KeyShot Forum

Technical discussions => Plugins => SOLIDWORKS => Topic started by: Chris B on February 15, 2017, 03:12:31 PM

Title: SolidWorks LiveLinking Status
Post by: Chris B on February 15, 2017, 03:12:31 PM
Further to quigley's point, we are evaluating rendering packages for our SolidWorks models.

All our models are in SolidWorks.  We have 1,600 renders to do of many configurations and variations.

Fast, smooth workflow, importing files, updating, etc is of paramount importance.

What do you think of the LiveLinking functionality, is it up to this task?

SolidWorks 2016 SP5.0
Ref:  https://www.keyshot.com/forum/index.php?topic=13201.msg65264 (https://www.keyshot.com/forum/index.php?topic=13201.msg65264)
Title: Re: SolidWorks LiveLinking Status
Post by: guest84672 on February 15, 2017, 05:06:51 PM
We have thousands of users that are using the SolidWorks plugin and LiveLinking with models of any complexity on a daily basis. It will be able to handle whatever you throw at it.
Title: Re: SolidWorks LiveLinking Status
Post by: Chris B on February 15, 2017, 05:44:04 PM
That's a good insight.  Thanks for the reply.
Title: Re: SolidWorks LiveLinking Status
Post by: Chris B on February 23, 2017, 08:39:06 PM
So far livelinking working great.
Absolutely love that you guys made this work for SolidWorks.

One question:
I modified an assembly in SolidWorks.  Clicked "Update KeyShot scene" inside SolidWorks.  But only the first of the two assemblies updated inside Keyshot.  Is there a trick to getting the second assembly to update?



Title: Re: SolidWorks LiveLinking Status
Post by: guest84672 on February 24, 2017, 11:57:47 AM
Quick question: you duplicated the door assembly to show off different finishes?
Title: Re: SolidWorks LiveLinking Status
Post by: guest84672 on February 24, 2017, 12:07:30 PM
This should work, i.e update both assemblies, if they are indeed just duplicates. Are you running the latest version of KeyShot, SW and the SW plugin? That would be KS 6.3.23, SW 2017, and the 1.2 plugin (check the plugin page, I uploaded it there yesterday)
Title: Re: SolidWorks LiveLinking Status
Post by: HaroldL on February 24, 2017, 07:06:22 PM
Thomas,
At work we are running SolidWorks 2010 with the v1.1 plugin (I think it is v 1.0.1 in the dll properties), I see that the requirements for the plugin is SolidWorks 2011-2017. Would it help to update our plugin to v1.2? What's changed and/or updated in the latest version? Has it been tested on SW 2010?

Thanks.
Title: Re: SolidWorks LiveLinking Status
Post by: Chris B on February 26, 2017, 12:31:30 PM
That's correct.  Imported two instances of the same assembly to compare the two handle finishes.

Was using:
SolidWorks 2016 sp5
Keyshot 6.3.23
SolidWorks plugin 1.1

Updated just now to SolidWorks plugin 1.2.

Still same behavior.  The first file I bring in will update but the second one will not.
Might be because we are using SolidWorks EPDM (now called PDM Professional) file vault.








Title: Re: SolidWorks LiveLinking Status
Post by: Chris B on February 26, 2017, 01:02:47 PM
This photo explains what is happening a bit more.

Looks like it's required to check out all the files we want to update in KeyShot.
Title: Re: SolidWorks LiveLinking Status
Post by: Chris B on February 26, 2017, 01:09:51 PM
Hmm, even checking out the wood piece, savit it, and checking everything back in still did not quite work

Title: Re: SolidWorks LiveLinking Status
Post by: Chris B on February 27, 2017, 12:10:42 PM
Tested with some files outside the EPDM vault.  Saved on desktop gives same results.

Title: Re: SolidWorks LiveLinking Status
Post by: guest84672 on February 27, 2017, 02:31:47 PM
@HaroldL  - We have not tested this with SW2010. We can't afford to test and support the last 8 releases of every major CAD system out there. Thanks for understanding.
Title: Re: SolidWorks LiveLinking Status
Post by: guest84672 on February 27, 2017, 02:42:31 PM
@ Chris B - You are importing these versions all via the plugin? Trying to understand the workflow here.
Title: Re: SolidWorks LiveLinking Status
Post by: Chris B on February 27, 2017, 05:03:11 PM
@ thomasteger
Yes, correct.  Same results if I push the first model to KS via SolidWorks using the plugin there.
Or import the first file using File->Import from within KS.

Then, since you can't push a second model to KS via the plugin (afaik)
Either use File->Import or  File->Open within KS to bring in a second instance.
Or click the first instance in Scene tab, and click "Duplicate."

The second Open/Import instances don't seem to update at all.
The Duplicated instance updates partially (the part but not the assembly, when clicking "Update KeyShot Scene" from within that assembly.

I'm on the demo version of KS 6.3, if that makes any difference.




Title: Re: SolidWorks LiveLinking Status
Post by: Chris B on February 27, 2017, 05:16:03 PM
Import settings.  Selecting "Accurate Tessellation" and "Import NURBS data" gave same results.

Title: Re: SolidWorks LiveLinking Status
Post by: guest84672 on February 28, 2017, 06:56:30 AM
Spoke with dev about this. The combination of plugin and direct import definitely won't work.

We are making some significant improvements in KeyShot 7 where you can actually update multiple models in the scene. This is the fundamental problem here. You have 2 assemblies at the root level, so KeyShot doesn't know which on to update. At its core it is only meant to work on a single assembly.

To work around this issue for now you could try to create an assembly that contains both of the root assemblies as subassemblies. Then live linking or "update geometry" thought the importer will work without problem.

Let us know how this works for you.
Title: Re: SolidWorks LiveLinking Status
Post by: Chris B on February 28, 2017, 04:54:12 PM
QuoteTo work around this issue for now you could try to create an assembly that contains both of the root assemblies as subassemblies. Then live linking or "update geometry" thought the importer will work without problem.

That works well. 
And the SolidWorks vault doesn't seem to affect it.  Whether part is checked out or not it still works.

Would be interesting if in KeyShot we could right click on an instance in the Scene tab and click "Update Model" or something like that.  To pull the latest changes in from within KS, as well as being able to push them out from SolidWorks.

Really appreciate that there is SolidWorks linking in KeyShot.   Total game changer  :D
Title: Re: SolidWorks LiveLinking Status
Post by: guest84672 on March 01, 2017, 03:01:01 PM
Great to hear!

The "update geometry" feature is something we discussed for quite some time. Don't think it will make it into 7.0, but it is definitely on the list.