Mike Puckett's Blog

Calling All Dummies.....

I'm an advocate of using how-to books to learn stuff.  My first educational exposure to Solidworks was the now famous and widely used Planchard & Planchard books (who hasn't modeled that flashlight by now?).  In the past few years, new offering have arisen from different authors, further expanding the field of available books.  A few years back Greg Jankowski wrote his first installment of the Solidworks for dummies book.  Greg is back for a Second Edition, and this time has teamed up with Solidworks User Group Community manager Richard Doyle.  Not to be forgotten of course is the Solidworks Bible expertly penned by the guru himself Matt Lombard.  Rumor has it Matt is working on a surfacing book due for release early next year!

When asked by attendees at our User Group meetings what books are good, this is the direction I send them.  So if you are looking for some good, well written how-to books, check out all four of those authors.  I'm starting to feel a little inadequate now, so if I disappear from here for a little while, I will be working on a book!

Why You Should Attend Solidworks World 2008 Reason 9: CAD Managers Boot Camp

We crack the top 10 list this week with an event like no other.  Greg Jankowski, co-author of Solidworks For Dummies, hosts this annual Sunday event.  Here is a description:

The boot camp will cover a wide variety of topics and issues related to effectively deploying and managing SolidWorks. The CAD Managers Boot Camp is geared to help system administrators and IT (Information Technology) personnel understand how a combination of IT and CAD best practices, tools, and methodologies can be used to help reduce the TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) and maximize your investment in SolidWorks.

Who has never had a problem installing Solidworks?  There is no better way to learn how to completely, accurately, and most efficiently deploy Solidworks.  The Solidworks CAD Managers Bootcamp takes place on Sunday January 20th from 1:00pm to 5:00pm.  So plan to arrive early to attend this event!

Solidworks World Session Registration Going Live!!

With Solidworks World 2008 less than two months away, it's time to start selecting which breakout sessions you want to attend.  Here is a hint: the hands on sessions fill up very fast, so register early!  The current list of daily sessions can be found at the Solidworks World Agenda Site.  The agenda is broken down by days.  On Friday November 30th (no actual time stated yet, so start checking early a.m.), you will be able to go in and select your sessions and register for them.  Once at the conference, they will give you a handy little printout so you always know where your heading.

Good luck, registering for the sessions you want to attend!

Solidworks Viewer Section Update

Last week I Posted about the section feature in the Solidworks Viewer program.  Justin Burton pointed out that you can do the same in regular solidworks by unselescting the "Show Section Endcap" check box in the feature manager pane:

Unfortunately, once you click the checkmark, the endcap reappears, and you no longer have the look into the solid like you do in the viewer.  When I originally posted about this, I guess my intention was to be able to have the section act like the viewer.  So the functionality is similar, but I would still like to be able to have it work just like it does in the viewer.  That way you can have a section view where you can see into the solid.

Solidworks 2008 Service Pack 1.0 Available

Solidworks has released the first service pack to the 2008 release.  The file is approximately 140mb and is available in the download center via the customer portal.  The service pack is available for all three operating systems (X64, XP Pro, and Vista).  DWG editor is the only add-on product to have SP 1 at this time.

The first service pack normally is the jumping point for many customers to begin their upgrades from the previous version.

Tech Tidbit...

During my exploration of the Internet, I come across some pretty cool non-solidworks related stuff.  Now while this is primarily a Solidworks Blog, I think it will be fun to provide something new called Tech Tidbits.  Tech Tidbits will be a now and then feature that will highlight some of these little tidbits I come across on the Internet.  So lets try one out!

I by no means am an Apple fanboy, or iSheep as I like to call them.  Apple for the most part does not do anything revolutionary.  What they are good at is taking what Microsoft has done, and making it more simple to do.  While that again is not revolutionary, it is pretty smart.  If you have ever used a Mac computer, one of the things you would encounter would be their Dock.  This is Apples answer to the Windows Start Button.  I myself like the Dock idea.  Its simple, easy to access, and it pretty intuitive.  The folks over at StarDock have created a program called Object Dock.  This is a windows based program that will allow you to setup a 'dock-like' interface of your own.

As you can see, the interface runs fine in XP, and also runs fine in Vista.  As you move your mouse cursor along the dock, the icons increase in size.  One simple click and the application launches.  The interface has very good customizable options included.  Much like toolbar layouts in Solidworks, it will take you a few days to get the exact layout you like.  Just like Solidworks, once you have a layout you like, you can save it out as a back up!  When setting up mine, all I did was move my desktop shortcuts to a folder on my C: drive, then used the Stardock program to point to them.  Once complete, I have chosen to hide my windows taskbar completely.  In the picture above I have moved my mouse down to the bottom of my screen, and the dock has appeared from below the maximized program running.  This allows your monitor to have nothing but the current application showing.

The Stardock program offers a free version, and a full version priced at $19.99  My advise would be to give the freebie a shot, then upgrade if you like it.

Why You Should Attend Solidworks World 2008 Reason 10: Certification Exams

We start the top 10 with what is a great reason to go to Solidworks World.  The Solidworks Certification system has been completely redone.  Gone are the 8-hour long CSWP exam.  But new is an alphabet soup of new exams.  In this Blog post back in October I outlined all the new tests becoming available by Solidworks.  Take a look and see what fits you.  At Solidworks World, you will have the chance to take either the CSWPCORE or the CSWA exam FOR FREE!

