Creo2 questions

I'll take a stab at a couple of these points...

1.I'm not sure about this. The Creo Parametric Help Center can be set up so it doesn't require a login to access. There is a zip file to download from PTC that contains the help files. Once that's ready to go, add an environment variable pointing to the proper location and the help button (the question mark icon) works. Perhaps you're trying to access the learning connector, which requires the correct license purchase to access AFAIK.

4. This is nothing new. We were on WF4 until early December and I distinctly remember there have always been functions that restrict what can be done in the layer tree. I'm not sure if there are more now, but this is definetly not some new hurdle.

5. In WF, a user would pick the references, then pick the sketch button to be brought into sketcher. In Creo, the user is brought into sketcher, then picks the references.

I'll second what Brian said about the interface. Not only do I now like it, a significant portion of my users adapted rather quickly and easily. Far more than I anticipated like it, while far fewer than I anticipated dislike it. Like any interface change, it does take a little time to get used to. General consensus around our facility is that it was between one and two weeks to fully adapt. Certainly there are little things here and there that are annoying that the users complain about. While it may not be 100% enthusiastic, the overall user feeling is 'thumbs up'.

In Reply to Patrick Asselman:

First off: wow, PTC did a really good job alienating the experienced
users in Creo2. In previous releases I was always able to find my way,
but this time, the 'easy' GUI really has me stomped.

A few questions that are hopefully simple to answer:

1. What happened to the help? If I go to help, I end up on a web page
asking me to create an account. I naively created an account ("basic
account"), but now I'm still not getting help, instead I'm getting
"account not authorized. You do not have permission to view this
directory or page using the credentials you supplied.". What the heck?
Why am I not allowed to access the help?

2. How do I create sketched datum points? I'm able to create a sketch
with only a few points in it, but the points don't show up as datums.

3. Somehow I've managed to get my model to be in an "unfinished state"
simplified rep, which makes me now unable to get into Mechanica... eh
sorry, "Simulate". Probably due to me using "set representation to" on
the sketch feature (in an effort to turn it into datums). What is this
"set representation to" supposed to do? How do I get into a 'finished
state'?

4. Why am I sometimes unable to hide or unhide layers while doing other
things? (I'm not even sure when it happens exactly). It is not very
practicle to think that one can set layers to the correct setting and
then create a feature. I need to be able to switch layers on or off at
any point in the software, be it in a sketch, in Simulate, or wherever.
Is it just me or are layers broken?

5. Why do I not get the Sketch View when I'm starting a new sketch? And
why do I not get to pick Sketch References straight away? Now I have to
do extra clicks every time I sketch, bah! Is there a way to fix this?


My sense is that PTC has grown to the point where managers without
knowledge of engineering let alone CAD are in charge of functionality.
How else do you come up with a seperate menu for "Render"? If there is
anything unimportant in engineering, its rendering. Please hide it in a
deep menu structure somewhere, and give me a useful menu instead.

Hopefully you guys can help me find my way soon so I can start liking
some of the new things in Creo2...


Best regards,
Patrick Asselman

My users and I actually love Creo 2 over Wildfire 4 or 5. In fact, my users would wrestle you to the ground if you switch them back. I find Creo 2 much easier to use and much faster or productive.

You simply need to learn some tweaks to old traditional methods you are used to and you will be fine. When I create a feature and get into sketch, I don't pick anything at all but the surface I want to sketch on. Not sure what you are doing wrong here but again it's just a training issue.

I think the links provided should help get you aquainted with Creo 2 and I believe that with a little time, you will like many of the changes made.

"Too many people walk around like Clark Kent, because they don't realize they can Fly like Superman"