How do we make Protocase Designer better?
Moderators: cduffney, akirk, mpyne, mrodden
Re: How do we make Protocase Designer better?
This is a good idea, I will look into it.
--Douglas Ronne
Lead Developer
Lead Developer
Re: How do we make Protocase Designer better?
The default colors in the face editor for a flat black case aren't useable. When a cutout is selected it is visible, but when it is not actively selected it just blends in with the background. I'm not certain if this applies to all colors or just black cases.
Re: How do we make Protocase Designer better?
Allow me to use my 3D Connections Space Pilot to rotate the case.
It works well in all my other 3D CAD systems. ( FeatureCAM and SolidWorks )
It works well in all my other 3D CAD systems. ( FeatureCAM and SolidWorks )
Re: How do we make Protocase Designer better?
I've changed the cutout color to the background color - so if it doesn't blend in you can change the background color.
That is a pretty awesome mouse! First thing is to get one. I'll see what we can do - no promises.
--Douglas
That is a pretty awesome mouse! First thing is to get one. I'll see what we can do - no promises.
--Douglas
--Douglas Ronne
Lead Developer
Lead Developer
-
JasenHicks
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Sun Jul 06, 2014 6:39 pm
Re: How do we make Protocase Designer better?
Here are a couple suggestions as I have used this for the past year:
1. When you make a grouping it would be nice to **easily** make the center point of the grouping the reference point for placement. It would be a lot easier to align things based on "group" center than a particular point (the last one you picked before hitting group)
2. Make it easy to migrate libraries between machines. I have 2 computers I use a lot, a windows machine and a Mac OS X machine. My Mac does the job for 99% of things until I upgraded to Yosemite and now PC doesn't work right... i have to move the PC which means I have to start from scratch.
3. Importing from DXF/DWG has never worked for me. Its far easier to do some tasks in a cad program and then bring it over into PC... if it worked.
Overall, this is a very good program and I love the work that went into it!
1. When you make a grouping it would be nice to **easily** make the center point of the grouping the reference point for placement. It would be a lot easier to align things based on "group" center than a particular point (the last one you picked before hitting group)
2. Make it easy to migrate libraries between machines. I have 2 computers I use a lot, a windows machine and a Mac OS X machine. My Mac does the job for 99% of things until I upgraded to Yosemite and now PC doesn't work right... i have to move the PC which means I have to start from scratch.
3. Importing from DXF/DWG has never worked for me. Its far easier to do some tasks in a cad program and then bring it over into PC... if it worked.
Overall, this is a very good program and I love the work that went into it!
Re: How do we make Protocase Designer better?
Some very good suggestions, and I am going to add 1 and 2 to the list.
We recently revamped the dxf reader - dxf is a standard that has changed over and over, and many other cad software have implemented their variants that aren't quite compliant. There are still probably many software packages that make dxfs that we won't read right, but if you have trouble with yours, you can send them to designer@protocase.com and we will fix designer to work with them. You should only have to do that once or twice and then should not have any issues anymore.
Sincerely,
We recently revamped the dxf reader - dxf is a standard that has changed over and over, and many other cad software have implemented their variants that aren't quite compliant. There are still probably many software packages that make dxfs that we won't read right, but if you have trouble with yours, you can send them to designer@protocase.com and we will fix designer to work with them. You should only have to do that once or twice and then should not have any issues anymore.
Sincerely,
--Douglas Ronne
Lead Developer
Lead Developer
Re: How do we make Protocase Designer better?
Hey. I see there hasn't been a post in this thread in quite some time. But I'd like to share some thoughts I have after having tinkered with the software. I will group my points in "Fix request" and "Feature suggestions". I am aware that some or all of my points may have been brought up elsewhere before, but that would be without me knowing.
FIX REQUEST
When using the face editor, coordinates and sizes use dot/period as the decimal point when inputting (e.g. X 75.900 Y 833.850). However, upon confirming, the address bars change to commas (e.g. X 75,900 Y 833,850). If I then make any edit to the numbers without swapping the comma for a dot, the decimal point is moved to the end (e.g. X 75900,000 Y 833850,000). This is a major inconvenience, and I would like for this to be fixed. Whether the face editor accepts comma and dot as equal, or unwanted conversion is stopped, either solution would help.
FEATURE SUGGESTIONS
1. Rack-mount enclosure templates that support installation of PC hardware (including flange for PCI card fastening tabs). I know one can get in a dialogue with the designers to explain how one wants things to work, but native support for such components would be less of a hassle.
2. Add generic 3D models of PC hardware (motherboard, PCI cards, PSU etc.). This would make it easier to plan out a layout in a custom designed PC enclosure, as it'd be possible to see where components could fit and avoid clipping.
3. Give the ATX PSU cutout a rectangle to show the size. This to make cutout placement easier.
I hope this post will be read, because the software has potential, but it could be so much better with more development.
FIX REQUEST
When using the face editor, coordinates and sizes use dot/period as the decimal point when inputting (e.g. X 75.900 Y 833.850). However, upon confirming, the address bars change to commas (e.g. X 75,900 Y 833,850). If I then make any edit to the numbers without swapping the comma for a dot, the decimal point is moved to the end (e.g. X 75900,000 Y 833850,000). This is a major inconvenience, and I would like for this to be fixed. Whether the face editor accepts comma and dot as equal, or unwanted conversion is stopped, either solution would help.
FEATURE SUGGESTIONS
1. Rack-mount enclosure templates that support installation of PC hardware (including flange for PCI card fastening tabs). I know one can get in a dialogue with the designers to explain how one wants things to work, but native support for such components would be less of a hassle.
2. Add generic 3D models of PC hardware (motherboard, PCI cards, PSU etc.). This would make it easier to plan out a layout in a custom designed PC enclosure, as it'd be possible to see where components could fit and avoid clipping.
3. Give the ATX PSU cutout a rectangle to show the size. This to make cutout placement easier.
I hope this post will be read, because the software has potential, but it could be so much better with more development.
Re: How do we make Protocase Designer better?
Hello Jenachy,
We are definitely reading these posts!
We haven't done a lot of Designer development in the last while because we were working on the back-end side of it however we are back on it. There will be a release shortly that fixes a lot of issues but not the ones you bring up. I have added them to the queue - fixing the european decimal vs comma should be easy and the template for a rackmount PC would not be too difficult. The other suggestions are great but will take more work unless we wait for another thing we are working on: the ability to load in CAD files from other softwares.
Thank you very much for your helpful feedback!
Sincerely,
We are definitely reading these posts!
We haven't done a lot of Designer development in the last while because we were working on the back-end side of it however we are back on it. There will be a release shortly that fixes a lot of issues but not the ones you bring up. I have added them to the queue - fixing the european decimal vs comma should be easy and the template for a rackmount PC would not be too difficult. The other suggestions are great but will take more work unless we wait for another thing we are working on: the ability to load in CAD files from other softwares.
Thank you very much for your helpful feedback!
Sincerely,
--Douglas Ronne
Lead Developer
Lead Developer