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Assembly How do I get component parts to regenerate when the assembly is activated?
CAM How do I output a tool path to the IMS Post processor?
File Extensions What are the extensions and meanings for the file types that VX understands?
License Where is the local license file?
What are the licenseing prerequisites?
How do I solve problems with license server configuration errors?
I am still having problems installing a license, what now?
Modeling How do I execute the spotface technique?
How do I insert points from a file?
How do I create Solid Text – Emboss?
How do I create a 3D wire frame section in the model?
How do I define 'USER' line and hidden line attributes?
How do I measure a distance with respect to a user defined plane (or face)?
Mold Design What is the basic procedure for creating a mold?
Prerequisites What are the prerequisites for installing VX?
Rendering What is the basic procedure and attributes for rendering?
Translators What is the typical IGES import procedure?
How does VX deal with STEP?
Troubleshooting How do stop mouse trails?


Assembly   (top)
Q: How do I get component parts to regenerate when the assembly is activated?   (top)
A: From the Assembly Browser, right click on the component and pick 'REGEN'.


CAM   (top)
Q: How do I output a tool path to the IMS Post processor?   (top)
A: 1. Create a new VX User (by going through the installation and ONLY creating a new user). The directory path of the new user cannot contain any spaces. This will be fixed on version 7. 2. Copy the directory "output_def" into this new directory. The output_def directory is in the main installed VX directory. This is the directory that contains the file "runpost.bat". 3. Modify the runpost.bat so the path of the IMSpexec.exe is correct for your computer. Mine is: "set IMSPOST_PATH=C:\IMS\IMSpost70b" but yours may be different.


File Extensions   (top)
Q: What are the extensions and meanings for the file types that VX understands?   (top)
A:
Image types
  • GIF
  • JPG - JPEG
  • TIF - Tagged Image File
  • BMP - Bit Map
  • EPS - Encapsulated Post Script
  • SGI - ?
    Translators
  • igs - IGES Initial Graphics Exchange Language
  • dxf - AutoCad Files
  • dwg - AutoCad Files
  • stp - STEP Standard for exchange of product model data
  • stl - Stereo Lithography (Export Only)
  • vda - verband der automobileindustrie
  • wrl - VRML Virtual ? ? Language (Export Only)
  • sat - ASIS format
  • ps2 - PartSolution 2D
  • ps3 - PartSolution 3D
  • cat , model , exp - Catia
  • prt - Pro-e and UG
  • axp - Anvil Express
  • x_b , x_t , xmt_bin , xmt_txt - Parasolids
    Miscellaneous
  • PDF - Portable Document Format (Adobe)
  • TXT - Ascii text file
  • DOC - Microsoft Word
  • XLS - Microsoft Excel
  • PPT - Microsoft Power Point
  • CSV - Microsoft Excel 'Comma Separated Value' File
  • MP3 - Music
  • WAV - Sound Bites
  • MPEG - Movie
  • AVI - Movie
  • WRF - WebEx Recorded File
    		•


    License   (top)
    Q: Where is the local license file?   (top)
    A: C:\Winnt\etc\vxlic\vxv
    Q: What are the licenseing prerequisites?   (top)
    A: Network card or Dongle (hardware key)
  • If using a hardware key, you will need to load Hasp driver one time Use ‘copy – paste’, don’t type the password
    		•
    Q: How do I solve problems with license server configuration errors?   (top)
    A: If license server installation hits a snag and communication with the server fails, try the following:
    1. From the client, PING the server.
      • Do it again and use the IP address you just received and PING IP#
    2. From the server, PING the client.
      • Do it again and use the IP address you just received and PING IP#. This will establish that we do indeed have communication back and forth.
    3. On both machines, run ipconfig /all
    4. Look to see if the DHCP setting is the same on both. If not, pick another machine as the license server.
  • If you want to monitor the communication to the vxserver service, Stop the service…
    • cd C:\vxserver
    • vxserversvc.exe -stop
    • vxserversvc.exe -debug -dbgprt (Don't click in the window to select it. If you do, hit ENTER)
    		•
    Q: I am still having problems installing a license, what now?   (top)
    A:
  • If you are using the hardware key, plug it in to the parallel port.
  • If you are using the new purple hardware keys, plug it into the USB port. Win NT does not support usb. You must have W2K or Win XP.
    		•


