Locked display states?
Locked display states?
(OP)
Is there a way to “lock” a display state?
So you can activate a DS then hide/show parts without fear of messing up drawings.
So you can activate a DS then hide/show parts without fear of messing up drawings.






RE: Locked display states?
Jason
UG NX2.02.2 on Win2000 SP3
SolidWorks 2006 SP5.0 on WinXP SP2
RE: Locked display states?
I'm just wondering if there IS a way to lock DS and i haven't found it.
RE: Locked display states?
SW06 SP5.0
Flores
RE: Locked display states?
Jason
UG NX2.02.2 on Win2000 SP3
SolidWorks 2006 SP5.0 on WinXP SP2
RE: Locked display states?
Right now, it appears DS is dynamic. Whatever is displaying when you leave the DS redefines that DS. Which I think is BS. I want to define a DS and it not change till I tell it too. Especially since it’s controlling assy. prints.
But also just for assy. work. Isn’t DS a good way to control the display for groups of parts? If there is a DS named “top” showing only 20 parts in an assy of 200 parts… and “top” is activated… then you hide 3 parts while doing some work… those 3 parts are now gone from “top”… but I still want “top” to show 20 parts, I just needed to turn off 3 parts to do one thing. In order to add those 3 parts back to “top” I got to hunt them down in the tree and show them.
Understand now?
If that’s the way it works… that’s the way it works. maybe it was easier to program that way, it seems it would be harder to program because DS has to save a list everytime it is exited. Maybe there is a whole different mindset I don’t understand.
I’m not sure how Configs are any different. They are dynamic too. Whatever is displayed when you exit the config is now that config.
RE: Locked display states?
Wonder how they could implement something like this. Does Inventor have something to handle this situation?
Jason
UG NX2.02.2 on Win2000 SP3
SolidWorks 2006 SP5.0 on WinXP SP2
RE: Locked display states?
The big problem is DS are also used to isolate groups of parts in drawings. And that a part that is temporarily or accidentally hid in an assy while in a DS will be removed from the finished print… is crazy.
Like I say, if there is a good reason for DS to change at will I’d like to hear it.
Since you brought it up... in my view IV’s equivalent works perfectly logical.
RE: Locked display states?
You may not know, but you can choose to hide components from the drawing view itself instead of using a display state. This was the way you typically did it prior to Display states (though you could do it with configs). Go to the drawing view properties and there is a tab there for hiding parts. This works ok when you want to hide a few parts in the way. I prefer display states (configs before that) to handle isolating a small group in a large assembly.
My biggest issue with display states and hiding directly from the drawing view is when you add new components to the assembly. They automatically show up. There is an option for configurations to hide newly inserted components but it applies to the config, not the DS which means its all or nothing for all displays states under a config. Perhaps this setting should move to the DS level since it pertains to hiding.
All in all..I see your point some. I've heard people request the ability to lock configs so they can't be changed unless you unlock it....perhaps the ability to lock a DS would be handy.
How does it work in IV exactly. I didn't think IV had configs. It has visual reps right which are like DS? Are they separate files?
Jason
UG NX2.02.2 on Win2000 SP3
SolidWorks 2006 SP5.0 on WinXP SP2
RE: Locked display states?
http://www.paul-flores.com/isolate_2007.pdf
On as side note, does anyone know how to shrink a PDF file size whenever you use "Save as" PDF in Solidworks? It is a 4Mb file, but the images are small (178kb and smaller). I am using Acrobat 6 standard (not free reader).
SW06 SP5.0
Flores
RE: Locked display states?
RE: Locked display states?
I see configs as a top level assy manager. It can hide show parts but it’s unique ability is to control mates. To show the same assy in different positions. But it has to rebuild the assy on each config change… right? At least it rebuilds the mates. Once the top level assy is loaded DS is quick and fast way to hide/show groups of parts with out any rebuild period.
I suppose the other unique ability is to un/suppress. If your top level assy is large… then you would want to use configs to divid your assy into workable sections. But then use derived configs with DS
Jason said: “My biggest issue with display states and hiding directly from the drawing view is when you add new components to the assembly.”
