these may or may not be related Non-C2 Data - models are losine features

[Jim Steinmeyer]

[indent][/indent]We have noticed a couple of issues come up recently that may be related.
First we are using 2023 SP5.
[indent][/indent] When closing several of our older assemblies we have started getting the warning message "Non-C2 data detected" "file created with 2007 or earlier version" and are given the options Update (recommended) or save as is (retain legacy) and a couple of times we have been foolish enough to follow the SW recommended path. About the same time we have had a rash of part models begin showing up with all of the featured missing. This included the datums, materials,bodies and all features. Interestingly the custom part properties remain. It also appears that several of the hardware has lost references, kind of like an edge or surface was replaced when we tried using the update feature.
[indent][/indent]I have searched to see what C2 even is and it appears to be some controls relating to splines or surfacing. These models are almost exclusively simple extrusions or sheetmetal. We do almost no surfacing and little use of splines.
[indent][/indent]I was hoping to find several people with this issue but my searches did not turn up anything. Does anyone have any ideas what could be happening?

Thank you
Jim S

[SPerman]

This is the only thing I can find. Are you on "the platform?"

https://help.solidworks.com/2024/Englis ... fa0be247d9

[AlexLachance]

[indent][/indent]We have noticed a couple of issues come up recently that may be related.
First we are using 2023 SP5.
[indent][/indent] When closing several of our older assemblies we have started getting the warning message "Non-C2 data detected" "file created with 2007 or earlier version" and are given the options Update (recommended) or save as is (retain legacy) and a couple of times we have been foolish enough to follow the SW recommended path. About the same time we have had a rash of part models begin showing up with all of the featured missing. This included the datums, materials,bodies and all features. Interestingly the custom part properties remain. It also appears that several of the hardware has lost references, kind of like an edge or surface was replaced when we tried using the update feature.
[indent][/indent]I have searched to see what C2 even is and it appears to be some controls relating to splines or surfacing. These models are almost exclusively simple extrusions or sheetmetal. We do almost no surfacing and little use of splines.
[indent][/indent]I was hoping to find several people with this issue but my searches did not turn up anything. Does anyone have any ideas what could be happening?

Thank you
Jim S

Lol, did you copy paste a poste from the platform? If so, that just shows their beautiful work

Maybe this can be of help..?
https://www.cati.com/blog/why-am-i-aske ... orks-2021/


Perhaps look in your hidden message if the features get deleted. Maybe you have a hidden message that is the one that makes the features get deleted&

[mp3-250]

Are those files really so old?
were they created with 2007? hppened to have a old template (RMB the front datum and look at the creation date under properties)

[Jim Steinmeyer]

Are those files really so old?
were they created with 2007? hppened to have a old template (RMB the front datum and look at the creation date under properties)

Yes, they are older files. Possibly created with 2007 because they didn't update very often. But I think they were created with a newer version.

[Jim Steinmeyer]

This is the only thing I can find. Are you on "the platform?"

https://help.solidworks.com/2024/Englis ... fa0be247d9

image.png

First, I seldom go to "the platform" and have been trying to avoid it since the went all "modern" and broke it.

The help comment was interesting to say the least. Here again it was recommended that I "update" the files, then it warns that some features may be lose when the update takes place. Good idea, we are going to break the model and delete most of it in order to fix it. Typical Solid-Doesn't-Works. Looks to me that it would be better if they told me which models are effected and suggests I remodel them.
I wonder how many of the listed features were even in existence pre-2008. I can't think of any of these we use.

Surface Fill
Delete Face that uses Delete and Fill option
Capping an extruded surface
Shut-off surfaces in molds
Dome
Extrudes created using 3D Sketch

[mp3-250]

pre 2018 files properties are the same: the upgrade could and will break your data.
this is why a radical change in 3D CAD was never a good thing (and software like ug managed to keep a very good compatibility back to the 70s data) .
legacy data should be handled with extreme care: devs must not modify existing feautures, they should add new ones and keep the old hidden, but editable for backwards compatibility.

but the "modern" software dev mentality entered the mech cad industry and they simply tell you "well just trash some 20yrs of mech design and embrace this new feature that saves you 5 seconds" if only it worked as expected and not bugged as usual.

[Jim Steinmeyer]

pre 2018 files properties are the same: the upgrade could and will break your data.
this is why a radical change in 3D CAD was never a good thing (and software like ug managed to keep a very good compatibility back to the 70s data) .
legacy data should be handled with extreme care: devs must not modify existing feautures, they should add new ones and keep the old hidden, but editable for backwards compatibility.

but the "modern" software dev mentality entered the mech cad industry and they simply tell you "well just trash some 20yrs of mech design and embrace this new feature that saves you 5 seconds" if only it worked as expected and not bugged as usual.

Yes, This looks like a pending disaster. It would be a little helpful if we were able to search out the parts with the old data so we could know what to remodel. But then we would have to go to every assembly they are used in and fix the mates. This could be fun.
Almost as affordable to change to a different software. Probably not much more work.

[ryan-feeley]

Almost as affordable to change to a different software. Probably not much more work.

Haha! Perhaps there is a bit of a non-survivor bias in the Solidworks customer base? Any company that has 10 y/o mission critical CAD data in Solidworks that they expect to have retained any engineering value is a company that will not be a customer for any CAD software for very much longer? So why should the 3DS devs bother?

But on a practical note, can you just do a parasolid wipe from 2007 and be done with it? Starting in 2020, I believe, the body compare tools got a lot better. They do a tessellation that depends on your image quality settings, so be mindful of that, but you probably can work through this if there is any business value in upgrading the files in a parametric form. Tedious as hell, and they should include tools for it, but you can likely discover if the feature upgrades are doing any sort of FFF-breaking changes.

Or just keep them on the old version and work with your IT maintain a system that can work with them in the original software.

[mp3-250]

"it's the customers problem"

case closed.

[ryan-feeley]

FYI, I stumbled across this on the knowledge base searching for something else. It may give a little more info that helps you repair these files or give your var more context. It looks like you could upgrade them into 2020 and maintain the legacy data.

Why do I see the following warning? ‘This file was created in SOLIDWORKS 2007 or earlier. The model contains Surface Fill and related features, which could contain ...' (QA00000125711 / S-078980)

It gives a little more background than that help section. In particular

Files created in SOLIDWORKS® 2007 and earlier versions allowed use of unsupported surface fill technology. The software allowed faces that were not G2 continuous at the boundary. Later software versions resolve this issue.

If you import SOLIDWORKS 2007 and earlier models with surface fill and related features in SOLIDWORKS 2021 and later versions, the software prompts you to update the data if it detects a legacy feature. SOLIDWORKS 2021 now identifies non-C2 data, and prompts users to take further action.

With this prompt, you have two options:

• Yes - to automatically update the feature data to G2 continuity and prevent a system failure. The update can change the design. The feature can change and downstream features can fail.
• No - to retain the legacy data. The software suppresses the features and dependencies and retains but does not process the legacy feature data. You can later choose to edit or unsuppress the feature or dependencies. You must update the data; the software updates the feature and notifies you. The feature can change and downstream features can fail.

[mp3-250]

that's why I made the post above: legacy data should not be converted at all imho. because it could and will fail in the process.
btw I stumped in a similar issue the first months I started working with sw 2014 and almost immediately switched to 2015... a surface just collapsed In the middle of a very long tree because they decided to change how the feature used to perform the geometry calculations.