1-Visitor

Question

WF5 Detailing UI

Forum|Forum|16 years ago
April 5, 2010
55 replies
24672 views

We adopted WF5 last week and I have had nothing but complaints from the user community regarding the increased amount of clicks to complete tasks. They have also found multiple problems using the show annotations tool. Does anyoneone have similar experiences or found ways to reduce the number of clicks in WF5 detailing.

P

ptc-46674

1-Visitor

Jason

When you post a question of this nature it is important to include all the infomation ?

what problems are they having ? a little more detail, for example users have experienced ..... details

What is the datecode of WF5

what graphics card do you have

and some basic computer information is generally helpfull

Dave McClinton

Mckesson Automation

david.mcclinton@mckesson.com

J

jasonb13

Author

1-Visitor

We areon WF5 M030. I am usure how the graphics card comes into play.

The question is regarding the actual workflow of the software with the ribbon interface. The number of clicks to complete everyday tasks as increased due to the new UI.

With regards to showing model annotations, there are plenty of problems that are due to the functionality;

You can't show dimenions by feature that have been erased. This includes dimensions that are showing up as being erased pre-WF5
Regarding show by view; you can't see what you are doing with all the dimensions that are shown.
In the Drawing tree and show and erase dialog box...nobody knows the proe designtaion ie. d123...it would be more useful to put in the actual value.

These are just a few examples; I was just trying to get a feel for how the rest of the community was doing with the ribbon UI.

M

mpeterson

1-Visitor

Yes we are experiencing the same issues with the new drawing UI. Build M30 did help resolve some issues we had with Shown dimensions that were erased and did not show up as grayed out in the drawing tree and thus could not be shown again. We are a small group, but ALL of us do not like the new Drafting/Detailing interface. I have been using it for a month now and am still not used to it and find my self clicking on things that can't be done until changing to the other tabs/modes. I am very concerned WF6 might make the same changes in the modeling UI which would be devastating if done the same way. There are so many great new enhancements in WF5, but this is a big step in the wrong direction.

Sincerely,
Mark A. Peterson
Sr Design Engineer
Igloo Products Corp
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P

ptc-2032585

1-Visitor

A few items that were brought up (not only in this message):

In order to click on items that are "out of order" with the current TAB, use the ALT key.

The "d123" that shows in the model tree is the same parameter name assigned to the dimension in particular or the annotation in general. Change it and it will change in the model tree.

Erased dimensions are still available in the model tree. Just RMB, UNERASE.

On 05.04.

J

jasonb13

Author

1-Visitor

In Reply to Rui Vaz:

Rui,
You have some good points and we have learned these options.
We have found the following faults after investigating your comments:
Even if you select something that is not "in order" with the current tab using the Alt Key, you can't do anything with it until you switch tabs.
Usually only critical items are renamed...to rename every dimension is unrealistic.
Ihave found theerased dimensions are in the model tree. To find the correct dimension, you have to know what view the dimension happens to be assigned to and then you have to find the dimension which could take anywhere from 2 minutes to 20 minutes depending on the complexity of the model.
A few items that were brought up (not only in this message):

In order to click on items that are "out of order" with the current TAB, use the ALT key.

The "d123" that shows in the model tree is the same parameter name assigned to the dimension in particular or the annotation in general. Change it and it will change in the model tree.

Erased dimensions are still available in the model tree. Just RMB, UNERASE.

On 05.04.

T

tgiauque

1-Visitor

All,

I'm one of the people who's been hectoring Jason with complaints since we switched to WF5, so I figured I ought to provide some of my feedback to the general public here.

First, let me say that I think the changes PTC's made to the modeling side of Pro/E are great - the Dynamic Edit, the on-the-fly Appearance Editor, and especially the improved Failure Diagnostics module are terrific. Really, I don't have any complaints with the new functionality or the other, more minor enhancements to the modeling side of things.

But, my stars, the drawing module certainly got screwed up. This is a direct result of the switch to the so-called Ribbon interface. It starts with the big swath of screen space eaten up by the ribbon and its icons. Now, the actual space you have to do drawing work is reduced by the model/drawing trees, the dashboard, and the ribbon. Sure, you can hide it - that's the very first thing I do upon opening a drawing - but that brings up the next issue.

