Creo Parametric Tips

Well-known community member, Stephen, tells us he has two interests: Creo - and saltwater fishing with his wife in the bays along the Texas coast for red drum, black drum, flounder, and sea trout. Below, a good day with a 30-pound black drum he released. Stephen is Texas born and raised, spending most childhood summers on his grandfather’s hard-working farm.  He’s been involved in Pro/Engineer-Creo community since the mid to late 90’s, well before PTC had an integrated community.   He says:  “I enjoy helping other users learn how to use Creo but mostly I like learning things about the software I didn’t know. There is likely not a week that goes by that I don’t learn something on the Community that I can put to use.  I absolutely know that without the community, I wouldn’t be as good of a Creo user.”  We couldn’t have said it better ourselves!   Right now, Stephen makes parts/assemblies and drawings although he said that he used to do a lot with Creo’s routed systems and sheet metal capabilities. He and his team directly support manufacturing and customer integration for everything his employer builds. He kindly shared with us a photo of a project on which he works.    Here’s how he describes the photo below:  "The yellow part is a Subsea Blowout Preventor that is shipping out from our manufacturing facility here in Houston. This is ½ of the product we manufacture here in Houston. This part is about 750,000 pounds of steel. The other ½ is another 500,000 pounds and is not pictured. It ships separately but are used together for offshore drilling as passive safety devices.   It took 3 days for this trailer to get from our manufacturing facility to our port facility near Baytown TX (about 50 miles)." Thanks to Stephen for his contributions to the Community.  Better together is what it's about. 

Applicable Release: Creo Parametric 1.0 to 8.0   Description: In this video, we will be executing a Mapkey stored in Config.pro through  Creo Distributed Batch Tool The mapkey operations include performing Hide and Save status of All model Layers The mapkey is setup to save the modified model after execution ( <save_model>true</save_model> )

