Initial Thoughts on SW2022

[Glenn Schroeder]

I downloaded SW2022 a week or so ago, and IT finally did whatever process they need to do every year so that I could use it, since it's a network license, so I started using it Wednesday (two days ago). So far there are mixed reviews.

One feature I definitely don't like is this one: http://help.solidworks.com/2022/English ... afa594#Pg0. It says the axes show up when you hover, but all too often I select them by mistake when I want to select the outer surface. For large cylinders this probably isn't much of a problem, but it definitely is when working with rebar. In my opinion there should be a longer period of hovering before the axis is selected, but the developers at SW still aren't consulting me on how to implement new enhancements. I did think they'd finally stopped introducing enhancements without also offering a way to turn them off, so hopefully they've done that here too and I just haven't figured it out yet.

On the other hand, there is one enhancement that I definitely do like. I already posted about it at https://www.cadforum.net/viewtopic.php?f=52&t=1555.

I'm excited about this one: http://help.solidworks.com/2022/English ... 928136#Pg0, but haven't had an opportunity to try it out yet. I will definitely reply back after I do.

More to follow as I work with it longer, and of course I welcome y'all to add your thoughts and experiences with it.

[josh]

I don't have it yet, but the last item you mentioned above is going to be a huge help. I'm not sure the thing about selecting temporary axes is going to be so helpful. I don't need to select axes very often, but when I do it's easy to toggle them on and off. As for selecting other reference geometry, I've had a macro for years that does that. It's incredibly helpful. Combined with my "select parent" macro, I can easily select the primary planes of any component or subassembly with just a copule of keystrokes.

[KevinC]

For your IT folks:
The license server must be upgraded every time a new release comes out. As far as the server is concerned, it's a "future version", so the license manager must be upgraded to the latest version of SW that you're running.
To do this, the new manager must be installed, the licenses saved, which, like the SW desktop license swap, shuts down the license in the interim, but for the server, all license are down.
The licenses are then reinstalled in the new manager and hopefully, nothing has gone awry causing everyone to be down until a remedy is found (or a server rollback is performed).
Also, as with Desktop SW, you can hit an OS roadblock on the license upgrade. SW2020 changed the minimum Windows Server OS version, so until you can upgrade your license server, you stay on SW2019 (or before).

I concur with you on how they implemented the axes.
I think many people did ask for this one (I did), but I thought it would be a right click select choice (mating, revolving, etc.) as it's so infrequently required. Like selecting midpoint, loop or tangency.
I also hope they've put in (or will soon) an uncheck as this implementation takes the shine off this feature.

Agreed also on the properties dialog upgrade. Attas all around for that one.

It's nice to see seed picking is improved, but by now, my expectation is to look for it to see if the pattern is narfed up and pick the correct seed if it is.
I don't mind fixing it (~50%) and to be fair, there are occasions where I pick a hole that isn't where the seed component is located (flush PEM studs fill their holes, so it's easier to pick an empty hole and fix the seed after).

Thank you for the insights.
Keep them coming please.

[berg_lauritz]

I downloaded SW2022 a week or so ago, and IT finally did whatever process they need to do every year so that I could use it, since it's a network license, so I started using it Wednesday (two days ago). So far there are mixed reviews.

One feature I definitely don't like is this one: http://help.solidworks.com/2022/English ... afa594#Pg0. It says the axes show up when you hover, but all too often I select them by mistake when I want to select the outer surface. For large cylinders this probably isn't much of a problem, but it definitely is when working with rebar. In my opinion there should be a longer period of hovering before the axis is selected, but the developers at SW still aren't consulting me on how to implement new enhancements. I did think they'd finally stopped introducing enhancements without also offering a way to turn them off, so hopefully they've done that here too and I just haven't figured it out yet.

On the other hand, there is one enhancement that I definitely do like. I already posted about it at https://www.cadforum.net/viewtopic.php?f=52&t=1555.

I'm excited about this one: http://help.solidworks.com/2022/English ... 928136#Pg0, but haven't had an opportunity to try it out yet. I will definitely reply back after I do.

More to follow as I work with it longer, and of course I welcome y'all to add your thoughts and experiences with it.

Did you try out the new coordinate systems already?
We won't be trying this out until February probably.

[Glenn Schroeder]

Did you try out the new coordinate systems already?
We won't be trying this out until February probably.

I haven't. In my work I don't need them.

