Clone detection module in seemage can be use to detect same geometries and then create instances (one shared geometry). Usually seemage detects the instances when reading from native CAD files but using some "exotic" formats, it might not be the case. In animation below you can see:
- BOM generation to detect all parts which have the same geometry
- see that instances are not detected (symbol yellow instead of purple)
- run clone module to create those instances
The original file size was 5.3Mo. After this simple action it comes to 3.5Mo so size had been reduced from 34%
Animation
Instances to reduce file size
seemage XML driven style
See how to use create a meta-property, use styles and how to change styles propeties.
Catia V5 import planes
When converting a Catia file, it can happen that planes are converted and imported as well. The reason is that planes are stored in Catia's No Show. You needs to disable the "Import No Show" in the import option pannel.
Another advantage is that the parts will have better triangulation because in relative mode, the chordal error is calculated based on the bounding box of your model. Large planes will therefore prevent the program to calculate an optimum chordal error.
Clearance checking results
It is possible to save the clearance checking results in XML, HTML, CVS, and Microsoft EXCEL formats.
If the result is saved in an XML file, you will be able to reload it later in Seemage.
Search on metadata when geometry is not loaded
Metadata (or metaproperty) can be added to parts or assemblies. usually it comes from the PLM/PDM/ERP or CAD software. In seemage, user can also creates is own metadata. Such information is stored in the XML of the part or assembly. It means that in seemage you can search for a metadata even if the geometry is not loaded. Imagine that you have a big model (60 thousand parts) and you need to search and see just one of them (on a poor laptop...
In seemage you can load the tree structure without the geometry (very fast), then search for the reference and then decide to load the result. And this is also available in seemage free Viewers (EXE, PDF, HTML etc.). The video below will show you how to search ... and find.
Download video
Expode or merge objects
Seemage Mockup or Publisher allow to explode a part in faces and also merge faces into one part (body). It is commonly use when you want, for a sigle part, to have severel renderings. The idea is to show the faces that need to be burnished.
Download video
Level of details
Seemage can handle with level of details from ProE® and CATIA® files.
In video below, you will see how to:
- set the correct parameters in seemage Sync to have 3 level of details for each part,
- how to load the product in seemage and choose which level of detail
- how to change the level of detail for a specific part
Download the video
Occlusion to select non visible parts
Seemage Mockup and Publisher integrate the Simplification module. As part of this module, you can use Occlusion to detect all non-visible objects from a 3D environment. In the video below you will see that the gearbox has many internal (and non visible parts). Occlusion module will help you to quickly select those non-visible parts. This model has 627 parts. Occlusion will detect 566 non-visible parts. So 90% of the parts are non-visible from outside. If you delete those parts, you reduce the seemage file from 90% (approx.), and the 3D view will stay the same.
Download the video
Automatic generation of images
It is possible to generate automatically images from Views or animation.
Play video
Create your own coordinate system
User can create several coordinate systems and use them form:
- measurements according to those references
- change the general one
Play video
Automatic clone detection
It happens that instances are not managed from your original file format (for example U3D import). Seemage can search and find objects which as the same geometry and creates instances. It helps to reduce the seemage file size.
Play video
Automatic regeneration of downstream deliverables
See how to re-generate some deliverables (like SVG outputs from seemage) after a CAD change.
Play video
How to link a label attach to an object
This animation will help you to see how you can attach a line from a label to a 2D object or to a geometry.
If you want to attach a line to a 2D Image, the 2DImage must be created first and then the first line of the label has to be apply to this 2D Image. For geometry, it does not mater. In previous versions, if you want to re-attach a line to an object, use "alt" key when you drag the end of the line.
download video
BOM table in PDF U3D publication
Using U3D format for PDF publication, if you want to publish callouts, ou need to check option "generate BOM table" in the U3D config panel.
Locking events
See how content creators have complete control of the presentation of 3D information.
We start with SolidWorks. Next, we show how very useful Seemage Viz is for content creators. Finally, we show the results in a PDF.
Locking bacground events helps to freeze some possiblities like zoom, rotate, highlight etc. So event if seemage application is 3D only, you can simulate a 2D behaviour in a animation or view. It helps non-3d user to enter into this new world.
