Maniacal Modeling Methods 2022

[bnemec]

I saw this guy's presentation in Dallas several years ago (months before we bought into Solidworks). He said he wanted to call it something like "How to beat Model Mania" but they wouldn't let him. I attended it on accident, the session I planned on attending was a bust in the first few minutes so I looked up what other session might be a good use of time. I go in and sit down, no clue what Model Mania is about. So in a few minutes I realize what Model Mania is all about and think to my self, "Great, another super fast, sloppy hack modeling how-to boasting the latest whiz-bang features that just pe**er ya down the road." But I had already jumped sessions once so I decided to stick it out.

I'm glad I did. I was hooked when he spent several minutes THINKING about how he wanted to model it BEFORE starting a new part. In my opinion Kam barely sacrifices modeling integrity for the sake of speed, sometimes the methods he shows result in a more stable model with fewer broken mates and annotations down the road. From what I see even his examples of direct editing are robust and although they may obscure the effects of changes to the earlier sketches and features, the cleanliness and robustness of the process shown is likely a worthy trade off.

I've seen far too many presentations using features just for the sake of speed or it's easy when the process would cost much more time in the long run, both in SE and SW. It's nice to see a presentation that isn't blind to the life of the model after the first save.

https://events.3dexperienceworld.com/wi ... 870011Xcl

[Glenn Schroeder]

I'm about halfway through it. He has some good stuff, but there's one or two things he does the hard way. Like using the Trim tool to convert a line to construction. Why not just click on the line to get the relations toolbar and select the "Construction Geometry" icon?

[bnemec]

I'm about halfway through it. He has some good stuff, but there's one or two things he does the hard way. Like using the Trim tool to convert a line to construction. Why not just click on the line to get the relations toolbar and select the "Construction Geometry" icon?

image.png

I was wondering the same. He was showing off some Power Trim usages in his SWW18 presentation, I get the feeling he uses that even to delete lines since it's in the gesture wheel. I got to thinking about it and the trim with convert is more universal than the convert and if you have a bunch to do it might be smoother than selecting them all and converting?

[Glenn Schroeder]

I was wondering the same. He was showing off some Power Trim usages in his SWW18 presentation, I get the feeling he uses that even to delete lines since it's in the gesture wheel. I got to thinking about it and the trim with convert is more universal than the convert and if you have a bunch to do it might be smoother than selecting them all and converting?

Yes, if you have multiple lines, and they can't be easily selected with a click and drag box selection, I can see where converting them to construction with the Trim tool might be faster. Otherwise I'm convinced the relation pop-up is faster.

To be honest, I'm not saying there isn't one, but I'm having trouble thinking of a situation where I'd need to convert multiple lines to construction.

Also, while I'm not absolutely sure my method is faster, when he showed exiting from the sketch line feature I like that I have a Mouse Gesture for Escape that works nicely. He has to turn on the context toolbar and then hit the Select icon. All I have to do is hold down my right mouse button and swipe.

[mike miller]

I don't know about you guys, but I think Model Mania speed competitions are way over-rated. The same goes for saving mouseclicks at the expense of careful planning and model integrity. Maybe it's just the type of work I do, but when I'm working on new parts/projects I spend more time staring at the screen thinking/planning/visualizing than actually creating features.

If someone invented a widget that popped well-formed and coherent ideas into my head at controlled intervals, I'd consider it far more valuable than speed demon modelling skills.

[Glenn Schroeder]

I don't know about you guys, but I think Model Mania speed competitions are way over-rated. The same goes for saving mouseclicks at the expense of careful planning and model integrity. Maybe it's just the type of work I do, but when I'm working on new parts/projects I spend more time staring at the screen thinking/planning/visualizing than actually creating features.

If someone invented a widget that popped well-formed and coherent ideas into my head at controlled intervals, I'd consider it far more valuable than speed demon modelling skills.

I will wholeheartedly agree that thinking about the best way to proceed is time well spent. However, after you've figured that out there's certainly benefit in proceeding with the most efficient processes possible.

[bnemec]

Yes, if you have multiple lines, and they can't be easily selected with a click and drag box selection, I can see where converting them to construction with the Trim tool might be faster. Otherwise I'm convinced the relation pop-up is faster.

To be honest, I'm not saying there isn't one, but I'm having trouble thinking of a situation where I'd need to convert multiple lines to construction.

Oh my, I must be doing it wrong then. I'm always converting, mostly because the opportunity to select construction during creating line is different than a circle and I'm always too late for a line and... it's just clumsy. I used construction lines a bunch in edge, admittedly I was lazy about it though as edge didn't care about open or intersecting profiles most of the time. Anyway, I always forget to make the line/arc/circle as construction when I create them. And yes they are mixed in and overlapping the other lines that should stay so it can be a trick to select them. What I'm not sure about is having to toggle the convert to construction option on and off all the time, that could be deal breaker

Also, while I'm not absolutely sure my method is faster, when he showed exiting from the sketch line feature I like that I have a Mouse Gesture for Escape that works nicely. He has to turn on the context toolbar and then hit the Select icon. All I have to do is hold down my right mouse button and swipe.

