
Set Part = swApp.ActiveDoc
While Not Part Is Nothing
If Part.GetType = swDocDRAWING Then
Set AsDwgDoc = Part

PartName = Split(Part.GetPathName, ".", -1, vbTextCompare)

Set ThisSheet = AsDwgDoc.GetCurrentSheet

Part.Extension.SelectByID ThisSheet.GetName, "SHEET", 0.025,
0.025, 0.025, False, 1, Nothing
AsDwgDoc.EditSketch
AsDwgDoc.ClearSelection
Part.ViewZoomtofit2
Part.SaveAs2 (PartName(0)) & ".pdf", 0, True, True
End If
swApp.QuitDoc (Part.GetTitle)
On Error Resume Next
Set Part = swApp.ActiveDoc
Wend
End Sub

 

Good luck with IT!!! =)

hope all goes well

Corey

 

Thanks Corey.

I fixed the problem by removing "Save to PDF" from my add-ins, then deleting
the Bluebeam "printer" from my printers folder. I "added in" the add-in, and
now all is well. I think there is a problem with another printer on my
system. Seems that IT removed a printer I had connected to from the server,
replaced it, and now I cannot delete it from my printer folder. I get an
error whenever I select the printer to remove it and it closes explorer.exe.
I reinstalled another printer from the network and now the problems are
showing up. They can't (or won't) fix it, and I'm stuck looking for ways to
print to my HP again. I don't believe it to be a SolidWorks problem anymore,
although I can print the PDF files to the new printer just fine. Settings,
settings, settings...just what I wanted to fool with on a Friday.

Richard

 

I also have the problem that "Save as PDF" from drawings locks up
Solidworks. It happens totally at random and is not document-specific.

Typically, I can save two or three PDF's and then have the lock-up.
However it also sometimes happens on the first saveas after a reboot.
I have tried:
- deleting the Bluebeam printer and letting the add-in re-install it
- un-installing and re-installing solidworks 2003 and 2004
- testing two different systems (both are decent Workstations with
Microsoft office Win2000Sp4, Lotus notes... nothing far from ordinary)
- placing all files on the local hard drive and saving the PDF to the
hard drive- same bad result.
- increasing virtual memory to 4X RAM (1 Gig DDR RAM, Intel processor)

None of these things worked

Another thing that happens is that during the lock-up a file
in the temp folder is being written and it will not stop until I close
Solidworks with task manager or until this file is so big it fills the
hard drive !! The file is a .ps file. that Bluebeam creates for
temporary use,

Does anyone know a solution for this problem? Does anyone else have
this problem?

This happens in SW2003sp5 and SW2004SP1 (Windows 2000sp4) on both the
systems that use at work. The only time I have escaped this problem is
on my home license on my home computer.

My computer at home is not as powerful as what I have at work.. the most
significant difference is that my home PC has winXP standard.

Yes, I have talked to the VAR about it. I have tried what they have suggested.

mark