Play
Compression level with Solidworks output
The compression level of the Seemage files generated with the Solidworks' plugin is determined by the 'default document property'. To get better results and a higher accuracy for your models, be sure to go in Settings/default document property/Output and to turn the compression level to Low(High quality). But tesselation output will also be managed from Solidworks. See this article
Annotations on 2D Images
It is possible to attach annotation to the parts but also to collaborative objects such as 2D images. In video below, you will see how to create a 2D panel from a Digger view and then attach labels to this object. It is commonly used in maintenance manuals
Play
Path without collision
This demonstrates Seemage Path Planning. See how Seemage can solve an abstract problem very easily: the path a ball must take to get out of a maze. Also how to remove parts in a maintenance situation. Thanks to Kineo® integration
Play
Insert SVG into Word® 2007
It is easy to do a drag 'n drop of a svg file into a word document, at the condition to use V3.02 of the Adobe® SVG Viewer (Word will crash with 3.03)
Download the compatible version from :
http://download.adobe.com/pub/adobe/magic/svgviewer/win/3.x/3.02/en/SVGView.exe
Please note that the Seemage install will only install V3.03
You can also watch video below. It shows the generation of a vector SVG view from seemage with interactive BOM and this integration into Word. SVG viewer will be embedded in the Word document and intercation between BOM and lables will be maintained.
Download the video
Time to generate a vector view
The time can be slow on some computers. In this case, first try to modify the Hardware Application Preference./Hardware support: dé-activate the static P-Buffer.
When lauching the Technical Illustration, Seemage calculates the view and open the 2D View.
The P-Buffer option does slow-down this calculation.
Moreover, when starting a technical Illustration, one should activate the "back culling" in order for Seemage not to calculate and vectorize hidden lines.
With the P-Buffer option activated, one can experience a big slow-down when working with multi-windowing (starting at 4 parallel views).
Re-use of Smg VIEWs across projects
First of all, let’s have a quick look at the basics of how smgView works.
As for many other things in seemage, it is based on IDs.
Each part or assembly have is own and unique ID. We call it Ident or IdentGeom.
Example :
This ID is automatically created during the translation from CAD to seemage format.
This ID is also used in the update mechanism.
Moreover, the ID for a part will change each time you make the translation of the part.
By editing the smgView in an XML editor (XML Pad for example) you will see several different CLitView. In each tag, you have the configuration settings.
Hereafter an example with a part, an assembly and the main root :
ROOT : ID 9e9a40cc18e6b6d5
ASM : ID bf60098ebacc710d
PART1 : ID 8afdb35398ed06f4
When making a change to the part (i.e. moving), the ID that is used to move PART1 in this configuration is formed from parent pieces: 9e9a40cc18e6b6d5.bf60098ebacc710d.8afdb35398ed06f4.
So if you want to re-use a configuration in different projects (so re-use a smgView file), you must make the ID match.
But as said before, ID are unique and will change each time one make a translation from CAD.
So the solutions are :
- Translation is managed by a PLM/PDM and while smgXml, smgView and smgSce files are created, default ID created by the translation will be changed for your internal references. This solution needs a part of integration. We have this situation in many seemage clients where seemage Sync in managed by the PLM (Enovia, MatrixOne, Smarteam etc.)
- Id are changed manually by editing the XLM but can be long and painful. You can use any string you want (expect # and .)
- In v4.2, if you use Sync to translate the files, you can choose to use “names” instead of our IDs. As “names” can be the same in different projects, it will be more easy to make the ID match
Right Manager XML value
How is the Right Manager's VALUE calculated?
It is true to say the the Value string is calculated. In order to add protection, it is calculated based on requested Rights and then encrypted.
It determines RightManager’s rights on files and therefore it guarantees that the History is not modified.It is a protection for you as well to ensure that files cannot be “fiddled” and be measured, spied etc.
Some example to be found in : http://www.seemage.com/doc/FAQ/MVP/Batch_Righ_Manager.zip
Crypting method obviously is confidential.
In order to add RM rights, you can still use the following command :
seemagePublisher.exe -rightmanager [fileOutput]
Add the RightManager and PlayerIntegration options into the file according to the options specified in the file from the value of the markup (see below). The file can be an smg or an smgxml file ; it is possible to specify the output filename (by default, the input file is overwritten).The value of the markup indicated which are the rights to add the the input xml file.
This value is computed by a binary OR operation with the different LIT_OPTION_PRO_XXX options defined below.
You can see how we calculate the value for Batch.Option.Pro in XML file settings.
If you specify 0, it means that Annotation (markups and measures), Save, Cutting plane, Simulation (kinematic mode) and Tree will be disable.
If you want to set a specific right, use the calculation below :
Annotation = 2^0 = 1
Cutting plane = 2^1 = 2
Save = 2^2 = 4
Not Used
ActiveX = 2^4 = 16
Trees = 2^5 = 32
Simulation = 2^6 = 64
PBuffer and gray lines through JPEG
JPG files have gray lines through them.
