Andrew Owens

Mike, Which version of Visual Basic should I use? VB 6 isn't sold any more. Does IronCAD support VB.net? Andy

How can I get started using macros and VBA? Thanks, Andy

PU1 does not appear to have addressed this problem !!! Andy

Yes, it probably is, but the last I heard IronCAD didn't recomment using IC with those 'gamer's video cards' either!

*** DANGER: IronCAD Psychoanalyses ZONE *** Use this area to give us your telling IronCAD story; opinions, experiences, and other mishaps are welcome!

Chris, What about the possibility of some IronCad optimized ATI drivers around here too! Andy

Chris, I've seen this same problem before in version 3.1. It happens with large complex renderings. Must be a bug. Andy

Me too! By the way, when is the API to be finished? Andrew Owens

Shaun, Sorry for the blunt reply, but that tool was not being used much by anybody because of its implementation -- it was practically useless! Not completely useless, but almost. IronCAD needs a Deform Faces tool, but one with functionality. For example: Allow the pull point (green dot) to be moved horizontally too, instead of just vertically; Have settings for influence region, 'elasticity', 'gravity', and 'size' of the deformation; Allow another shape to be used as a template for the deformation; Allow multiple faces/pull points to be operated on at the same time; Etc. The new surfacing commands are in a different class than the Deform Faces tool. Think about it this way. Have someone in your office make a half dozen different parts using the Deform Faces tool in IC 5.2, and have them write down how long it took to create the faces. Now, try to recreate the same faces using the new surfacing tools. How long did it take you to reproduce the results? Don't just take the old command out, make it better. I personally would like the option to choose the Deform Faces tool if its the right tool for the job, especially if produces faster results. I love IronCAD, but as I've said in this forum time and time again: "The main weakness of IronCAD is its apparent unwillingness to fine-tune the existing functionality". New tools and features are always welcome, but the fact is that there are literally hundreds of features that are either implemented in a half-ass fashion, or dont work altogether. Id be happy to list them if you like. Im certainly not trying to bash IronCAD; its the best, most productive MCAD design product on the market. I just want you to turn those weaknesses into strengths. Sincerely, Andrew Owens

There used to be a command like that, but I canft find it in 6. It seems that this command has disappeared! Andy

Just a minute Beat, What about your other toys? What happened with VisualMill 4 and your new router? Andy

If you had no other choice, you could just get that CAD job and secretly use IronCAD to do your work, then import into the other cad package. All the other poor schmucks working around you wouldnt be able to figure out why you're putting out 300% more work and spending half the day on coffee break! Just imagine the hell that would break loose when they found out your little secret. IronCAD LLC could hire and train corporate CAD infiltrators to instigate descent among I should stop now while Im ahead Andy

I have had a few crashes with 6.0, which I've been using since it was available for download. My first impression is that 6.0 seems to be a little less stable than 5.2, but certainly more stable than 5.0! Not bad for a pre-service-pack release. Andrew Owens

I dont want a thousand idiots in here that used to have a hundred bucks hogging all the tech support bandwidth!

FYI: This Windows font thing has been an issue with Windows applications since Win95. Microsoft expects the application makers to test their applications to work with all screen fonts. Changing the Windows default screen font can have a multitude of undesirable side effects on apps. If I win the lottery, I'll call Microsoft and ask them to fix it. Andy

Chris, I noticed that after the last update to the IC web site, the download/file area doesnt use Teamvault anymore. Whats the story? Andy

I hope so! How about a service pack fix

I am very disappointed with the image quality of transparent objects in version 6. As most IC users probably already know, in the previous few versions, after you edited the cross section of any Intellishape, the rendering of transparent objects in the scene would miraculously change from pixilated to photorealistic, it was fantastic. This is no longer the case. Why couldnt you have just turned the excellent rendering mode on permanently when IC starts? What's the story with this IronDudes? I have been extensively using transparencies to visualize and position complex mechanisms into very tight spaces. Now that transparent objects render only in a pixilated mode, the whole experience of transparency visualization in IC is considerably diminished! IC 6.0 has a lot of great new features, but Ill have to consider this issue a downgrade. System data: P4 2Ghz; 1 GB RAM; Win 2000 Pro; ATI Fire GL 8800; Open GL mode Andrew Owens

