WF2 First impressions

finally loaded M030... The stuff I noticed in a really quick look: They
pretty'd up the install screens, got the splash screen to stop coming up
twice, Added an UNDO!!!! AND they added another button click to get
into the sketcher!!?? I guess this could be quicker if you already had a
sketch??? I used to have a map key to get into the sketcher... wonder if
I can still do that.

From my standpoint they have made NO progress in the Mechanica install
department. I think the install should make it EASY to get this working.
I installed Mechanica first, but I must have skipped the step where I
tell it where that's installed. (why can't it just find it?) The Pro/E
install did notice where WF1 was installed.. but I wanted to be able to
run either, so I created a new directory. It'd be nice if it would find
all the config files and copy them over too. Time to write some
enhancement requests...

-meld

 

Try right-clicking in the model window and selecting "Define Internal
Sketch" to get into Sketcher instead of going through the Dashboard...

PTC's logic is that you should model like Solidworks now. Make a
Sketch, then select it and create an Extrude from it. That is what
the new Sketch feature is all about, as Sketched Datum Curve is gone.
There is a new model tree filter (used sketch) that then auto-hides
the sketch from the tree and establishes a link to it from within the
feature.

If you want real fun, try the new Direction and Axis
patterns............no internal datums required.

Regards,

 

....... as Sketched Datum Curve is gone.


Made me go; "huh?". Sure enough the name has been changed. Sketched datum
curves are now just "Sketches" (?).

 

Yeah its about the same, we are runnin build 050 and it has less bugs
in it. some of my config.pro worked and some didn't, most of the my
mapped keys worked ok.

 

We've been putting off upgrading from 2001 but trying it at home it
seems quite an easy transition. Our top guy is insisting on a business
plan for the upgrade including Intralink 3.4 (67 Seats), He wants to
know what benifits WF2 will have over 2001. He's thinking about the
cost of training, installation, how long does it take to get up to
speed with WF2, ilink etc

Geoff

 

These are my own opinions and may or may not be shared by others here (n
fact most of this is probably heresy). Read at your own risk.

If you use Sheet metal, then WF (particularly WF2) has high level of
functionality, such as hole patterns, filling an area full of predefined
holes (round, hex etc), skipping holes etc. Also the preview on
sheetmetal walls is nifty in WF2, makes up for a lot of visualizing and
failing in previous versions.

If you do not use sheetmetal, then I think there is not much to be
offered. I think it takes a lot more clicks, you always get a redundant
dialog box asking you to select what used to be obvious before, there is
a new extrude button that does both protrusions and cuts--I dont know
how often you change your mind from a protrusion to a cut--seems like a
programmers/mathematician's exercise in cuteness. Interface is
prettier--more and more like solid works--but still not much more
windows compatibility (they are creeping in this regard).

Drawing has not functionally improved for a long time, except you now
have the annoying properties for everything--a good way to slow you
down. In fact drawing is one module that Proe has not touched in terms
of power for almost ten years if not longer. (If you want to dimension
a feature at an angle , such as a distance between an arc and another
arc at an angle, you have to settle for vertical or horizontal
dimension--just like 15 years ago!). You have to work around all these
limitations.

Parametric are you listening? Most people use drawings still to
communicate to the outside world. No amount of modeling enhancements,
3D drawings etc is going to change this reality. I for one would be very
happy if Proe stopped all the model enhancements except bugs (such as
extrude upto surface bug) and significantly improved the functionality
of the drawing package.

Intralink continues to improve and there are good reasons to upgrade,
but of course you have to have the right version of Intralink for the
right version of Proe.

You have been warned.

 

Patterning in WF2 is really getting quite good. You get this preview
showing you where stuff is going.

More clicks!?? In WF?? I disagree... There definitely is a learning
curve in WF (I'd say at least a week or two) but once you are there I
think it is much faster. I'd put in your business case that power users
trained prior to WF MUST go to some sort of training. Otherwise (since
they are experienced and think they don't need training) they just try
to guess how this works... and it's not obvious in a lot of cases. I was
having trouble selecting stuff and I had a PTC guy say, no offense but
you need to practice more... I was a bit offended and actually he was
only partially right. I needed someone to show me how WF works, then I
needed practice. WF2 is starting to make it a little more obvious what
to do next.

I didn't detail much in Pro/E before WF. I swear I've been able to do a
dimension at an angle in Wildfire. Ah..since you are not paying
maintenance you can't call the hotline. PTC does have a paper on the
reasons for staying current.

I'm pretty sure they are NOT... they'll listen to enhancement requests,
but as has been noted. You'll have to pay maintenance for the ability to
submit them.

I've heard that sending users and system admin to Intralink training is
a good idea. I once worked where it was set up well, and as a user I
needed NO training. I miss it now.

Yes, and these are only my opinins too

-meld

 

I have to disagree. Wildfire 2.0 is head and shoulders above 2001 in
functionality and ease-of-use. Besides sheet metal enhancements:

1) Patterns - new direction and axis patterns eliminate the need for
internal datums. No more fighting to get a radial pattern.
2) Undo-Redo in all three modules. Delete a feature? Undo the
deletion instead of dumping the part and reloading the last as-saved
version
3) Reusable sketch features.
4) Copy/paste of existing features.
5) Automatic ordinate dimensioning.
6) Dragging of packaged components (like Mechanisms package without
motors)

You're obviously already paying maintenance; to not upgrade makes no
sense whatsoever. The cost of a two-day update class is minor
compared to your per-seat costs in a year and - face it - you are
going to have to do it eventually, so you might as well grab it by the
horns.

 

We recently made the same transition, some of our older engineers had
a really tuff time, they whined and complained, called it "wild
flower" I am young fresh out of school and made the transition in a
couple weeks. At first I hated wild fire becuase they moved everything
around. Using the menu mapper in the help, helped alot. I have found
that wild fire is far superior. Datums on the fly, renaming are ten
time faster, wild fire eliminated a lot of the repetitive menu
clicking. As for added functionality, wildfire is awesome the rounds
and variable rounds are far superior, chamfers, draft and advance
modeling is a lot easier to do and to learn. We also us the mold maker
and the nc moduals. When using mold a lot of 2001 menu reapear. As for
the nc wild fire is a lot better! these are just my opions take them
or leave them.

 

I dont know why you think that I am not a paying customer. I, rather my
company, has been a paying customer for many years.

 

Oh - I wasn't commenting on YOU specifically... that was just a general
comment, about PTC's inability to listen to non-paying folks. Really
left over from some other discussion here.

Actually, as I'm writing this, it does occur to me that if I were
writing software, and someone not willing to stay current, gave me input
on an old version I'd be less than excited about their input.

Please... write away on the enhancement requests! In fact I think I'll
go write one now.

-meld