Creo 4.0 - component selection

[mcestnik]

Hello everyone!

I have a problem understanding the selection filter in Creo 4.0 assembly mode. By default the filter (in assembly) is set to geometry and I was wondering If anyone has an explanation - Why did they implemented this change?

What is the benefit?

Why would anyone want to select geometry on assembly level?

I couldn’t find any benefits but I did notice that this change caused an increase in number of clicks for most basic operations ( like component selection ).

For example in Creo 3.0 if I wanted to select and activate a component that was on the inside of an assembly ( behind other components).
Clicks:

Right mouse button (until desired component is highlighted)

Left mouse button to select the desired component

Right mouse button - Activate

Creo 4.0
Clicks:

Select selection filter

Change the selection filter to part

Right mouse button (until desired component is highlighted)

Left mouse button to select the desired component

Right mouse button - Activate

Select selection filter

Change the selection filter to geometry

I know that with holding the Alt key I can bypass geometry filter. But the problem is that pressing and holding the alt key selects (FEATURE or part). So when holding the alt key and pressing right mouse button first all features are highlighted and then at the end componets are highlighted. So instead of just a click or two it can happen that I have to click more than 40 times + (depends on the complexity of the part) to select a desired component…

I also tried to define my own selection filter ( in file – options – selection ) and added only part to my filter. At first that seems to work fine, but it causes “problems” in other areas. For example activating a component in an assembly still leaves the selection filter on “my filter” ( part ) so I have to change the filter back to geometry to edit a part feature…

Any thoughts on this subject?
Is there a way to change the behavior in assembly mode back to the way that it was in Creo 3.0 ( without recording mapkeys)?

Is there a way to set option that with pressed ALT key only components are highlighted ( without features)?

Short video showing component selection in Creo 4.0:

Video Link : 7526

[MuzzyP]

How was it? Was the smart selection filter included? Did inactive components/features/geometry highlight when hovering over an activated component?

[mcestnik]

....How was it? Was the smart selection filter included? Did inactive components/features/geometry highlight when hovering over an activated component?...

Selection filter was still set to geometry.
Pressing the ALT key in Assembly DID enable the component selection.

Inactive components/geometry/features still highlight first - same as in Creo 4.0.

[mcestnik]

I just did a test and the selection is fixed (ALT key has to be pressed to select components) in Creo 4.0 M050 and Creo 5.0.0.0.
The problem with selecting geometry on an active component that is on the inside of the assembly sadly still persist.

[MuzzyP]

Agreed, the fact that you have to cycle through all the inactive components until the one you have active highlights is garbage. I don't know if that is part of the "smart" selection filter, or not, but the impacts to work from either are significant.

I still find it funny that the way the change is described is that, "The smart selection filter was replaced for a New geometry filter" etc etc. This geometry was in creo 2, it is not new. You could set the selection filter to geometry and pick part surfaces like that in an assembly... But... Why would you?

[BJP]

We recently moved to CREO5 from CREO3 and this new selection filter is driving me nuts!

Has anyone found a way to make it work like CREO3 again in the two years that this was originally posted?

[MuzzyP]

Sadly, no.

I have not heard or seen a response from anyone at PTC regarding this glaring issue either.

I tried to explain to PTC the difference between 2.0 and 4.0, in my case, and example how impossible it is to edit features of an activated component in an assembly, where there are invisible, inactive components in front of the activated part.

But alas, that all fell on deaf ears and was filed under the generic response that, "It is working to specification, therefore there is nothing wrong."

Which basically tells me, their specification for Creo 4.0 was to make the component and feature selection more difficult while working in an assembly.  Mission accomplished!

[trailFileFnatic]

Looks like I am late to the party, but oh my...this is by far THE biggest drawback in Creo 10.0.1.0

I am glad to see, that other people have the exact same problem, though I guess we are small minority, otherwise PTC would have added the smart filter back by now. Since there is no way to get the old smart filter behavior back, does anyone have have any advice on the issue?