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Decals

Decals

(OP)
SW 2006  SP5.0

I put a decal on Part, which is a part of assy which in turn is used on a dwg. The view on the dwg is Shaded With Edges which diplays the decal.

Now, when I close everything and then open the dwg only, the decal does NOT show up. I have to open the assy and then go back to dwg to have the decal displayed.

This is a bit dangereous because someone may open dwg ONLY and get it printed without the decal.

What am I doing wrong ?

RE: Decals

You're not adding enough water to the decal.lol

Seems like maybe a bug or video card issues. What are your VC specs?

Chris
Systems Analyst, I.S.
SolidWorks 06 4.1/PDMWorks 06
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 10-27-06)

RE: Decals

Did you try shading the view in the drawing? I know a texture will not show up in drawing if the view is not shaded... I would assume the same for Decals.

Regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP
www.scottjbaugh.com
FAQ731-376

RE: Decals

(OP)

Quote:

You're not adding enough water to the decal.

Well, this time around I've licked it very well and it still misbehaves ... sad

Quote:

What are your VC specs?

My IT man is not around - from what I could figure out it's ATI Sapphire RADEON X800.

Quote:

Did you try shading the view in the drawing?

Yeap - see my first post. Tried with Shaded too, no difference - the assy must be opened for the decals to show up.

RE: Decals

I don't see your video card as SolidWorks certified.

Chris
Systems Analyst, I.S.
SolidWorks 06 4.1/PDMWorks 06
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 10-27-06)

RE: Decals

None of the Radeon cards are SW certified. But that may not be the problem. I am running an nVidia FX500 with the correct driver & I have the same problem as the OP ... the part has to be open before the decal in the drawing view will show.

cheers

RE: Decals

Here's a long shot.

The decal is created through PhotoWorks and by default PhotoWorks information is not saved with the SW files.  This might be your issue?

In SW 2007 you have the option to save the PhotoWorks information with the file.  Open the model file, make sure PhotoWorks is enabled, go to PhotoWorks options and check the box near the bottom to save PhotoWorks information with the file.  Save.  Now close the model file and open the drawing.

It may or may not work?

Rob Rodriguez CSWP
President: Northern
Vermont SolidWorks User Group
www.robrodriguez.com (updated 8/12/06)
SW 2006 SP 4.0 / SW 2007 SP 0.0

RE: Decals

rockguy ... didn't work. sad Good thought though.

cheers

RE: Decals

I have the same thing happen with my FX-1400.  I normally need to open the part with the decal, rebuild, and then I can see it.

This glitch has cost me a lot of wasted time in that I've rendered complex animations only to find out a decal I can clearly see in the assembly didn't actually rendered, but stayed white.  Aggravating.  Sometimes it doesn't show from the beginning, but I solve it like I said above.  Seems like a SW program glitch (2007) perhaps, instead of a graphics problem.

For the record, I've had mixed "saved Photoworks materials" as part of the file and referring to a custom directory of materials/decals.  I don't use the default directory for this stuff (since it would all go away with a reinstall/deletion of SW).  Maybe keeping default directory locations would stop this?

Jeff Mowry
www.industrialdesignhaus.com
Reason trumps all.  And awe trumps reason.

RE: Decals

Jeff,
That is a great idea having a separate directory for the material files. Thanks.

Chris
Systems Analyst, I.S.
SolidWorks 06 4.1/PDMWorks 06
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 10-27-06)

RE: Decals

I don't think it would matter Jeff.  We have tried both setting up custom folders in default directories and custom directories and we still see the problem you're having.  It is frustrating.

We do create a custom folder (outside the SW install folder) for all our materials and decals and store them on a newtork location so we are all pulling from the same location.  You can set up the search path in PhotoWorks to load the correct folders.

SW 2007 has revised search algorithums for PhotoWorks that are suppose to help elimate the decal problem and the annoying little note you recieve sometimes in PhotoWorks telling you it can't find the files and asking if you want to look yourself.  We've had good luck so far with the material issue but decals still give us problems some times.

Rob Rodriguez CSWP
President: Northern
Vermont SolidWorks User Group
www.robrodriguez.com (updated 8/12/06)
SW 2006 SP 4.0 / SW 2007 SP 0.0

RE: Decals

I also cannot get materials to copy from one face to another in a different model.  I used to do this all the time with the previous interface.  However, with 2007 I've found that the new interface is growing on me.  I can simply save a custom material for a given project and then drag it to the model, body, surface, or face I need it on and it's quite fast if I'm doing more than two or three--very nice.  (And I often have many parts to copy materials onto.)

Chris, make sure you point SolidWorks/PhotoWorks to your materials directory within the Options area or it won't pop up reliably when you need it.  (I think Rob mentioned this above, too.)

Jeff Mowry
www.industrialdesignhaus.com
Reason trumps all.  And awe trumps reason.

RE: Decals

Thanks Jeff and Rob.

Chris
Systems Analyst, I.S.
SolidWorks 06 4.1/PDMWorks 06
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 10-27-06)

RE: Decals

(OP)
.
SW2006 SP5.0

By chance I have discovered the following:

IF you open any PART or ASSY (even totally un-related and in a different folder) that has a decal (which will display)
   THEN you can close (or keep open) that PART or ASSY
          and open only DWG with a decal (of totally different PART or ASSY) and the decal WILL display.
ENDIF

You MAY close all PARTS/ASSYS/DWGS and than open up only dwg with decal and it will display
     but you MUST NOT close and re-open the SW

I hope someone smarter than me can connect the dots ... if they can be connected ...

RE: Decals

Then I guess a simple workaround would be to always open SW07 using a shortcut to a file which has decal.

A long time ago I believe I remember reading a tip on how to modify a programs shortcut to automatically open a particular file. I will try to find it.

cheers

RE: Decals

(OP)
Is the decal file with extension .p2d sort of "pointer" to the "real" file .JPG  ?

RE: Decals

I'm not sure.  It could be more than a pointer, but a conversion file that saves the mapping and other data needed when creating a new decal.

If I remember correctly, however, you still need your image file (JPEG, PNG, TIFF, whatever) available for the decal to show the image--I don't think it absorbs the image file into itself.

Jeff Mowry
www.industrialdesignhaus.com
Reason trumps all.  And awe trumps reason.

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