You now have to be on the correct ribbon tab to do tasks. This was clearly a decision made by somebody who has never worked on a drawing before, ever. In the normal process of building a drawing, I'll find myself adding some dimensions, then maybe adding another view, then moving the dimensions from one view to another, then maybe adding a symbol, etc. etc. I shift from one type of task to another quickly and frequently. But now I need to remember to go up and select the proper tab in between tasks. Where is the value added here? What does this do for me? It seems obvious to me that this software direction was mandated by marketing, because I don't see how it adds any value to the end user.

Furthermore, showing/erasing/deleting dimensions has been given a new layer of hassle, with more mouse clicks and movement. My usual way of building a drawing involved opening up the model tree, right-clicking on a feature, and showing the dimensions, one feature at a time. I'd go ahead and show them, then position them on the view(s) as necessary, adjust tolerances, add GTOL frames, etc., then move to the next feature. Well, now, you can't just "show" the dimensions - you have to navigate a dialog box that, naturally, opens on the far side of the screen. I'm sure somebody out there has done or will do a comparison of the total mouse travel distance needed to make a drawing between WF4 and WF5, but I wouldn't be surprised if it's doubled with this new release.

I'll give it this - the drawing tree can be handy. But the dimensions are listed as strings of numbers that make no logical sense. Can we at least have the ability to switch them to dimension values? Or show by feature, rather than by drawing view?

I could go on, but you get the point. I love the new modeling enhancements, but the drawing mode is a disaster. And the news that WF6 is going to be incorporating this idiotic ribbon in the modeling side, too? Can we roll back to WF4 instead? Change for the sake of change isn't a good thing, unless actual problems are getting resolved in the process. To me, I can't say what problems are being addressed with the new interface.

Tim

M

mjohn36886

1-Visitor

Hopefully end-users will wait as long as they can to move to Wildfire 5.0. I
am so sick of learning new interfaces that don't fix problems, just slow
down my productivity. I hated it when MS Office adopted the ribbon and I'm
sure I'll hate the half-ass effort Pro-E will give it.

Mike Johnson

Senior CAD Designer

Carlisle Industrial Brake & Friction

-

812-334-8797

P

ptc-2032585

1-Visitor

To Jason

you may be exaggerating on purpose, but to say you can't do "anything" with something until the correct tab is selected is inaccurate. In the Layout tab, you can reposition dimensions, edit a value, etc. In the Annotate tab, you can select views and reposition those. Maybe I'm privileged that normally I place (most) views, then dimension and hardly ever need to go back and forth. I confess that I don't do many 2D's, and will iterate that I can understand all your (and others') points. Was just pointing out some things that maybe not everyone knew about.

As for dimension names, renaming was an example, but someone (sorry don't remember who) mentioned them as if he/she didn't know where those numbers came from.

Rui

On 06.04.

A

Anonymous

I too do not like the ribbon for the same reasons already mentioned.
Does it have any advantage over prior releases?
Does anyone like it?

Gerry

P

ptc-1932745

1-Visitor

The biggest problem with the ribbon interface is that it goes back to
the 'Action-object' method, one thing I thought we were getting away
from.

BTW, you can still right-click on a drawing object and select 'Show
Annotation', or select the dimension and select 'Properties', so I don't
think the condition is dire.

I would rather hide or minimize the ribbon interface and count on the
right-click options for my workflow.

On balance, this ribbon interface is no better or worse than other MS
products, or another CAD system (which shall remain nameless), with the
exception that left-clicking on an item on the drawing view
automatically brings up the objects parameters on a panel on the left
side of the view, replacing the model tree.

On the plus side, at least NC is not a ribbon yet, just a series of
mostly confusing icons for the NC sequence types (thank goodness for
tooltips!)

BTW, as far as I can tell, the machinability database STILL doesn't work
to enter speed and feed parameters for cutting conditions. (but I am
still tinkering)

Christopher Gosnell

TRIGON INC.
FPD Company
124 Hidden Valley Road
McMurray, PA 15317

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