"Loading Studio Data"

andrew_troup

I often do Onshape modelling in spare moments.

 This means that when I return to a model, I generally find it has timed out.
 It takes sometimes a minute or longer to reload the studio data before I can recommence work. 

1) Could this data be cached on my local machine?
2) If not, is there another solution?

This is a strong disincentive to using Onshape for me, for many types of work.
By the time the model is reavailable, the phone will have rung or some other interruption will mean that I will (again) need to let the session time out before I can get back to it. At which point deja vu tends to happen all over again.

_Ðave_

+1 for a solution.

I will often have multiple tabs open and often I go back to an open tab just to find it as timed out, Quite frustrating indeed.

philip_thomas

Andrew, this post is subject to correction by anyone that knows better.

One of the very many benefits of the cloud is the very efficient use of resources. This efficiency benefits you because instead of having to allocate small amounts of computing power to each user that are only freed when a user logs out, Onshape can apply massive amounts to each user as needed.
When a session disconnects (times out), your session is 'gone'. Nothing is retained and the resources are immediately reallocated to other users. There is no difference between between logging out, timing out and switching between tabs. Each time you do that, the data for the tab you want to display is read from the data base, the Parasolid body regenerated, facetized and then compared with any cached triangles in your browser. Where there are differences, only those triangles that have changed are then passed for your browser to sender. This is all covered by the 'loading studio data' spinning thing. The time-out is currently set to 15 minutes of inactivity and yes, we are caching data (triangle) data on your browser (nothing that could be used to reverse engineer your data).

The above description may include some generalizations, but is accurate in that it is my understanding of how it works (i think we may be caching body data on the server while a document is open to speed tab switching)

Being the first full-cloud professional CAD, we are still learning and optimizing many aspects of this. The more we learn, the better we can make the end user experience.  

andrew_troup

Thanks, @philip_thomas
Knowing why does not make our problems go away, but it does somewhat relieve the frustration of attempting to guess what's going on behind the curtain.

philip_thomas

@andrew_troup - here's a tip, if you are repeatedly switching between Onshape document tabs, try opening multiple browser tabs and switch between those rather than the document tabs - no spinny thing

_Ðave_

@philip_thomas This tip is what I do but when the tabs will still continually  times out and requires to be refreshed. An imported part with 2000+ surfaces takes a long time to reload once loaded Id like it to remain loaded. I feel that as a paid user I should have better access than a free user. Sort of like paying for internet speed. Actually this may be a good way of defining paid from free users instead of limiting the amount of private documents and 100mb storage. imo

3dcad

Earlier thread about timing out: https://forum.onshape.com/discussion/1065/onshape-session-timed-out

@philip_thomas
What do you think about marking 'work hours' (only pro accounts) maybe 2x 240min sets per day when timeout counter would be 60min or even more.
It is very frustrating to reload 5 models in different browsers after each phone call..

In general this 'always on' need is something that other programs have teached us. I rarely shutdown my computers, usually there is dozens of browsers with loads of tabs open just to remind me of something or provide quick access to certain information.
If I create word/excel document for temporary need, I don't save it - I know it will stay there even if windows runs updates and restarts; when I don't need it anymore I just close window and it's gone.
If I need to write some email first thing next morning, I will leave new mail window open with address and subject in place to remind me.

I rarely have post-its or notes around computer, I try to keep reminders on screen.

With Onshape I find it difficult to remember where I left off because of timeout / logout. Please find a way to get me back exactly where I was when I refresh the browser no matter how long I'm gone. I know this is not currently possible (because of the way how things work), but I'm sure you will find a solution. Don't worry, we will help you by demanding more and more as Onshape gets better and better.      

philip_thomas

Rami (et al) - this is all great feedback - thank you.

@DaVicki - hmm, be careful importing large numbers of surfaces. In Parasolid, a surface has the same overhead as a part - ie 2000 surfaces is the same as 2000 parts. Nothing wrong with doing that, just be aware. I would delete the ones i didn't need right away and re-export/import so that the document into which the data had been imported didn't have to work with any more data than needed.

_Ðave_

@philip_thomas I don't have much control over what my client sends for me to work with. All these surfaces are of one part. Actually Onshape did open this as a single solid kudos for that But mastercam found an issue with the file and created 19 parts. While attempting to find the issue I exported from mastercam into step and imported into Onshape just to find 2000+ surfaces. This is an extreme rare situation and once I determine what the issue is with the model I'll resolve it. This rare situation is actually an unfair example and my apologies for that but the timing out is still a bit frustrating and I'd like to see it improved for a paid level. just something to consider.

Thanks

philip_thomas

DaVivki - no problem - the reason we engage in these chats is to learn what our users are thinking and experiencing.

_Ðave_

 Off Topic but I'd like to update to any interested. Although I wasn't able to find the issue with my previously mentioned model (if one actually existed). This was orginally modeled in UG and converted into a stp file. Although my $15K worth of mastercam software was not able to correctly convert it, Onshape was. Then from Onshape I exported as a parasolid and I was able to open that export in mastercam correctly with no issues.

 Although Onshape is working on issues this is one example that they certainly are doing something right.

brucebartlett

Yes I'd would like to be able to stay live a bit longer. I always find I am refreshing, not sure what it currently is but my feeling is at least an hour would be good. 

Maybe as a pro user you could have longer before timing out.  

billy2

philip- what's the difference between hide/suppress? What's the impact on server speed vs. local display?

Let's say I have 1000 components so I have to have a strategy that makes things go away and come back. Can you please explain the differences in these 2 go-away processes. 

I'm really interested in the internet CAD strategy dealing with these 2.

philip_thomas

@Billy - the only performance difference between hide/suppress in Onshape is the time taken to pass the triangles and render locally. 
It is likely that we will be posting a blog describing some of these considerations and their performance impacts rather than addressing them piecemeal here. Bear in mind also, that we are still optimizing a very complex system and that we have a long way to go.

billy2

thanks philips- 

if hide turns off local webgl display and suppress forces a tessellation rebuild & resend, then one would think hide is faster than suppress. This is different than the desktop world where suppress is the king of speed.

Do I have to wait for an answer?

pete_yodis

billy said:

thanks philips- 

if hide turns off local webgl display and suppress forces a tessellation rebuild & resend, then one would think hide is faster than suppress. This is different than the desktop world where suppress is the king of speed.

Do I have to wait for an answer?

If that is the case @billy , then maybe a suppress can have a hide automatically built in such that on demand rebuild and resend may not be needed.  Just spit-balling here.