I have a love hate with the escape button. I mean I love and hate it so much so often that it's nearly sticking out the bottom of my keyboard. Also have one of the buttons on spacemouse as esc. Problem is the esc. button does different things in SW than it does in SE, sometimes.
That said, I find myself frequently wanting to stop the line and start another one but don't have the muscle memory to do it. I think he mentioned a couple methods, double click maybe and then the one he added this year. I agree waiting for the context toolbar and selecting select is slow. I usually forget to double click and just keep going making that extra line and delete or trim it once I'm done adding lines; I feel kinda dumb for that though. IIRC in edge enter would stop the line then enter again would start it up again so that was nice.

Kinda silly when I think about it; we're what? 40 some years into CAD and we're still talking about how to start and stop drawing a line in a 2D drawing.

[Jaylin Hochstetler]

I have a love hate with the escape button. I mean I love and hate it so much so often that it's nearly sticking out the bottom of my keyboard. Also have one of the buttons on spacemouse as esc. Problem is the esc. button does different things in SW than it does in SE, sometimes.
That said, I find myself frequently wanting to stop the line and start another one but don't have the muscle memory to do it. I think he mentioned a couple methods, double click maybe and then the one he added this year. I agree waiting for the context toolbar and selecting select is slow. I usually forget to double click and just keep going making that extra line and delete or trim it once I'm done adding lines; I feel kinda dumb for that though. IIRC in edge enter would stop the line then enter again would start it up again so that was nice.

Kinda silly when I think about it; we're what? 40 some years into CAD and we're still talking about how to start and stop drawing a line in a 2D drawing.

I've noticed in Edge I use escape a lot more b/c after creating a feature e.g. a plane, the command remains open so you can create another one without restarting the plane command. The only way to exit is hitting the esc key.

In Edge I always RMB to end a line. In SW you have to double click to end the line, and if you accidentally move the mouse a tiny bit it creates a tiny line that you later have to delete. I definitely like the RMB method better.

[KennyG]

I've noticed in Edge I use escape a lot more b/c after creating a feature e.g. a plane, the command remains open so you can create another one without restarting the plane command. The only way to exit is hitting the esc key.

In Edge I always RMB to end a line. In SW you have to double click to end the line, and if you accidentally move the mouse a tiny bit it creates a tiny line that you later have to delete. I definitely like the RMB method better.

Of course in Edge you can select any other command to also end the current command you are in without using the ESC key. Actually the ESC is doing that by invoking the Select command.

FYI, the RMB can also be used while in a command to perform select set 'accepts', Next, or Finish. And as you noted, after finishing the command, RMB restarts the current command.

[Glenn Schroeder]

. . . In Edge I always RMB to end a line. In SW you have to double click to end the line, and if you accidentally move the mouse a tiny bit it creates a tiny line that you later have to delete. I definitely like the RMB method better.

Or instead of left click, move your cursor, and left click again to place the end of the line (which starts a new line), you could left click and drag, and release the mouse button when you get to the end. That keeps the command active, but doesn't start a new line until you left click again.

[Jaylin Hochstetler]

Or instead of left click, move your cursor, and left click again to place the end of the line (which starts a new line), you could left click and drag, and release the mouse button when you get to the end. That keeps the command active, but doesn't start a new line until you left click again.

Thanks for the tip, Glen. Didn't know you could do that.
But I still prefer the SE method. The RMB method is consistent across the board in SE, which I really like. You don't have to wait till you get this symbol.

image.png (2.37 KiB) Viewed 1694 times

. What's really annoying in SW is if you move the mouse slightly the symbol goes away, makes the whole RMB option useless.

Anyhow enough ranting...

[bnemec]

Of course in Edge you can select any other command to also end the current command you are in without using the ESC key. Actually the ESC is doing that by invoking the Select command.

FYI, the RMB can also be used while in a command to perform select set 'accepts', Next, or Finish. And as you noted, after finishing the command, RMB restarts the current command.

So important!

I just realized that I've been doing this all the time in SW and cannot understand where I'm at. I have been RMB to accept so long in SE that I didn't notice it anymore. I don't even know how to accept something in SW unless going to the green checkbox.

[bnemec]

Or instead of left click, move your cursor, and left click again to place the end of the line (which starts a new line), you could left click and drag, and release the mouse button when you get to the end. That keeps the command active, but doesn't start a new line until you left click again.

I need to remember to do this for the last segment when drawing a chain!

[berg_lauritz]

Can anyone replay this session? I can not & I want to see it now too!

[Jaylin Hochstetler]

So important!

I just realized that I've been doing this all the time in SW and cannot understand where I'm at. I have been RMB to accept so long in SE that I didn't notice it anymore. I don't even know how to accept something in SW unless going to the green checkbox.

FYI, you can also press the "D" key which will bring up this box.

image.png (4.59 KiB) Viewed 1656 times

I don't use it much simply b/c I forget about it.

[bnemec]

Can anyone replay this session? I can not & I want to see it now too!

The link I posted resolves to a page that does not have the replay option. I tried getting to it through the schedule and same thing.

Thanks to @Alin for figuring this out as we were having troubles viewing the replay of his sessions as well.
Alin's post: https://www.cadforum.net/viewtopic.php?p=17479#p17479

So I don't know how to post a link to that presentation that will work. As Alin stated you have to go to https://reg.3dexperienceworld.com/flow/ ... ge/Catalog and log in for yourself then just search for Kameron.