New Forum Suggestion

[RickB]

New Forum Please

KeyCreator

[Ry-guy]

Matt-
It's good to see you have forums from the major players in the mid-market CAx..Siemens with Solid Edge, Dassault Systems with SolidWorks and PTC with Onshape. I kinda like that because all these software are using the same geometry kernel and we should be able to share models back and forth. How about PDM Forums too? Solid-Edge with their built-in PDM tool, SW with PDM Pro and Onshape..well with its integrated PDMish tools.

[matt]

New Forum Please

KeyCreator

Done. Hey, Rick, good to see you again!

Matt-
It's good to see you have forums from the major players in the mid-market CAx..Siemens with Solid Edge, Dassault Systems with SolidWorks and PTC with Onshape. I kinda like that because all these software are using the same geometry kernel and we should be able to share models back and forth. How about PDM Forums too? Solid-Edge with their built-in PDM tool, SW with PDM Pro and Onshape..well with its integrated PDMish tools.

Yeah, I want to talk about more than just one thing, and frankly, the more people we have here, the easier it will be to keep it going. Well, up to a point I guess. Looking forward to watching it grow.

[Merovingien]

the most important is question :

can we use-manage-customize this forum ?

to prevent the infinite "copy-paste" questions same question at a different time

i was talking about that in the dying "SW forum"

if we can, it will offers a powerfull readability, the forum will be clear, even for new cad users.

and the most important, the forum will stay "clear" throw the years...

if the forum can't include "that system" (i have in mind) it will have/makes the same errors as the others-cad-forums...
and will become unreadable...

[Merovingien]

also, the "ads thread" to give hints, tips about a cad software,

i consider it as "ads" not real thread, i prefer to see that kind of "threads" put in a special-allocated section for that.

i mean a thread that say : hey ! want to see my last blog, or youtube video ? please follow that url (and increase the view-counter)

give nothing to the current forum, no information, the user read the "ads-thread" but don't know the new-things, the features it is talking about about, etc...

if the thread contain more than "hey ! want to see my last blog, or youtube video ? please follow that url"
with a full detailling explanation of what to do, with pictures, etc..;
ok in that case, this is a real-thread (not a ads-thread)

[Merovingien]

there is not "special icon" on the left of a section-thread ?
to say "read" or "unread"
or "new message" ?

where are the icons legends ???

[Lapuo]

there is not "special icon" on the left of a section-thread ?
to say "read" or "unread"
or "new message" ?

where are the icons legends ???

Maybe i did not understand you but "read" icon is grey and "unread" icon is red.

[Merovingien]

ok,
there is no "i like" button for one message ?

to say "i like what you wrote" without needing to create an answer ?

[Lapuo]

ok,
there is no "i like" button for one message ?

to say "i like what you wrote" without needing to create an answer ?

Yeah i also wanted to ask about this!

[Merovingien]

the icon "red-blue" for read-unread topics are very difficult to see, notice it.

if there is a way to change these icons by something a way more "readable" ?

for example turning the entire circle background into red, not just the exterior line

[Lapuo]

the icon "red-blue" for read-unread topics are very difficult to see, notice it.

if there is a way to change these icons by something a way more "readable" ?

for example turning the entire circle background into red, not just the exterior line

For me it is good enough.
I am open to other solutions as well

[Merovingien]

i remember using other phpBB forum,
but it had a "more visible" read-unread icons

[Merovingien]

also beware of some "spam bots" that usually run on this kind of forum,

forcing a manual validation profil by a mod, or limiting "baby user" to a temporary general-thread in a first time,
can avoid the "spam-bots" to do their mess...

[Merovingien]

also, other phpbb forum i used had a "real time chat"

maybe we can think about it, if it will be really useful, or not

[matt]

Ok, the solidworks forum costs $x00,000 per year to run plus at least one full time employee, so double that. This place cost me $14.99 for the domain, and $0 for the phpbb software (well, plus the $750 for 3 years for my server space). My time here so far is free.

I started this YESTERDAY before lunch. It took about an hour. Just for some perspective.

phpbb seems to have a minimalist approach to things, but you can find extensions that do certain things. For other things, you have to edit the php code, which isn't impossible, even for a mostly non-coder like me.

I'm working on:

1. Putting some image in the header
2. A logo of some sort
3. A Like system
4. More smilies
5. More templates/styles/skins
6. Rummaging around to see what kinds of extensions are available
7. Eventually bringing on some volunteer moderators

This will all keep me busy for a while. Be patient, though, and enjoy watching it build over time. I think that's one of the cool parts of something like this.

And you guys can contribute like you always do. That's the real value here.

[Merovingien]

yes, my messages wasn't write as "bad comments" (it miss this, etc...)
but more into "let's do that, etc... beware of that, etc..."

i can develop my idea about the "not make a cad forum a mess" into mp,
to see if it will be possible...

i thought about that when i used differents cad forum,
i localized some bad things, and the solutions for that...

to maintain a cad-forum efficient, readable.

[matt]

Matt-
...How about PDM Forums too? Solid-Edge with their built-in PDM tool, SW with PDM Pro and Onshape..well with its integrated PDMish tools.

I added a CAD Admin forum, which includes file management and PDM topics.

[Lapuo]

Matt, I have to thank you for like (thank you) button!
Great one!

[Merovingien]

i saw you add the "Rating" option,

but i don't think it will be really good, to bring "a good mind"
because the "rating" comes with a % number.

so if many users will rate one post at 5%, the author of the post will think "what i did wrong ? they don't like it ?"

so it's really different from the simple "like", because we don't have to say with % number,
it's just to mean "i like your post (or) you made me laugh"

it's the same if you add a "not like" button.
it will bring "negativity" opinion.

the simple "like" avoid to write a message to say "i agree (or) lol dude"
and it don't bring "negativity" or "number % value"

that's my opinion.

but i understand you are testing all the forum stuff and addons, no problem.
take your time.