This is a document so please edit it and add, correct, &/or clarify how you see fit.  Then we can all use this as a point of reference when dealing with Repeat Regions/BOM programming.  If you don't want to edit it but still want to contribute, then just leave a comment.  Thanks!   List of System Parameters and Model Parameters used in model/drawing (Document - CS133915): https://support.ptc.com/appserver/cs/view/solution.jsp?n=CS133915&art_lang=en&posno=10&q=repeat%20region%20symbols&sourc…   List of Operators and Functions: Type Name syntax Explanation eg: Input   Eg: output Assignment Operator = MyVar="string" Defines, or assigns, a variable as a # or string       MyVar="H123" MyVar=10     = = No Output but defines the variable MyVar to be: H123 10 String Operators/Functions   Comparison Operators ==     == A==B     #A==#B Compares strings as equal.     Compares #s as equal "456"=="123" "456"=="456"   7==1 7==7 = =   = = NO YES   NO YES String Operators/Functions     Comparison Operators !=, <>, ~= A!=B A<>B A~=B   #A!=#B #A<>#B #A~=#B   Compares strings as unequal. (checks to see if not equal or not)     Compares #s as unequal. (checks to see if not equal or not)   "456"<>"123" "456"<>"456"     7!=1 7<>1 7~=1 7!=7 7<>7 7~=7 = =     = = = = = = YES NO     YES YES YES NO NO NO String Operators/Functions Arithmetic Operators +   + A+B   #A+#B For Strings: Concatenate strings. For Numbers: Add #s (Addition, Plus) "456"+"123"   7+7 =   = 456123 (returns a string e.g. "456123"*1="ERROR") 14 Arithmetic Operators - #A-#B Subtract #s (Subtraction, Take away, Minus) 3-2 = 1 Arithmetic Operators / #A/#B Divide #s (Division) 6/2 = 3 Arithmetic Operators * #A*#B Multiply #s (Multiplication) 6*2 = 12 Arithmetic Operators ^ #A^#B A to the Power of B (Exponent, Powers, Raised to) 2^3 = 8 Arithmetic Operators () (#A-#B)*#C Parentheses for grouping, Priority, and order of operations (3-2)*4 4*(3-2) = = 4 4 Comparison Operators ==   <See String Operators above>       Comparison Operators > #A>#B Greater than       Comparison Operators >= #A>#B Greater than or equal to       Comparison Operators !=, <>,~=   <See String Operators above>       Comparison Operators < #A<#B Less than       Comparison Operators <= #A<#B Less than or equal to       Comparison Operators | #A | #B | #C OR       Comparison Operators & #A & #B & #C AND       Comparison Operators ~,! #A == !B     #A!=B #A~=B NOT (i.e. Reverse a statement, Opposite) (                         Tilde ~ doesn't work for NOT next to a #.  Only next to operator = 7 == 7 7 == !7 7 == !4 7> 4 7>!4       7 != 7 7>=3 7!>=3 7~=7 7~=4   7 == ~7 7 == ~4 "ABC" == !"ABC" = = = = =       = = = = =   = = = YES NO NO YES YES (I guess even mathematically this is strange)   NO YES NO NO YES   ERROR ERROR ERROR Mathematical Functions abs abs(#) Returns the absolute value of a number abs(-2) = 2 Mathematical Functions acos acos(#º) Returns the arccosine of a number ACOS(0.125) = 1.445468496 Mathematical Functions asin asin(#º) Returns the arcsine of a number ASIN(0.125) = 0.125327831 Mathematical Functions atan atan(#º) Returns the arctangent of a number ATAN(0.125) = 0.124354995 Mathematical Functions atan2 atan2(#º) Returns the arctangent (inverse tangent), of the specified x- and y-coordinates ATAN2(2,3) = 0.982793723 Mathematical Functions bound bound(#x,#lo,#hi) Forces #x to be within the range of #lo to #hi. If x ≤ lo,        then output = lo. If lo ≤ x ≥ hi, then output = x If x ≥ hi,        then output = hi   (kind of the opposite as DEAD(), but not exactly)     bound(0,5,15) bound(7.25,5,15) bound(100.2,5,15)     = = =     5.0 7.25 15.0   cable_len       =   Mathematical Functions ceil ceil(#) Round # up ceil(3.25) = 4.0000   comparegraphs       =   Mathematical Functions cos cos(#º) Returns the Cosine of a # cos(2) = -0.416146837 Mathematical Functions cosh cosh(#º) Returns the hyperbolic Cosine of a # cosh(2) = 3.762195691   dbl_in_tol  dbl_in_tol (#x, #y, #r) Checks to see if x and y are within the tolerance of ± r #x, #y, #r are all real numbers Returns TRUE if abs(x-y) ≤ r Returns FALSE if abs(x-y) > r dbl_in_tol (2, 1, 1) dbl_in_tol (2,1,0.5) dbl_in_tol (10,20,9) dbl_in_tol (10,20,10) dbl_in_tol (10,20,11) = = = = = YES NO NO YES YES Mathematical Functions dead dead(#x,#lo,#hi) "Defines a range of values for x, for which the result of the function is 0." If x < lo,        then output = x–lo If lo ≤ x ≥ hi, then output = 0 If x > hi,         then output = x–hi   (kind of the opposite as BOUND(), but not exactly)     bound(0,5,15) bound(7.25,5,15) bound(100.2,5,15)     = = =     -5.0 (0-5) 0 85.2 (100.2-15) Cabling, Case Study Functions eang  eang(e_ID1, e_ID2)  Angle in radians between two entities, e_ID1 and e_ID2, of a case study   =   Cabling, Case Study Functions ecoordx  ecoordx(e_ID1)  x coordinate of the e_ID1 entity of a case study   =   Cabling, Case Study Functions ecoordy  ecoordy(e_ID1)  y coordinate of the e_ID1 entity of a case study   =   Cabling, Case Study Functions edistk  edistk(e_ID1, e_ID2) Distance between two entities, e_ID1 and e_ID2   =   Cabling, Case Study Functions elen  elen(e_ID1)   Length of the e_ID1 entity of a case study   =   Graph Evaluation Function evalgraph  evalgraph("graph_name", x) Graph evaluation function enables you to use graph features to drive dimensions through relations. The dimensions can be section, part, or assembly dimensions. graph_name—the name of a graph. x—the value along the x-axis of the graph for which the y value is returned.   =   Strings as Arguements exists  exists("x") Test if a parameter, variable, or dimension exists or not   x is a string EXISTS("ASM_MBR_NAME") EXISTS("ASM_MBR_NAME_") EXISTS("test03") = = = YES NO YES (note test03 is a defined variable in my relations) Mathematical Functions exp exp(#) e3 Returns e raised to the power of a number, where e = Euler's number = 2.718…  exp(3)=e3 =  20.085537 String Operators/Functions extract extract(#1,#2,#3) Extracts pieces of strings. #1=string analyzing #2=starting position #3=length (how many char to extract)   e.g. looking at the entire string (4324870B) Starting with the first character (4) Extract 7 characters (4324870) extract("4324870B",1,7)   Extract("4324870B",8,1) =   = 4324870   B Logical Functions False* false() false False function Returns "No" (For some reason doesn't return "False"!) False() False = = NO FALSE Mathematical Functions floor floor(#) Round # down Floor(3.25) = 3.0000 Mathematical Functions if IF(c,x,y) Similar to IF() function in Excel: c= condition statement x = what to do if true y= what to do if false (PTC documentation calls this a switching function but to me is too  basic to earn this title) IF(10==9,2,10) = 10.0 Conditional Statements if, Else, Endif IF <condition>    <what to do if condition is met>   ELSE <what to do if condition is not met> (optional)   ENDIF If--Starts the if statement Else--says what to do if statement is not bet (and is optional) Endif--(closes the if statement)   Can have IF without ELSE Can't have IF with more than one ELSE (E.g. IF ELSE ELSE ENDIF Can't have IF without ENDIF Can have nested IF statements.  Eg. IF ELSE IF ELSE IF ENDIF ENDIF ENDIF asm_mbr_name = 4564870B IF string_length(asm_mbr_name) > 7    Test01 = extract(asm_mbr_name,1,8) ELSE    Test01 = extract(asm_mbr_name,1,7) ENDIF = 4564870B String Operators/Functions itos itos(#) Integer to String-- Reads in an integer and returns a string.  If the input number is a # that is not an integer, itos rounds up, than converts to a string. itos(6) itos(6.7) = = 6 7 Mathematical Functions ln ln(#) Returns the natural log (base e) of a # ln(2) = 0.693147181 Mathematical Functions log log(#) Returns the base 10 logarithm of a # log(2) = 0.301029996   lookup_inst lookup_inst ("generic_name", match_mode, "param_name_1", match_value_1, "param_name_2", match_value_2,...) Used in ProPROGRAM Used to automatically replace the given Family Table instance with another FT instance: •generic name—Name of the generic model with a prt or asm extension •match_mode—One of the following values: –1 (find closest instance with param values less than or equal to supplied values) 0 (find instance with param values that match supplied values exactly) 1 (find closest instance with param values greater than or equal to supplied values) •param_name_1—Family table parameter name •match_value_1—Value to match against INPUT END INPUT RELATIONS INST_NAME = LOOKUP_INST ("PEG.PRT", 0, "D2", D6:0, "D1", D5:0 + 1) END RELATIONS ADD PART BLOCK INTERNAL COMPONENT ID 1 END ADD ADD PART (INST_NAME) INTERNAL COMPONENT ID 2 PARENTS = 1 (#1) END ADD MASSPROP END MASSPROP Example: Replacing Family Table-Driven Components --> "In this way, the instance of peg.prt being assembled to blockpeg.asm is controlled, based on the dimensions of the hole in block.prt."     massprop_param       =     material_param       =   Mathematical Functions max max(#) Compares 2 #s and returns the larger one max(6.2,4) = 6.2 Mathematical Functions min min(#) Compares 2 #s and returns the smaller one min(6.2,4) = 4 Mathematical Functions mod  mod(#n,#d) Modulus function.  