Exactly. That’s another reason I want to lock DS. New parts are not added to DS if they are locked. It’s a little hassle to unlock the DS that you do want new parts to show in, that’s why the lock has to be quick and easy to toggle. Right now… you add a block to an assy then that block shows on every assy print using DS is nuts.
I see the option in configs for “hide new components”. It’s buried behind a few picks. That’s why everyone says SW needs more picks. It’s great SW has all these options but some options get used more than others. Your not going to change that setting on configs everytime you add a part. …Now, what would be nice… Control pick 5 configs, RMB and hit “unlock”… new part is added to those unlocked configs. Add mates, then RMB on the config header and select “lock all”.
Well, everyone wants what they want, right? I guess the answer to my original question is… NO. I’ll just have to be real real careful.
RE: Locked display states?
Jason
UG NX2.02.2 on Win2000 SP3
SolidWorks 2006 SP5.0 on WinXP SP2
RE: Locked display states?
You’re right, that’s not good. DS should not control what an assy is… way too many levels of confusion. DS should just control how it’s displayed while being worked on.
How does IV work? The default View Rep is “none”. Which actually means “all” because there are no display modifiers, everything in that assy is shown. That’s how DS should work. SW can even do a little better because their default view can be “ALL” (none confused everyone, hehe). And the only DS available when inserting a sub is “ALL”.
That way, Configs and DS are completely separate controls. Configs controls what an assy is. DS only controls part display of a config that is open and active.
And BOTH configs and DS should have a lock.
RE: Locked display states?
RE: Locked display states?
Actually, when I think about, the current options (Suppress new features, Hide new components, suppress new components) is very much like locking it. Problem is 1. Its not easy to see which configs have which options set, 2. Its not easy to change those settings for multiple configs. Easy way to handle this is to do something similar to the Display Pane for the feature tree that you can toggle or flyout with 3 columns for these settings. Then you could see them and change them easily. Also, the "Hide new components" probably should be removed from the configuration level and put under the Display States level.
Jason
UG NX2.02.2 on Win2000 SP3
SolidWorks 2006 SP5.0 on WinXP SP2
RE: Locked display states?
Those 3 Advanced Options only apply to new parts. They don’t “lock” the config. Anything you change while in the config still changes that config. All those options look like individual enhancement request band-aids, close to overlapping in function and confusing. Lock/unlock could replace them all and much more.
I’d rather see the config and DS icons change to show locked-unlock. With mult-select and RMB control.
RE: Locked display states?
In IV....when you hide a part while in a visual rep....it doesn't "remember it" like swx ....so that activating it again puts it back? Is there a special command to adjust the visiblity of components?
Jason
UG NX2.02.2 on Win2000 SP3
SolidWorks 2006 SP5.0 on WinXP SP2
RE: Locked display states?
You know Jason, I’m trying to avoid using the “I” word. There’s no I in Solidworks…
Oh, wait, I guess there is.
RE: Locked display states?
"I can’t believe I’m the first to see this as a problem."
"And BOTH configs and DS should have a lock"
Maybe it has to do with discipline. I haven't had any trouble with Display States because I use DS for visual purposes on assemblies, and on drawings I use configurations. You can use DS on your drawing views, but the hidden items will show up in your BOM. With configurations, the suppressed items do not show up.
I think that if you have used multiple MCAD programs, you will find that each program has it's pros and cons. I've read some of the Inventor forums, and many times users will complain that Solidworks does this and Inventor makes it harder to do that. You just have to learn how to use the program your company has, and if it can't do it, then you have to find a way to fudge it.
The good thing is that if enough users feel a need for "locks" on display states or configurations, then SW will add it in the future.
SW06 SP5.0
Flores
RE: Locked display states?
“Is there a way to “lock” a display state?”
“I'm just wondering if there IS a way to lock DS and i haven't found it.”
“If that’s the way it works… that’s the way it works.”
“I guess the answer to my original question is… NO. “
If someone would have just said “no”, I would have said “OK, thanks.”
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