Interface inferno

then , in sketcher the tool project or offset, why the popups fly from edge to edge of screen? chasing them all the time, why not instantly open next to eachoter or fully open for edit somewhere? 

Sure thing - let's use the Find Dialog as a perfect example of UX improvement.

This is the current and proposed improvement for UX on this function - we need more keyboard less mouse… This will improve user experience by avoiding the users interruptions (errors) and manual scanning long lists of text/options for items that are matching what they are looking for.   This is a GREAT example because “Datum” appears mid-options on some of these - not just at the start of the option.

Michael,

I 1000% agree - THE ONLY reason Nitro-CELL, Nitro-BOM, and Nitro-PROGRAM exist… is because gaps in UX existed that needed to be addressed to take what we loved about Pro/ENGINEER, Wildfire, and Creo and accelerate those benefits!  Here are the motivations for each product - the “whys” and the “hows” 

Nitro-CELL

• Specifically developed to help users automate Creo Parametric (without being software developers)
• Provides bi-directional interface between Creo / Excel to get/set data and perform operations.
• Use Excel to define/manage Creo Automations with “obvious” user commands (e.g. file : open)
• Excel Automations are independent of Creo Models (change management) 
• Excel is ubiquitous, portable, and independent of models/structure (everyone knows it) 
• A swiss army knife of optimized commands that enable consistent / repeatable operations/workflows
• Enables user “processes” vs “clicks” to be captured/managed/executed at scale with less code
• etc.

Nitro-BOM

• Configurable extraction of Assembly BOMs and parameters to Excel Tables (multiple reports)
• Bulk Creo parameter manipulations (create/delete/set/designate/un-designate) from Excel
• Parameter Mapping (Creo Parameters → Target System Names)
• Creo Excel Table BOMs are in Power Query by default (merge with ERP data for costs, etc.)
• etc.   

Nitro-PROGRAM

• Drag-and-Drop Graphical Pro/PROGRAM Editor (Parts and Assemblies)
• Shows all the hidden Pro/PROGRAM logic that should be visible and editable in the model tree
• Visually communicate dependencies to reduce pain with trying to find them in a text editor.
• Create/Modify/Trace/Test Parameters, Relations, etc. 
• etc..

CREOSON - 13,700+ downloads as of this post!

• 100% OpenSource - Blessed by PTC (Thank You PTC!)
• Subset of our Commercial Libraries used to enable Nitro-CELL, Nitro-BOM, Nitro-PROGRAM
• Created because 99% Creo Users are NOT Software Developers
• Enables generic HTTP/ JSON Interface (programming/scripting agnostic - python most popular)
• VB, C/C++, Java, JavaScript are ALL Heavy Learning Curves and massive Technical Debt!
• Notice the wildcards (*)?! THAT option was my idea! (I just load/get/set/export whatever in session/directory/workspace and do things vs writing a bunch of process/evaluation logic to get prepared to do things).
• Oh… and then I saw this a few weeks ago… Claude AI using CREOSON to automate interactions with Creo Parametric  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOLniptMWCg ← Super Cool (wish I did that first) 🙇

Final point(s)

• The CAD and PLM market is changing very fast… companies want (demand) increased access, less user interactions, more flexible and headless automations, and (of course) cheaper...
• The EASIER Creo automations are to setup, execute, and sustain as a no-kidding process/workflow by the USERS (not the DEVELOPERS) has massive benefits for the customer(s) and PTC.  USERS will love their jobs because they can do more faster and their employers won’t look elsewhere when FOMO PowerPoints walk in the door by CAD competitors. 
• UX is critical - not UI … UX… specifically a holistic approach (lowest to highest levels need to connect to provide a complete and confident experience).

In Closing: 

The lowest hanging fruit for PTC would be to replace their current BOM process (which has never changed) with Nitro-BOM  - immediate win for them and their customers - removes friction enables faster results/interactions with data (local or enterprise).

Pro/PROGRAM needs to be a “first class citizen” in the Model Tree (parts and assemblies).  I would for sure fix some of the Pro/PROGRAM baggage that has been around for 20+years in the process (ahem lookup_inst, variables, execute statements, and those annoying input prompts).  BUT overall, PTC’s original implementation is super useful for master models and configurations… but it is NOT visible at all to any user when they load a part or assembly.

Nitro-CELL functionality within Creo Parametric is also an easy win - would be a market differentiator (no “programming” required - just use Excel)  OR leverage the Nitro-CELL functions as as language/dependency-free capability within Creo - ahem… “delta” (anyone)?.

CREOSON functionality is sitting in an open source repo… it works, is widely used, and can enable new design automation patterns -- would be super-enabling if Creo Parametric could run in a container run in the cloud at scale orchestrated by and leveraging CREOSON as the interface - easy to do… we test remotely now across our network to Creo sessions with it).

My love for what PTC has done with CAD started with Pro/ENGINEER v7 - and I have been super impressed with what they built, and how it has matured to be a more stable and reliable product overall. We have always have worked to help our mutual customers be successful with their products.  Could more be done… absolutely.  I am open to helping navigate the merging of the past and future for sure!

Dave