Improvements to Onshape - May 28th, 2019

Roy_Mutalik

Welcome to our SECOND release this month! Let's dive into some of the new features.

CAD IMPROVEMENTS

BOM ITEMS

We're excited to share a highly-requested feature for enhancing product bill of materials. 

https://onshape.wistia.com/medias/lwvlojsdao

Please note: You must be the company admin in order to add or change Items.

CALLOUT AND TABLE IMPROVEMENTS

This release includes numerous improvements for tables and the callout feature for ballooning drawings.

https://onshape.wistia.com/medias/oesnt7p84k

Fixed corners are applied to any type of table that you create. 

Callouts can also now be created even without a leader. This can be useful for creating pure-text balloons, such as for revision markers or flag notes.

MORE PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENTS

Another release means more performance improvements. With this release, you can expect to see improved performance on drawing view creation for assemblies with many repeated instances. You'll also see the material library dialog populate much more quickly than before.

VERSIONS AND HISTORY IN DETAILS PANE

Versions and History for a document can now be conveniently viewed from the details pane, without having to open the document.

https://onshape.wistia.com/medias/m8wnz7g7ct

ENTERPRISE IMPROVEMENTS

CUSTOM WORKFLOWS FOR RELEASE MANAGEMENT

You may now configure both the Release and Obsoletion workflows that your company utilizes within Onshape. 

https://onshape.wistia.com/medias/gsv8mhknz0

Configuration of these workflows can be completed by editing and uploading a .json file. For more information, please take a look at the Help Documentation.

ACTIVITY VIEW ON DETAILS PANE

The Activity Feed now shows the information about a document, details of the documents' recent activity, and document share permissions.

FEATURESCRIPT IMPROVEMENTS

GROUPING OF FEATURESCRIPT PARAMETERS

FeatureScript parameters can now be grouped to save space in input dialogs. A parameter group can be associated with a driving boolean parameter that hides or shows the group's parameters. 



More information on parameter grouping can be found HERE.

AUTOSUGGEST DEFINITION PARAMETERS 

When defining a function's action, FeatureScript will now autofill available definition parameters from the precondition.

Please take a moment to try out these new features and improvements and leave your comments below. For a detailed list of all the changes in this update, please see the changelog.

Remember: The updates listed here are now live for all users when creating new Documents and over the next few days these features will also be available in Documents created before the date of this update.

adrian_vlzkz

EricGauthier

Good job!
I appreciate all performance and drawings improvements.

emagdalenaC2i

Great improvements!!!

john_mcclary

Confused John:

Oh nice, items in BOM.
That approach is... 🤔 unique... not sure how I feel about that workflow yet...
I'm sure it has its merits, but it is limiting by having it only editable by the company admin. Also means the free users lost another power tool

I like how you can set it to be attached to objects.
I was thinking more along the lines of a dumb (insert row) with a manual qty entry.

I suppose in the end it will be better because it will be a list of common objects that don't need data re-entry every project..
-----
Back to happy John:
Sweet! Tables snap corners, grouping in FS, more callout tool improvements

Tony_C_

Did y'all change how drawings export to .dwg?  Specifically the scaling? 

I just exported a drawing and scaled it like I used to do but it's now exporting 1:1, which is nice.

ETA: Nevermind, I was using the OS dim instead of my standard one. Still need to scale the .dwg to get the part to 1:1

lougallo

john_mcclary said:

Confused John:

Oh nice, items in BOM.
That approach is... 🤔 unique... not sure how I feel about that workflow yet...
I'm sure it has its merits, but it is limiting by having it only editable by the company admin. Also means the free users lost another power tool

I like how you can set it to be attached to objects.
I was thinking more along the lines of a dumb (insert row) with a manual qty entry.

I suppose in the end it will be better because it will be a list of common objects that don't need data re-entry every project..
-----
Back to happy John:
Sweet! Tables snap corners, grouping in FS, more callout tool improvements

That was the idea.  Random rows is something we all did but in the end if you have a list of things you add, you just have to library-a-tize them.  In the end, you want them controlled and documented.  The item references will be expanded later for edges, faces so you can do things like stacked balloons but more to come.

john_mcclary

I'm sure there is a deep reason for it. First glance looks overkill and tedious is all 😉
Like I say, it's going to take some playing around and kicking the tires.

romeograham

I like the Versions & History right on the Document page (and Right-Click to open in tab).

Thanks!

lemon1324

Parameter grouping is here! Expect a new Laser Joint revision soon to clean up the UI.

I'm a bit disappointed that the BOM items are restricted to companies only - I have several projects where I'd be able to use this.