Also known as Remainder function because gives just the remainder. e.g. n/d (numerator/denominator): 10/2=5 Remainder=0 (10/2+0/2) 10/3=3 Remainder=1 (9/3+1/3) 10/4=2 Remainder=2 (8/4+2/4)   In Programming Modulus can be useful to do many things. e.g. Determine if Number is Odd/Even [if mod(n,2)=0 then n is even] Clock arithmetic [mod(9+5,12)=2pm] Truncating decimal values Wrapping values into a certain range [given mod(n,360) to determine what quadrant a particular angle falls in for the unit circle) if Remainder       0-90, then Quad.1 if Remainder   90-180, then Quad.2 if Remainder 180-270, then Quad.3 If Remainder 270-360, then Quad.4]       Mod(10,2) Mod(10,3) Mod(10,4)           Mod(9+5) Mod(9+8,12)     Mod(400,360)   Mod(2300,360)       = = =           = =     =   =       0 1 2           2 (e.g. 9am+5hrs =2pm) 5 (e.g. 9am+8hrs = 5pm)     40 (40º is in quadrant 1)   140 (140º is in quadrant 2)   mp_assigned_mass       =     mp_cg_x       =     mp_cg_y       =     mp_cg_z       =     mp_mass       =     mp_surf_area       =     mp_volume       =   Mathematical Functions near near(#y,#y,#delta) determines if the numbers x and y are within delta of each other near(5,8,3) near(5,8,1) = = 1.0 (i.e. when true) 0.0 (i.e. when false) Logical Functions No* no() no No Function Returns "No" No() No = = NO FALSE Mathematical Functions pi pi() Returns the number for PI PI() = 3.141592654 Mathematical Functions pow pow(#x,#y) x^y Raising x to the Power of y #1=Base value #2=Exponent Pow(1,2) Pow(2,2) Pow(2,4) = = = 1.0 (i.e. 1^2) 4.0 (i.e. 2^2) 16.0 (i.e. 2^4) Strings as Arguements rel_model_name rel_model_name   or   rel_model_name()     Passing Strings as Arguments in Relations rel_model_name   rel_model_name()   =   501234 (when done on 501234.drw table repeat region relations) Strings as Arguements rel_model_type   rel_model_type   or   rel_model_type() Returns the current model type.  If you are working in Assembly mode, rel_model_type() is equal to assembly.   (note you can use with or without parenthesis) Passing Strings as Arguments in Relations rel_model_type   rel_model_type()     = DRAWING (when used in table repeat region relations) String Operators/Functions search search(string, substring) Searches for substrings. The resulting value is the position of the substring in the string (0 if not found). You can specify substrings with single or double quotes. search(asm_mbr_name,"501234") = 2 (Given asm_mbr_name is 05012340.prt) Mathematical Functions sign  sign(x,y)  Sign Transfer of y to x If y<0, the result is –abs(x) if y>=0, the result is abs(x). sign(-2,3) sign(2,3) sign(2,-3) sign(-2,-3) = = = = 2.0 2.0 -2.0 -2.0 Mathematical Functions sin sin(#º) Returns the sine of a number sin(2) = 0.909297427 Mathematical Functions sinh sinh(#º) Returns the hyperbolic sine of a number sinh(2) = 3.626860408   smt_def_ben_rad       =     smt_thickness       =   Mathematical Functions sqrt sqrt(#) Take the square root of a number sqrt(4) = 2 String Operators/Functions string_ends string_ends (string1, string2) Check to see if string1 ends with string2 Case Sensitive ("H" <NOT => "h") string_ends("h456","56") string_ends("h456H","56h") string_ends("h456H","56H") = = = YES NO YES Strings as Arguements string_length string_length(string)   string_length(<param>) Returns the number of characters in a string or parameter. string_length("als23fj") string_length(asm_mbr_name) = = 7.0 6.0 (when done on 501234.prt table repeat region relations) String Operators/Functions string_match string_match(string1, string2) Check to see if 2 strings are exactly the same or not Case insensitive ("H"="h") string_match("456","456") string_match("456","4560") string_match("h456","H456") = = = YES NO YES String Operators/Functions string_starts string_starts(string1, string2) Check to see if string1 starts with string2 Case Sensitive ("H" <NOT => "h") string_starts("h456","h4") string_starts("h456","H4") string_starts("h456","asd4") = = = YES NO NO Mathematical Functions tan tan(#º) Returns the tangent of a number tan(2) = -2.185039863 Mathematical Functions tanh tanh(#º) Returns the hyperbolic tangent of a number tanh(2) = 0.96402758   trajpar   "Trajectory Parameter" Returns a system of numbers that varies from 0 to 1 across the length of a given path http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trajpar sin(trajpar*8*pi()) = creates an undulating wave Composite Curve Trajectory Function trajpar_of_pnt trajpar_of_pnt("trajname", "pointname") The trajectory parameter of a composite curve, trajpar_of_pnt, can be used in relations. The following function returns a value between 0.0 and 1.0:   =   Logical Functions True* true() true True function Returns "YES" (For some reason doesn't return "True"!) True() True = = YES TRUE Logical Functions Yes* yes() yes Yes function Returns "Yes" Yes() Yes = = YES TRUE     *Relations containing conditional statements are not sorted. A condition is an expression that is either TRUE (or YES) or FALSE (or NO). These values can be used interchangeably in the conditional statement. For example, the following statements can all be evaluated the same way: From <https://support.ptc.com/help/creo/creo_pma/r9.0/usascii/fundamentals/fundamentals/Conditional_Statements_in_Relations.html>     Pro/ENGINEER, Creo Elements/Pro and Creo Parametric