IronDudes, What's the deal with IC constraints and simulation? According to the D-CUBED web site, it takes 1 programmer about 2 - 3 months to integrate their constraint system (2D/3D DCM) into an existing CAD system. It seems a natural next step, and a natural extension to the existing animation, to add mechanical simulation to IronCAD. If IronCAD is using the D-CUBED 2D/3D DCM, the existing IC constraint system should be much better than it currently is. Sincerely, Andrew Owens

Thanks Rick . . . Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you too! . . . Now that IC 6 is in beta, I wish that Santa would bring a new version of IC that has lots of new features (and fixes). I hope the end-of-days of IC development at a snails-pace is close at hand. What ever happened the good old days, when new software releases were crammed with so many new gadgets that you had to spend days learning how to use them. I really dont want to usher in the New Year with another yawn of enthusiasm from the next version of IC. Got to Love IC though, dont know where Wed be without it. Andrew Owens

This trick allows you to Orbit and Zoom in realtime while your animation is playing. You should have an Open GL graphics card, and works best if the length of the animation is at least 5 seconds. 1. In an IC Scene that has animations in it, push the 'On' icon on the SmartMotions toolbar to activate the animation mode. 2. Push the 'Play' icon on the SmartMotions toolbar to start the animation. 3. When the animation starts, use the mouse wheel while the mouse pointer is in the Scene. This activates the Zoom command. 4. After the Zoom command has been used once while the animation is playing, the mouse wheel button (middle button) is now unlocked for the 'Orbit Camera' command as usual. 5. In addition, it is now possible to use the Target, Dolly, & Pan camera commands while the animation is playing. Enjoy Andrew Owens

Chris, Can you please point me to the download area for IC 5.2 SP2. Thanks! Andrew Owens

Chris, This time I managed to get the registry cleared of all the references to IC, and 5.2 is now re-installed and working again. Thanks It would certainly be more efficient if the IC installer could clean out the registry when problems like this crop up! Sincerely, Andrew Owens

Okay, I tried Alexs suggestion about the registry, but it didnt work. I would really like to hear from IronCAD LLC on this issue. I cant believe that the IC 5.2 install program is not capable of repairing the installation, even when that's one of its options. I was never able to install 5.0 on my old computer due to a glitch with the 5.0 install program. Am I now going to be forced to reinstall my OS from the ground up, as was the prescribed remedy for the 5.0 installation problem? OS reinstallation is the last thing I have time for! Iron dudes, there must be a way to get 5.2 back on my machine, Please help Trying to wait patiently Andrew Owens

The other day, my computer lost the Administrator user profile. After that IC 5.2 would not run. So I decided to un-install it and re-install. When I went to add/remove programs in the control panel and clicked IC 5.2 to un-install, IC 5.2 dissapeared from the list of installed applications, without un-installing. At this point, I tried to re-install the application [see the two attached bitmaps showing the windows that I got when I tried to re-install IC 5.2.]. Of course I re-booted my machine in-between all the things I tried. Next, I installed IC 5.0 without a problem, and then tried installing 5.2 both ways listed in the readme file, but I keep getting the same results, those two errors as seen in the attached bitmaps. The Registry still has the IC 5.2 settings in there, I think. Can someone at IronCAD please tell me how to completely clear the registry of all IC stuff so I can install 5.2. I really need this done soon, because I cant open my files from 5.2 in 5.0. I'm using Win 2000 Pro. Thanks... Sincerely, Andrew Owens A.bmp B.bmp A.bmp