SolidWorks:Heard! - Episode 385 - SolidWorks CRUD

SolidWorks CRUD:

This podcast covers tips and tricks on options for CRUD: Create, Read, Update and Delete (dropped D and substituted P for Pack and Go) methods in SolidWorks. Topics covered:

CREATE:

- New SolidWorks docs

- Customize Template Tabs

READ:

- Open SolidWorks docs

- Open dialog options (

- Open from recent list (and folder link)

- Drag and Drop (even Zip files)

UPDATE:

- Save and Save modified

- Save As (watch out, when it doubt, save as copy)

- Close and Close all

- Close from open documents menu

DELETE: PACK AND GO:

- Pack and Go vs. Save-As references

- Pack and Go from Windows Explorer

- Other SolidWorks WinEx options (Rename, Replace.... and now Move!)

CRUD is a methodology in programming that I believe applies to much that we do on the computer and so this show is a back to basics to refresh how you think about doing these interactions with SolidWorks.  For a few years now, SoildWorks has added some nice additions to the way we interact while doing these fundamental activities, as we do with most computer applications.

With new releases of software, many of us don't have the time to modify how we use SolidWorks.  We all just want to use SolidWorks to get things done and we fall into our "ruts" of how we interact.  Create, Read & Update actions are all we are doing so getting a refresh of alternative methods can give an an "ah ha!" moment.  This show talks about some of these new methods and other tips to make these frequent interactions more efficient.

Sometime getting back to basics allows us to re-evaluate new functions and methods to ultimately alter our (especially mine) set ways of using SolidWorks.  If you have some interesting modification suggestions, please leave a comment.  ~Lou

Remember to check out the SolidWorks: Heard! Blog and to follow me on Twitter, Facebook and THE HEaRD! 

SolidWorks:Heard! - Episode 380 - eDrawings Can Do That?

eDrawings Can Do That?:

This podcast covers a number of features of eDrawings.  Some you know and some you might ask "eDrawings can do that?".  Topics covered:

- eDrawings brief overview

- Open and save options

- Tools that publish to eDrawings

- Differences between standard and pro

- Features in the Mac version

- Auto-explode any assembly

- Other hidden gems

eDrawings was one of the features of SolidWorks that caught my eye back when I was buying SolidWorks years ago.  Every year SolidWorks ships updates to this ubiquitous viewing tool and after the past 10 years or so the features have stacked up.  

We all fall victim to using these tools the same way despite the introduction of new features so let's find a few nuggets! I'm sure many of you publish often from SolidWorks and forget that you can publish animations, simulation data, BOM, mass properties and many other aspects of the SolidWorks' toolsets.

eDrawings has become my default viewer for opening SolidWorks, DXF, STL, PRO/E and even SolidWorks templates.  I also use it from OSX to view and measure any of my SW documents with all the Professional features.  My favorite nuggets is CTRL+E... ~Lou

Remember to check out the SolidWorks: Heard! Blog and to follow me on Twitter, Facebook and THE HEaRD! 

SolidWorks:Heard! - Episode 377 - SolidWorks BOM Tips

SolidWorks BOM Tips:

This podcast covers tips and added features to SolidWorks Bills of Materials since the first podcast episode when SolidWorks 2006 was the tool of choice. Topics covered:

- A short clip from my first podcast episode..

- BOM features enhanced over 6 releases

- Tips to everyday BOM usage

- Enhanced usability for BOM (my uses)

Since I covered BOM tips in my first ever show, I figured talking about bills of materials was probably long overdue!  There are a number of features that were added since 2006 but the HUGE bulk of the features were introduced in 2008/2009/2010.  These versions introduced the power of table-based BOM and how linking and associativity is the holy grail. 

I didn't touch on the fact that BOM information can be shared in eDrawings and accessed directly through Enterprise PDM but knowing that the data being controlled in the BOM is always up to date to the file's specific properties is a huge time saver.

I share the ALT/Drag trick with reordering assemblies the old fashioned way in the feature tree, making sure your balloons match the right BOM and a few other things that I get asked at user groups and  other gathering that SolidWorks geek speak are echoed. ~Lou

Remember to check out the SolidWorks: Heard! Blog and to follow me on Twitter, Facebook and THE HEaRD! 

SolidWorks:Heard! - Episode 373 - SolidWorks World Coverage

SolidWorks World Coverage:

This podcast is a quick overview of the coverage options that will be offered by SolidWorks:HEARD as well as other active community members that typically post a lot of content.  Topics covered:

Live Coverage on SolidWorks:HEARD!:

- Live Blogs (General Sessions)

- SolidWorks:HEARD! Blog 

- Live Stream (when allowed)

- Breakout notes (posted to the blog and Google+)

- Partner Interviews (air on the podcast)

Twitter:

- Official Hashtag #sww12

- Tips from SWW12 #SWWTips

- @solidworksheard | @gol10dr | @solidworkstips

Facebook:

- SolidWorks:HEaRD page

Google+:

- +SolidWorks:HEARD | +Lou Gallo

Other Blogs:

- SolidSmack | @solidsmack

- RickyJordan | @rickyjordan

- RockSolidPerspective 

- SWGeek | @swgeek

- BoxerBlog | @gupta9665

- More at SolidWorks' site

SolidWorks World is a wild ride and it is going to be busting at the seams with coverage and it's all you can eat!  I leave in less than a week and look forward to bringing as much of the show to you as I humanly can!  If you are attending, I hope to run into you!  Talk to you next from SolidWorks World 2012!

Remember to check out the SolidWorks: Heard! Blog and to follow me on Twitter, Facebook and THE HEaRD! 

SolidWorks:Heard! - Episode 307 - @SolidWorksTips

@SolidWorks Tips:

This podcast is an overview of tips out of the @SolidWorksTips Twitter account that @beneadie and @solidsmack and I (@gol10dr) started over two years ago.  I have personally put over 165 tips up and this show is a taste of what you can expect.  Topics covered:

- Shortcuts

- Assembly tips

- Sketching tips

- User Interface tips

- File management tips

- New release additions

- Various tips in other SolidWorks releated software

- Info on UsingSolidWorks.com

Back in the summer of 2008, Ben Eadie started a Twitter account called "SolidWorks tips" and he invited Josh Mings and I to contribute.  The first couple of weeks it was a growing in tips pretty fast by the three of us but the tips started to drop off after awhile. I have continued to post tips to the account by way of THE HEaRD, which echos over to this Twitter account.

Usually tips from SolidWorks World pump up the activity as well as after a major release.  If you are active on Twitter or would consider yourself a Twlurker (one who lurks in Twitter) then I think it is a great way to grab a nugget every once in a while to help out with the daily use of this tool we all live in.  In a tool like SolidWorks, tips are abundant so the stream can continue to grow.

Currently the account holds about 175+ tips and continues to grow. If you have a tip that you would like to share, you can always send an @ reply to solidworkstips and we can post it for you and give you credit.  It is about having a repository of tips for the community and although it can be challenging to deliver it in just 140 chars, it is a great way to get to the point! ~Lou

Remember to check out the SolidWorks: Heard! Blog and to follow me on Twitter, Facebook and THE HEaRD!