1.187 "glitches" - post to report

[lawrence]

Per Connie's request, here's a post for the LHR folks where we can list the features that are "buggy" or require work-arounds for designer 1.187

Here are what I found fairly quickly or have encountered myself-

The 2d tools came with the trim tool "incomplete" - you cannot trim circles or ovals and we were told when the software was released that fixing this was "coming"... is it still coming?

Path Offset is still very buggy for internal offsets for irregular items

snap to grid still rounds when you type the dimension into the box-
http://forum.carvewright.com/showthread.php?23459-Snap-to-Grid-and-Fractions

There is a program crash when sweeping
http://forum.carvewright.com/showthread.php?23335-Program-crash-on-sweep

There is sometimes a program crash when editing text- especially when switching from raster to centerline. This has happened enough that I make sure to save my project before doing any text.

problems with windows requiring operator to "run as administrator" to load program

artifact issues, especially regarding old patterns
http://forum.carvewright.com/showthread.php?23085-1.187-bug

pressing "help, software manuals, or help, hardware manuals" while in designer does not open up the manuals...

Thanks again Connie for all you and the others there at LHR do to make our customer experience so positive. We know you guys have been working your tails off.

Lawrence

[brdad]

Nice job on the list, Lawrence.

Some fractional and decimal dimensions result in disagreement in the dimensions reported in the toolbar versus those reported on the object itself.

When you outline an object, the outline is always bigger than the object by .008 (according to the input boxes on the toolbar).

The Help - Online Forum OR Tutorials menu items take you to 404 pages.

If you change the board size, non-centered objects maintain their spacial references to each other, while centered objects stay centered.

You cannot snap the "center point" of an arc to the grid like you can a circle or oval.

[CNC Carver]

Can never return to the select tool, from the rotate tool. I have to select a tool in between. Home button does not work.

[bergerud]

Can never return to the select tool, from the rotate tool. I have to select a tool in between. Home button does not work.

I do not understand what behavior you are describing. Is this in Designer or the Pattern Editor? The rotate tools seem fine to me.

[brdad]

I was going to mention the rotate tool glitch too, but I could not remember how to re-create it. When it happens, you can tell, because both the rotate tool and the select tool buttons are "down". Funny part is, I just went back to Designer, which I had open, and had the problem. But now I can't recreate it again.

Here is a post from 2010 that no one replied to describing the issue back then: http://forum.carvewright.com/showthread.php?14829-BUG-Tool-Selection-not-recognized-(-occasional-issue-) (http://forum.carvewright.com/showthread.php?14829-BUG-Tool-Selection-not-recognized-(-occasional-issue-)&highlight=pointer+tool)

[mtylerfl]

Per Connie's request, here's a post for the LHR folks where we can list the features that are "buggy" or require work-arounds for designer 1.187

Here are what I found fairly quickly or have encountered myself-



The 2d tools came with the trim tool "incomplete" - you cannot trim circles or ovals and we were told when the software was released that fixing this was "coming"... is it still coming?

This is not an issue that is specific to the Designer 1.187. This behaviour is in the optional 2D Drawing Suite. I don't think 'true' circles or ovals can be trimmed due to the underlying vector code structure. Arcs and splines can be drawn and trimmed instead.



Path Offset is still very buggy for internal offsets for irregular items
This is not an issue that is specific to the Designer 1.187. This behaviour is in the optional 2D Drawing Suite. Agreed it needs attention.




snap to grid still rounds when you type the dimension into the box-
http://forum.carvewright.com/showthread.php?23459-Snap-to-Grid-and-Fractions

My understanding is this (and similar math rounding) is currently unavoidable due to the resolution of the software being 1/128th of an inch. Not sure if a change in this behaviour is possible.


There is a program crash when sweeping
http://forum.carvewright.com/showthread.php?23335-Program-crash-on-sweep

This is not an issue that is specific to the Designer 1.187. This behaviour would be specific to the optional 3D Modeling Suite. I thought this was already addressed, but will double check.


