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SolidWorks Mystery Tip: PhotoWorks DOF!

30 Apr, 2008 by Josh Mings in CAD

solidworks tips Ok, I’m gonna try something here. I get a bit of emails asking questions about SolidWorks and alot of them are really good questions that I’d love to turn into posts. So that’s what we’re gonna do.

First Person to Ask a Question
The first person to add a comment below that asks a question about SolidWorks will turn this post into a 100% grade-A tip for everyone to join in on. All I ask, is that it’s not a question like, why does SolidWorks suck or can monkeys use SolidWorks… this is serious stuff people.

So ask away, chime in if you know the answer, and we’ll see how this goes. If you like it, we can turn it into a regular type of thing on this here blog.

The Mystery Question Is…

UPDATE! Jeff (at 7:22 am CT) asks – “In Photoworks, do many people use both the depth of field and indirect illumination? I find the two don’t work together well- turning DOF on causes indirect illumination to make little difference. I know this isn’t the most exciting question, and maybe a better one will be sparked from this.”

Help him out in the comments!
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Putting Names With the CAD Blog Faces

29 Apr, 2008 by Josh Mings in RESOURCES

Sometimes it takes a little while to get a blog post up. Franco Folini from the NovEdge Blog last posted on December 17th, 2007. Ya see, he’s been busy… creating THE MOTHER OF ALL CAD DIRECTORIES

… IN THE WORLD!

I’m sure he’s tired, passed out on the floor, waiting for you to tell him to stop groveling and get back to postin’ the interviews with interesting people. I hope he does also and throws in some other posts with his own opinions about this craziness.

While you’re waiting though, check out the new NovEdge Pulse, you’ll be able to put some faces to the names and blogs. These are the one’s I read that had photos associated with them… yes I listed mine first. Oh, and don’t worry, I’m actually not that pensive looking in real life… I was concerned about some children being tortured by a squirrel in a nearby tree.

UPDATE: Franco was instantly inspired by this post and created a page that has photos of ALL the bloggers. Check out the Blogger Directory.

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How to Make Learning SolidWorks Tasty: The Grandpa Effect

29 Apr, 2008 by Josh Mings in CAD

This is the grandpa scenario in full-effect. Whenever my brothers and I would go over to my grandparents, there would be Twix and Twizzlers in the top cabinet over the stove. I’m completely convince my gut is lined with whatever Twizzlers are made from. There were also giant chocolate chip cookies that made it seem grandma was the head ringer of the cookie cartel.

All those good memories become sadly obscured with the emailin’ and taskin’ and blog writing, but I’ve managed to harness 6.5 ounces of good ol’ grandparent wisdom and turn it into a blog post with some helpful tips about getting the most out of SolidWorks Training. A stretch? Only to the cabinet over the stove.
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How to Take the Pain Out of PDM: SolidWorks Explorer in 12 minutes, 6 seconds

28 Apr, 2008 by Josh Mings in CAD

Just when you thought you knew everything about SolidWorks Explorer, Devon Sowell gives us his first post discussing tips to make your venture into the abusive and murderous world of data management easier to handle.

Some Things you’ll learn:

What SolidWorks Explorer is for
If parts are open when a drawing is open (Hmmm…are they?)
How to set up references
How to make Windows Desktop Search not suck

This little program has more uses that a bowl of rice pudding and looks wonderful on the screen when the boss walks by. Here’s what I like about SolidWorks Explorer and some additional things to keep in mind.

When using Pack-and-Go on big assemblies, uncheck and collapse the first item, then expand it and pick the items you need.
You can use Rename to fix “built-in-context-of…” references that have been lost. Rename to the assembly it’s built in-context of, then name it back.
You can use SolidWorks Explorer to Rename configurations, but it will not update the Design Table it’s linked to.
You can’t change properties on components you have opened. Just shut that sucka down and change away.
You do have some SolidWorks Explorer Options. It’s the third circular icon on the top menu. I would set-up some common where-used and search locations there.

How do you use SolidWorks Explorer?

Friday Smackdown: Magic Water Babies

25 Apr, 2008 by Josh Mings in SMACKDOWN

No, seriously, they came out of nowhere and took my toothpicks, canteen and a small stash of onions in my back pockets… Left me with these stupid links.

