COSMOS Network License (with SolidWorks standalone license) - Setting up Host ID-based licensing

Users Often Get Confused about using COSMOS network seats with SolidWorks stand alone licenses. This is not an uncommon scenario as companies want to save money and share the same COSMOS seat amongst multiple users. Here is a low down on what needs to be done.

Instructions to use COSMOS 2008 with a SolidNetWork License (SNL) file:

1. Save and unzip the SNL_AllowMultHostIDs.zip to any location on the server. (call CATI 888-285-2284 or email us support@cati.com)
2. Clicks on the Registry file SNL_AllowMultHostIDs.reg - This modifies to following registry location to make Host-ID-based licensing option available in the SNL Manager[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\SolidWorks] "SNL Allow Multiple Host IDs"="1
        Note: Action only needed on the server
3. Save the text file License file(s) (.TXT) to your computer's hard drive.
4. You MUST Download and Install the SolidWorks 2008 SolidNetWork License Manager.
5. When the SolidNetWork License File Wizard starts select single and click Next.
6. Verify the Computer Name is correct and note the Port Number (default is 25734).
7. Change Dongle ID to NIC Address for allowing Host-ID based licensing option. Click Next.

**Make sure you check the box "A firewall is in use on this system" if you currently have the Windows Firewall enabled on the system.  You can find the Windows System Firewall on Windows XP SP2 or Windows Server 2003 SP1 systems and it is listed under Start > Control Panel > Windows Firewall. If the inbound and outbound communication ports are not open in the firewall and a static outbound port has not been specified in the .lic license file the clients will not be able to connect to the license server to obtain a license.

8. Click Read, then Browse and locate the license.txt file that you saved in step 1.
9. Click Finish, and then Finish again.

Instructions to use COSMOS 2008 on client machine:

1. On each of the SolidWorks 2008 SP0 SNL client computers run the SNL License Administrator by clicking: Start > Programs > SolidWorks 2008 SP0 > SolidWorks Tools > SolidNetWork License Administrator e.g. for SP0, click Start > Programs > SolidWorks 2008 SP0 > SolidWorks Tools > SolidNetWork License Administrator
2. Click on the Server List tab, click the Add button and make an entry for the SolidWorks 2008 SP0 SNL server that was installed in step 2.  For example, if you used the default port number then the entry would be "25734@computerName."  If you are unsure of the computer name you can find it in the Start > Control Panel > System > Computer Name tab or click the Windows Key + Pause/Break and go to the Computer Name tab.  The name of the computer is the full computer name without the domain name added to the end.

NOTES:

The SolidWorks 2008 SP0 SNL manager cannot be installed on a computer that is running any of the 2004-2007 SNL managers.  The 2004-2008 SNL managers use the same vendor daemon and running multiple versions on the same system will create a conflict. Supported Operating Systems:  Windows XP Professional and Windows 2003 Server are the only supported operating systems for the 2008 SolidWorks SolidNetwork

Design Better!

Rajat Trehan

Do you like the new in-context toolbars in SolidWorks 2008?

As you first notice, there is a big change in the interface in SolidWorks 2008.  With this interface change SolidWorks is trying to increase your productivity by minimizing your mouse movements.  However, I have found that some users still prefer the older methods. 
Are you annoyed by the little icons that appear whenever you click on something?  Do you want to have them back into the right click menu as words and not just icons?  To revert back to the older set-up, go to Tools>Customize.  There is a section for Context Toolbar Settings.  If “Show on selection” is checked, whenever you click on a face, feature, sketch, etc., an in-context toolbar will pop up with commonly used commands (represented as icons) that you can select.  Uncheck this to prevent that box from appearing when left-clicking.  With “Show in shortcut menu” checked, when you right-click on something, you will see the in-context toolbar pop-up with commonly used commands.  Uncheck this box if you would prefer to have those commands listed in the right click menu as words like in previous versions of SolidWorks.  However, I do recommend that you try out this new set-up for a week if not more.  You may find that it is faster, easier, and you may even come to like it!

Design Better!

Leslie Lougheed

SolidWorks Toolbars 2008 -vs- 2007

Check out this article written by Jim Krivoshein in our latest CATI TechLink Newsletter.  It explains all of the difference between the toolbars in 2008 vs 2007.  It explains the new toolbar features and how to make changes to them, it even shows how to get the right click menus back the way they looked in 2007 if that is what you want.

http://www.cati.com/articles/articles_2008/Tech0308JK.html

Design Better

Keith Schaefer

CATIA Translator

A cost effective conversion tool to pull data from a CATIA?  I have fielded the question from customers on the support line time and time again.  “My customer has sent me parts in the form of a CATIA file, how can I open the file and use the data?”  Up to this point the answer has always been a translator from a third party vendor.  Most of these translations have been done on a file by file basis, or a more costly file translator has been purchased. 

While talking to some other support techs a few days ago it was brought up that the new Adobe 3D may have a solution to the problem.  I immediately jumped to their website to do a little research.  It seems that Adobe has done just that.  Adobe 3D claims to have the ability to open and convert 3D data from both CATIA V4 and CATIA V5.  They offer a free trial of the product; however I do not have any CATIA files to try out the translation.  I would love to hear from anyone who has tried the conversion abilities of Adobe 3D and if so how did it work?

Design better,

Keith Schaefer

Round to Nearest Fraction

Round To Nearest Fraction

I have been looking for this for a while. But in the past couple weeks I have gotten a few questions on what happened to the check box in the units properties for “Round to Nearest Fraction”.  If you are looking at your drawing and you have mixed dimensions (Fractional and Decimal) and want to change them all to fractional you need to go under Tools>Options>Document Properties>Units. Make sure your length is set to Feet & Inches, Decimals – None, Use whatever denominator you would like and the next box is the “More” box. If you click on the three dots you can check either to “Round to Nearest Fraction” or change your dimensional look. Hope this helps!

Design Better!

Todd Werginz