Improvements to Onshape - February 12th, 2021

mfalkensteiner

Onshape is excited to host our first virtual user conference on Thursday, March 11, 2021, from 2:00 - 6:00 PM EST.

Register today here! 

Let's take a look at the new features in Onshape!

GENERAL IMPROVEMENTS

NEW DOCUMENT PANEL

Versions and History, Create Version, Comments, Where used (currently only Enterprise) and Tab manager icons are now grouped together on the left side of the screen in the new Document Panel. Clicking one of these icons opens the Document Panel to the left of the Feature/Instance list so the screen area is no longer obscured by individual dialog boxes. The Document Panel is expandable so the Version graph is easier to read and access and the icon panel allows space for future planned improvements.

ADD PREFIX/SUFFIX TO EXPORT FILENAME

To simplify the handling of exported files, it is now possible to automatically prefix or suffix additional information to the file names of exported data.

https://onshape.wistia.com/medias/1lytvoigo8?embedType=async&videoFoam=true&videoWidth=640

TAB SELECTION FOR "MOVE TO DOCUMENT"

If you want to move a tab to another document, you now have the choice of whether the tabs that contain references to the selected tab are also moved or remain in the current document.

https://onshape.wistia.com/medias/4vd1qkimo6?embedType=async&videoFoam=true&videoWidth=640

ABILITY TO REMOVE TOP LEVEL ITEMS FROM THE RELEASE MANAGEMENT DIALOG

If you are the creator of a release candidate, it is now possible to remove individual top level objects from the candidate without rejecting the entire package.

https://onshape.wistia.com/medias/llq3nolhmc?embedType=async&videoFoam=true&videoWidth=640 

CONFIGURE ASSEMBLY NAME IN CONFIGURED ASSEMBLY PROPERTIES

Assembly names can now be configured from the Configured assembly properties table.

DRAWING IMPROVEMENTS

DUPLICATE SHEET IN SAME DRAWING TAB

Sometimes it is helpful to duplicate an entire drawing sheet with all dimensions, views and sections in order to reuse already created 2D information in another context. For this purpose, it is now possible to duplicate a drawing sheet in the same tab.

IMPROVEMENT TO THE DIAMETER DIMENSION TOOL

The Diameter Dimension tool has been improved so that projected diameter surfaces can now be dimensioned on the fly with the diameter symbol.

MORE WELD SYMBOLS COVER 2ND FILLET OPTION

The “2nd Fillet" option is now available for more weld symbols including the bead joint.

ENTERPRISE IMPROVEMENTS

DEFAULT ENTERPRISE STARTUP PAGE

Enterprise admins now have the option to set the default startup page after sign-in for all members.

IOS IMPROVEMENTS

FINGER GESTURE CONTROLS TOOLTIP

A new first time walkthrough, explaining basic operations and finger gestures, will show when you are using the Onshape iOS app for the very first time.  You can review the tooltips at anytime under the Help menu → "Review gesture controls".

LEARNING CENTER IMPROVEMENTS

NEW SELF-PACED COURSE: ASSEMBLY CONFIGURATIONS

A new course, Assembly Configurations has been added to the Onshape Learning Center to explain how to create and manage Assembly Configurations. This course is available to Standard, Professional, Enterprise and Educational subscriptions.

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.

brucebartlett

Great group of updates. 

tsutomu_uchino

Oh, do not reduce the wide of the view by adding the side bar.

jared_fitzclarence

Nice group of new features.

"ADD PREFIX/SUFFIX TO EXPORT FILENAME" is one that I had asked for a few times over the years and this looks like it has great potential, a couple of issues through.

• My number 1 reason for wanting this was for exporting DXF files for laser cutting, either of 2D surfaces or of sheet metal model. Unfortunately, this seems to be have been missing in the definable exports list
• It would be really helpful to have the "?" icon give a list of available fields so that the is some guide for programming.
  

EvanReese

Good stuff, folks! Most of these are things I've wanted for a while, like export name stuff, configurable assembly names, easier release management, and easier moving of things to other documents without bringing a bunch of things along. Nice work!

Hans_Ole_Leirvik

Wow,   Thank you 

billy2

Move only this tab, the one I want to move, yes!

romeograham

This is a huge set of features that have been on wish-lists for a long time! Great work Onshape!

Alex_Pitt

Great bunch of improvements! Duplicate sheet will be a massive time saver and like others, I've long been hoping for configurable assembly names. Name prefix/suffix on export is also fab. I wonder what additions are planned for the new document panel! Thank you Onshape Devs!

bruce_williams

nice improvements!  I like the Document Panel and location of pop outs.  Nice clean look.  Encouraging little teaser too - "and the icon panel allows space for future planned improvements."

EvanReese

I notice that I'm kind of missing the pixels on the left side of my screen. Perhaps a future update could make it collapsable?

Fda

There is some list of export rules ????
${appearance}
${name}
${partNumber}
${material} ${category}
${state}
${tessellationQuality}
${unitOfMeasure}
${document.name}
${export.format}
${notRevisionManaged}
${export.timestamp}
${export.stlFormat}
${excludeFromBOM}
${description}
${title1}
${title2}
${title3}
etc...

john_mcclary

Nice improvements!