Dipity – Why does someone always think of a way to create interactive timelines before I do? This is so seriously cool.
Vibram FiveFingers – Hey look hon, gloves for my feet. he! no slipping on mossy rocks anymore. I’m getting one of each color.
Blowtorch – Your chance to pitch a movie, go shoot it and be cool… or be really lame at pitching movies.
Tools for your Video Career – With these, the video you come up above may be less lame. Some good info on liveStreaming and distro.
CreativeSpace Image Search – a really quick and fun way to find photos. Wish some programs I use had search functions like this’un.
Interpretive Kid Drawing Photos – or somethin’. This is what kid drawings would look like through the interpretive lens of a photographer.

How Microsoft’s Live Mesh Will Affect 3D CAD

24 Apr, 2008 by Josh Mings in TECH

Last night at 11 PM CST Microsoft let loose the fetters of Live Mesh, a new platform technology to synchronize and interact with data across any device and access it from anywhere from any computer or browser.

Oh, but it’s so much more and it could, and I think will, affect how you work with CAD in ways you may not realize.
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Siemens PLM Excites Onlookers With ‘New’ 3D CAD Technology; Many Soaked

23 Apr, 2008 by Josh Mings in NEWS

If you were standing on the corner of the CAD block yesterday, you had obscure CAD terminology splashed all over your new pants. Everyone and their step-uncle’s mom was waxing intellectual about the ‘newest-in-new, right-up-in-your-face- and-hit-you’ CAD tech announce by Siemens PLM called (prepare for large phrase that makes you mildly uninterested)… ready… “Synchronous Technology.” Ok, before you head off to LifeHacker, check this out… the cadmosphere is a-changin’…

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SolidWorks World 2008 Media: Grilled Well-Done and Served Piping Hot

23 Apr, 2008 by Josh Mings in NEWS

I find it funny and ironic that the SolidWorks World 2008 Media Site launched yesterday has the large SWW08 logo that includes the word “Share.”

SolidWorks didn’t want Matt Lombard to ‘share’ the presentations with everyone. But thanks to the frisky community and some understanding at SolidWorks, all the presentations and media are up for anyone that steps into the SolidWorks Customer Portal.

Oh, and Kudos to the people who put the flashy flash book together. I imagine thats could be part of why it took longer to put up.

For those that can’t get in, here’s a download to everything. (just kidding) – Here’s the SWW08 Photos in Flickr that are linked from the SWW08 site and a screen shot of what it looks like.

You’ll find all the SolidWorks World goodies under the Links section on the far left column.

Earth Day: Raised-Bed Garden Designs in SolidWorks

22 Apr, 2008 by Josh Mings in DESIGN

Just look at that, another year of wanton waste and excess and suddenly Earth Day is here again to make us feel guilty about throwing that milk bottle away.

While the eco-activism side of things makes me wretch slightly, I love to get outdoors and do the landscaping and the planting. It’s more because it’s nice to make things look cool instead of leaving them dry and barren.

Since I’m inside most of the day and it’s getting ready to rain, I’ll probably just think about planting something nice or go out and pull a weed. I’m also obsessively thinking of raised bed designs to cover our completely empty back yard. I’m not sure which material I’ll use, but I’m laying it out in SolidWorks first. Getting the layout has been one of the funnest parts because I’m able to update the design so quickly.

So, instead of shedding a tear about all the oxygen your cakehole is depleting, check out these raised bed garden designs. What would you use to make one? You can go crazy with the design, but, generally, they’re pretty quick projects to create in SolidWorks. You can also order your own raised-bed kits if you’ve spent too many earth years trying to create one. Here’s some inspiration and design details.
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Question: Why Do You Go To SolidWorks.com?

22 Apr, 2008 by Josh Mings in NEWS

If you’ve taken a quick excursion to SolidWorks.com you’ll notice some new slick graphics (love the sliding effect), more quicklinks and a smooth modern gray replacing the lovely orange hue.

One of the content blocks down below the featured content has a question that asks “What can SolidWorks do for you?”

This got me thinking. What can they do? Why do you want go to SolidWorks.com? Is it to get to the forums or see videos? Your company (in most cases) buys the software, so why does it matter to you? Are there things that are missing you wish they had?

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Archive for April, 2008