Opening STEP files in SW?

[Glenn Schroeder]

I have some step files from a client. I rarely need to do that, so it's not a process I'm familiar with. It looks like it's trying to open the files, but then I get the messages about too many windows open and SW is running out of memory (though I don't have any files open), and then it crashes.

They sent three files, and all three are over 16,000 KB. Are they just too large?

[DanPihlaja]

Try turning off 3d interconnect first. That may be the issue.

[Glenn Schroeder]

Try turning off 3d interconnect first. That may be the issue.

image.png

Thanks. I checked. It was already off. Could the files just be too large? Judging from the file names they're assemblies, if that's relevant.

[SPerman]

This might help if it is a resource problem. How much RAM does your computer have installed?

https://www.goengineer.com/blog/fix-sol ... unning-low

https://blogs.solidworks.com/tech/2018/ ... g-low.html

[Glenn Schroeder]

This might help if it is a resource problem. How much RAM does your computer have installed?

64.0 GB

[Glenn Schroeder]

I tried again. I kept seeing messages saying it was opening a model, and there were a lot of them before it finally gave up. I don't want to post a screenshot because of IP issues, but I clicked on the SW icon at the bottom of my monitor and there was a long list of files.

[DanPihlaja]

Thanks. I checked. It was already off. Could the files just be too large? Judging from the file names they're assemblies, if that's relevant.

Also check these settings:

[DanPihlaja]

I tried again. I kept seeing messages saying it was opening a model, and there were a lot of them before it finally gave up. I don't want to post a screenshot because of IP issues, but I clicked on the SW icon at the bottom of my monitor and there was a long list of files.

OK, then Check this area:

Make sure that you have something defined in area 1

And make sure that "always use these..." is selected.

[Glenn Schroeder]

Also check these settings:

image.png

I checked that. The only one I had different was having the box checked for "Automatically run Import Diagnostics." In any case, I've asked for the file to be saved as a single body in the native software first and then sent to me, so we'll see how that goes. I'll be going home soon, but thanks to everyone who tried to help.

[SPerman]

When I go to the system options dialog, and pick Step under Import, the options are greyed out.

At some point I did something to enable those settings, but now I can't duplicate it. (SW2023 SP5)

My last suggestion, would be to uncheck everything in the "general" import selection.

[Jim Elias]

I have sometimes had better luck with 3D-Interconnect turned on... not always, but it's worth trying with and without.

[TTevolve]

Check to see if you have an hidden dialog box on your toolbar.

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Usually when you open a STEP file it asks what template you want to use, but I have had it open in the background and not be able to see it.

[Jim Elias]

I have some step files from a client. I rarely need to do that, so it's not a process I'm familiar with. It looks like it's trying to open the files, but then I get the messages about too many windows open and SW is running out of memory (though I don't have any files open), and then it crashes.

They sent three files, and all three are over 16,000 KB. Are they just too large?

just out of curiosity, why not Parasolid?

[DanPihlaja]

I have sometimes had better luck with 3D-Interconnect turned on... not always, but it's worth trying with and without.

with 3d interconnect turned on, it uses a more powerful algorithm, so it is almost always better (followed by immediately breaking the link).

In this particular case though, with the number of items being imported, I was spitballing that maybe it was causing a problem.

[DanPihlaja]

I checked that. The only one I had different was having the box checked for "Automatically run Import Diagnostics." In any case, I've asked for the file to be saved as a single body in the native software first and then sent to me, so we'll see how that goes. I'll be going home soon, but thanks to everyone who tried to help.

That may have been the issue. It is trying to run import diagnostics on those potentially tens of parts all at once.

It may be killing your system.

Try running it with it unchecked.

[AlexB]

Just for fun, I took one of our big assemblies and saved it as a step file. My PC has 64 GB of ram and it took about 20 minutes to open the 600Mb STEP file. There's got to be something else going on.

[Glenn Schroeder]

just out of curiosity, why not Parasolid?

Because I was sent step files. I didn't know anything about the project until that point. The files were sent to one of the engineers, and he forwarded them to me.

[Glenn Schroeder]

I tried just about everything, with the same results. The engineer had reached out to the client explaining the issue, so hopefully they will send something that I can open.

Again, I really appreciate all the help.

[Frederick_Law]

The STEP probably has ZTG.
I've open STEP in SW that took a few hours. Usually do it overnight.

Make sure the STEP name is short. Make sure it's not in a long path inside lot's of folder.
Check Windows Page file/Virtual Memory setting. Make it auto and system manage.
Opening STEP will use lots of virtual memory. Make sure you got space on the drive.

Too many Windows might be GDI/User object.

[Jim Elias]

The STEP probably has ZTG.
I've open STEP in SW that took a few hours. Usually do it overnight.

Make sure the STEP name is short. Make sure it's not in a long path inside lot's of folder.
Check Windows Page file/Virtual Memory setting. Make it auto and system manage.
Opening STEP will use lots of virtual memory. Make sure you got space on the drive.

Too many Windows might be GDI/User object.

ZTG definitely has the potential to mess things up.

[CarrieIves]

What does the STEP file look like with eDrawings? I use eDrawings to see what my STEP files look like and its faster to get a quick look at something.

[Jim Elias]

with 3d interconnect turned on, it uses a more powerful algorithm, so it is almost always better (followed by immediately breaking the link).

In this particular case though, with the number of items being imported, I was spitballing that maybe it was causing a problem.

Ha! Now if SW would just tell us under what conditions it's better with 3D-Inter than without... it is indeed "almost always" better with, but the situations where turning it off works better, don't seem to have rhyme nor reason to them.

[Jim Elias]

Because I was sent step files. I didn't know anything about the project until that point. The files were sent to one of the engineers, and he forwarded them to me.

I sometimes have to do interfacing between a Creo-based team on one side and an SW-based team on the other, and the Creo-generated STEP files are guaranteed to give SW indigestion, don't know why. It's definitely worth going back to the original source and asking for a Parasolid output if possible, it's very much accepted SOP to get "Parasolid not STEP" requests these days.

[Glenn Schroeder]

What does the STEP file look like with eDrawings? I use eDrawings to see what my STEP files look like and its faster to get a quick look at something.

That worked. Thank you very much.