[berg_lauritz]

I haven't. In my work I don't need them.

Are you not able to choose an axis from the standard CS i.e. as a reference geometry for something? Did you try that out at least (i.e. for a pattern.)?

[Glenn Schroeder]

Are you not able to choose an axis from the standard CS i.e. as a reference geometry for something? Did you try that out at least (i.e. for a pattern.)?

I'm sorry, but I'm not at all sure I understand your question. Did you mean you can use the new easy-to-select axis to drive the direction of a linear pattern? If yes, then yes, you can.

[mike miller]

I'm sorry, but I'm not at all sure I understand your question. Did you mean you can use the new easy-to-select axis to drive the direction of a linear pattern? If yes, then yes, you can.

FWIW, you can drive a linear pattern with a plane in SWX 2021. Circular patterns are a different story.

[Glenn Schroeder]

FWIW, you can drive a linear pattern with a plane in SWX 2021. Circular patterns are a different story.

Yup. That's been one of my favorite enhancements in recent years. Previously I had three axes saved in my assembly template, but I have since removed them since I use the primary planes almost exclusively.

[Glenn Schroeder]

I'm excited about this one: http://help.solidworks.com/2022/English ... 928136#Pg0, but haven't had an opportunity to try it out yet. I will definitely reply back after I do.

More to follow as I work with it longer, and of course I welcome y'all to add your thoughts and experiences with it.

I have now had ample opportunity to try that out. It works properly more often than previously, but definitely not all of the time. It's a good thing they didn't remove the Select Seed Position button when they "fixed" the issue.

[SPerman]

That's disappointing. It seems like such an easy thing to fix.

[Glenn Schroeder]

That's disappointing. It seems like such an easy thing to fix.

You would think so, but apparently not.

[Dwight]

All

We just got onto 2022. Unfortunately, the installers put us on SP2. While that is getting corrected, we have to deal with the bugs.

I find that when creating or editing a pattern-driven-pattern, I can't change the seed. Doesn't seem to matter if "Align to holes" or "Align to Seed" is picked, nor if the "Select Seed" box is lit up.

Is this a known bug that is fixed in a later SP?

Thanks

Dwight

[Glenn Schroeder]

I find that when creating or editing a pattern-driven-pattern, I can't change the seed. Doesn't seem to matter if "Align to holes" or "Align to Seed" is picked, nor if the "Select Seed" box is lit up.

Is this a known bug that is fixed in a later SP?

Thanks

Dwight

I haven't seen that. By the way, the problem of frequently needing to select the "Seed Position" instead of the software using the location that actually has components was supposed to be fixed. While it is definitely better, I have still had to select it manually a few times.

[Dwight]

Actually, I can get the seed selection to change, but the result is wonky. Here's the wrong seed position, with the result you'd expect:

And here the correct seed position, with an odd pattern result.

[Dwight]

So I remated the screw to another hole, so it would match the pattern. It worked, but it's a pain to have to do that.

[jcapriotti]

Actually, I can get the seed selection to change, but the result is wonky. Here's the wrong seed position, with the result you'd expect:
Screenshot 2022-10-18 082330.png

And here the correct seed position, with an odd pattern result.

Screenshot 2022-10-18 082416.png

I'm not seeing that same behavior. Can you attach the model?

[Dwight]

. . . Can you attach the model?

Sorry, I cannot. This may be coming out of it's being a old assembly file. I am going to see if this continues to be an issue, and recreate it in some non-work files.

Thanks

Dwight

[jcapriotti]

Sorry, I cannot. This may be coming out of it's being a old assembly file. I am going to see if this continues to be an issue, and recreate it in some non-work files.

Thanks

Dwight

I tried a hole wizard with multiple sketch points and a cut extrude with a sketch driven pattern. Both seemed to work fine. I tested on 2022 sp4.

[SPerman]

I think I found another issue. (Why didn't I just stick with 2020?)

When using ordinate dimensions, you can break the alignment of individual dimensions to relocate them on a crowded drawing. In 2020, I could pick an individual dimension and re-align it to the ordinate. In 2022 when I do that, it now re-aligns ALL ordinate that are not aligned with the ordinate.

I AM A GIF. CLICK ME.

[AlexB]

I think I found another issue. (Why didn't I just stick with 2020?)

