Unfrag.exe Vs Solidworks Inc.
Unfrag.exe Vs Solidworks Inc.
(OP)
The official line Solidworks is taking on Unfrag.exe is that it doesn't support Unfrag and that any problems that arise from it's use are your own risk.
Has anyone actually had any problems with Unfrag. So far I haven't heard one bad storey. Is there a reason for Solidworks putting in that disclaimer or is it just legal mumbo jumbo?
Cheers,
Matthew Wypych
Mechanical Engineer
DCA Design International
UK
website http://www.dca-design.com
Has anyone actually had any problems with Unfrag. So far I haven't heard one bad storey. Is there a reason for Solidworks putting in that disclaimer or is it just legal mumbo jumbo?
Cheers,
Matthew Wypych
Mechanical Engineer
DCA Design International
UK
website http://www.dca-design.com






RE: Unfrag.exe Vs Solidworks Inc.
I never had a problem with Unfrag. Lately, I've switched to EcoSqueeze by EcoCom. No problems, slightly better interface.
http://www.EsoxRepublic.com
RE: Unfrag.exe Vs Solidworks Inc.
As for people having problems I have not met anyone that has had problems, but I have talked to some other VAR Tech support Technician's and they have had this happen to them.
The reason SW is saying this is because they didn't write the code and they are not responsible. I can see why too. I wouldn't want to be responsible for someone elses code.
EcoSqueeze is in the same boat as Unfrag is. SW isn't responsible for that code either - So both programs is a use at your own risk.
Regards,
Scott Baugh, CSWP

http://www.3dvisiontech.com
http://www.scottjbaugh.com
FAQ731-376
RE: Unfrag.exe Vs Solidworks Inc.
Unfrag – The use of Unfrag is not recommended by SolidWorks due to the fact the files could become corrupt during compression. The shadow will come back on the next save. The file size is not a key contributor to performance. With proper backups, it could be used on library parts.
ht
RE: Unfrag.exe Vs Solidworks Inc.
Thread559-97903
Thread559-96652
Thread559-22063
"I think there is a world market for maybe five computers."
Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943.
Have you read FAQ731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?
RE: Unfrag.exe Vs Solidworks Inc.
Unfrag is still very useful for SW2004 (I don't know if this will be valid for SW2005). Even minutes ago I use to reduce a part file size from 6820kB to 3406kB!
No problem opening the file.
As a rule in my company, every file (part, assembly or drawing) is unfraged before "publication", on a server folder. I do this for years and never had any problem.
The only supposed problem about Unfrag (at least I've heard two persons complaining about this) is when you use Unfrag across the network.
So here is what we do: after the work is finished (a project) we copy the files to a local drive; Unfrag them; protect them against writing; open them with SW to check if tey are OK (we never know...); transfer them to server.
Regards
RE: Unfrag.exe Vs Solidworks Inc.
Most of the reason the files are so big is not because of SW, but rather Micro$oft. They add some many things to the file, that it grows out of control and there isn't much you can do about it other then using those compression tools, but they are risk so be careful.
Regards,
Scott Baugh, CSWP
3DVision Technologies
www.3dvisiontech.com
www.scottjbaugh.com
FAQ731-376
FAQ559-716 - SW Fora Users
RE: Unfrag.exe Vs Solidworks Inc.
Up till now we had no problem.
Today I gave a demonstration to our IT manager. I selected just one folder on the server. Unfrag reduced a total 560MB in just 5 minutes!
He was amazed and went on searching for information about the program on the net....then he found above link on the SolidWorks website :-(
It is now hard to convince him to use it at night on the server (from the server, thanks for the tips
RE: Unfrag.exe Vs Solidworks Inc.
This is a thread I started a while ago (Mad Mango listed it already, too). Look at Bradley's last post on July 30, 2004. A file actually uncorrupted by EcoSqueeze!
RE: Unfrag.exe Vs Solidworks Inc.
Best Regards,
Heckler
"Never underestimate the power of very stupid people in large groups" John Kenneth Galbraith
RE: Unfrag.exe Vs Solidworks Inc.
"Does this crash only happen with a particular document? If so, send it in. For big files, arrange for FTP, use Unfrag and zip the drawing with all of the referenced assemblies and parts. Use "File/Find references" to find and copy all the files that you need to send."
My colleague found this one
RE: Unfrag.exe Vs Solidworks Inc.
From what I have read and the research I have done it seems like the only risk is that a file may corrupt as the defragger is saving the file. And you play the same risk whenever you hit the save button in solidworks....fun huh?
Other things I've noticed:
Unfrag and Ecosqueeze work on SW2004. The biggest gains are made after development. If you mess with the file a lot adding and deleting a large number of files the size sky rockets up to for one example 32Mb. This file was defragged to 5Mb and then re-inflatted to 7Mb on reopening and saving.
Eqosqueeze seems to have a path length limit. I've tried defragging files hidden in the dark depths of our server and been told that there was no change in file size. I've then attacked them with Unfrag and got the usual results. Anythoughts?
While unfrag works, without some sort of garantee people wont use it on their files when large sums of tooling are being built off them....and fair enough too!
One last observation: If there is the risk of corruption during saving, surely having a smaller file reduces the risk of corruption as the file spends less time in transit. therefor, could unfrag be reducing the risk of corruption rather than the claims of Solidworks folk saying it's increasing them......Hmmmm
Cheers for all your help!
:)
RE: Unfrag.exe Vs Solidworks Inc.
Recently I had to send some files overseas, on CD. Initially the files fit on 3 CDs. After unfragging all I needed was 1 CD.
RE: Unfrag.exe Vs Solidworks Inc.
Chris
Sr. Mechanical Designer, CAD