Solidworks 2021 SP 5.1 is now available (Seems to be working about as good as Solidworks usually works)

[Bradfordzzz]

For anyone that might be waiting for it.

Put your feet up and enjoy the show.

[mike miller]

I think I'll wait for SP 5.1

[RichGergely]

Sounds like the time to load 2021 on for me.

[establ]

SOLIDWORKS 2021 SP5.1 coming soon, removing 2021 SP5 from download page this afternoon.

https://r1132100503382-eu1-3dswym.3dexp ... B-p0E3Vj3A

I think I'll wait for SP 5.1

SP 5.1 coming out next week.

[mattpeneguy]

SOLIDWORKS 2021 SP5.1 coming soon, removing 2021 SP5 from download page this afternoon.

https://r1132100503382-eu1-3dswym.3dexp ... B-p0E3Vj3A



SP 5.1 coming out next week.

Is @mike miller prescient?

[mike miller]

Is @mike miller prescient?

Yes. Any other questions for me?

[Glenn Schroeder]

I think I'll wait for SP 5.1

Good idea. https://r1132100503382-eu1-3dswym.3dexp ... B-p0E3Vj3A

[AlexB]

FFS, I guess I'll delay testing even longer... just like DASSAULT

[mike miller]

FFS, I guess I'll delay testing even longer... just like DASSAULT

DUHSSAULT, maybe?

[RichGergely]

I think I'll wait for SP 5.1

Classic

Couldn't have said it better. Glad I've been busy and didn't get round to loading it.

[SPerman]

Let me know when I should believe them when they tell me they are putting more effort into fixing bugs and improving stability. The fact that both SP4 and SP5 were broke makes me wonder if that is even possible.

[mattpeneguy]

Let me know when I should believe them when they tell me they are putting more effort into fixing bugs and improving stability. The fact that both SP4 and SP5 were broke makes me wonder if that is even possible.

I'm not defending them by any means, but it must be difficult to test for every contingency. I remember them trying to make the software more rigid with how it deals with imported geometry...maybe a good goal because as we know if SW has geometry it doesn't like it crashes. But, how do you test every contingency?
There are tools I'm sure they've developed to help automate this, but as the code base grows and grows, the testing I'd guess would have to grow exponentially. Unfortunately, there's little motivation from the bean counters to contribute resources to this vital task...And they've shutdown any talk of that in their top ten, because they consider it handled.

[bnemec]

I'm not defending them by any means, but it must be difficult to test for every contingency. I remember them trying to make the software more rigid with how it deals with imported geometry...maybe a good goal because as we know if SW has geometry it doesn't like it crashes. But, how do you test every contingency?
There are tools I'm sure they've developed to help automate this, but as the code base grows and grows, the testing I'd guess would have to grow exponentially. Unfortunately, there's little motivation from the bean counters to contribute resources to this vital task...And they've shutdown any talk of that in their top ten, because they consider it handled.

That, right there, is the short sightedness that milks a cash cow dry.

I have no real experience in writing test cases, nothing beyond some CS/SE classes. But that was enough of a taste to realize that thorough testing, from test planning through execution and initiating feedback, can be 1/2 of the total project. That's for stuff not used in high reliability cases such as automated controls, banking or healthcare. Scope and feature creep are bad bad bad, the first step in test planning is a clearly defined and purposeful objective. My perception of the "What's New?!?!?" is a glossed over presentation of good requests turned into fluff features that fit into the existing program with at about a 50% success rate. I was taught, in short, "If you don't know how to test it, then don't write it." When the input variations are unknown then you cannot assume anything, instead of testing to confirm it works, you test for failure. "Fails safely" is a passing result when unknown inputs can be expected.

[SPerman]

I'm not defending them by any means, but it must be difficult to test for every contingency. I remember them trying to make the software more rigid with how it deals with imported geometry...maybe a good goal because as we know if SW has geometry it doesn't like it crashes. But, how do you test every contingency?
There are tools I'm sure they've developed to help automate this, but as the code base grows and grows, the testing I'd guess would have to grow exponentially. Unfortunately, there's little motivation from the bean counters to contribute resources to this vital task...And they've shutdown any talk of that in their top ten, because they consider it handled.

I understand that is a daunting task. But other software companies do a significantly better job than the solidworks team. It starts at the top level with a philosophy. Success: Don't add a new feature until it is robust. Failure: Throw the new feature in as soon as the GUI is written. We'll worry about making it work on a later release.

[mattpeneguy]

I understand that is a daunting task. But other software companies do a significantly better job than the solidworks team. It starts at the top level with a philosophy. Success: Don't add a new feature until it is robust. Failure: Throw the new feature in as soon as the GUI is written. We'll worry about making it work on a later release.

