Join our MCAD Central community forums, the largest resource for MCAD (Mechanical Computer-Aided Design) professionals, including files, forums, jobs, articles, calendar, and more.
I fail to see the need to have to "Activate Window" when I change windows while modeling. Does this serve a necessary purpose? I feel that this could be streamlined so that whatever window I happen to be in is "activated". In general the fewer movements I make the better.
Probably the reason for not activating the windows automatically is the huge amount of data in the memory. When you switch the windows and Pro/E would activate the current window, its content would be refreshed every time, even if you mistakenly Alt+tabbed to the "wrong" Pro/E window but wanted to tab to MS Word document.
In any case I think even clicking the activate icon or Crtl-A is still annoying. But I still occasionally click on another window and issue a command and it winds up commanding the previous window that is still "Active". It just doesn't need to be this annoying. I should be able to cruise around from window to window with minimal effort. If I had to guess I'd say activating the windows is some legacy procedure that should be streamlined.
I hate when you have an assembly with a subassembly activated, then switch to another window, then back, it is no longer active. I've accidently inserted components into my top level assembly because the subassembly I was working on "deactivated". Happens too much.
Back in the early 90's there was an expert mode available in those tools. Maybe we could have an expert mode for users if they wish... so the can set a series of defaults like not having to click a window to activate it. Interesting.
In general I agree, but there are times when it's useful.
There are time when I'm in the middle of a feature, I want to go take a look at another part in another window for reference. If the windows auto activate, I'd have to cancel my feature creation to do so.
What's even more annoying is that even simple commands don't work unless the window's activated. Have an assy or drawing in front of you and want to RMB in the model tree to opena part? have to activate the window first.
There used to be more ways that this was useful, but they've been 'enhanced' out. Back before WF the measure tools worked in inactive windows, so you could pop over to another, inactivewindow in mid feature, take a measurement, and pop back andfinish.
You could also edit a feature to show it's dimensions on screen, then change windows, activate itand start a feature in the other window. When you went back to the first (now inactiave)window, the dims would still be on screen for reference. Not anymore.
It's frustrating when PTC 'fixes' these nice features that were probably there by accident but you come to rely on them working a certain way. The new release comes out and things suddenly work differently. Lots and lots and lots of those over the years.
Ahhh, yes. The windows operated system, what a true multi-OS. More like multi-BS. You want to know what the real problem here is,... programs don't live in there own environment. so with that in mind its impossible for programs to be truly multi-tasking. They have all this shared space, memory, libraries, bla bla bla. What do you get? "bob, how are we going to know what window to assign resources too?" Unix doesn't work like this. It creates new environments for everything but guess what. You have cheap, "we've got to save a buck", companies that say, "we've got to make this product run more like a windows environment". And thats the killer right there. Boom, its over. Over the days when resources was used intelligently. The days when multiple programs ran for ever and never killed one another. Windows never saw those days and never will. Hold on a minute, I have to restart my computer
This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