There is sometimes a program crash when editing text- especially when switching from raster to centerline. This has happened enough that I make sure to save my project before doing any text.

Thanks for reporting this. I have not personally experienced any crashing when editing text in 1.187, but it will be worthwhile for the programmers to look into.


problems with windows requiring operator to "run as administrator" to load program
Not really a bug. I have several other programs that require install be done as administrator. I think Microsoft is to blame for this one. Having said that, I do know that 2.0 can be installed without selecting the administrator option.



artifact issues, especially regarding old patterns
http://forum.carvewright.com/showthread.php?23085-1.187-bug

I'm not confident this is actually a bug with the software, but again, worth looking into at least.


pressing "help, software manuals, or help, hardware manuals" while in designer does not open up the manuals...

The workaround/fix is to copy/paste the missing files manually into your CarveWright directory from an older install. I found this out because I noticed the same thing (missing the manuals after a 1.18* installation). Agreed, this needs attention and is probably a simple fix.

[mtylerfl]

...
If you change the board size, non-centered objects maintain their spacial references to each other, while centered objects stay centered.

This is certainly not a bug. When I design layouts, I often change the board size several times while working. But...I want items already placed in position to retain their spatial relationship to each other. The key is to remove all restraints prior to changing board size. After making your board size change, Select All (Ctrl+A or select all using the edit Menu), then while everything is selected, use the shortcut keys Alt+Shift+H and Alt+Shift+V to arrange everything neatly centered on the new board size without changing any spatial relationship of your arrangement.


You cannot snap the "center point" of an arc to the grid like you can a circle or oval.

You actually can snap an arc's center point to a grid...but (strangely) you may have to make your grid smaller (say from 0.5" to 0.125" to get it to snap to the center of the arc). I have no idea why that is, but it works.

[lawrence]

thanks for the inputs Michael- your experience is invaluable

Some of these issues still require "work arounds" to get things to function correctly... I had hoped these issues would eventually be address in future updates so that new users (or those that don't avail themselves of this forum and members' assistance) will not get frustrated if they don't know the work arounds.

One more question- I haven't tried a cut out in a while, but has the cut-out "jerkiness" been resolved?

Lawrence

[mtylerfl]

thanks for the inputs Michael- your experience is invaluable

Some of these issues still require "work arounds" to get things to function correctly... I had hoped these issues would eventually be address in future updates so that new users (or those that don't avail themselves of this forum and members' assistance) will not get frustrated if they don't know the work arounds.

One more question- I haven't tried a cut out in a while, but has the cut-out "jerkiness" been resolved?

Lawrence

Thanks, Lawrence. Your input is profoundly appreciated as well!

Yes, the jerky cutting was fixed.

[brdad]

This is certainly not a bug. When I design layouts, I often change the board size several times while working. But...I want items already placed in position to retain their spatial relationship to each other. The key is to remove all restraints prior to changing board size. After making your board size change, Select All (Ctrl+A or select all using the edit Menu), then while everything is selected, use the shortcut keys Alt+Shift+H and Alt+Shift+V to arrange everything neatly centered on the new board size without changing any spatial relationship of your arrangement.

It may not be a bug, but for me it seems like poor design. If you have a project with many objects it's not easy releasing all restraints. It seems it should be capable of maintaining spacial relationships with centered objects during a board change. Yes, there are workarounds, but if everything requires workarounds, it takes out a lot of time working on a project.



You actually can snap an arc's center point to a grid...but (strangely) you may have to make your grid smaller (say from 0.5" to 0.125" to get it to snap to the center of the arc). I have no idea why that is, but it works.

You have not convinced me of this one. I can't get it to snap to anything. If I make the grid .125 the center will technically stop at one of the grid intersections, but it will also stop at 8 intervals between the grids. If I draw a circle on that same grid it actually snaps to the grid intersections as would be expected. And you should not have to change the grid size to get it to work properly. I think the snapping you are seeing at smaller grid settings may be the resolution of the software on-screen?