Would it be possible to either

1. Do it like standard content part numbers, where editing the part number/properties says "changes will apply company/user-wide" and allow the scope to be either a company (if pro user in a company) or individual (if free/edu user).
2. Implement it like custom material libraries, where you have the option of uploading your own database.

Given the integrated release management aspect, I don't know if the implementation details would allow individual use without re-doing the backend though.

john_mcclary

What is category, and how would I set it?
Or is it part of a later update?

brucebartlett

Nice improvements. I am now off to start my library of items. Grease, Loctite, Sikaflex and I just worked what the icon is, a little storage bin, that took me a while but a nice touch. 

Also nice improvement to BOM table and balloon leaders that will make it easier.  I am hoping to see a drawing display option for the BOM soon, so I can have more columns shown on the assembly but not in the drawing and also option to save custom column order to match company's BOM formats. 

I am excited to see work being put into the home screen and looking forward to more developments here for viewing and searching outside and across documents.

[Deleted User]

BOM items are excellent, especially being able to set the unit of measure. This will transfer nicely into purchasing where we have the issue now of the BOM showing one pinchweld seal to go around the door opening, now it will specify how many metres.
Table anchor will save a lot of frustration making table to position correctly.
Callouts without leaders and different borders, I can now flag revisions with a triangle!
overall, excellent improvements!

john_mcclary

I almost tried setting a category with the csv import, but thought better of tainting my account with 90 entries of potentially bugged items
It did import but said it failed. I tried a couple times and it now has 2 copies in my account.. (smacks head)

I'll raise a ticket, but to anyone following along, it may say the import failed. Reload the browser a couple times to be sure before re uploading

timandrews

@john_mcclary Category is a custom property that you can add different list values to. After you create the list values, they will appear under the Category dropdown when creating a new item or editing an existing item.

Mehul_Gala

Great update! Is there a best practices if we wanted to tie a document like a .pdf to the item? I am not clear how this may work or if it is possible, but it would be helpful for us for things like data sheets and instruction manuals. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Once again, great work! This is an exciting update! 

john_mcclary

@timandrews Ah I see now where to create the list, thanks
although that was totally not obvious 😜

brian_brady

BOM items sound nice, but it SUCKS that only Enterprise users can use it. Because obviously no other users ever need this feature. What next? Remove non-enterprise functionality like holes or sheet metal from the rest of us. Onshape is starting to act like SolidWorks. No longer the CAD solution for the "rest of us." I might as well switch to SW for teaching. Thanks a lot Onshape. 

BTW, you might want to do some editing on this FAQ page: https://cad.onshape.com/help/Content/plansfaqs.htm?tocpath=_____14

Sorry for my wording above. There is no excuse for it. I was so happy to see the BOM items, until I realized I could not use them or show them to my students. I over-reacted. Sorry.

brian_brady

By the way, was it this update or a previous one that broke drawings when using Safari? Clicking on a view no longer selects it. If you click and drag a crossing to select a view, you cannot drag the view. I'm not sure what else is broken, but this also bites. Is there some reason that Onshape is trying to force users to use Chrome? That is my browser and company of last resort. Heck, I'll even use Microsoft products before I chose to use Chrome willingly. Onshape is really trying hard to lose me as a user today.

brian_brady

I really "love" how removing a leader clears the item number and quantity linked to a balloon. What good is removing the leader if the balloon clears? This makes it a practically useless feature. This update has truly shaken my confidence in Onshape's ability to create great updates. There is not a single update this time that is useful to me. Try better for next time please.

brian_brady

romeograham said:

I like the Versions & History right on the Document page (and Right-Click to open in tab).

History is a royal pain to use since it is document wide, cannot be searched or filtered by part, user, etc., and takes 100's of clicks view an entire (or any significant amount of a) document's history. It's nice that it is there and mildly useful for viewing recent changes, but has not improved in as long as I can remember.

lougallo

brian_brady said:

By the way, was it this update or a previous one that broke drawings when using Safari? Clicking on a view no longer selects it. If you click and drag a crossing to select a view, you cannot drag the view. I'm not sure what else is broken, but this also bites. Is there some reason that Onshape is trying to force users to use Chrome? That is my browser and company of last resort. Heck, I'll even use Microsoft products before I chose to use Chrome willingly. Onshape is really trying hard to lose me as a user today.

