Loss of functionality when importing SolidWorks files w/ multiple configurations

[Anonymous]

I've just installed the 2018 3.4 update before beginning a new project and have lost a previously available feature. When importing or opening a SolidWorks file with multiple configurations, a dialog box used to appear allowing me to select which configurations should be imported. This no longer happens, and instead it imports whichever configuration is active in the SolidWorks file. I've checked the options in FeatureCAM and can't find anything related to this.

This is a serious issue due to the fact that we use PDM software. The files must be checked out, have the active configuration changed, and then saved before being imported into FeatureCAM. We sometimes import up to 3-4 configurations from the same file. Being required to cause a revision bump in our PDM software just because of this loss of functionality is not ideal and has added a substantial amount of time to getting configurations imported and in the correct UCS.

I'm hoping this functionality is still present and that I'm overlooking something new. Looking for any pointers.

[Anonymous]

Hi,

Can you show a picture about the dialog box there appear before the update?

[Anonymous]

Here's a screenshot from 2017 R1 SP5, which we still have installed on another system. This appears immediately after selecting the SolidWorks file to be imported.

[Anonymous]

Hi,

CAn you also share a part where you have configuration inside?

[michael.d.price · Accepted solution]

In the release 2018.1.0 FeatureCAM changed the file translator (for solids and surfaces) from a third-party vendor has been replaced with Autodesk technology that is widely used across the Autodesk product portfolio. In this change the ability to import different SolidWorks configuration files went away as the Autodesk translator dies not yet support that. This ability is currently currently in development as a change request to be added in a future release of the software. This full information on this can be found in the FeatureCAM 2018 release notes.

[patrick_wilson]

This Really SUCKS.  Many of our Family of Parts utilize Configurations!  This is a MAJOR step BACKWARDS.

We use PDM and now we have to roll revisions for each opening.

Bad Bad Bad.

are there any other Losses we should know about?

Sorry about the language, but this is adding a lot of work for me.

Thank you.

Patrick.

[patrick_wilson]

One more thing, does it possibly work in Exchange?

Pat.

[Scoobyvroom]

Any word if this is being worked on? Has it been fixed?

[patrick_wilson]

I believe it was fixed in Featurecam 2020.  Not sure about other products.

Pat.

[Scoobyvroom]

I will have to try it and see. It appears that it doesn't work for powermill? I was assume they are both using data exchange to import?

[brian.donahue]

This was restored in FC 2021.0.2  (so it's also in 2022.0.0, and 2023).  (I'm not sure about Powermill). 

[Scoobyvroom]

Yeah. I originally made the mistake of thinking this was the Powermill forum. You are correct that it works in Featurecam. Powermill does not ask you, and only imports the last active configuration. I am a PM user and I assumed that Featurecam used the Autodesk Data Exchange to also import files. That doesn't appear to be the case. This broke about the same time in 2018. PM/Data Exchange has yet to fix this.

[patrick_wilson]

You might try logging a support ticket specifically for PowerMill?

It's a pain if you are using SW's PDM fucntions.

Pat.