These lines appear regardless of the resolution settings or profile used, but do not appear if I use Publisher to create a HLR JPG image.
This problem could be related to the PBuffer parameter .
Have a look at Publisher’s .
It depends as well on the size of the MVP window (different size/nb of grey lines depending on the size of the window)
Unfortunately, you cannot set this parameter through Sync.
So, either you have Publisher installed on the same machine than Sync, and then life is easy.
Or, you can try to add/modify the key manually into the Registry (with care … of course)
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\seemage\MVP\Preferences
Keys are :
HardwareSupport.PBuffer and HardwareSupport.PBuffer.Static
Set to 1
Decimation v.s. screen resolution
The Decimation module depends on the screen resolution.
This module takes many pictures around the model for calculation. Depending on the requested quality, the module will take a different amount of pictures (~30 to 100).
We recommand to:
1. minimize as possible the panel on the sides of the screen
2. use ‘Quality’ instead of ‘Speed’.
FTP : How to transfer big files to/frm Seemage
The Support Service does provide users with personal FTP access rights :
server : ftp://ftp.seemage.com/
login : user
password : pwd
You can either use a dedicated FTP transfer software (CuteFTP, FileZilla etc.) or use a direct link through Internet Explorer : ftp://user:pwd@ftp.seemage.com/
After connexion, you can then drag&drop files for upload or download files from a given directory.
A trick (in french) to use IE® like a FTP application:
http://www.linternaute.com/hightech/maquestion/internet-explorer/client-ftp.shtml
SYNC and fix license not working with remote access
SYNC reports a license error althought the product and associated licenses seem to be valid and well installed.
Check if it is a true licensing problem or not. If so, update the license.
If not, it can happen that the user is tying to access Sync fom a remote access whereas the license for Seemage Sync is fix.
The SYNC program can only be access directly on the server where it is installed if the license is fix.
Other MVP tools can also be accessed remotely, but only when using floating license
Download SolidWorks® plug-in
You can download the free SolidWorks® plug-in from the Seemage Support web site :
http://www.seemage.com/eng/support/customers_ident.php
This access is secured. Password has been given to you with your Seemage License.
This plug-in adds a new menu within SolidWorks; this menu will allow users to create SMG files from Solidworks. Metaproperties will also be exported.
See some examples
Capture Windows Envrionment Variables
'Set' command allows to change one variable or string to another.
Benefit : It can help us to see all environment variables defined when one user has a problem to run seemage license.
- Go in Start/Run
- Enter cmd
- Enter : set > c:\var.txt
MSIEXEC Install
It is possible to generate the MSI file from the Seemage install package that was downloaded from our web site :
This manipulation can be necessary if you need to get the MSI file out from a simple application install file (exe). Once the MSI file is extracted, it is possible to set parameters for the launch of the program by using, for example, the Windows Installer platform.
- Delete as many files as possible from \Documents and Settings\Nom_Utilisateur\Local Settings\Temp.
- Let the Windows Explorer window opened
- Launch the Seemage install without going any further than the first screen.
- Go to the Temp directory
- One msi and one mst file have been created (i.e. 17c434a.msi)
- Copy the msi file in a new directory
- Cancel Seemage Install procedure
Type msiexec in command line (dos) to get all possible options.
Hotkey stored into registry
Hotkey are stored in the registry :[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\seemage\MVP\seemage
Publisher\x.x\GuiSettingsENU\BCGKeyboard-0]Key combinations are coded with 3 x 2 hexa.
Registry key can be exported/imported in order to save it's own personal config.
It is possible to share keys between M, V and P but also between users of a same product, same version and language.