PTC is pleased to announce the Creo Community Challenge, a recurring event where you can solve an open-ended challenge using Creo. Click to learn more.

How to change the license file in FlexNet Admin License Server 11.10.0 How to reconfigure FlexNet Admin License Server with an updated license file How to reconfigure the license manager with a new license file How to update the license server (lmadmin) to point to a new license file Error "(-12):Invalid returned data from license server system" when executing ptcstatus.bat in Flexnet Admin License Server How to update application with a new license file if license server is FlexNet Admin License Server (lmadmin) The client software does not recognize the new license file. Unable to find ptcsetup.bat to update the new license

With Creo+, you can get all the benefits of Creo delivered via SaaS and gain access to cloud-based tools to enhance collaboration, improve accessibility, and simplify license management.   The December release of Creo+ focuses on enhancing usability and productivity, collaboration, and design capabilities.   SaaS enhancements: Improved license management, new service principle for remote machines, Learning Connector support, and improved collaboration features. Usability and productivity improvements: Enhanced selection methods, detailed performance reporting, optimized process support, advanced offset techniques, and flexible import preferences. Design improvements: Design for composites improves dynamic updating and inclusion of HDF5 exports.  MBD offers easy sharing of semantic data and improved support for drafted features per ASME y14.8-2022. Simulation-driven design sees improved accuracy using contacts, while generative design has expanded analysis for hybrid bodies. Design for manufacturing now offers more flexibility and productivity enhancements in additive and subtractive processes. Check out the release notes to learn more about all of the enhancements available in this update.   As always, Creo+ users get early access to features and functionality before they’re available in Creo.   Learn more about Creo+

Check out this video on Creo "Resolving Geometry Issues" from PTC Application Engineers Presenters: Mark DeCraene (Solution Consultant) and Ryan Butcher (Solution Consultant, Fellow) Original Date Presented: July 23, 2024  

Check out this video on DFMPro for Creo Parametric.  Presenters: Tom Van Der Auwera (HCL), Pranev Khurjekar (HCL), Steve Gerdman (HCL), Nambi Chandrasekaran (HCL) & Lino Tozzi (Solution Consultant, Fellow, PTC)

Check out this video on Creo Automation with Smart Assembly from PTC Application Engineers and Sigmaxim (PTC Partner). Sigmaxim Presenters: Nelson Caperton (Dir, Business Development), Joel Beckley (Dir, Engineering), Michael Denis (Systems Engineer,Carrier) and Ryan Butcher (Solution Consulting, Fellow, PTC).   Creo Automation with Smart Assembly Learning      

