Improvements to Onshape - July 25th, 2017

cody_armstrong

Here we are again, ready for another update for you.  A big focus for this update was improvements to drawings and there are many. We hope you like them!

DIMENSION IMPROVEMENTS

The Dimension command in Onshape Drawings can now be used to create nearly any dimension.  You no longer have to pre-select the correct dimension command from the toolbar.

https://onshape.wistia.com/medias/8cwg7i5e5v?embedType=async&videoFoam=true&videoWidth=640

PARTIAL SECTION VIEWS

You can now create Partial Section Views in Onshape Drawings.

https://onshape.wistia.com/medias/5g0fyg39sc?embedType=async&videoFoam=true&videoWidth=640

EXPORT DRAWING DOWNLOAD OPTIONS 

You can now export a drawing or sketch and store it as a tab in the Document.  This is especially important for creating Drawing Templates.  In the past, you had to export a template file and then import it into a Document. This new option eliminates that.

https://onshape.wistia.com/medias/3kx21qa8bc?embedType=async&videoFoam=true&videoWidth=640

WELD SYMBOL IMPROVEMENTS

New support for Spot and Seam welds as well as a Drawings Properties option that allows you to specify which standard you want your weld symbols to conform to.

https://onshape.wistia.com/medias/pxaafdgb03?embedType=async&videoFoam=true&videoWidth=640

DRAWING VIEW NAMES

You can now give a drawing view a name.  In the view properties you will see a new option for name.



FLIP SKETCH TEXT

There is a new option in the Sketch Text command to "Flip vertical" and "Flip Horizontal."  These will allow you to flip the text you are creating.  Also new is a preview window in the dialog that allows you to see a preview of the text before accepting.

https://onshape.wistia.com/medias/gog1jaq6dv?embedType=async&videoFoam=true&videoWidth=640

Please take a moment to try out these new features and improvements and let us know what you think!  

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.

3dcad

Smart dimension tool in drawings, finally, AWESOME!

john_mcclary

Yeay! Smart dimensions Thank you!

emagdalenaC2i

Thank you especially for all the drawing improvements, great work

steve_pendergrast

Flipping the text horizontaly and vertically is wonderful. You don't know how many times I had to jump through hoops with transforms to get the text oriented correctly.

brucebartlett

I love the new drawing improvements. Keep up the Great Work

chrisjh777

All I can is is WOW!!  

Smart dimensions, Export drawings to tab within OS, Drawing Name Views, and ISO Weld symbols.

Great improvements.

john_mcclary

Still can't figure out what naming views is for. Can someone explain that one to me?

cody_armstrong

@john_mcclary  It doesn't do much yet, but more is planned here.

john_mcclary

Kinda figured it was future tech.. but still trying to fathom it's purpose  
https://youtu.be/X7HmltUWXgs?t=33s

abefeldman

@john_mcclary The view name is especially useful if, for example, you create several auxiliary views A, B and C, and then delete B. Before, there was no way to rename the view C, so all of your views would then be out of order. Now you can rename it.

john_mcclary

@abefeldman I don't wanna drag this on too much longer but if there is a helpful use for this I may want to use it. I'm just trying to find it... 

Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't that View Label, not view name?

Dirk_Price

Great update OS team!

OS drawings are really beginning to come into their own with these improvements.  Thank you especially for the 'export as new tab' improvement.  

Keep up the exceptional work!

bobminer

Drawing view names will be used soon, but you are correct that they have no clear use right now in this release.  But again, they will be used very soon.  Hint: If you needed to show a list of views on a sheet, what would you want to see?  

abefeldman

@john_mcclary that's correct, my mistake. You can change those now too

3dit_software

Dimension!!! Very excited about that one - and I'm only 10 seconds in.

Templates...download to tab - very nice.

I'm kind of glad I'm a little behind on drawings, now I can try this stuff out.

brian_brady

Nice updates for drawings, especially the Dimension command. Now add an "Import part feature dimensions" command to the dimensioning tools list with an easy way to remove/relocate the dimensions that you would like to override or dimension differently. 

sean_managh

flip text  NICE

RT_AXIOM

Love the smart dimension and export update!

fastwayjim

I LOVE how the references highlight in blue with the smart dimension... NICE!

PeteYodis

@fastwayjim We thought users would like that, especially in the case of multiple concentric arcs/circles and their center points.  It's nice to know afterwards which geometric entities are really driving the dimension value.

bert_fourie

Well done!

chrisjh777

CJH Onshape Drawing Critique 02Aug17

I have been holding off on updating my ISO 3rd Angle drawing templates, awaiting further improvements from OS.  The recent ability to amend templates within OS is a welcome improvement, along with property links to various fields.

This morning I trialled amending one of my templates, and decided to hold off improving my templates until the following enhancements are made:

1.      Date formats are currently restricted to USA date formats (there is no provision for other formats that I use such as 02Aug2017 or 02Aug17).   In Australia, 08/02/2017 is read as 08Feb2017.

2.      Mass properties are still not available as a linked property.

3.      Custom materials are still not available.

PeteYodis

@chrisjh777  Is this what you are after regarding date format?

brucebartlett

@chrisjh777 @PeteYodis dd/mm/yy or d/m/yy is our common date scheme in Australia, we really do need this. (and smallest to biggest, make so much more sense). In lieu of this, on my drawings, I just use yy/mm/dd it should be the standard IMO as it sorts the best. 

3dcad

@brucebartlett
I agree, we have dd.mm.yyyy standard in Finland but I always use yyyy-mm-dd for consistency and best sort. If I was the king of everything, I would deny all the others

john_mcclary

3dcad said:

@brucebartlett
I agree, we also have dd/mm/yyyy standard in Finland but I always use yyyy/mm/dd for consistency and best sort. If I was the king of everything, I would deny all the others

+1000
for global date standard
Already use it to file emails

brucebartlett

@john_mcclary why are you still using eDrawing? Surely there's a much better solution?

john_mcclary

@brucebartlett  I wonder what on earth you could be referring too... 

Sad thing is... even the project's I've released with OS, I still have to export->import->export to eDrawings then file...

  

I'm just surprised some people at work don't still have an AOL account..

brucebartlett

@john_mcclary, change, it takes time for these concepts to sink in, patients and subtle persistence. I remember introducing the concept of using a pdf in a work place, initial it was ignored, but the tide turned and before long it was the standard practice.

chrisjh777

@PeteYodis,

What you have demonstrated is exactly what I am seeking in relation to date format.  However, the date format drop-down is currently "greyed out", so I am guessing that this is in the queue for release?

Also can someone demonstrate to me how to reply correctly with the format @personsname?  I am not a Twitter User.

Regards
chrisjh777