[Lapuo]

i saw you add the "Rating" option,

but i don't think it will be really good, to bring "a good mind"
because the "rating" comes with a % number.

so if many users will rate one post at 5%, the author of the post will think "what i did wrong ? they don't like it ?"

so it's really different from the simple "like", because we don't have to say with % number,
it's just to mean "i like your post (or) you made me laugh"

it's the same if you add a "not like" button.
it will bring "negativity" opinion.

the simple "like" avoid to write a message to say "i agree (or) lol dude"
and it don't bring "negativity" or "number % value"

that's my opinion.

but i understand you are testing all the forum stuff and addons, no problem.
take your time.

As i said at other topic i agree with you.
Simple "like" or "thumbs up" button(if possible with option to show who liked your post) would be best.
And if possible , dont open another page just to show me that i liked someones post

[Merovingien]

yes, the "confirmation page", if we can avoid-skip it

and i didn't see, the "likers" are show in small size under, so that ok, let's keep.

it's just % thing number, if we can disable it.

[Frederick_Law]

Look better every time I come back.

[matt]

yes, the "confirmation page", if we can avoid-skip it

Ok, what confirmation page are you talking about? Do you have a screenshot?

[Merovingien]

it was with the old "rating" system

but can you put somewhere a "full icons legend-description" please ?

i saw some of the themes display a "partial icon legend"
but the currend them i chose don't have it,
plus the legend was "partial".

[Merovingien]

also, one great feature from the old "forum we shouldn't say his name"

was the "return-reading from the last vew" a post.
i know tere is the quick link to "the last post"
but it force us to scroll up to search and return where we was last-reading,
to continue our read.

it was great pleasant feature.

maybe there is a plugin that can do the same ?

[matt]

it was with the old "rating" system

but can you put somewhere a "full icons legend-description" please ?

i saw some of the themes display a "partial icon legend"
but the currend them i chose don't have it,
plus the legend was "partial".

Yeah, I'm going to make a legend of images, but that is going to take more time. Plus, there is some difficulty, since some of the styles/themes/skins use different icons and colors than others. I plan to also make a tour video once the features have kind of settled down.

[Merovingien]

i have to make a "remark" for the "solidworks" sub-category (N-1)

inside this sub-category, there are other sub-categories (N-2)
ok, no problem with that,

but for new user, some will not notice there are sub-categories (N-2)
so they will never enter to see what's inside.

the problem is there are "thread" in the N-1,

it should be better to disable the possiblity to create thread in that N-1 (solidworks)
and move all existing thread into appropriate N-2 categories.

have an intermediate sub-category mixed with threads, sub-sub-category,
will result in a futur mess.

because when a new user will create a new thread, if he won't the correct N-2, will create it in the N-1.

i hope what i tried to explain will be understand, sorry for my medium english.

[matt]

Yeah, I think I understand. There are a couple things I'd like to be able to do. First would be a top level indented outline of all of the categories and forums. I don't have a way to do this currently. A side bar would be nice, but I don't have a way to do that. I'm keeping my eyes open.

Second, there is already something of what you are asking for, I think. In the screenshot, you can see that there are sub-forums, and they are accessible from the top level. The only way to fix that would be to make a General forum under the SW forum, so the SW forum becomes a sub-category of the CAD category. Content and structure at the same level isn't best practice, I guess.

image.png

[Merovingien]

and here is a schematic i thaugh abou it, by being in differents forum,
but this is specific for cad-forum,

it's to avoid double, triple same question, and separate baby-question, to serious-question.

to work it need a "sandbox", and some power-users/mods will check this sandbox,
and estimate if it's a real question, a baby-question, or not,
and if it already have been asked, or not.

to avoid multiplication of the same question,

how add mate to a line and a cylinder
how add mate to cylinder and a line
hey dude, i have a cylinder-thingy and want mate it
etc...

example of "baby question"
how to create a line,
how to create a sketch,
how to add mate
how do i check the path for my newfile (DOT) ?
hey can someone modelise my school homework ?

so for baby-question we can simply answer by linking the online-sw-help

and for real-question
the power-users can investigate it.

so there are :
- temporary sandbox
- baby-question
- real-interesting-question

but maybe a third kind of question can be added (or not, if not needed)

Capture.png

[Merovingien]

Content and structure at the same level isn't best practice, I guess.

that's it

but i'm talking about N-2 / N-3
look here :

N-2 contains plenty threads,
but it exists N-3 sub-folders...

Capture2.png

[Merovingien]

the important is to have a correct sub-folder, sub-sub-folder, etc...

if a folder seems missing, study it wisely to if it have to become a new sub-folder

avoid clone-like folder in french "doublon"

and the most important for a CAd forum, to avoi it become a mess,
the system of "is it a real new question" validation, to avoid asking the same thing multiple of times...

[JuTu]

Suggetion:

How about some kind of a general "Engineering" or "Design" subforum to discuss thing related to the engineering work as a whole without software-perspective?

Or does it belong to off-topic?

EDIT: Now that I was looking around I came to conclusion that Kitty dump is fine place for my question

[matt]

Suggetion:

How about some kind of a general "Engineering" or "Design" subforum to discuss thing related to the engineering work as a whole without software-perspective?

Or does it belong to off-topic?

EDIT: Now that I was looking around I came to conclusion that Kitty dump is fine place for my question

Here, try General Engineering and Design

https://cadforum.net/viewforum.php?f=49

[mike miller]

Here, try General Engineering and Design

https://cadforum.net/viewforum.php?f=49

That was quick!