Dear PTC Community,     We would like to inform you that some of your favorite Creo extensions and packages have been renamed. You will ask “What does it mean?” but no need to worry – it is just a simple name change; the content will stay absolutely the same (amazing!)    Here is a short overview of the changes:   Extensions  Creo Simulation Live Plus - Creo Simulation Live Advanced   Creo Flow Analysis Plus - Creo Flow Analysis Advanced  Creo GD&T Advisor Plus - Creo GD&T Advisor Advanced  Creo Additive Manufacturing (AMX) Plus - Creo Additive Manufacturing (AMX) Advanced  Creo High-Speed Milling Plus - Creo High-Speed Milling Advanced   Packages   Design Advanced Plus - Design Advanced Professional  Design Premium Plus - Design Premium Professional   Creo Parametric Essentials Plus - Creo Parametric Essentials Professional  Creo Essentials Plus - Creo Essentials Professional   University Plus Campus Pack - University Campus Pack   

Do you work in the engineering department responsible for product design?   We know that designers and engineers must address issues around cost, compliance, and product redesigns. In many cases, this requires pulling data from different systems. We have created a solution vision that we want your feedback on. Through this approach, we would collect data automatically and deliver it via Windchill (PLM) to help you make data-driven design decisions and speed up the process of collecting and analyzing this data.   The call will be hosted remotely using MS Teams or Zoom, and last approximately 45 - 60 minutes. You will be rewarded with a $50 honorarium in the form of an e-gift card.   Interested?  Register here:  https://www.userinterviews.com/projects/6g1pRnFf_A/apply

Applicable Release: Creo Parametric 1.0 to 8.0   Description: In this video, we will learn how to set the number of decimal places for for one or more dimensions displayed in a drawing.

Applicable Release: Creo Parametric 1.0 to 8.0   Description: In this video, we will be configuring Creo Parametric ModelCHECK to add missing relations to Parts and Assemblies. Configuration works for both Parts and Assemblies.

Applicable Release: Creo Parametric 1.0 to 8.0   Description: In this video, we will be configuring Creo Parametric ModelCHECK to remove unwanted relations from Parts & Assemblies. Configuration works for both Parts and Assemblies.

In this video, we will learn to customize the system color set background color to display a gradient between two colors

Applicable Releases: Creo Parametric 1.0 to 8.0   Description: In this video, we will be using "Active Layer Object Selection" option to: Control the display of features or datums in a drawing view Control display of items in layers on specific drawing view Hide/Unhide the features added in layer in specific drawing views

Community Profile: Mike Lockwood If you spent any time in the PTC community over the past couple decades, you’ve likely found good answers to your software questions from @MikeLockwood especially in the Windchill Community! According to our system, this user has posted 2241 times! “I’ve carefully read pretty much all postings in my areas of interest daily for all these years – and can reply to many with useful info,” he says.   That explains the 41 community achievement badges!   At the same time, he’s finding answers to his own questions. “I’m grateful that so many people are willing to voluntarily provide such good info. Within a day, I generally receive many good answers to whatever problems I’m facing.” But just to be sure, he admits that sometimes creates a tech support case in parallel with posting questions to the community.   Who's behind this prolific account?     Meet Mike Lockwood. Mike earned a BSME in college, and then began a career as a mechanical engineer for various medical device companies, including a startup. He focused on complex automated machines early on, and found that programming those machines awakened his interest in the computer/software side of his profession. As you might guess, it didn’t take long for his career to turn to CAD and PLM work. “I trained on Pro/E 15 in 1993 and have been using some version of it ever since,” says Mike. “I fell in love with parametric CAD, and by 1998, I accepted the CAD admin role at my company.” He’s been administering and supporting CAD and Windchill ever since, first for Alcon and, most recently, for Edwards Lifesciences. Plus he’s been a member of the Windchill technical committee for the past 15 years. When he’s not troubleshooting an Oracle database issue or explaining the nuances of parent/child relationships to new users, Mike enjoys getting outdoors. Skiing, snowboarding, surfing, and, lately, lots of long walks and exercise. Then there’s the music. Mike plays piano and can even blast out a saxophone solo (but just for fun, he says). Lockwood is retiring from his full-time job early next year but plans to remain available for contract projects (and hopefully for community members here). My Creo wish list After all these years, Mike knows Creo’s strengths, weaknesses, and workarounds—especially as it relates to Windchill. And since everybody has a wish list, we asked to see his. “Creo is superb and keeps getting better,” he assured us. “But there are a few things I’d like to see.” Modelcheck, when configured from the UI, resets all the tabs and it’s hard to read the text files. Modelcheck should make it easy to sort / filter for those configured as Error / Warning / other. The naming of the various Creo apps that are not Creo Parametric (e.g., Creo View, Creo Illustrate) is confusing to users, especially when these are used with SolidWorks data. Family tables continue to be great for CAD but challenging for CAD in PLM (Windchill).  Would like to see more info and recommendation on alternatives (like maybe inheritance). Autonumbering with Windchill is the default and works for some.  It is of great value to have drawings and the model(s) on them share a root CAD Doc Number / filename.   On behalf of the whole community, thanks Mike for your efforts, insights, and help over the years. We wish you a long, healthy, and invigorating retirement and look forward to your next 2000 posts here on the community!