@brian_brady Did you submit a ticket?  We have not plan to break support for Safari but does from time to to have issues with compatibility.  If you have something specific please submit a ticket with some examples and we would be happy to bug it.

lougallo

brian_brady said:

I really "love" how removing a leader clears the item number and quantity linked to a balloon. What good is removing the leader if the balloon clears? This makes it a practically useless feature. This update has truly shaken my confidence in Onshape's ability to create great updates. There is not a single update this time that is useful to me. Try better for next time please.

The point of this was to add things like triangle notes and other callouts.  Callouts can't show associative data when the attachment is gone.  This was a highly requested option for users to add a callouts without a leader for simple balloon notes.

brian_brady

lougallo said:

brian_brady said:

I really "love" how removing a leader clears the item number and quantity linked to a balloon. What good is removing the leader if the balloon clears? This makes it a practically useless feature. This update has truly shaken my confidence in Onshape's ability to create great updates. There is not a single update this time that is useful to me. Try better for next time please.

The point of this was to add things like triangle notes and other callouts.  Callouts can't show associative data when the attachment is gone.  This was a highly requested option for users to add a callouts without a leader for simple balloon notes.

I guess I hoped this was also implementing a long standing request I've had to have associative balloons without leaders. Could you add "hide" leader as an option so the balloon can still be associated with a part? The companies I worked for always grouped balloons for standard parts, i.e. a screw, washer, and lock washer group would receive one leader with 3 balloons. An individual leader for each is messy in a case like this.

brian_brady

lougallo said:

brian_brady said:

By the way, was it this update or a previous one that broke drawings when using Safari? Clicking on a view no longer selects it. If you click and drag a crossing to select a view, you cannot drag the view. I'm not sure what else is broken, but this also bites. Is there some reason that Onshape is trying to force users to use Chrome? That is my browser and company of last resort. Heck, I'll even use Microsoft products before I chose to use Chrome willingly. Onshape is really trying hard to lose me as a user today.

@brian_brady Did you submit a ticket?  We have not plan to break support for Safari but does from time to to have issues with compatibility.  If you have something specific please submit a ticket with some examples and we would be happy to bug it.

I just submitted 3 for drawing functionality that is currently broken for me in Safari. You guys/gals do know that it is the fastest of the Mac browsers and does not steal your data and send it to the Google mothership, right?

PeteYodis

@brian_brady What we released is not a stacked balloon approach.  That will be another separate improvement that will also work with the newly released items.  Many users of drawings create all kinds of different callouts, not just BOM balloons.  Revision triangles (typically a triangle border), inspection item numbers, flag notes, etc...  What we released is a step on the path to automating some of these types of callouts, but gives users today a way of manually placing these on the drawing.  Also needed is an automatic grouping behavior of callouts to any other drawing annotation, not just to other callouts/BOM balloons.  

brian_brady

PeteYodis said:

@brian_brady What we released is not a stacked balloon approach.  That will be another separate improvement that will also work with the newly released items.  Many users of drawings create all kinds of different callouts, not just BOM balloons.  Revision triangles (typically a triangle border), inspection item numbers, flag notes, etc...  What we released is a step on the path to automating some of these types of callouts, but gives users today a way of manually placing these on the drawing.  Also needed is an automatic grouping behavior of callouts to any other drawing annotation, not just to other callouts/BOM balloons.  

The text description wording and video were misleading to me. The statement says it 'can' be useful for creating 'pure text' call outs, not that it can 'only' be used in that way. I'll have to wait for the hoped for functionality.

Regarding working with the 'newly released items'; that won't affect me because I don't have access to 'items.' But thanks anyway.

MBartlett21

I really like the collapsible parameter groups:

Link: https://cad.onshape.com/documents/b99915c0b73924ca981bc57f

sebastian_glanzner

I really like the BOM Items! 

How can I add a custom property to the items?
And can I add a material property? At the moment my BOM item has a lot of "N/A" in it 

sebastian_glanzner

The "Professional" version of Onshape was introduced for company which need "Release Management". 
I was really expecting all pro users could create a custom release workflow, once developed. 

In the title blocks of drawings you have usually three persons involved:

• Created by ...
• Checked by ...
• Released by ...

So in my opinion the person who releases the drawing should only be bothered when the release was successfully checked by another person.
Can we expect more release workflows then the current default Onshape Workflow? 

owen_sparks

I like the BOM items too!

@lou_gallo123

There is a check-box in your custom properties to make them visible for "items".  Strangely some of my company custom properties were already visible without the checkbox set but another one was only visible after the check.

@brian_brady

Items are in the pro subscription as well as enterprise.  I might be wrong but I thought the EDU tier got the same as pro? ***EDIT I was wrong, it's the same as standard, thanks Neil.

Cheers, Owen S.