I'm curious how people would rate SW, SE, and IV on a scale of 1 to 10 for stability?

[mike miller]

I'm curious how people would rate SW, SE, and IV on a scale of 1 to 10 for stability?

I can honestly say that SE has been way more stable than SWX. I've crashed SE three times since March, at least one of which was user error (opened a file directly from a Windows restore point and attempted to save it there). I've gotten out of the habit of saving every two minutes......

Edit: As far as a 1-10 scale with 10 being rock solid and perfect, I'd probably give SWX a 5 and SE a 7 or 8.

No experience with IV.

[bnemec]

I'm curious how people would rate SW, SE, and IV on a scale of 1 to 10 for stability?

I can second what @mike miller stated.

I would like to add, that SE has their fair share of 1/2 implemented features. When I first saw "The Missing 5%" thread I had to chuckle because the same thing could exist for SE. I feel that SE failures tend to cause fewer crashes and corrupt files and lost work. It still happens in SE but it's not the norm like seems to be with SW.

[DanPihlaja]

I understand that is a daunting task. But other software companies do a significantly better job than the solidworks team. It starts at the top level with a philosophy. Success: Don't add a new feature until it is robust. Failure: Throw the new feature in as soon as the GUI is written. We'll worry about making it work on a later release.

Honestly, reminds me of the debacle that is Cyberpunk 2077

[AlexB]

Well, 5.1 showed up this morning. Hopefully they don't pull this right away again.

[bnemec]

Well, 5.1 showed up this morning. Hopefully they don't pull this right away again.

CAD updates be like:

[zxys001]

btw, for those wanting to do the hotfix.. this is the message... you'll need to uninstall the hotfix to update later.

[AlexLachance]

btw, for those wanting to do the hotfix.. this is the message... you'll need to uninstall the hotfix to update later.

Wow... Feels almost like a troll job lol

[zxys001]

Wow... Feels almost like a troll job lol

[mike miller]

btw, for those wanting to do the hotfix.. this is the message... you'll need to uninstall the hotfix to update later.

And this is the icing on the troll cake.....

These guys can't win for losing!

[zxys001]

And this is the icing on the troll cake.....

2021-11-04 12_12_04.jpg

These guys can't win for losing!

..wow,.. a Limited Life is such a waste of time?

[Lucas]

So anyone updated to 5.1? Is it safe? lol

[Peter De Vlieger]

*trying to bite my tongue so as not to say : "i told you so".

[zxys001]

So anyone updated to 5.1? Is it safe? lol

..is it safe?... well, let's try!

[mike miller]

..is it safe?... well, let's try!

OJ Simpson?

[mattpeneguy]

C'mon guys, Dassault has assured us that they are focused on One and Two, so much so that they've stopped allowing it in the Top Ten List...

[bnemec]

C'mon guys, Dassault has assured us that they are focused on One and Two, so much so that they've stopped allowing it in the Top Ten List...

So the top ten list starts with 3?

[zxys001]

OJ Simpson?

hmm?.. maybe the wrong gif for you Mike... here you go. (cough)

[KevinC]

I understand that is a daunting task. But other software companies do a significantly better job than the solidworks team. It starts at the top level with a philosophy. Success: Don't add a new feature until it is robust. Failure: Throw the new feature in as soon as the GUI is written. We'll worry about making it work on a later release.

Two points:
1) The SolidWorks team is under the DS umbrella and I would surmise that this is more deleterious overall.
2) Yes, other companies can put out better, but since SW is a product, it must be compared to products in the same stage of product life.
If I were to guess, I'd say SW is past the hump...it's harvest time.

[Craig Makarowski]

the scary thing of whty i'm still on SW2018 SP5 is that to jump to SW 2021 SP5.1 requires that i Update the License server from Windows Server 2012 to a minimum of 2016, and work doesn't want to, so I stuck in the dark ages here. This is all to do with being able to update PDM standard as well. so it is a pile of work for one guy to do!! So is 2021 really got any big advantages?

[zxys001]

So is 2021 really got any big advantages?

well,.. it's "1" more than 20.

[RichGergely]

But really you would want to look at what's new in 2019/2020/2021. And.... then look at what of 'what's new' actually works properly

The enhanced graphics works (on most cards) on 2020. Don't even think of trying it on 2019!

[SPerman]

I'm on 2020 SP5, and enhanced graphics is still problematic for me. I've tested it with both an Nvidia and AMD, and it has issues with both.

[Glenn Schroeder]

I'm on 2020 SP5, and enhanced graphics is still problematic for me. I've tested it with both an Nvidia and AMD, and it has issues with both.

I'm using SW 2021, and I have it turned off. It might work with it turned on, but I haven't bothered to check.