Hi all,

I have just downloaded 10.6 and on installing, I get to a point where the system reports a fault that reads unable to open file.dfiles.dat. Thereafter, the system will not allow me to proceed any further. The machine, hasp usb dongle and operating systems have not changed since the previous VX installation, although this is a fresh install (drive was recently formatted and rebuilt). Any ideas?? I have attached a screen shot of error.

Thanks,

Tappie

Hi Tappie

A number of things to check. Firstly, does the .dat file actually exist? In the temporary folder "Win" (that was created when you extracted the .rar or .zip archive), there should be a number of .dat files. This particular one holds the path to the help documents. Check the read/write permissions. If the file does not exist, or it is not 35bytes in size, it is possible that the rar/zip file is incomplete - you can sometimes get this problem when downloading very large files.

Your Windows User must be an administrator to install VX. Are you installing to the default path on Drive C?

If you have saved the files to a CD, the CD read speed may be the problem. The easiest solution in this case is to install from your hard drive instead, but if you need a CD, burn one at a low write speed.

Hi Mirko,

Sorry that you're having troubles... we'll stay on it.

Hope you're well

bobf

I had the same problem. It turned out to be something with WinRar. I deleted the unnarchived files, and re-unrared it, and it seemed to work then.

The only problem I'm having now, is seems the file I've been working on this past few days has some problems in it now. trimming objects wasn't working as it should have, so I went to fix objects, and it's been scrolling thru for over 30 minutes "fixing" things. It's up over 1,000,000 on indexing invalid edges. I sure hope it's not in an endless loop

Hi folks,

I have sorted out the problem. It seems that my usb dongle was not being detected by the system. I tried several methods to no avail in an attempt to correct the problem. Finally I downloaded the latest hasp4 driver (HDD32.zip), installed that and my problem was resolved. Once again thanks for the lightning response!!

Regards,

Mirko

Hi again folks,

It seems it's my turn!

Having solved the install problem, I now cannot get my favourite macro, ReadySketch to run. By the way Chris, the Fineview macro is awesome, well done. Fineview runs well and although RS seems to install ok, when activated inside a sketch, it throws a "unable to locate rs.vxm" error. All macros are installed using the 1.5 installer and all to the same user directory. Once again I have attached a screen shot and any help will be most welcome.

Regards,

Mirko

Hi Tappie

Very pleased to hear that you are up and running

RS.vxm is actually the main program of ReadySketch. Since the system has found the icon, it does at least know where the program resides. It might be the case that the win rar extraction did not complete properly. I think the first thing to do is to re-extract the win rar and then re-install ReadySketch. Sorry about that.

Hi,

Yip, that's the fix. Thanks again.

Tappie

Ah, that's thanks to Steve Mackay for letting everyone know that sometimes Winrar trips up

a bit away from the topic but whats the benefit/difference in using the .rar format as opposed to the .zip format?

Also where can we get the "whats new/fixed in v10.6" as opposed to v10.51?

Quote

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Originally posted by: 3Dmonkey
a bit away from the topic but whats the benefit/difference in using the .rar format as opposed to the .zip format?

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rar can, and does create smaller files. Depending on the data, they can be upwords to 20% smaller. WinRar also opens just about every compression file under the sun, and then some. The only app I've seen that opens more compressed file formats is stuffit.

The downside to RAR files is, they can be at times very slow to compress and de-compress.

useless trivia: Phil Katz, creator of the ZIP file format, is a native of Milwaukee. I've met him many, many, many moons ago, in another life, that I lived as a software developer using turbo pascal

Quote

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Also where can we get the "whats new/fixed in v10.6" as opposed to v10.51?

---

I'd also like to see what's new in 10.6 vs 10.51

I just did a test on a file I've been working on the last couple of days.
native VX file is 300 meg
RAR creates a 24 meg file
ZIP creates a 39 meg ofle.

Hi All

rar files currently have another advantage - they are not rejected by as many mail servers and firewalls as zip files are.

To see the list of fixes, select "Release Notes" from the Help Menu and follow the PCR links.

