Upgraded to Creo 4 yesterday....kind of underwhelmed...

[Patriot_1776]

First, it was kind of a PITA because it seems like that with every new version, the location of config.pro, customization.ui, and other files keeps changing so you have to dig, and dig, just to find where you need to put them so you get your mapkeys and interface.

Ok, so, granted, I haven't spent a lot of time yet in it, but...it seems like the "upgrades" are minimal.  They tout a lot of "enhancements" to existing features (meh...), but what I WANT, is new features.  For instance, you STILL can't use text when creating a "Fill" (flat) surface OR in a surface offset.  THAT sux!  Many times we laser etch the part number on cylindrical surfaces, and it's a PITA to do it.  If we could use text in a sketch for those 2 feature, and it's totally absurd that you can't, it'd be a snap.  So, hey PTC, how about wasting less time on "Bold New Graphics!"  (i.e. fancy new useless visuals to attract the "cartoon CAD" Solidworks users), how about we actually get some features we actually need?  Or do we have to wait until Creo 400 to get them?  Hmmm?

[Patriot_1776]

So, from watching videos of the "Lattice" command, I REALLY like that and started to try and experiment with it and.....found out you needed the optional (and most likely very expensive) "Additive Manufacturing" module.  Bummer...  The first part of the video is a shameless plug for the BoundarySystems company, but skip over that until the lattice demo.  Tre cool stuff....too bad I don't have it...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVS_Q_FFQ_w

[John.Pryal]

Those feelings of disappointment will only continue with Creo 5 & probably 6 & beyond. A colleague of mine still works in Wildfire 5 & from time to time will ask for help with modelling issues. I came to the conclusion recently that when you strip away the fancy ribbon UI that the software is fundamentally the same as it was back in 1996 (version 16). I can't think of a core feature present today (with the exception of the recently added Volume Helical Sweep) that wasn't present in Pro-engineer V16. Having said this i would rather be working in Creo 5 than that first version i started with all those years ago. I like the UI we have today & wish all the software could be updated. There are still areas that are menu driven if you know where to look, N-sided surfaces for example. I had a rant about that a couple of years ago!

Good luck with the transition, it won't be a difficult one believe me.

John

[Patriot_1776]

Hey John!  Yeah, I agree.  I wish they'd stop wasting time and money on "Bold new graphics!" (as we say in the motorcycle world when there's no mechanical changes), and work on getting us new and cool FEATURES.  A lot of interface changes and not a lot of new actual CONTENT.  FAIL.  A totally updated N-Sided surface with an interface like the Boundary blend including allowing for C2 tangencies would be my #1 wish.  Then a better curve command with C2 tangency done like in the B/B as well.  I typically use the edge of a B/B as a curve because I can drag the C2 tangency to what I want.  I like now being able to do a mid-plane and all, but....meh...  Or how about fixing the bug where cylinders and circles are split into 2 halves?  But I digress...

Ah well, as you said, it makes the transition easy and all my mapkeys still work!  LOL  If I was a business I wouldn't pay for the upgrade, I'd simply find a copy of stand-alone Creo 3.

[Patriot_1776]

Update:  Ok, I'm ATTEMPTING to make a dwg and it's totally P!$$!NG me off.  As usual, no new features, but they've now buried all kinds of commands inside all kinds of other toolbars/icons etc.  Nothing is where it should be.  Dimensioning totally sucks.  Then I'm trying to put a simple GD&T frame in and What The eFf???  I get some positional symbol with no way to manipulate it???  There's no "properties" pop-up, so how the h3ll a I supposed to get the all-over profile tolerance I need?  If I'd have known it was going to be this much of a PITA I'd have stayed on Creo 3.  What a huge time-waster this interface is.  "Bold New Graphics!" indeed....

Edit:  Ok, I found it.  Whoever thought it would be a great idea to have all your convenient on-screen pop-up menus for dimensions and GD&T be replaced with more ribbon BS needs to be slapped into next week.  In fact, I volunteer to do it...  In Croe 4 now I've go to constantly take my eye off what I'm doing to go look for  something in the ribbon.  Utter garbage.

[StephenW]

Once you place the GD&T frame, the options are all on the ribbon.

[Patriot_1776]

Yeah, finally found that right after I posted, thanks!  Bad idea PTC.  With a pop-up, it shows up right where your eyes are already looking (i.e. the cursor), and where you expect it.  Now, I have to change my focus to look at the ribbon.  And at 55, I need reading glasses now because I have trouble focusing, so this is more of a chore for me than younger guys, but still, bad idea.  They don't give anything new but just move things around....again, so we have to waste time re-learning the software for something that is actually SLOWER...and somehow it's an "enhancement"?  Plus, it's slower anyways because with the old way, you could specify the frame exactly as desired the FIRST time, not have to place it, then pick on it, then look up to the top left corner.  I swear to God, PTC "development" people don't actually USE the software.  *facepalm*

[Patriot_1776]

I had a really weird issue with a spinal bend, instead of following the spine, it wrapped the surface I was trying to bend into a cylinder!!!!  Dunno what happened there, it's really weird.  I might try and re-create the model in Creo 3 and see if there's a problem with Creo 4 in that regard.