    Modeling   (top)
    Q: How do I execute the spotface technique?   (top)
    A:
  • Create a plane perpendicular to the drill hole
  • Insert drill hole
  • Sketch on the same plane–create the SpotFace Diameter
  • Sketch in a plane perpendicular to the above plane–find the intersection point of the surface and the spotface diameter at the low point. Create some geometry there. ie a line
  • Extruded Cut–use to point as the depth of the extrusion
    		•
    Q: How do I insert points from a file?   (top)
    A: Use a Comma separated Ascii text file (not a word doc)
    Format:
    # pound sign is a comment line
    #
    upper (group label)(optional)(no delimiters < >)
    0,1.25,3 (Z coordinate is optional)
    1,2
    lower
    0,-2.3,3
    -1,-2
    Q: How do I create Solid Text – Emboss?   (top)
    A:
  • Create a sketch
  • Add text
  • Change text attribute – font – to Duplex Roman (Double Walled)
  • EDIT – Explode (pick the text) (you now have lines)
  • EDIT – Erase the text
  • May need to trim the corners on some letters
  • Go back to the part
  • Extrude Add
    		•
    Q: How do I create a 3D wire frame section in the model?   (top)
    A:
  • Create a sketch of the section lines (typically an open boundary)
  • INSERT – Attribute tag – Attach “inside” tag to curve
    		•
    Q: How do I define 'USER' line and hidden line attributes?   (top)
    A:
  • VXCorp\VX7.0\supp\VXGL_STYLE
  • Pay attention to the size (2**n) where n=(0-4)
  • Don't change the name USER
    		•
    Q: How do I measure a distance with respect to a user defined plane (or face)?   (top)
    A: INQUIRE – Distance – Plane - Point


    Mold Design   (top)
    Q: What is the basic procedure for creating a mold?   (top)
    A:
    1. Split part into core and cavity
    2. Turn auto-sew off
    3. Parting lines on the core
    4. Parting surfaces
    5. Create an extrusion for the mold plate
    6. Subtract core from the plate
    7. Blank part/plate
    8. Sew
    9. Possibly have to Reverse Normals. (Red side of the parting Surface is what gets trimmed away)Unblank
    10. Subtract parting surface from the plate


    Prerequisites   (top)
    Q: What are the prerequisites for installing VX?   (top)
    A:
  • VX runs on Windows NT service packs 3,4,5 and 6a ; Windows 2000; and XP home and professional. (Not NT sp 6 or Win 95, 98 or ME) To verify the version, click START - Run - type winver
  • Pentium II 700 MHz is minimum processor
  • OpenGL accelerated graphics card and latest driver is preferred
  • Speakers and sound card for tutorials and training
  • IRIX is not supported in VX 6 and beyond
    		•


    Rendering   (top)
    Q: What is the basic procedure and attributes for rendering?   (top)
    A:
  • Background - White
  • Display Mode - Both
  • Image Width and Height - example: 1024 by 768
  • TCP/IP - This protocol must be running for rendering to work.
    1. Pick which format you want to create (see above for file types)
    2. Browse for location and give file name INCLUDING file extension (See above)
    3. View - Render (actually creates the file and view if Mode was set to Both)
    4. Firewall - If you have a 'firewall' installed on your computer, VX will ask you several questions…answer 'YES' to all of them.
    		•


    Translators   (top)
    Q: What is the typical IGES import procedure?   (top)
    A:
    1. Run the import with the options selected adding "Remove Duplicate Surfaces" and possibly adding "Auto activate part". To check if the imported file is a solid,
    2. Change the pick filter to shape
    3. Inquire - Entity and pick the part If the status window says its (Closed), it's a solid. If the part is (Open) you need to sew.
    4. TOOLS - Heal
    5. Sew (Use default tolerance the first time through). If the result says "unmatched edges = [0]" you have a solid. If not [0], check the gap. If it is reasonable, rerun the sew command with 'Tolerance' that matches the gap, +1 at the least significant digit.
    6. Heal topology - check both option boxes - if you had to sew at a tolerance other than the default, this will bring the part back to the default tolerance. It also will delete most duplicate surfaces if they came through with a non-native import.
    7. If there are more edges open, use the command 'Show open edges'
    8. First attempt to close should be to use the 'Extend Faces' command. Typically where there is an open edge, there are two. Pick twice to extend both open edges.
    9. Second alternative, if extend doesn't work, would be the 'Fill Gaps' command. Maybe there is a full face missing, (more that just two edges).
    Q: How does VX deal with STEP?   (top)
    A:
  • VX will import both STEP 203 and 214 formats.
  • We export 203 only.
  • Starting with Version 5.0 we now export using specific vendor information found under ‘Recommended Options’
    		•


    Troubleshooting   (top)
    Q: How do stop mouse trails?   (top)
    A: There are two settings on Windows 2000 that need to be set for people who are experiencing the mouse trails problem. So they only need to adjust these settings as needed -- so we don't need to do this for every system.
    1. Go to the "Start" button and select the "Settings" side pull and the click on the "Control Panel".
    2. Once the window comes up, double click on the "Mouse" icon or word. This will bring up the window which allows customization to the mouse settings.
    3. Select the "Pointers" tab.
    4. There are two settings on this dialog box that need to be set: (1) The "Enable pointer shadow" needs to be unchecked (or turned off) and (2) the "Scheme" should be set to "(None)". There may be other schemes that will work, but I know the ones like the "3D- Bronze" will not.
    5. Select "Ok" or "Apply" to make the settings active and the problems should be gone.
    NOTE: You will need to restart VX in order to realize the changes made to the mouse settings
    © 2008