Quote

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Originally posted by: ChrisW
Hi All

To see the list of fixes, select "Release Notes" from the Help Menu and follow the PCR links.

---

Sorry, what I meant was where can we find out what's new/fixed without having to download and install 10.6? I'm a great believer in "if it works leave it" when it comes to CAD software. If there is nothing in 10.6 that impacts on my workflow then I'll stick with 10.51. Maybe VX could post the release Notes file on the forum, or in the support site?

Ah!

Here is a raw list of fixes and improvements delivered by v10.60:

Sketcher

TRACE:




15871 - (CJW) Sketcher: Trace Profile Offset fails




15908 - An Offset trace profile command is not effective.




16030 - offset trace profile does not work





Drafting




VIEW LAYOUT:




15335 - (TM)View has missing lines




15826 - Unable to display a sketch on a drawing




DIMENSION:




15922 - projected distance dimension is not created.




15828 - System core with Horizontal Angular Dimension




10370 - Call Log 4224: Enhancement request to have Edit Dimension Text Icon




OTHER:




15910 - Filter is unsuitable.




SECTION VIEW:




15435 - (OG) section line moves after redefine section




15866 - Bent section view doesn't accept a straight line




14417 - ( MB ) Section view is not correct





VIEW:




15489 - improper view visibility





SYMBOLS:




15318 - New symbols for surface finish




BILL OF MATERIALS:




15899 - No fine multi byte font on BOM Table





ATTRIBUTES:




15551 - Font preview of VX drafting




13080 - Thai Font Handling on VX





Surface Operations




FILLET:




10700 - Fillet creates open surfaces and topology errors (partial results case)




EXPLODE:




15924 - (OG) option 'explode along curves' at command 'split with curves' fails





SPLIT:




15795 - Although split, there is only one shape.




POINT CLOUD:




14729 - The points on 3 axes are reduced.





Solid Operations




PRIMITIVES:




15246 - To point in primitive commands




15677 - (CJW) Primitive Block Prompt




15690 - How to use To Point in the Block command




DIVIDE:




11595 - Two or more 'dividing shapes' breaks data.




VARIABLE FILLET:




15446 - If we try to create some variable fillets on collected edges, VX will freeze.




FACE OFFSET:




15906 - (OG) VX gets hanging after face offset




MORPH:




16017 - (TR) Morph TEXT with curve to curve fails




GUI




MESSAGES:




15890 - (TM)Hard coded message during 'Fix Objects' and 'Recover Faces'




TOOL BARS:




15763 - (OG) custom toolbar fails when its name is longer than 16 characters




15833 - (CJW) Reset Toolbars problem




CAM




2-AXIS MILLING:




14843 - 2x spiralcut gouge




15735 - Gillette 2ax cam profile scraps part




15983 - (JH) Tool crash in Profilecut




15987 - (SW) CAM Spiral cut Step inward cut path not completed




10431 - Call Log 3698: Gillette Toolpath that goes round on itself when a profile has a point




11774 - Cam spiralcut region connect no tool lift leaves uncut areas




3-AXIS MILLING:




15921 - can't generate a 3X spiralcut on the imported geometry




5-AXIS MILLING:




14539 - (JH) Swarfcut with one surface feature fails




15909 - Bad path when Two surfaces were defined as one Drive surface.




16010 - In 5 axis sidecut, behavior of a parameter is unsuitable.




FEATURES:




15384 - (SW) CAM create profile




15973 - Picking cylinder hole feature crashes




DRILL:




14835 - Centre drill problems




CLIPBOARD:




8048 - CAM Clipboard consistently errors out.




NC OUTPUT:




15887 - (CJW) CAM: Fanuc 10 syntax typo




2.5 AXIS:




15861 - profilecut apps & rets are not as expected




15896 - The overcut occurs in the following 2 cases.




15954 - VX can't catch the CL bug by VX VERIFY function.




15955 - I can't absolutely understand this abnormal NC DATA in the profilecut.