***********************************************************
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\seemage\MVP\seemage Publisher\4.2\GuiSettingsENU\BCGKeyboard-0]'Accelerators'=hex:0b,00,4a,00,3f,d1,1b,00,53,00,62,80,0b,00,45,00,74,80,0b,00,\ 4b,00,22,e1,13,00,0d,00,7f,86,0b,00,59,00,2c,e1,03,00,73,00,bc,87,0b,00,5a,\ 00,2b,e1,0b,00,4e,00,00,e1,0b,00,4f,00,01,e1,0b,00,50,00,07,e1,0b,00,53,00,\ 03,e1,0b,00,46,00,53,d2,03,00,72,00,55,d2,07,00,72,00,54,d2,03,00,70,00,46,\ e1,1b,00,27,00,52,d2,1b,00,25,00,51,d2,0f,00,46,00,2b,d1,0f,00,52,00,2c,d1,\ 0f,00,54,00,2d,d1,1b,00,46,00,32,d1,03,00,75,00,50,e1,1b,00,26,00,30,80,07,\ 00,75,00,51,e1,0b,00,42,00,18,80,0b,00,44,00,3e,d1,13,00,31,00,1e,d1,13,00,\ 32,00,20,d1,13,00,36,00,24,d1,0b,00,47,00,3d,d1,0b,00,57,00,3c,d1,0b,00,4c,\ 00,17,80,13,00,37,00,1f,d1,13,00,38,00,25,d1,13,00,35,00,21,d1,13,00,33,00,\ 22,d1,13,00,34,00,23,d1,0b,00,41,00,37,81,0b,00,49,00,61,80,0b,00,54,00,43,\ d1,0b,00,20,00,20,80,1b,00,28,00,42,80,0b,00,27,00,4f,d2,0b,00,26,00,4c,d2,\ 0b,00,25,00,4e,d2,0b,00,28,00,4d,d2,03,00,7a,00,5c,80,01,00,62,00,76,87
Users Profiles location & parameters
Where are user profiles saved (i.e.tech illustration).?
Are the line widths stored in a pixel/points value that somehow we can save in this profile?
Profiles are saved in user's personal documents :
C:\Documents & Settings\\Mes Documents\Seemage\User\*.smgVectoSet
Values can be found in XML file, ranging from 0 to 100.
Vectorize.HLR.Thickness Value='100'
Vectorize.HLR.Thickness.Outlines Value='30'
Vectorize.HLR.Thickness.Silhouettes Value='70'
Vectorize.HLR.Thickness.Shadows Value='100'
Silent install of Players.exe with different languages
V4.0 :
Client is attempting to include the Seemage 3D Graphics Active X control (version 4.2) installation into the Service ADVISOR™ 2.8 application, as a silent install.Players.exe INSTALLDIR=”C:\InstallationDir\Seemage” ADDLOCAL=SeemageWeb /qn /l* c:\temp\logfile.txt
V4.2+ :
Version 4.2 contains a new Language dialog (to choose English or French) so the silent install script no longer works (it “hangs”).
There is no extra parameter that could be provided to the Players.exe install in order to choose language.However, it is posible to use the MSI version that only has one language and is more flexible and easy to use than the current Wyse install.
ATI board and spider web rendering
Sometime, models can have bad rendering like "spider web". This is linked to anti-aliasing mode with ATI boards On ATI video cards, we recommand to use "jittering" instead of "multisample" method for anti-aliasing.
Remarks : Some "High-Tech" boards do have embedded anti-aliasing features >>> disable as well.
Reset message checkboxes
When checking message box of type 'do you want to save view ... do not ask me...', the message is not displayed anymore. In order to force it back, cleanup registry key :
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\seemage\MVP\MessageBoxes
Adobe Acrobat 3D & DLL
Some smg files do not open with Seemage Publisher. File load does interrupt after a while and an error message box pops up : Insufficent Memory ...
Geometry file does not open as well. However, the file opens well with Seemage Mockup and Viz.
- Open the AA3D menu Edition>Preferences>Capture 3D
- Select the Seemage product and delete the corresponding entry
- Close AA3D
- Restart Seemage Publisher©.
- Smg file should now open well
Extra Checks :
- Check the used memory of the seemagePublisher.exe while trying to open the file.
o Used memory should rise up abnormally. - Check the Adobe Acrobat 3D setup
o Open the Adobe Acrobat 3D program
o Open menu Edition>Preferences
o Select the Capture 3D categorie; a list of third party products should appear on the setup box (right side of the config. Window)
Seemage Embedded in MS Office document
To insert a Seemage document in MS Office, you just need to register the ActiveX component.You need Player Integration in order to control ActiveX (Checkbox 'Advances ActiveX' in Document's Properties/Player Integration).Then, in the MSOffice document, need to insert a new control : seemageEmbedded ControlUse the Seemage Control's properties dialog box to select file and options.When the Semmage file is embedded into the MS Office document, you can create your own buttons to set some functions controlled by the ActiveX (i.e. Visual Basic commands within PowerPoint).
http://www.seemage.com/mailinglist/2006_mars/swf/ppt/Insert_MS_Office.html
Force ActiveX version
It is possible to force IE to use the ActiveX version you want to.
You must allow download of the ActiveX control. To do so, you have to modify the content of the tag <object>
classid: it allows to define the class identifier of the component. The classid does not change from one release to the other (except for versions lower than V3)
codebase: indicates from which localisation (server, internet adress) the navigator can download the component, if the host machine does not already contains one component of similar classid.
