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Edit definition

dr_gallup

dr_gallup

Moderator
Since at least 95% of feature redefinitions are changes to the section, there needs to be a quick way to get to that stage. Redefining a section used to be a three click affair. Pick the feature, right click, pick edit section and go.

Now I have to pick the feature, right click, select edit definition, move mouse to lower left corner of screen, pick placement, pick edit, move mouse to upper right corner of screen, pick sketch. Finally I can edit the section. This is no way to improve the user interface! Is there a way to change the popup menus to make this faster?
 
Those are all those fancy "enhancements" all the monkey's have been raving about that make Pro/E faster and better than before. Sadly as with most good things, over time it becomes so stupidly complicated that it takes a "new" product to come out and make it all better.


I'm waiting for MagnumPlasma to come out to fix this POS called WildFlameOut.


smiley2.gif
 
I think it's actually nicer than it used to be... The trick to quickly redefining a sketch is not to start at the feature level.


Instead, right-click on the embedded section and choose Edit Definition and then Sketch. (expand the feature in the Model Tree is you don't see the section).



Edited by: Brian_Adkins
 
I thought the idea was to work directly in the graphics window. Finding the feature in the model tree, expanding the model tree, selecting the sketch, these are all additional mouse picks. And what's up with having to go diagonally across the screen from the dashboard to the sketch dialog box?

Overall, I do think WF is an improvement, but the popup RMB menus (among other things) need a lot of help. Frequently I pick something and then expect to be able to perform some action on it with the RMB but the action isn't there. Back to the old menus. Not to mention wildly inconsistent MMB behavior between commands.

PTC has been redoing the user interface for about 4 years now, it looks like we have another 4 to go.
 
Good point... I guess using the graphics window is the long way around on this issue...


Maybe a RMB pick called "Redefine Sketch" would be a good idea.
Edited by: Brian_Adkins
 
You keep right on "Gallup-ing" there Doctor! You are 100% on the money with this point. WF has failed to live upto the"hype" that things would be faster and easier. Sure, I can make protrusions all day long without breaking a sweat. But not everybody designs bricks for a living. As is with all things "the Devil is in the details". WithWF all the "time saved hype" vanishishes with all the quirks, mouse movement and just plain silly interface changes. Sure there are some cool additions but it ain'tmuch easier and sure as hell ain't faster.






Edited by: dlongmi
 
Select,
RMB, Edit Def,
RMB, Edit Internal Sketch

Yeah, that is pretty stressful.
smiley1.gif


... also, sort of assumed it's common knowledge that if all that's necessary is a dimensional change you can simply RMB, Edit (or just double click the feature in the graphics window) to change the dimension without going into Edit Def...
Edited by: jeff4136
 
I saw a preview of 3.0 recently and the process of editing a sketch is going to be easier to access. There will be less movement and clicks of the mouse.
 
dr_gallup said:
... move mouse to upper right corner of screen, pick sketch. ...
Click to expand...

You can also MMB with the cursor just about anywhere to get thru the Sketch def dialog; no need to click on any buttons. This is applicable in a number of situations and saves a lot of mouse movement. Datum curve creation is an example (you never have to touch the menu; MMB once, pick the points, MMB three times), OK'ing out of the dash board... It is so common that that mouse life will probably be limited by the MMB life.
smiley1.gif


I migrated to Pro/E WF1 from another software that's lauded for it's ease of use (a software for the "masses" I've been told) and as far as I'm concerned WF has a much more streamlined, well thought out, faster interface if taken as a whole. I came into it with "an empty cup" though. Guess that makes a difference...
 
jeff4136 wrote:
Select,
RMB, Edit Def,
RMB, Edit Internal Sketch

I never knew that that second RMB menu was there! Thanks I learned something. There is 1 more useless SKETCH pick in the upper right diaglog box but at least I don't have to touch the dashboard.

Now, how about cancelling out of a redefine without 3 clicks each of cancel, do you really want to cancel? Come on, 6 picks to back out of a command?
 
... "1 more useless SKETCH pick"...

MMB instead.

... "Cancel out of redefine"...