[mtylerfl]

It may not be a bug, but for me it seems like poor design. If you have a project with many objects it's not easy releasing all restraints. It seems it should be capable of maintaining spacial relationships with centered objects during a board change. Yes, there are workarounds, but if everything requires workarounds, it takes out a lot of time working on a project.

I've never had a problem with this procedure of working. it's second nature to me now, I suppose. Here's a tip...I seldom use restraints for "long-term". In other words, I may use the restraints to place an item into a precise location, but instantly after that's done, I typically REMOVE the restraint as my routine. Therefore, I avoid any laborious issues with hunting down restraints to remove whilst changing board size. Also, don't forget about the "Top Tip" of copy/paste to a new board (AL Who discovered/shared that with us a couple years ago, and it was recently posted again I think yesterday or the day before.). This will automatically remove all restraints except for the Centering Restraints, which you still need to remove manually...only takes a couple seconds to do that, though.



You have not convinced me of this one. I can't get it to snap to anything. If I make the grid .125 the center will technically stop at one of the grid intersections, but it will also stop at 8 intervals between the grids. If I draw a circle on that same grid it actually snaps to the grid intersections. And you should not have to change the grid size to get it to work properly.

If the two end vertices are not "flush" with each other at the bottom, top or side of an Arc, I don't think it works. I agree it is strange to have to change grid size, but I don't work with arcs that often anyway so really haven't given it much worry.

[bergerud]

Does snap to edge even work at all? I always use snap to grid and the grids I use are almost always on the edge of the board. While playing with the arcs, I tried snap to edge with snap to grid off and I cannot get it to work.

[mtylerfl]

Does snap to edge even work at all? I always use snap to grid and the grids I use are almost always on the edge of the board. While playing with the arcs, I tried snap to edge with snap to grid off and I cannot get it to work.

Not sure if snap to edge is working for me either. I am able to get an arc or rectangle to stop on the "zero edge" but I am beginning to wonder if I'm just able to move things rather precisely through habit - doesn't quite have the same feeling as a snap to me.

[bergerud]

I cannot even get it to stop at the edge. With the snap to grid off and snap to edge on, I get no snapping of any kind.

[bergerud]

Ok, I have learned a little. The snap to edge does not work by itself. The snap to grid has to also be on. When both are on, I was able to snap a rectangle to the bottom and right edges but not to the top and left edges. See for yourselves with the mpc. Use a grid spacing of 0.5 and toggle both snaps on.

[brdad]

Snap to edge does not work great for me either. I'm not sure I have ever used it because I also usually have the board size match the grid.

If I have snap to grid and edge on and make a rectangle I can move it (but not re-size it) so it snaps to the edge. Will not even do that with circles or lines. I cannot draw a rectangle that meets the edge.

Edit: after reading bergerud's post I tried all 4 sides on mine and I could re-size a rectangle to snap to the top or the bottom, but not the sides.

So I loaded snap to edge bug.mpc‎ and experienced the same results as bergerud.

Perhaps board size and/or grid spacing plays a role? Or mouse resolution? I was using 12 X 12 with .520 spacing.

[bergerud]

It is important for the snap to edge test to have a snap grid which does not line up with the edges of the board and a rectangle which does not have any points snapping to the grid inside when the edge is near the board. Otherwise, it might appear snap to the edge but for the wrong reason.

[brdad]

I was just realizing that. It's much more clear for me with 11" X 11" board, 2" grids and a 1.75" test square. That behaves the way your's did.

Another observation - the center points which snap to the grid - you can set a square vertically or horizontally on them, but not both.

[bergerud]

Another observation - the center points which snap to the grid - you can set a square vertically or horizontally on them, but not both.

I too always thought that was strange. I do not know whether you would call that a bug, maybe a glitch.