The folowing example shows some HTML code integrating ActiveX download:
<object id="SeemageEmbedded" viewastext classid="CLSID:9704E020-445E-41DB-994B-DE07D126D229" codebase="seemage.cab#Version=3,2,0,1085" height="50%" >
The .cab file contains all files necessary for the install (compressed archive). It is autonomeous and does install all necessary files.
If the Standard Toolbar is activated, one can check the version directly within the Seemage Embedded. If not, it still is possible to check the version/clsid either by editing the code or by checking the .inf file contained into the .cab file.
Warning : it is not always enough to indicate that the control can be downloaded. One has to ensure that the security of the navigator does allow download and execution at the client's workstation. The client must have administrator rights on his machine. ... but nothing can prevent one user to edit the html source and to modify the current verion to be V3.
MSI Automated Install
To get help for all msiexec command, run msiexec in a DOS box or command line. The help window will appear.
The following msiexec options can be helpful :
- Quite mode : /qn
- Log file : /l* c:\temp\logfile.txt
The exe file will be created based on the Seemage Install Package. Follow the procedure http://seemagefaq.blogspot.com/2007/07/msiexec-install.html
FAQ :
Using the msi and quite mode, is it possible to install only the required products (not all package)? During the standard Seemage install, you can choose which package to install. However, using quite mode, you will not get the dialog box, except if you use the /qf. Please note that there is no problem (except for disk space) installing the whole package since the licensing mechanism will limitate the access.
What about if I need to split the package? If you still need to split the package, you’d better ask your system administrator : they use to have fancy tools for that. For example, the one named orca.exe (Microsoft). *** NOT TESTED ***
When launching a Seemage Animation from an HTML page – using Seemage Player 4.2 from the provided .msi install, the first time any animation is launched, an ECLA is presented to the user (see screenshot below). After clicking “I Accept”, the user can proceed to open other animations, and is not prompted again. Is there a way that we can programmatically set this acceptance from within the Seemage Installation or by writing to a registry key? There is a key within the registry for EULA acknowledge that could help you : HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\seemage\MVP\4.2\Preferences\EulaAccepted.
API to control embedded 3D in PDF
One wants to add a button in Adobe Acrobat and execute a seemage Control function when the button is pressed. Actually, there is no Seemage API available for the PDF technology. It is only available for u3D. Refer to online documentation, chapter "Publish to PDF"
Excel 2003 and Seemage Embedded
Using Excel 2003, when inserting a Seemage Embedded object, it is created in "run" mode rather than in "creation" mode.
This is why the object is not editable (size, property) and the Player starts to play with no animation.
To avoid this, one has to toggle to creation mode using the toolkey "Creation Mode" :
SYNC hangs when opening the log file
It can happen that Sync just hangs and freezes (or takes a long time) when you ask for the display of the log file after a conversion. What happens is that sometimes the generated file is a .log instead of a .xml. It is easy enough to reset default setting in order to get back to a .xml file (Settings/Reset default);
seemage v4.3 novelties
You can see main novelties in seemage v4.3 release:
- Search all has been added in the Quick Search engine (ctrl+F)
- PDF documents can be generated from seemage Sync
- When using TAB key, if K is pressed, then temporary hidden objects will stay in ghost rendering mode
- Simple application for file name conformity between UNIX and Windows
- Support of CATIA® v5 Process Tolerancing & Annotation
Play
Interactive collision detection
See the ability to detect serviceability issues. Seemage Interactive Clash makes it quick and easy for users who must document (and use!) service procedures to see exactly what will happen under various circumstances.
Play
seemage BOM
See how to combine BOM information with CAD models to produce very flexible documentation, including technical illustrations directly from 3D CAD data.
Play
Snecma Services Flies with Seemage
Seemage is pleased to announce that Snecma Services is using Seemage as a vital part of its training and educational services. Read the press release below
Article
The value of engineering product information everyware
By Gordon BENSON, SENIOR ENGINEER, NACCO MATERIALS HANDLING GROUP
Article
SVG files in Adobe® Illustrator - no Zoom fit All
Adobe® Illustrator does not support svg files with “zoom fit all” attributes.
To have the good size of the drawing in Illustrator you have to make a small modification in the svg file.
At the top of the svg document you have to replace “width” and “height” attributes by constants values:
Space Mouse (3D mouse)
All the '3D connexion' space mouse should be compatible with Seemage solutions.
In Seemage, the 3D navigation is done around 2 axis only. Therefore, the 3 axis must be available to properly use a space mouse within the Seemage solutions.
To free the third axis, the 'free rotation (no constraint)' must be enabled in 'Application preferences/Cameras'.
Tesselation of JT files
A JT file cannot be re-tesselated in Seemage.