Today, we’re launching the Creo edition of the PTC Community Spotlights which launched last month in the ThingWorx Community.    Here’s where we have a chance to learn a bit more about our most active community members:  who they are, the products they use, and what they like about being a member of the PTC Community.  I, Ruth Morss, am your guest host on this Creo Parametric Tips board.  Normally, I write Creo product collateral, but when Cat and Jaime Lee gave me the chance to get to know a community member, I grabbed it.   The first community member in our Creo Community spotlight series is Thom Braxton who goes by the handle @tbraxton.  He is most active on the Creo Parametric 3D Part & Assembly Design Forum.   Thom has been a member of the PTC/USER industrial design and surfacing technical committee  through 2002 and got involved again in 2019 to have the chance to influence Creo’s development. This TC is responsible for core surfacing, ISDX, Freestyle and ReStyle tools.  He currently maintains the list of open issues for core surfacing functionality.   Above, Thom enjoys his favorite hobby – cycling.  Grand Traverse trail in Vail, CO   The first non-Creo thing to know about @tbraxton is that he’s a native Floridian.  He swears you can get used to the heat but not the humidity.  Not surprisingly he enjoys the outdoors whether it’s the earth or the ocean.  One caveat: Assume any body of water has a gator in it. “Alligators invade any body of water they can swim in. There are tons of them!”    He started using Creo back in the mid-90s in its Pro/Engineer days.  He enjoys turning to the Community when he’s got a detailed technical question.  “We’ve got community members who are invaluable resources and happy to respond to questions.”     Professionally, he used to run R&D groups at Motorola – thus the magazine cover highlighting his article ‘Mapping Your Good Intentions’.  He now works as a consultant on products from medical devices to sporting goods to consumer electronics and even high-end chronometers.    A good day for him is working with people who are not technical by nature to define a problem to be solved – and then working to solve that novel technical problem. “I love the flexibility and the range of projects.  I’d get bored quickly if I were working on the same thing for my entire career.”   He continues to provide engineering and design support to a leading manufacturer of respiratory personal protective equipment (PPE). It is satisfying to see product designed and manufactured in the USA being used to fight the effects of COVID-19 globally.  Pro/E and Creo were integral to the development and manufacturing of these products.   On his wish list?  Economical 3D metal printing suitable for mass market production parts. He said Motorola had one of the first 3D printers sold commercially in the early 90s and so he had the chance to work with the technology just out of college.  “It’s evolved. It’s cool – but it’s not quite there for production parts in most applications.”           

I thought that the trial period was 30 days but I got a popup saying "Time Remaining - Your Creo Parametric8.0 trial will expire in - 18813 days, -19 hours and -9 minutes.", is it an error or whats "18813 days" mean? Also, after 30days I wont be allowed to use trial anymore or will be able to use some of the functions still?    

Applicable Release: Creo Parametric 1.0 to 8.0   Description: In this video, we will be enabling DEBUG Logs For Creo Parametric by setting environment variables from Command Prompt window If the CMD window is launched with Admin Privilege (Run as Administrator), the variables will be set as system level. Else, will be set at user level. The user may need to log off and log-in for the variables to take effect.

Applicable Release: Creo Parametric 1.0 to 8.0   Description: In this video, we will be enabling DEBUG Logs For Creo Parametric by using Parametric.psf file Parametric.psf file exists in <Creo load point>\Parametric\bin The PSF file could be any custom PSF file configured for users to launch Creo Parametric