11797 - profile cut parameter cut dir not consistent




QUICK MILLING:




15478 - Circular Move Output incorrectly in CL file




15632 - (SW) Z limiting ignored




15822 - Arc CL data not mathematically consistent




15905 - Artform QM Z level Gouges part




15971 - (SW) CAM Crash




15992 - 4c Entering a value for Bottom Point in CAM results in error




16006 - Arcs in Roughing aren't exported correct to rest roughing




CAM GUI:




15315 - G code by IMSPOST




15764 - Database error when opening cam training file




Translators




IGES:




14741 - There are no edges.




15559 - (CJW) Export Large (ish) 2D Layout cores VX




15571 - IGES translation crash




STEP:




15846 - STEP import crashes VX




STL:




15180 - Export STL data




15500 - Need Ability to Import STL then Export that STL




15809 - (TM)STL export fails from STL part




VDA:




15811 - (OG) VX cores at importing VDA data




DXF:




15593 - VX doesn't export lines that is projected with DXF file




15625 - DXF won't import into a drawing sheet




PARASOLID(3RD PARTY):




15247 - (TM)Parasolid import fails...works with VX 8.X




15337 - Parasolid file loads into V9.61 but not into V10.01




15686 - (OG) parasolid import (VX) fails--922 error




GENERAL (ALL):




15904 - 4C Parasolid file will not import in V10.22 - OK in V9.61 (Invalid Parasolid file(922))




History




REGEN:




15687 - (OG) VX cores at replay history




15743 - (TR) History isn't running




15829 - Center line/mark on a sketch makes 'history regen' fail.




UNDO/REDO:




15009 - (CJW) History Step Undo is slower




15438 - (OG) undo at parts with long history does take too long




MOVE OPERATION:




15907 - (OG) Damage/core when cut/copy history entries to clipboard





Display




HIDDEN LINE:




15713 - (OG) VX cores using hidden line mode




OTHER:




14753 - Refresh problems with graphic cards




File Manager




SAVE:




15618 - (CJW) Session Management Unstable?




15800 - (CJW) VX does not recover from Save Session




15884 - VX cores after saving session




OPEN:




14766 - (CJW) v9.51 WindowsXP file launch behavior




15832 - (EB) VX open from Explorer




15958 - Drawing sheets cannot be edited at the packet level




OTHER:




16029 - CJW Clear Session pops error message




Sheet Metal




ATTRIBUTES:




14840 - (CJW) Sheet Metal Attribs in history tree




Wireframe




TRIM/EXTEND:




15453 - Convert Curves to Arcs/Lines




Mold Design




TRIM:




15858 - Fatal error of 'Trim mold plate to core/cavity region'




Tools




LICENSING:




15669 - VX crash when I'm calling assembly from tool bar




INSTALLATION:




15639 - VX could not Install on Chinese Traditional OS




MACRO LANGUAGE:




15476 - (CJW) Core caused by large iterations





TABLE MANAGER:




11235 - The angle of balloon text (clean up balloon locations)





Other (2D)




EQUATIONS:




15850 - In an INCH database, specifying a length of 25.4.mm gives 25.4 inch

Wow! Looks like I better download it then :-)

Thanks Chris.

Thanks Kevin for the question about the changes from one point release to another. VX Support is in the process of posting these on the support page so you can read before downloading. Thanks again to you, Chris W and Chris G for making it happen. As we say in the States, "keep your eyes peeled".

I would like to reply to Tappies original posting about the message, "unable to open dfile.dat"
Thanks to everyone that chimed in on this one but no one gets the prise.

If you had just started VX, it would have worked.

You downloaded the "Program Only" version of the software instead of the "Full" version. The difference is the documentation. The program only version does not have any doc. That is provided as a separate download. FULL = PROGRAM ONLY + (MANUALS & on-line Help) (generally speaking)
The message comes from the installation routine because you attempted the "Typical Install" or you did the "Custom Install" and checked the box for the documentation but there wasn't any to install.
The good thing is that you can start VX and get back to work.

You can always download the "Manuals and on-line help" at another time, unzip and use the custom install option to just install the DOC to the existing directory.