Our tesselation system will not affect the JT’s mesh.
All pre-meshed formats : JT, 3Ds, U3D, VRML, OBJ, XAML
Control tesselation quality
Before you create the seemage file in Solidworks®, you can control the tesselation quality (refinement). To do that, you need to go in Tools/Options - Document properties/Image quality and move the cursor.
Local coordiantes to global
It is sometimes useful, especially for integration or Advanced ActiveX purposes, to convert the coordinates of a part from its local coordinate system to the global one (Root).
The coordinates of a part displayed in the smgXml file are always local. This means that the position of a part is always defined in the coordinate system (frame) of its parent.
Here is a PDF document that will help understanding the matrix convention to turn a local coordinates of a part to a global one.
Capture camera position only
Seemage views are commonly used to generate technical illustrations (svg, cmg). It is important to keep the same camera position for all views. But usually, user needs to rotate, pan and zoon when he creates those deliverables. It is very easy to apply upon those views a specific view that captures only the camera position.
See animation
ProE® - Assembly cut
To get the results of ProE® assembly cuts, a STEP export of the assembly from ProE® is required. Then it is enough to load the STEP file in seemage
Anti-aliasing method
On ATI® video cards, we recommand to use "jittering" instead of "multisample" method for anti-aliasing.
Result with jittering
Result with multisample
ProE® - Cabling
If you use Cabling module in ProE® (harness), to have the wires in seemage you have to export the assembly in STEP format and enable "surfaces" and "export cable surfaces"
Tesselation parameters
When converting a CAD file into seemage format, the geometry is tesselated. It is possible to control the refinement. Basically, it is possible to control:
- chordal error (distance between real curve and edge)
- normal deviation (angle between two edge normals)
- edge lenght (maximal distance between two meshing points)
It is possible to combine the different parameters.
Update mechanism
This podcast shows the ability to update content with revised or changed geometry.
Play
Accuracy of measures in seemage
This animation will show you that you can have the same results when you measure in the CAD software (CATIA v5® in this case) and seemage.
Play
Coordinate systems management
This animation will show you how to create a new coordinate system and how to get results according to this one.
Play
Configuration management at Latécoère
Latécoère is a partner to major aircraft manufacturers for aerostructures and onboard wiring. They use seemage free viewer to display the digital mokup in their PLM system.
Read the article form "Le Monde Informatique" at:
Dynamic file extension mapping
Seemage’s behavior is such that smg, smgGeom, smgXml and smgProj file extensions are mapped with last executable that was used (Viz, Mockup, Publisher). You can force one program (i.e. VIZ) to map with a given extension (.smg) using right-click/open with >> always use. This will overload Seemage's mechanism. To come back to the Seemage's dynamic map, go to Windows Explorer, menu Folder option/File Types and use the Restore key.
Read PMI form CATIA V5 files
Product Manufacturing Information (PMI) are important manufacturing specifications.
It includes Geometric Dimensioning & Tolerancing (GD&amp;amp;T), Functional Tolerancing and Annotation (FT&A). Seemage solutions can read PMI from different CAD systems. If it comes from a CATIA V5® file (CATPart), we recommand to not enable PMI and "Import graphic data" (CGR) at the same time.
Create you product configurator
Using View module, you can cature only properties you need. This animation should help you do understand how to create such configurator.
Play
How to link several views
This animation should help you to understand how to link several iews using "event" property.
Many thanks to NACCO for the forklift
Play
Cutting planes
This podcast should help you to see what can be done with cutting planes in seemage.
Play
How to make filters on animation keys
This podcast shoudl help you to see how you can filter the keys on timeline based on object properties.
Play
Create annotations from data contained in PLM systems
This animation will show you how to create an annotation and see that the information can come from an external source.
Play
Bounding Boxes
There are two types of bounding boxes:
· The first one is calculated on the local coordinate system and based on the local geometry (white)
· The second one is based on this previous one but projected on the world coordinate system (red). The red bounding box contains the white ones.
Display/hide the white boxes using ctrl-B.
Note that the ground position is based on the red one.
Seemage camera
There are two ways to set camera keys in a Seemage animation. Actually, two interpolations are available between two camera positions: straight interpolation and Arcball interpolation. To use the straight one, the Ctrl key must be pressed when setting the camera key. For the Arcallball interpolation the Shift key is needed. This option is a toggle and can also be changed in the Animate/Camera menu.
Add/Remove part(s) from existing cutting plane
It might be useful sometime to remove or add (a) part(s) from a selection set cut by a cutting plane.
