cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 
cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

The community will undergo maintenance on October 16th at 10:00 PM PDT and will be unavailable for up to one hour.

Question for Prime users - GUI issues

DJF
16-Pearl
16-Pearl

Question for Prime users - GUI issues

I know prime doesn't get any love around here, but it also has many users.  Mathematically, it usually does what I want.  My top gripes are mostly about GUI issues, but I never see anyone else complaining about them -  while they make Prime almost unusable for me.  With a bit of work I've been able to get PTC to duplicate them - but they don't seem very keen on fixing them.  So, my question is - am I somehow the only one seeing this?  Other computers in our organization do the same thing so I 'm assuming it's universal.  Yet the lack of outrage is surprising.

GUI bugs:

1.)   Solve block equations - will suddenly switch to only being able to move/snap them 2 squares instead of 1 (note, I'm using the small grid pattern).  Works fine for a while and then it loses its brain and can't align with other equations.  Minor issue, but annoying.

2.) Select box does not follow the mouse when it crosses pages (when inside a collapsible area and in page view)

3.) Clicking on the screen will regularly cause the screen to jump up or down several lines or even multiple pages.  This is the big one.  How am I supposed to be able to work like this?  I do believe this is also related to working with collapsible areas.

4.) When editing long programs (>~30 lines), the typing starts to get really slow.  I can type 5 letters and have to wait 3-4 seconds for them to appear.  Same with deleting letters.  (I'll call that a GUI issue because I'm not sure what else to call it).  This really limits Prime's ability to be a serious engineering program if I can't write programs over 30 lines.

5.) In draft mode, the screen constantly shifts so that the collapse buttons become hidden behind the left hand border.

 

So, just trying to understand if I'm the only one.

Thanks,

(Prime 3.0 through 4.0, windows 7, multiple installs, different computers and different users)

(I should probably give up on collapsible areas, but they are too handy.)

8 REPLIES 8
Fred_Kohlhepp
23-Emerald I
(To:DJF)

I doubt that you're the only one.  I can recognize at least some of what you're describing.  

 

I can think of two reasons you don't see more complaints about these problems:

  • The number of features we had available in 15 that STILL aren't in Prime is astounding, and
  • PTC doesn't seem to care or want to spend the resources to fix the problems--as you said in your post.

The shift in licensing policy {an annual fee to enable the program) along with these other issues are driving a lot of long-time users away; PTC doesn't seem to care!

LucMeekes
23-Emerald III
(To:DJF)

You're certainly not alone.

My biggest complaint regarding the Prime user interface is that you have to point well outside of a selected item to 'grab' it for moving.

Most of the other other issues you are facing don't apply to me, as I'm limited to Express. That situation will not change in the near future since I judge that buying anything from PTC is a waste of money.

I do my serious work in Mathcad 11.

 

Luc

-MFra-
21-Topaz II
(To:DJF)

Hi DJF

A few years ago I bought PRIME 3.1 but it was a disappointment (...), there is no comparison with the performances that MATHCAD offers. As long as PRIME will not be at least higher than MATHCAD, I will continue to use the latter. Do not waste time with this program so limited.....

Fred_Kohlhepp
23-Emerald I
(To:-MFra-)

You should have seen Prime 1.0 and 2.0!

 

Unfortunately the "old" Mathcad (currently 15) will eventually terminate at PTC's discretion. 

Hi

...as long as the two mathematical software will not be equivalent, the eventual cessation of mathcad ... among many ... would be the biggest mistake of PTC !!! .... in my opinion ...

Fred_Kohlhepp
23-Emerald I
(To:-MFra-)

I believe that when PTC bought Mathcad they did not really understand what they had.  By their actions I think they thought it was a simple program that they could include as an auxiliary component in their 3D modeling software--which they have done, merging Prime 4.0 into Creo.

 

They did not anticipate those of us who use Mathcad as a stand-alone application, and they have been reluctant and slow to address our complaints and requests.

 

It would be interesting to know:

  • How many Creo users are including Mathcad
  • How many Mathcad users have converted to Creo from another package (I still miss SmartSketch!) 

Let's face it. Mathcad as we knew it is dead. Some of us (including myself) have been deluding ourselves about this for years. We have had some vain hope that PTC would, in the end, create a better product. It's not going to happen. They either don't care about the existing Mathcad users, or they are completely clueless about what we want. I suspect the former.

skunks
18-Opal
(To:DJF)

we don't use collapsible areas, not possible by ptc

 

regards

paul

Announcements

Top Tags