Trouble importing 2012 Assembly into Keyshot 2.3.2

[cash68]

Okay... I'm pretty frustrated.  I convinced our entire company to switch to Keyshot for primary rendering purposes, and now I can't even use it! 

I have a massive solidworks assembly that used to render fine when it was 2011.   However, now it's a 2012 file.   I downloaded the Keyshot 2011/2012 "Plugin", and hit install, but there are NO INSTRUCTIONS.  How do I know it's installed or working correctly?  When I hit import, it doesn't work, and I just get an error message that says "Keyshot 2 Import Error:  Failed Reading".

Is the stupid plugin even working?  A READ ME included with the plugins maybe, JUST MAYBE, might help.

[guest84672]

From the website:

Unlike other plugins, KeyShot plugins only links the 2 applications together, rather than putting KeyShot inside the modeling application. This makes the installation and use extremely simple and efficient. Since the two applications remain separate, they can easily operate side by side.

Each plugin works the same. Simply open the model in the supported application, and look for the KeyShot button in the menu bar. Select Render, and follow the instructions on the screen. Within seconds, KeyShot will open and drop your design into the default scene. Apply materials, change the lighting, move the camera. Done!

After installing the plugin, open Solidworks, go to tools>addins and load KeyShot

[cash68]

K, well this should be in a .txt file that is attached WITH the plugin, when you download it.

Secondly, I installed it multiple times, and nowhere do I see a keyshot anything in the add ins file.  When installing the plugin, it asks for the destination folder of C:\Program Files\KeyShot2\Plugins\SolidWorks.... how is Solidworks supposed to load an add in, or notice an add in, for files that are installed in the Keyshot2 directory?

[cash68]

Thirdly, I opened up SW2012, hit "open", selected "Add ins" for file type (DLL), then went to Keyshot/Plugins/Solidworks/64 bit and selected the DLL file to manually load the plugin... and it does nothing.  I still see nothing in the add-ins folder.

What gives?   Not only does it it install in a location that makes no sense (there is no way solidworks would think to check the keyshot directory for add ins), but even when I manually load it, it does not work.

[m2tts]

Are you looking in the right place in SW to turn on plugins? It's under Tools; Add-Ins. Then it lists all the add ins available to turn on via a checkbox next to each. As to SW finding it; it's probably relying on the Windows registry.

[cash68]

Yes, I know where the add-ins are turned on and off from withing SW, but it is not showing up there at all.  I've tried manually adding them via file open, but that didn't work either.