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Tools and commands come and go willy-nilly!

Unlike the CAD programs I used in college and those I used in my professional years, this program seems to like to randomly and arbitrarily change, jump around, need to be refreshed, and in the greater sense, prove its self utterly worthless. But worst of all, the sketch and extrude tools seem to be from different worlds on here or something because they never show up at the same place and time, which makes work literally impossible. Another problem is the issue that it likes to deselect a plane you may wish to select, again, at its own will, and there seems no way of stopping this. How does one USE this wild ass scatterbrained program anyway?!

Best Answer

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    PrachiPrachi Member, OS Professional Posts: 262 ✭✭✭
    Answer ✓
    The icons do change. This is to bring to the forefront what you'll need for the task at hand. When working in a sketch the tools switch to sketching mode. If this did not happen you would have a very busy screen to keep ALL tools visible at any given time. Have worked with programs like that in the past and am happy not to see anymore.

Answers

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    NeilCookeNeilCooke Moderator, Onshape Employees Posts: 5,374
    The icons do not move, nor does it do anything without user input - I would suggest reviewing the free training resources at https://learn.onshape.com
    Senior Director, Technical Services, EMEAI
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    TimRiceTimRice Member, Moderator, Onshape Employees Posts: 315
    @yuri_futanari
    What device and browser are you using?
    Tim Rice | User Experience | Support 
    Onshape, Inc.
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    PrachiPrachi Member, OS Professional Posts: 262 ✭✭✭
    Answer ✓
    The icons do change. This is to bring to the forefront what you'll need for the task at hand. When working in a sketch the tools switch to sketching mode. If this did not happen you would have a very busy screen to keep ALL tools visible at any given time. Have worked with programs like that in the past and am happy not to see anymore.
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    yuri_futanariyuri_futanari Member Posts: 6
    @TimRice I am using Vivaldi
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    yuri_futanariyuri_futanari Member Posts: 6
    @glen_dewsbury Actually, all of my former experiences with professional CAD/CAM programs had the option to show what you felt comfortable using, and I always had every option open so I could simply reach up to a memorized location and select the command I needed.

    I prefer having clearly visible icons, readily at hand instantly, and in the professional systems I used in the past, you simply knew which tools you did not need at any given step in the design process, therefore, you simply worked from knowledge and experience.

    I did manage to figure it out since I first posted this request.
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    TimRiceTimRice Member, Moderator, Onshape Employees Posts: 315
     I am using Vivaldi
    Currently we only support Firefox, Chrome, and Safari browsers. Please try again in one of these options. 
    Tim Rice | User Experience | Support 
    Onshape, Inc.
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    yuri_futanariyuri_futanari Member Posts: 6
    TimRice said:
     I am using Vivaldi
    Currently we only support Firefox, Chrome, and Safari browsers. Please try again in one of these options. 
    Vivaldi is the chrome base with just some minor re-branding actually, and it is working just fine.

    Now I am trying to determine another technical issue in hopes of speeding my first self teaching effort along.

    I am wondering if I can import an image or a .svg file like one can do in Blender and some other more recent 3D modeling programs, and use those as templates for sketches as I work up layers of a complex part, from which I can have a friend who had a 3D printer 3D print it for me.

    While the item its self has a very low chance of ever becoming useful, just being able to see it come into three dimensions would tell me that I was learning the program correctly and help me d


    @glen_dewsbury Actually, all of my former experiences with professional CAD/CAM programs had the option to show what you felt comfortable using, and I always had every option open so I could simply reach up to a memorized location and select the command I needed.

    I prefer having clearly visible icons, readily at hand instantly, and in the professional systems I used in the past, you simply knew which tools you did not need at any given step in the design process, therefore, you simply worked from knowledge and experience.

    While I excelled with those programs, I did learn them in college with very patient, long drawn out teacher explanations with class interaction, which I realize fully is not possible through normal internet interactions, although now on Skype and some other high capacity streaming chat/social platforms, this is now possible.

    I would be happy if I could simply find a concise, comprehensive detailed step by step walk-through of each and every tool, its location, its methods of being turned on and off [such simple commands as right click, left click, esc, and staged hot-key commands such as Ctrl +, Alt +, Shift +, and 'triples' such as Ctrl + Alt +, Crtl + Shift +, and Alt + Shift +, and so forth], so I can pause, back up, move forward, or whatever it takes until I am confident that I can use the service.
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    bruce_williamsbruce_williams Member, Developers Posts: 842 PRO
    @yuri_futanari

    Welcome to Onshape and the Forum. I think you will find both rewarding.

    Quick answer on the import image - yes use sketch/insert image tool (pull down with dxf tool).  And see this thread for tips/tricks/help.  Please let us know if any other specific questions. 

    On your points about 'muscle memory', knowing where things are - to me that just takes use and time. The tutorials in learning center are awesome; then the support through forum is another strong resource.  And see 'keyboard shortcuts' under the ? help menu.
    www.accuratepattern.com
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    PrachiPrachi Member, OS Professional Posts: 262 ✭✭✭
    Hi Yuri
    There is a place to get help for introduction to OS. Lots of self paced courses and technical briefings as well as a list of short cuts. I highly recommend setting up dual screens for the course material.
    https://learn.onshape.com/catalog?labels=%5B%22Self-Paced%20Courses%22%5D&values=%5B%22CAD%20Basics%22%5D

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