Slow Equations

E

ed_1001 19 years ago

This may have been addressed before and if so, pardon my ignorance. Why is SolidWorks so slow when using equations? When I open a new file and add a dozen or so equations, and then do a Q, it takes

4-5 seconds to update the mostly empty file. This wouldn't be terrible, except that any sketch geometry now also takes this long to create. For example, if in the above file, a sketch is opened and 10 lines are drawn, it will take 4-5 seconds PER LINE. This is nuts. SW should not even break a sweat doing a couple hundred simple calculations, much less a dozen.

FYI - SolidWorks 2006 SP 4.1 64bit Windows XP64 HP workstation xw2600 Intel Xeon CPU 2.80GHz Dual Core

2.0 Gb Ram

Open a file, go to Tools, Equations, Edit All and add these equations:

"ShellDir"= 1 "OverallLength"= 47.75 "OverallWidth"= 44.75 "OverallHeight"= 6 "WallThickness"= 0.125 "FitNotchOffset"= 0 "StackOverlap"= 0.75 "AntiJamHeight"= 0 "RouterStep"= 0.0625 "RunOut"= 1.5 "ThreeWaySize"= .75 "WallTopWidth"=0.5 "GussetWidth"=.5 "StackProportion"= 1.2 "V1"= "OverallLength" - (IIf("ShellDir" > 0, 0, ("WallThickness" *

2))) - ("RouterStep" * 2) "V2"= "OverallWidth" - (IIf("ShellDir" > 0, 0, ("WallThickness" * 2)))

- ("RouterStep" * 2) "V3"= "OverallLength" / ("StackProportion" *10) "AJCalcHeight"= 1.25 * "WallThickness" * cosec(5) - "WallThickness" "AJMaxHeight"= "OverallHeight" - "StackOverlap" "AJHeight"= IIf("AntiJamHeight" > 0, IIf("AntiJamHeight" >

"AJMaxHeight", "AJMaxHeight", "AntiJamHeight"), IIf("AJCalcHeight" < "AJMaxHeight", "AJCalcHeight", "AJMaxHeight")) "3WayTop"= "ThreeWaySize" * 0.5 "PerimeterJogAngle"= 45 "3WayExtrudePerimeter"= "PerimeterJogAngle" * 2 "FNOCalc"= ("OverallHeight" - "StackOverlap") * Tan(5) + ".5" + Tan(5)

"WallThickness" - ("WallThickness" / Cos(5)) - 0.25 "FNO"=IIf("FitNotchOffset" > 0,"FitNotchOffset", "FNOCalc") "Offset1_Sketch2"= (2 * tan(5) * ("OverallHeight"-"StackOverlap")) + "WallTopWidth" "Offset2_Sketch2"= (tan(5) * ("OverallHeight"-"StackOverlap")) + "WallTopWidth"

(be careful with the ones that wrap lines).

Now Q. Takes my computer about 5 seconds to do the rebuild. Any ideas why? If you want real pain, open a sketch and draw anything.

Vote

S

Sam 19 years ago

I have had a hunch for awhile that some of my performance problems was related to equations although I have done no testing. I have had an idea of instead of using sw equations to write a vb macro and assign to a hotkey to launch it, I am not sure if there would be a performace gain or loss or if it would be a wash but if this is causing you a lot of problems it might be something to consider. I like the idea of the macro because it would consolidate my equations in a central source rather than being distributed across multiple sw documents but there is also the development time and of course at every new sw release I would be sweating bullets worried that my equations macro might not work because of some change to the sw api.

Sorry no answers only sympathy...

Sam

Vote

E

ed_1001 19 years ago

On Feb 14, 1:20 pm, "Sam" wrote: > I have had a hunch for awhile that some of my performance problems was > related to equations although I have done no testing. I have had an > idea of instead of using sw equations to write a vb macro and assign > to a hotkey to launch it, I am not sure if there would be a performace > gain or loss or if it would be a wash but if this is causing you a lot > of problems it might be something to consider. I like the idea of the > macro because it would consolidate my equations in a central source > rather than being distributed across multiple sw documents but there > is also the development time and of course at every new sw release I > would be sweating bullets worried that my equations macro might not > work because of some change to the sw api. >

I've already started down the VB path. The file is much faster at rebuild, and there is no delay during feature or sketch creation. Additionally, I've created a form to edit the variables that I want users to have control over, so it makes their life easier. Time will tell how much of a hassle this will be with version changes. Now, if VB were only a little less cumbersome. But that's a different rant.

Vote

C

CS 19 years ago

Wouldn't a design table be quicker. We all know that Excel has one of the most proven Equation Calculators in the world, and you can accomplish the same task.

Vote

C

CS 19 years ago

Almost forgot Submit this to your VAR so this can get some attention

Vote

E

ed_1001 19 years ago

Yep, a design table would be quicker. IF all of our users had Excel. They don't, so I'll finish the project with a VB macro.

Vote

Slow Equations

Join the Discussion

Didn't find your answer?