SolidWorks Training Diary: Readers Give Encouragement

So many of you have taken time to provide encouragement to me as I embark on my SolidWorks training. I have not been able to thank everyone personally but let me tell you all that the cards and letters means a lot and I appreciate it.

My favorite is still an offer from a reader who offered to lend me his 13 year old daughter. Apparently, she had no trouble whatsoever going through the online tutorials. Thank you, Mr. Farmer. You may keep your daughter at home but your words have given me insight. It may be that youth, unencumbered by decades if CAD baggage, might have an advantage.

It seems like my bumbling ways may have reminded several users that they, too, may have encountered some difficulty when they started. But almost all have said "hang in there" and a lot of them have gone on to achieve expert status.

Several readers have recommended a SolidProfessor, a multimedia accompaniment to SolidWorks. I have installed SolidProfessor and I am hopeful that will help. Also, SolidWorks has updated my software (to SolidWorks 2007) and it no longer bugs me about expiration.

I will be changing the titles to more accurately reflect the time spent in training. I had been using days (example Day 3) but as has been pointed out to me, this gives the idea that whole days are being spent on each training session. But given my day job, I'm spending about an hour or less per session so I better find a better heading.

So, buoyed by all the reader support (thanks, again), a brand spanking new edition of SolidWorks and the assistance of SolidProfessor, I'm jumping back in.

Comments

[John Nolin]

The big thing that I found tripping up users coming to SolidWorks from an AutoCAD or CADKey background, is the basic change in thought process.
In AutoCAD and similar products, setting location is a primary part of feature creation. (you make a precise center and then make your circle)
In SolidWorks, you just click anywhere on a part face, or reference plane, and start your hole or other command. At the end of the function or any time thereafter, you then give the precise location dimensions.
It is initially hard to let go of that habbit of defining locations first, but once you do and get adjusted to the ease of parametric editing, you will find your work flow going much smoother and with much less frustration at the end of a day.