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Brian · Guest

I have quite a few parts created in previous releases of SW (
currently using 2006 sp1 ) that contain circular patterns. Specifically
models of perforated tubing where 2 holes are cut-extruded, linear
patterned, then circular patterned. It took a bit of extra rebuild time,
but was well worth it for accuracy in production drawings.

After using 2006 for a couple weeks, I committed to changing and removed
previous versions. When opening one of the perforated tubing parts to
reprint a drawing, I thought SW was hung up ( 15 min+ rebuilding the
circular pattern feature ), so I checked the other similar parts, same
issue. Parts that SW had flagged as requiring a rebuild would not ever
actually open. Parts not requiring the rebuild would open/print/ect and
convert easily until I CTL-Qed them. On a hunch, I opened one of the
offending parts before leaving for the evening, in the morning it had
actually rebuilt.

Feature Statistics:
091-2020 9/26/2005 11:22:07 AM
Features 15, Solids 1, Surfaces 0
Total rebuild time in seconds: 3242.36
Time % Time(s) Feature Order
99.96 3240.99 CirPattern1 <----------54 MINUTES!!!!
0.02 0.80 LPattern2
0.02 0.52 LPattern1
0.00 0.03 Cut-Extrude3
0.00 0.02 Cut-Extrude2
0.00 0.02 Lofted Bends1
0.00 0.00 Plane1
0.00 0.00 Sketch2
0.00 0.00 Sheet-Metal1
0.00 0.00 Sketch5
0.00 0.00 Axis1
0.00 0.00 Plane2
0.00 0.00 Sketch6
0.00 0.00 Sketch1
0.00 0.00 Flat-Pattern1

I had a copy of this part in backup that had not yet been converted from
2005 so I re-installed 2005 and checked its statistics.

091-2020 9/27/2005 7:29:16 AM
Features 15, Solids 1, Surfaces 0
Total rebuild time in seconds: 28.61
Time % Time(s) Feature Order
92.03 26.33 CirPattern1
4.10 1.17 Lofted Bends1
1.42 0.41 LPattern1
1.37 0.39 Cut-Extrude2
0.60 0.17 LPattern2
0.33 0.09 Sketch2
0.06 0.02 Cut-Extrude3
0.05 0.01 Sketch1
0.05 0.01 Sketch5
0.00 0.00 Plane1
0.00 0.00 Sheet-Metal1
0.00 0.00 Axis1
0.00 0.00 Plane2
0.00 0.00 Sketch6
0.00 0.00 Flat-Pattern1

My VAR was able to reproduce these times on several samples that I sent
him. His suggestion was to ensure that "geometry pattern" was checked for
the circular pattern. So I opened a part in 2006 for which I had no 2005
backup ( 1 hour ), edited its first circular pattern ( 1 hour to get to its
edit feature window, 30 min to rebuild on completion), edited the other
pattern ( 30 min to edit, 50 sec to rebuild ). The parts that I have were
not created with geometry pattern. In previous releases the rebuild
difference was inconsequential, so I am stuck with quite a few similar parts
for which no 2005 version exists. Some still had 2005 versions, so I opened
them in 2005, hit the checkbox, and saved them. They open reasonably in
2006, although much slower than 2005.

Even with geometry pattern checked in both versions, rebuild times in
2006 are abismal compared. 38 seconds in 2006, 21 seconds in 2005. All of
the performance issues are circular pattern related.

Normally, when I identify a reproducable issue, I alert my VAR, they
verify it, I get a SPR within a day or so. For some unknown reason, my VAR
acknowledges this as a major regression ( their words ), but I've been
unable to get a SPR for it, and I've been trying for months. Previous
issues, and subsequent issues, are given SPRs promptly, but this one... I
don't know if they have even alterted SW to it or not.

I have tons of parts with circular pattern features that suffer,
fortunately, not many to this extent. I would like very much to see it
fixed. The general enhancements in 2006 make it worth keeping on my system
( not to mention the converted files ).

If someone has parts that seemed to be taking longer to process than
usual, and contain circular patterns, and have a good relationship with
their VAR ( I thought that I did ), could they also alert them to the issue?
I am sorry if this sounds like a rant, its not meant to be. I like, and am
fully commited, to SW. I am also sure that there are bigger bugs that need
fixed first. I simply want to ensure that SW is at least aware of this
regression. If they don't know about it, then it'll never get fixed.

Brian Hokanson
Starting Line Products

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matt · Guest

Wow. Well documented info, you have a lot of patience.

Your VAR should give you an SPR for this. Have you asked them directly?

If your VAR doesn't give you satisfaction, you can take the issue
directly to SW. This should be the exception. To me, it sounds like
your situation warrants it. I would copy your reseller on the email to
SW support just so they know you're taking this over their head. In the
email to SW support explain that your reseller didn't follow through.

I won't publicly post the SW support contact info, I'm sure you can come
up with a phone number and email if you look a little. I don't want to
cause an avalanche of end users going straight to SW corp.

Another thing to realize is that sometimes the guy answering the
questions at your reseller is a junior employee, not someone who makes
policy. It may be easier to escalate the issue within the reseller
organization, just going over the tech guy's head.

What kinds of cuts did you use? Were they "through all", "up to next",
"up to surface" "blind" or what? If you did an "up to ..." and then
patterned it, it might be faster if you just used blind with a distance
that works for everything.

Anyway,

Good luck,

Matt

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