To do so, both the cutting plane and the part(s) to be added or removed must be selected (use the Ctrl key for multi selection).
Then, while clicking on 'apply to a selection set' in the cutting plane menu press on Ctrl/Shift to Add/Remove the part(s).
Clear seemage from your registry
It might happen that when you use a beta version, after you install a commercial release, icons are not at the correct position. You may need to clear seemage from your registry. To do so, you have to:
- start/run and enter "regedit"
- delete seemage directory from
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Seemage
- delete seemage directory from
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\seemage
How do I get my mac adress
Seemage uses FlexLM® for license management. License is based on computer (or server) mac address (host id).
This is how to get this value so we can create a license file:
1. go in Start/Run
2. enter "cmd"
3. enter "ipconfig /all"
Note the Physical Address (f.e 00-50-BA-D1-BA-71).
You can click on the image to enlarge or play the flash video below or :
Play
Filtering on geometry
Sometimes, you can experience strange rendering like clouds of points, floating lines, free surfaces …
This can sometimes happen when importing curves from a CAD model or when using free planes (i.e. simulate surfacing or multi-layers) , etc.
Rendering can be improved using filters.
You can use filters to select a given geometry (curve, face …), hide all matching objects and then continue publishing the model.
Rendering can be improved using filters.
You can use filters to select a given geometry (curve, face …), hide all matching objects and then continue publishing the model.
Filtering can be refined in many different ways : refer to help for details.
SET command to see variables defined
"Set" command allows to change one variable or string to another. It can help us to see all variables defined when you do have a problem to run seemage license.
What to do:
- Go in Start/Run
- Enter cmd
- Then enter “set > c:\var.txt” (without the “”)
A file var.txt will be created on your c:\.
This file will be helpful.
seemage Embedded control programming description
seemage Embedded enables you to change all 3D scene properties. This document describes ActiveX properties, events, objects, methods and seemage properties you're able to deal with through ActiveX technology.
HELP file
Error message "unknown ZipArchive error..." occurs
File that contains all preview images might be too big. Clear history in Setting/Application preferences - Input panel or go in C:\Documents and Settings\my_loggin\My documents\Seemage\User and delete thumbnails.svi
Path planning license for seemage
To active standalone path planning license (kineo®) for seemage applications, it is enough to add a variable named KINEOHOME and specify the full path to the license file
To generate this license file, we need:
- the mac adress
- the host name
See this article to get those informations. The "host name" will be display on the top of the screen after one enter "ipconfig /all" in a DOS window.
Flexlm diagnostics
It is easy to check what happens on a floating license. Two environment variables have to be added:
- FLEXLM_DIAGNOSTICS to see which taken is used (value must be 3)
- SEEMAGE_CONSOLE to have a DOS window for diagnostic (set to Enabled)
After that, it is enough to run one of seemage application. Remove those variables if you do not need them anymore
Catia V5® - DLNames
If CATIA® V5 uses a directory structure which separates the CATProducts from the CATParts, it might happen that when you try to open a CATProduct you get the message “Loading assembly error, try flat method”. It is enough to copy DLNames.CATSettings from CATIA® environment and paste it in : C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\DassaultSystemes\InterOp\CATSettings
Load/unload a product
In fully-shattered mode, we have products and sub-products. It is possible to open the tree structure without loading the geometries. It is very useful for huge models. To load or unload a product, it is enough to right click on the product and choose the option. Otherwise, if “load visible element” is enable in visibility toolbar, then to load a product it is enough to click on the checkbox.
Cutting plane v.s. cutting line shifting
When making a cutting plane, there is always some part of the piece that overflows off the cutting plane and cutting line.
It is a normal behavior: cutting plane and cutting line are shifted in order to allow users inserting quotations.
This shift is calculated based on a ratio (1/1000th of the longest diag. of the piece’s bounding box). So, when the piece is very long, this ratio can be significant.
This ratio can not be parameterized.
How to set a mouvement at a specific moment of an animation
For example, selection X has to move from position A at t=10s to position B at t=15s. Even if selection X did not moved from t=0s to t=10s, a position key must be setted at t=10s. So seemage will knows from when to start the movement. Otherwise, it will start from the previous position key for this selection X which, in that case, is t=0s.
Cutting Plane - Capping
Question: Strange capping seems to occur when rotate the model off axis.
Answer: Might be related to Z-buffer. Try a Zoom Fit All and zoom using the two mouse buttons instead of the ruler.
Seemage cannot be connected to the server
Question: During the launch of Seemage applications (nodelock or floating licenses), the display of the machine shows a warning indicating that Seemage cannot be connected to the server. What should I do?
