Communicator gotcha
Just a heads up to anyone else using Communicator with V19. I've been having intermittent problems with the importation of 3D models since I got our IT group to install the upgrade, a couple weeks ago. The error message is "remove mechanical structure before importing". I was led to believe there was something wrong with the IGES and STEP files I was importing. Yesterday however, I finally realized the problem doesn't affect the first model I import, just subsequent models. Apparently Communicator or BricsCAD V19 flags every import as a "mechanical component", gives it a name, and then assigns a "product structure" to the drawing. If you're not creating an assembly and don't have the mechanical browser window open, you wouldn't know this. The next time you try and import a 3D model, the program tries to bring it in with the same name. This creates a conflict, and results in the error message.
The solution, according to the support group, is to go into Settings, and set Communicator Import Product Structure to "0". I wish Bricsys would let us know when they make a change like this.
Comments
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Perhaps expanding on the error message to something like: Remove mechanical structure before importing or change the setting ImportProductStructure to "0" to import multiple components.
I just checked and mine is set to "0" and I think that's the default. That could be because I've dragged many settings forward over successive upgrades? A clean install may be different.
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@Richard Webb said:
I just checked and mine is set to "0" and I think that's the default. That could be because I've dragged many settings forward over successive upgrades? A clean install may be different.Richard,
Thank you for your reply. I didn't write down the exact words, but "remove mechanical structure before importing" sizes up the error message pretty accurately. Nothing to expand or elaborate on. During my early conversation with Egor in the support group, he said, "...assembly structure will be propagated to the .dwg." Can you understand why this led me to believe there was some problem with the files I was importing? I was sent on a wild goose chase. I contacted the vendor to ask them to remove the mechanical structure from their files.
Fact is, this problem began right after we installed V19, and only in V19. I could always import mutiple IGES, STEP, or other files in earlier versions without error messages. Apparently the default action in V19 is to flag any imported model as a "mechanical component", and then create a "product structure".in the drawing. Why? I'm not always creating assembly drawings. Sometimes I deconstruct multiple 3D models to form ONE 3D model. Also hard to fathom, is why the program would try to assign the same name to successive imports, and then throw a cryptic error message. Why not just assign a new name and allow the import? I was not aware of what was going on, because I did not have the mechanical browser window open. I was NOT creating an assembly. I didn't need to make a B.O.M. I wasn't making use of constraints. Fully half of my drawings are 2D only, dating to the days when I used Autocad LT, or hadn't yet learned how to make a 3D model. Why would there be a mechanical structure? How would I have added it? I start ALL my drawings with read only templates that I created years ago. The only changes I've made to them is the dates in the title block. So if the mechanical structure is attached to the drawing, I don't know how that happened.
One of the issues I have with BricsCAD, is knowing whether a setting is applied only to the drawing opened, or is global. I don't think the Settings window delineates that, does it?
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Jim,
on your last question I have some anwer
to know whether a setting a drawing or system based you should have a look to the lower left corner in the settings dialog.
It shows the type, whether drawing or registry setting and if it is BricsCAD only.
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@KarelVergauwe said:
Jim,.. to know whether a setting a drawing or system based you should have a look to the lower left corner in the settings dialog.
It shows the type, whether drawing or registry setting and if it is BricsCAD only.
You are absolutely right! Thank you.
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Ive also noticed communicator uninstalls itself after every reboot, why??
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@jurquhart said:
Ive also noticed communicator uninstalls itself after every reboot, why??Haven't had that experience, and I use Communicator all the time. Just a guess, but could it be a licensing issue? I've noticed some weird things when the license isn't recognized.
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