SolidWorks Shell Extension Server 1

[rfus]

Anytime I open a directory which contains a large number of SW files, whether it be in Windows (XP x64), the SW open dialog, or in the SW file explorer, I get this a crash of the Solidworks File Extension Server. The directory will hang, and then finally the files will show. It always happens if the directory is set to thumbnail veiw, but it also happens when the file exlorer opens a directory that is set to detail veiw. Has anyone had this happen? Anyone know of a fix? Its not the end of the world, but is becoming one of those daily annoyances and i'm tired of closing this window.

rfus

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

I have not had that happen, but I almost always use the List view.

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

... and never use the Show thumbnail graphics in Windows Explorer option.

 

[AnnaWood]

There is a discussion going on right know about thumbnail graphics on the SW forum.

https://forum.solidworks.com/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=24&threadid=15138

Be sure to read the entire thread. Also be sure to report this to your VAR so SW can get this addressed.

Cheers,

Anna Wood
SW2008 SP4.0, Windows Vista SP1
IBM ThinkPad T61p, T7800, FX570M, 4 gigs of RAM

http://designsmarter.typepad.com/solidmuse

http://www.phxswug.com

 

[rfus]

My part numbering on some projects makes the thumbnail and tile view actually quite helpful sometimes, so I have it enabled in SW. I guess I'm going to have to live without it, or live with this crash message, but it just seemed that soliworks should be able to make a stable thumbnail previewer, and I shouldn't always get this message. I'm thinking goodbye thumbnails, because even the little thumbs in the detail or list view bring up this crash.

I set everything to Detail view by default, so that i can quickly sort by date, and I much prefer it over list. I do have remember each folders view setting selected because thumbnails can be very helpful for stuff like pics, and i'd rather not switch over directories that I really like as thumbnails every time I open them.

On an interesting note, I saw this on Mike Pucketts Blog showing that the view is always enabled in Vista:

http://www.mikescadblog.com/2008/02/thumbnail-graph.html

rfus

 

[rfus]

I just read through Anna's link to that post. Whoa baby. Thanks for that and I think I can see whats going on now. It definitely started happening after I installed the 2009 PR. This new sldShellExtServer.exe is running, and way of previewing is crashing on my old thumbs generated in 2007.

I assume this whole resolution issue for 09 thumbs was done for SPEED, which is the theme of 2009.

This should be another post, cause there are a few points here, but quite frankly, I don't have time to report this stuff. I'm posting on eng-tips today because I'm converting files all day long. I would be doing it with the task scheduler, and going from 07 to 09, but I noticed that some of my 07 compcurves were not rebuilding in 09. I never used 08 for production, only some dev stuff, so I stayed on 07 for everything. I like 09 so am doing a backup and taking the plunge. I noticed that if I converted to 08, and then 09, that i didn't have the problem with the comp curves, but 08 doesn't have a task scheduler for file conversion, so i'm sitting here moving everything to 08, and am then going to schedule an 09 conversion.

rfus

 

[J-C]

Speed is actually slower for 2009 thumbnails.

Even for a folder where we have thousands of SolidWorks files, thumbnails were fairly quick as it only generated them for what was visible on the screen. After installing 2009....it chokes on them.

Plus you can't view them in Windows Explorer any longer. I wish they would put it back as I've never had any problems with it.

Jason

SolidWorks 2007 SP5.0
SolidWorks 2008 SP0.1
WinXp sp2 (32 and 64 bit)

 

[KronosDevice]

rfus,

Did you ever fix the Shell Extension Server error
from SolidWorks? If so how did you fix it.
Would appreciate the help.

Thanks in advance.

 

[rfus]

KronosDevice,

There is not a fix at this time. I haven't installed the 2009 SP1 EV, because I am waiting for SP1. I have seen on the SW forums that others have reported the bug.

The root cause is that SW changed the way thumb previews work, and changed the resolution (2009 previews are useless), so old ones generated pre 09 don't play nicely with the new shell extension server .dll/.exe that controls the handling of the 09 thumbs, but not pre 09 thumbs. I am very suprised no one tested this before the release. The previews really do help me find the parts and assemblies I need to get to when I have long lists of part nums like TSMTM000401..02..03 with _rev01 etc.

rfus

 

[KronosDevice]

rfus,

Check this out:

https://forum.solidworks.com/forum/...ghlight_key=y&keyword1=shell extension server