When using ordinate dimensions, you can break the alignment of individual dimensions to relocate them on a crowded drawing. In 2020, I could pick an individual dimension and re-align it to the ordinate. In 2022 when I do that, it now re-aligns ALL ordinate that are not aligned with the ordinate.

I AM A GIF. CLICK ME.
ORDINATE.gif

Very strange, I haven't done this too much but this issue is present in 2021 SP5.1 as well.

[SPerman]

It is just infuriating that the idea of updating to the latest software to eliminate bugs / workarounds comes with the GUARANTEE that there will be new bugs and issues, frequently worse than the problems you were hoping to eliminate by upgrading.

[jcapriotti]

No SPR on it that I can find.

[SPerman]

I submitted it to my VAR. No response yet. I'm sure it will be fixed in 2024, at which point there will be 3 other similar problems to take its place.

[jcapriotti]

@SPerman Ok...I found this "fix" in 2021 which, if I'm reading it correctly, someone submitted as a bug and the fix we got was something they wanted but makes no sense.

[SPerman]

My VAR has submitted a SR. I will update when I know more. They said it displays the same behavior in 2021, so I'm surprised it hasn't been reported before now.

The work around is just to delete the dimension(s) I want to align and recreate it.

[SPerman]

@SPerman Ok...I found this "fix" in 2021 which, if I'm reading it correctly, someone submitted as a bug and the fix we got was something they wanted but makes no sense.

A bug reported in 2014 was fixed in 2021. It sounds like I shouldn't expect a quick fix on this one.

[jcapriotti]

A bug reported in 2014 was fixed in 2021. It sounds like I shouldn't expect a quick fix on this one.

IMO, the original report wasn't a bug. They fixed it alright, to the current behavior....which I can't understand why anyone would want. Programmers don't always question a change, they just do it. You need a technical architect to validate the change is needed in the first place before programming starts. That's basically my role in Windchill since we've outsourced the development. In PDM I do both.

[SPerman]

They also still haven't solved the problem where when you right click to accept a configuration change, the right click menu appears.

I am a GIF. Click me!

[SPerman]

IMO, the original report wasn't a bug. They fixed it alright, to the current behavior....which I can't understand why anyone would want. Programmers don't always question a change, they just do it. You need a technical architect to validate the change is needed in the first place before programming starts. That's basically my role in Windchill since we've outsourced the development. In PDM I do both.

They have attached me to SPR 524858.

[Bradfordzzz]

It is just infuriating that the idea of updating to the latest software to eliminate bugs / workarounds comes with the GUARANTEE that there will be new bugs and issues, frequently worse than the problems you were hoping to eliminate by upgrading.

THIS !!

[DanPihlaja]

Has anyone else noticed how the datums work in relation to GD&T frames in SW 2022?

click on the image below (it is a GIF file)

That never used to happen in SW 2018.

*sigh*

There are workarounds....like adding the datum to the surface instead of the GD&T Frame....but I don't wanna!

[VicFrauenfeld]

Has anyone else noticed how the datums work in relation to GD&T frames in SW 2022?

click on the image below (it is a GIF file)
Media1(4).gif

That never used to happen in SW 2018.

@DanPihlaja, I saw your GIF and I am having issues with my GD&T frame extension line not snapping to the horizontal and vertical locations like you are showing. Mine just stays with the arrowhead. What am I doing wrong. I know it is a simple thing that I am missing.

[DanPihlaja]

@DanPihlaja, I saw your GIF and I am having issues with my GD&T frame extension line not snapping to the horizontal and vertical locations like you are showing. Mine just stays with the arrowhead. What am I doing wrong. I know it is a simple thing that I am missing.

GDT snap.gif

The only thing that I can think of is that it isn't actually attached to the edge. Make sure that your arrowhead is attached to the edge.

Also, make sure that the frame is actually inside the view. (double click on the view to make it "active" and then place the frame)

[VicFrauenfeld]

The only thing that I can think of is that it isn't actually attached to the edge. Make sure that your arrowhead is attached to the edge.

Also, make sure that the frame is actually inside the view. (double click on the view to make it "active" and then place the frame)

Turned out to be PEBKAC (Problem Exists Between Keyboard And Chair)! The GD&T frame was attaching to sketch geometry, not a model edge.
This was a junk drawing that I use periodically to just test miscellaneous stuff out. So now we know, you should not try to attach a GD&T frame to sketch geometry.

Sometimes I wonder about myself!