Answer: It happens from time to time. This problem is linked to the FLEXlm software, and the way the variable LM_LICENSE_FILE is initialized. There is a way to go around the problem. Put the DWORD UseVariable in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Seemage\LicenseManager DWORD has two values: 0 and 1(by default). You will need to modify it to 0, if the Seemage applications are not launched. Please note that you will need the administrator mode to write into HKEY_MACHINE_LOCAL.
Illustration
a REG file can be downloaded from this link
Export to Flash
There is no direct export from seemage to Flash. But seemage provides a complite set of functions in a free activeX. Player Integration is required to enable activeX command.
Fully shattered structure
It is possible to translate CATIA® V5, JT® and ProE® files into seemage fully shattered files structure. So instead of getting a SMG file from a CATProduct, we can have :
- one smgXml file per CATProduct
- one smgXml+smgGeom files per CATPart
And for ProE®, it will be
- one smgXml file per .asm
- one smgXml+smggeom files per .prt
This solution allows to use level of details and loading on demand. Also, if a part changed in the CAD, it is enough to translate only this CATPart (or PRT, JT) and replace previous one.
This translation mode is available in seemage Sync only
How to get useful information on you video card
If you do have problem on seemage due to your video card, we might need maximum of informations. You could send us TXT generated file from :
- start / run
- enter cmd
- enter dxdiag
- save all informations
PDF Export Information
General Behavior:
The standard Seemage installation works this way: If Adobe Solution 8.0 (Acrobat and/or Reader) is already installed on the computer, Seemage puts automatically the Seemage_PDF plug-ins (seemageControl.dll + seemageReader.api or seemageControl.dll + seemageWriter.api) in the correct folder:
C:\Program Files\Adobe\Reader 8.0\Reader\plug_ins
or
C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 8.0\Acrobat\plug_ins
If not, it creates automatically two folders in C:\Program Files\Seemage\4.3\Plugins\Acrobat where it is possible to pick up the plug-ins in order to place them manually in the correct folders (if one of Acrobat solution is installed afterward).
For instance, if only Acrobat Reader is installed, it will place the 'Reader plug-ins' in the ‘C:\Program Files\Adobe\Reader 8.0\Reader\plug_ins’ folder and create a ‘Writer’ folder in the C:\Program Files\Seemage\4.3\Plugins\Acrobat.
Acrobat 7.0:
The standard Seemage installation will put the plug-ins in the Adobe Solution 8.0 folders. Thus, if only Adobe Solution 7.0 is installed on the machine, the easiest way to install the plug-ins is to launch 'SeemageAcrobat7.msi' that one will find in C:\Program Files\Seemage\4.3\Plugins\Acrobat.
Warning:
PDF export from Seemage: If an animation has been made on a model where the vertical axis different from Z+, a u3D export won’t take into account the camera views. This is a choice that has been made because the u3D format cannot handle a change from Seemage in the vertical axis.
64 bits: The instalation doesn't work on a 64 bits machine
Seemage Plug-ins:
Download here
Installation of seemage Free Players
It is possible to embed seemage model in different free Players:
- seemage EXE which does not need requieres any installation (application, plug-in or activeX),
- seemage PDF which needs seemage free plug-in for Acrobat® Reader 7 or higer. To install the plug-in, Administrator rights are requiered,
- seemage ActiveX for webpage (in IE or Firefox), MS Office® documents which needs seemage ActiveX (seemageEmbedded.ocx) to be registered. Administrator rights are also requiered for this plug-in.
Visit www.seemage.com to download seemage free Players.
Clear Empty Group
When parts or assembies are removed, in the assembly tree structure, the hierarchy will show blank checkboxes. To remove all empty groups, it is enough to go in Edit menu and select "Clear empty groups".
Environmental Effects
Seemage Viz, Mockup and Publisher provide many possibilities to create environmental effects: chrome, metal, gold, plastics,.. It is also possible to control light intensity, the type of light source, and to provide a texture to the object selected.
Illustration
Video Card
You may encounter some issues when you open a seemage sample. For example, bad rendering, slow when you rotate, ejected from the application. This might be linked to your graphic card. We recommand NVIDIA® but we also support ATI®, Intel® etc.
Anyway, to check if it is related to the video card, go in the settings and desable hardware acceleration. Try again. If you notice some improvements, check if you use the last driver version for your video card. If not, please update.
Texture
In addition to environmental effects, it is possible to define and apply user-defined textures using .jpeg, .bmp, or .rgb file formats. One can define the projection mode, the scale, the dimensions, to mix it or not to the color of the part, to create an animation to simulate the displacement of matter, etc.
Illustration
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