Cannot see 3D geometry when open step file...
Cannot see 3D geometry when open step file...
(OP)
Hello everybody,
I have the following problem: I have received a step file from a supplier; this .stp file should contain a big assembly. When I open it in SolidWorks, I see the structure in the structure-tree (left side) but no 3D geometry at all!!!
I've tried to reframe many times, I checked if SW opens the file in "easy mode", I selected in the View menu to see all elements, but I cannot see anything in the 3D space!
Please give me an advice on what should I do / check!
Thanks a lot in advance.
I have the following problem: I have received a step file from a supplier; this .stp file should contain a big assembly. When I open it in SolidWorks, I see the structure in the structure-tree (left side) but no 3D geometry at all!!!
I've tried to reframe many times, I checked if SW opens the file in "easy mode", I selected in the View menu to see all elements, but I cannot see anything in the 3D space!
Please give me an advice on what should I do / check!
Thanks a lot in advance.






RE: Cannot see 3D geometry when open step file...
you may have tried this but just in case...
1) zoom to fit (do you see anything?)
2) CTRL-Q (does anything appear)?
3) Tools > Mass Properties (does the part have a weight?)
4) Change from shaded to wireframe (does anything appear?)
5) What happens if you open one of the parts from the feature manager?
cheers,
RE: Cannot see 3D geometry when open step file...
Does this happen with other STEP files?
What are your system specs?
Can you post the file for review?
RE: Cannot see 3D geometry when open step file...
CBL. How can Donnis post a file when he can't see the file?
Colin Fitzpatrick (aka Macduff)
Mechanical Designer
Solidworks 2007 SP 5.0
Dell 490 XP Pro SP 2
Xeon CPU 3.00 GHz 3.00 GB of RAM
nVida Quadro FX 3450 512 MB
I'm just a little verklempt. Talk amongst yourselves. I'll give you a topic. Pink Floyd, was neither Pink nor Floyd. Discuss!--"Coffee Talk" Mike Myers SNL
RE: Cannot see 3D geometry when open step file...
Windows Explorer.
RE: Cannot see 3D geometry when open step file...
Both a STEP and a SW file exists;
he imported the STEP and can see the FM ... "I see the structure in the structure-tree")
Posting either file would be useful, but both would be better.
RE: Cannot see 3D geometry when open step file...
RE: Cannot see 3D geometry when open step file...
Ask them to resubmit, along with alternative formats.
RE: Cannot see 3D geometry when open step file...
Did you ever try to open one of the assembly components by RMBing on a part in the feature tree? If so, what happened? Did the component contain any surface / solid bodies?
When you imported the STEP file, a SWX assembly document was created, but were the component part files created as well? I remember having a similar problem a while back. The SWX assembly file got created in the directory where the STEP file was but the components got created elsewhere. Took me a while to figure that one out. You can check this by doing:
File, Find References
with the assembly open.