Here is a break down of the schedule for Sunday January 20th:

12pm to 3pm : CSWP/CSWA Certification Exams - Complimentary session 1
Candidates are allowed to take either the Certified SolidWorks Associate (CSWA) or the Certified SolidWorks Professional (CSWP) examination.

4pm to 7pm : CSWP/CSWA Certification Exams - Complimentary session 2
Candidates are allowed to take either the Certified SolidWorks Associate (CSWA) or the Certified SolidWorks Professional (CSWP) examination.

8pm to 11pm : CSWP/CSWA Certification Exams - Complimentary session 3
Candidates are allowed to take either the Certified SolidWorks Associate (CSWA) or the Certified SolidWorks Professional (CSWP) examination.

Due to limited computer space, only the first 150 attendees to sign up cant participate in the free tests.  Also, your testing time will be preselected for you.  If you pass the CSWPCORE exam, you will be invited to attend the Offsite CSWP Event on Monday night.  So you can go as a Solidworks user, and return a Solidworks Professional!

Solidworks Viewer Sectioning...

After installing The Free Solidworks Viewer on one of the sales guys computers, I noticed a nifty feature.  I showed him how to section a model, and here was the resultant look:

Now we all know in Solidworks you cant section a surface model.  This was a solid model that he opened.  Whats nice is you can see inside the model, something you cant do in Solidworks to my knowledge.  I think it would be nice in Solidworks when you section something, you have an option to select something like 'surface section' that would cut the solid, but give you a look at the insides similar to what you get in the viewer.

The Solidworks Viewer is free, and is available at the link above.

Show Us Your Toolbars...

With the new shortcut menus in 2008, the user interface has completely changed.  I will admit that using the new shortcut menus takes some time to get used to.  The great part is that the menus are customizable.  I started out getting my drawing menu the way I like it first.  Then I worked on the assembly and part menus.  Here is what I have so far:

This is my drawing shortcut menu

Here is what I have while in an assembly

And here is what I get while in a part

Like I mentioned it takes a little time to get used to it.  This is a new way of working in Solidworks, but I will say it cuts down on time I spend moving my mouse to the tool bar.  My menus are about 80% done since I keep adding buttons to them on a normal basis.  I have noticed that while in a drawing, I really have no need to go to the command manager tool bar, and I have turned it off for the time being.  It takes some experimenting to get the exact layout and the buttons you will need.

Also, its a good idea to remember to export out your settings after you make some changes.  I have been bitten by that bug a few times in the past, so don't forget to save your settings!  The shortcut menu is accessed by simply pressing "s" on your keyboard.  That will bring up your menu at the point where your cursor is.  One thing I need to figure out next is how to map one of the buttons on my SpacePilot to bring up the menu.  If anyone knows how to assign a keyboard command to the buttons let me know.

To customize the tool bar, you do it just like any other toolbar.  Hit s, then right click on it and select customize.  From there you can reorder, add, or subtract any buttons you like.  One annoying thing is that while you are editing the toolbar, it keeps changing size from all in a row, to stacking the buttons.  You simply grab the edge of the toolbar, and it will resize it to your liking.

Anyhow, take a look at the new shortcut system.  Try it out, and give it a chance.  I think you will really like it.

Why You Should Attend Solidworks World 2008 Reason 11: Keynote Address

The keynote address at Solidworks World can be a tough sell to lots of attendees.  Most people attend the general sessions to see the new functionality of the upcoming release, or to be entertained.  So when they bring someone up on stage to talk for an hour, you have to be able to keep peoples attention.

This years keynotes should be interesting.  Here is an overview from the Solidworks site:

Dr. Don Norman: Emotional Design

Dr. Norman has written and coauthored 14 books, including his classic: The Design of Everyday Things, and his latest book, Emotional Design: Why We Love (or Hate) Everyday Things. “In the everyday world, we want to get on with the important things in life, not spend our time in deep thought attempting to open a can of food or dial a telephone number.” Cofounder of the Nielsen Norman Group, an executive consulting firm that helps companies produce human-centered products and services, Dr. Norman is a professor at Northwestern University; a professor emeritus at the University of California, San Diego; and the co-director of Northwestern University’s Segal Design Institute. He is a fellow of many organizations, including the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and is a member of the Industrial Designers Society of America.

In 2006, Dr. Norman joined the ranks of Albert Einstein, Stephen Hawking, and Thomas Edison by receiving the Benjamin Franklin Medal from the prestigious Franklin Institute, and a “Lifetime Achievement Award” from SIGCHI. Dr. Norman is an ideal model for this year’s theme of “Inspired to Design.”

Dr. Bob Ballard

Founder and President, Institute For Exploration of the Sea Research Foundation in Mystic;

Director, Center for Marine Exploration at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute

Director of the Center for Marine Exploration at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, Dr. Ballard is a marine explorer, engineer and geologist, who is most noted for the discovery of the legendary HMS Titanic, countless expeditions to uncover the ocean’s secrets, and designing the popular submersible camera “ANGUS.” Dr. Ballard perfected the technology used to locate the World War II German battleship, Bismarck, and the World War I passenger liner, Lusitania. He has also co-engineered “Jason” – a remotely operated vehicle that fits through small openings to see into a ship’s interior. We welcome you to explore the technology and secrets of the world’s oceans with Dr. Ballard.

Now much has been said about the selection of Dr. Don Norman.  After receiving a somewhat good punch in the arm from the event organizer (who knew Kerri had such strength?) I decided to do some research on him.  If you have some time, check out this YouTube video about him.  I think you will be pleasantly surprised about what he will have to say.