Viewsheet Poll

[Josh Kinney -Elite Engineering]

This relates to saving bookmarks in Viewsheets.

 

There's two camps when it comes to the way Viewsheets should work.

 

The current method: 1. Levels turn on-

 

Create a Viewsheet and save the bookmark. Now create or move Geometry to a level that was previously empty. Go back to the Viewsheet and this level is now turned on.

 

This forces the user to go back to every Viewsheet they have defined and resave them with the new level off. I'm told this is "as-designed". Viewsheets are supposed to keep track of which levels are OFF, not which ones are on. So if you add new levels after a Viewsheet is created they will all be visible in the already existing viewsheets. Just the way it's supposed to work

 

Alternate method: 2. Levels turn off-

 

Create a Viewsheet and save the bookmark. Now create or move Geometry to a level that was previously empty. Go back to the Viewsheet and this level is turned off.

 

Only levels that were turned on when the bookmark was saved will be on when you come back. This is how I feel it should work. I build viewsheets as I make operations. Operation is done, save viewsheet, open a new viewsheet, rename to the next op and move forward. Currently I have to go back through every viewsheet and clean up the mess. Even worse if someone wants to come into your file, make a new level for an op and then have to go back through again and clean up the viewsheets and re-bookmark.

 

To me this makes Viewsheets an amazing feature that is almost unusable.

 

Josh-

[Jayson Kramer]

I think you should added to this poll do you use View Sheets.

with options like:

YES

NO

I do not know what they are.

[Josh Kinney -Elite Engineering]

Not using them would exclude you from answering the question.... You SHOULD be using them.

 

[Jayson Kramer]

Well I do and would like to see how many do and do not and the ones that don't now could be introduced to them. I show them to my class and I use them when I work.

[Josh Kinney -Elite Engineering]

Updated the Poll.

[Jayson Kramer]

Josh thanks man

[crazy^millman]

It should respect the levels if you want that option and not if you do not. It should be a right click use a level set. Verisurf has this option in our inspection plans. The programmer for making the auto inspection plan can set a view and a level set for what they are doing almost like a digital S.O.P. Very cool stuff to make levels turn on/off as you are running through a Auto Inspection plan.

[Newbeeee™]

errr yes, I'm in Jay's 'what are they' camp. Guess I haven't hit F1 on the subject yet.

Josh - you seem a bit passionate about them. Care to elaborate a little please (real world uses etc).

Thanks.

[Josh Kinney -Elite Engineering]

Lets say you have 4 Ops to make a part. Each with 3 levels and a separate WCS.

 

This is how I lay out my work flow:

 

ToolPath Group Name (Op1 - XXXX.NC)

 

WCS - Top G54

Levels - 1 Op1 Geo, 2 Op1 Solid, 3 OP1 Notes.

 

 

ToolPath Group Name (Op2 - XXXX.NC)

 

Op2

WCS - Bottom G55

Levels - 4 Op2 Geo, 5 Op2 Solid, 6 Op2 Notes.

 

 

ToolPath Group Name (Op3 - XXXX.NC)

 

Op3

WCS - Bottom G56

Levels - 7 Op3 Geo, 8 Op3 Solid, 9 Op3 Notes.

 

 

ToolPath Group Name (Op4 - XXXX.NC)

 

Op4

WCS - Bottom G57

Levels - 10 Op4 Geo, 11 Op4 Solid, 12 Op4 Notes.

 

 

Now during the process I create the following viewsheets that are bookmarked with the correct WCS and Levels turned on.

 

OP1

OP2

OP3

OP4

 

I can now clearly see what toolpath group is what Op and if I click on the corresponding viewsheet what wcs, geometry, workholding and notes.

 

This really helps the next guy who opens your file!

[Josh Kinney -Elite Engineering]

The problem now is by the time you get to Op4 all the other viewsheets have the wrong levels turned on. You have to go back and turn levels off and re-save the bookmark.

[crazy^millman]

Josh can you use the Level Sets to help the process?

[Josh Kinney -Elite Engineering]

I probably could. I've had countless emails back and forth with CNC Software about this and they say its "as designed". I figured putting up a poll might open their eyes to how people expect it to work.

 

Josh-

[Newbeeee™]

Josh - thanks for explaining.

It sounds neat.....if it worked as you said it should.

It seems a bit arse about face at the moment by your explanation.

[K2csq7]

I use them from time to time, never enough to run into your issue.

However...

 

I think you have a great idea and CNC would be wise to heed your advice.

[Matthew Hajicek - Singularity]

I just keep my levels organized so it's quick and easy to see what I want to.

[jeff]

I've never used a viewsheet, to be honest I really don't know what they would do for me, I guess it's time to look into it.

[gms1]

I selected 'Never use them' because I used to use them and absolutely hate how they work. They have to function like your #2 option before I consider using them again.

[Jayson Kramer]

I selected 'Never use them' because I used to use them and absolutely hate how they work. They have to function like your #2 option before I consider using them again.

How long ago was the last time you used them. was it before or after it supported WCS? I found for me after it was really much more usable.

[gms1]

I've tried the viewsheets off and on since they came out and I've been using WCS since version 9. I just don't like how they function.

[Josh Kinney -Elite Engineering]

It should respect the levels if you want that option and not if you do not. It should be a right click use a level set. Verisurf has this option in our inspection plans. The programmer for making the auto inspection plan can set a view and a level set for what they are doing almost like a digital S.O.P. Very cool stuff to make levels turn on/off as you are running through a Auto Inspection plan.

 

Ron,

I'm assuming you are the lone "yes". EDIT: I like the level set function but that only ties levels together. Viewsheets does this already. I wish my active toolpath group could be assigned to a viewsheet.

[uncle_dolan]

Josh, That would be very good if it were modified so your active toolpath group information could get saved to viewsheet! This would improve the functionality of them quite substantially!

[Josh Kinney -Elite Engineering]

I'm bringing this back since it's still unresolved in X7. I have a program with 12 viewsheets and it's a PITA to go back and resave all viewsheets each time I create a new level!!!

 

-Josh

[GoetzInd]

What I did was just add a bunch of empty levels in each of my machine "template" files. Saves me the hassle although I wish it was changed because I don't like having any empty levels to confuse anyone who has to work on my files. Easy delete though.

 

Mike

[Newbeeee™]

Well bumping this as I've been playing with viewsheets for the 1st time (X5). I must admit that I had never tried them before as I thought they were something to do with either drawing/detail sheets or adding notes....don't know why it must be the name (or probably me - DOH!)

 

Anyway, for rotary 4th axis they are a superb idea. What a potential timesaver - one click and back to your view with the C+T all set ready to go etc.

But I agree with Josh (and everyone else) 1000% for all the comments - it's nearly there but not quite.

The level thing just sucks.

 

PLEASE CAN THIS BE FIXED?

[Josh Kinney -Elite Engineering]

I believe Paul said the next MU it will be fixed. I can't wait