Got me there. I have thought; "God, what a PITA!" for that one. I can't say for sure without doing some experimenting, but think the easiest way to back out of that curved alley is to ESC, clk Yes, ESC, click Yes, ...
 
To cancel out of sketches, or anything else, we use a mapkey "QQ" that calls various combinations like "Done-Return" plus "Quit/Confirm" - just record your mouse picks once & store for re-use later.
 
I used to have a mapkey like that but it doesn't work in WF and there seems to be even more different ways to cancel/quit/cease & desist in WF than before.

Here is our old qq mapkey, anyone have one that works in WF?

! The following mapkeys will enable "qq" to quit any command
! and bring you to the first menu.
mapkey q1 #done/return;#done/return;#done/return;#done/return;
mapkey q2 #return;#return;#return;#return;
mapkey q3 #Done-return;#Done-return;#Done-return;#Done-return;
mapkey q4 #Done sel;#Done sel;#Done sel;#done;#done;#done;#done;
mapkey q5 #quit refs;#quit del/sup;
mapkey q6 #done;#quit;#done;#quit;#confirm;#done/return;#done;#done;
mapkey q7 #done;#quit;#confirm;#done/return;#done;#done;

mapkey qq %q1;%q2;%q3;%q4;%q5;%q6;%q7;
 
Wildfire 3.0 will have a big red x on the feature menu that will let you click on it and you are completely out or you can click on the sketcher x and do it the old way.
 
jeff4136 wrote
.. "1 more useless SKETCH pick"...

MMB instead.

Sorry jeff4136, that one does not work, it cancels out of sketcher and goes back to the dashboard.

Most of the time when I redefine a section it is because the section needs another line segment, arc etc. What I really want is to get straight into sketcher in one click. Guess I need to see if I can get a mapkey to work. How often does anybody need to flip the section, direction, etc unless you got it wrong during creation? I like to have all that capability, I just seldon need it. The interface should make it easy to get to the frequently used commands.
 
dr_gallup, another new feature in 3.0 is the abitlity to reorient the sketch while in sketcher mode. No more backing out to the placement window.
 
dr_gallup said:
Sorry jeff4136, that one does not work, it cancels out of sketcher and goes back to the dashboard. ...
Click to expand...

Oops. Sorry, you are correct, sir. The MMB will work when finishing the sketch edit (click the "check" and MMB twice; once to OK out of Sketch Def, again to OK out of Dash Board).
 
I had a call into PTC support today because I could not find where to redefine a Imported Feature. In 2001 I would simply Right click on it and click Redefine and I was on my way on replacing it with a newer version. In Wilfire 2.0 they moved it, or I would like to say they hide it. Now what took two simple mouse clicks now takes 4. The biggest problem I have with the whole thing is there is nothing that would tell me where to find the so called improvement.


I have a problem with the whole MMB thing because given the changes on the dynamic model movement scheme I can't click the middle mouse button without moving my part instead of invoking a done. By far the biggest PITA.
 
"... can't click the middle mouse button without moving ..."

I used to have problems with that. Can only offer that it's gotten better with practice. For my part I'd, as a spaceball user, like to be able to disable MMB, RMB, etc. model movement in all my software. I'd also like to disable model movement on regen, too, but that's fodder for another thread.
smiley2.gif
 
These people just don't have an understanding of the windows environment. It used to be menus upon menus upon menus. Now it seems to be RMB popup menus and all kind of exotic clicking.


If you find yourself in the wrong feature while sketching you should be able to hit CTRL-A to select your sketch (or "rubberband mouse select" it) and then CTRL-C or CTRL-X. Back out of the feature, enter the correct one and get your geometry back with a simple CTRL-V. Reattaching it would only be needed when on another datum.


And how about a simple double-clicking on a feature to bring you back to the sketch definition ? Double-clicking is Windows standard for activating, so it's common logic. Like double-clicking a view would open the underlying model, open a part in assembly, open a note for editing, ...


And copy/paste for all things you can imagine : notes, drawing views, parts in assembly, features on a part, ...


Fortunately I still can use a system that does this all, outside of my 9 to 5 Pro-E job.


Alex
 
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