Love how you consolidated the flyouts into a single panel.
Love we can finally copy sheets in drawings (Huge)
Thank you for allowing Assembly names to be configured (Huge)
Love how we can choose to move just a drawing to another document without moving all of the references!
Love how we can define export names!

romeograham

@Evan_Reese
I always have the tab manager open on the left - and the new flyout replaces it when activated. I'd like the flyout to slide out of the way when I'm done, but not replace the Tab Manager. Now, after I look at the History & Versions, or comments, or Where Used (huge by the way), I have to remember to hit ALT+T to get the tab manager back. I guess I'd really just like to make the Tab Manager "sticky".
At least it's as simple as a keyboard shortcut. Now, if I can learn to use ATL+T as the "close this flyout and return to my Tab Manager" I can save on some clicks.
Maybe the Tab Manager button (bottom left currently) could be moved up with the other buttons - then it would be easy to click when it's time to put the whatever panel you're working with away.

It would also be consistent with the behavior on the other side: if you have a panel open, you can switch to another panel by clicking its button, or put the panel away by clicking on the button for the panel you have open.

Prachi

Nice round of improvements.
I especially like this one. Big time saver for me.

ADD PREFIX/SUFFIX TO EXPORT FILENAME

MichaelPascoe

Home-run list of improvements. These will speed up production quite a bit. Duplicate sheets especially.

Thank you Onshape team!

MichaelPascoe

Is there a way to collapse the document panel similar to the features and parts icon? It is taking up valuable screen space.

Konstantin_Sh

In our company the convention is that part name and export file name should match, and it should be of format ${PartNumber} ${Revision} ${Description} and I beleve it's pretty reasonable and common requarement. Thus you still have to manually duplicate all this information into part name and after this export name convention does't bring any automation. It would be better to be able to use these property references by default for any other part property in the property settings section.

Cedric_Eveleigh

I'm not a fan of the side bar, but the other updates are great.

ian_d_gardiner

Great job Onshape team! Your work supports our work everyday

ryan_mcgoldrick

nice updates except for the side bar. why take an entire side up for only a few icons? they didn't impact the screen area previously and now they do and seemingly for no real benefit.

brucebartlett

ryan_mcgoldrick said:

nice updates except for the side bar. why take an entire side up for only a few icons? they didn't impact the screen area previously and now they do and seemingly for no real benefit.

Yes after using it for a day or 2 I tend to agree.  Fine on a big screen but found when using on the laptop screen it was eating into the usable area. Also, I am not sure why the tab manager is still at the bottom, it's a long way to reach to switch it back on after switching it to versions or coments. 

3dcad

Collapse side bar on small screens - maybe - but I sure like to collapse / expand tab manager from same button that stays on same place.

Copy drawing tab, move without moving all tabs, assembly name -- all great stuff!!

Couple things I've been waiting for some time ..

Easier way to insert parts into assembly.
- Could be 'add selected to assembly' --> choose 'new / existing assembly' in RMB menu on tab manager and part studio part list
- Drag & drop from tab manager (then tab manager needs to have expandable list to see all the parts too)
- Something I haven't even thought of and blows my mind

First stab for MBD
- It's 2021, enough decades of paper like drawings already, it's time!

brooke_spreen

Especially excited about the export names & assembly names...but most all of this looks pretty nifty. Thanks y'all!

Matt_Bancroft

Excellent updates - the Duplicate Sheet will save so much time and the naming of configured assemblies is very useful too. Thanks!

mike_hölscher

The celebration flag is out for Export Rules. This is a real time-saver and error-preventing function for us.
Now pleeeeaaaase make it work for more than 1 part at a time 

jaleel_da_shiek

Vertical sidebar definitely robs workspace on a small screen when I'm away from my large monitors.  Perhaps it can be a flyout/slideout icon menu that automatically retracts?  

sebastian_glanzner

Nice updates! Export rules are really cool! Also the configuration of the assembly name is a good improvement!

But I also would like to add an export rule for Sheetmetal parts when I export a dxf file :-)

Any update when the pro users can expect the "Where used" functionality?

gkuhns

When are us lowly Pro users getting Where Used?

PeteYodis

We are working towards where used for Pro users.  It's no small task to capture all these documents back to the beginning of time in performant and scalable manners that consider future capabilities to capture again, while also capturing all forward going use cases as we roll forward in time.  We know this is important and will get it right for our very important Pro customers.  

ryan_mcgoldrick

I think I understand the intent of the sidebar, so that the screen real estate taken by each document viewing option remains in the same size/space however that comes at a cost of significant screen area 100% of the time you are modelling and for no benefit what so ever outside of the brief times you are interacting with document exploration versions etc which are also times generally when you are not using the modelling workspace anyhow so the changes seem a bit illogical to me. Also the document explorer button is way down the bottom when the other buttons are at the top, this seems strange now that there is the side bar option.