E-Drawings Question

[MetalShavings]

The question I have pertains to emailing my E-Drawings to someone in the UK.

Everything else about the E-Drawing program seems pretty straight forward; I mean, I didn't have to much trouble understanding how to use it.

I'm just not clear on how to go about emailing an E-Drawing correctly.

I saved my E-Drawing file as an HTML file thinking that all I had to do is transfer that file onto my internet-connected desktop computer and simply attach it to my outgoing email.

Assuming that the recipient of my email has the E-Drawings software on his end to view the files I've sent, I just figured it would be that easy.

I get the feeling I've missed a couple of critical steps with my logic. Can one of you more experienced SolidWorks/E-Drawings guys give me a clue?

The laptop I have my SolidWorks software loaded on is strictly an off-line computer. I'm a Mac computer guy so it's my Mac computer that's connected to the internet.

I have to copy my E-Drawings files from my Windows based laptop onto a memory card then transfer that file to my Mac in order to attach it to my outgoing email.

I'm wondering if this in itself is the problem.

Thanks for your help.

MetalShavings

[txcncman]

First thing I suggest is you try to open the file(s) on your computer before attaching them to email to send and see if they open correctly.

[MetalShavings]

Hi TX:

They work perfectly on my computer. In fact I copied the file back off my Mac desktop and brought it back into my Windows based laptop just to see if maybe it had gotten corrupted somehow.

It still worked fine. I haven't gotten a chance to check for other things I may have done wrong in attempting to email these E-Drawings. More than likely it was just some more user-error on my part.

According to the tutorials it just seemed so simple I guess I may have missed something.

Thanks for the reply.

MetalShavings

[txcncman]

Then it must be something with the way you are attaching the file to your email.

[giz]

I have seen similar cases with email activations. The user generates the activation text file on an offline pc, then transfers the file to a Mac to email off to SolidWorks. The license file they get back doesn't end up working because something about the Mac OS changes the original text file used to generate the licensing info. You could be running into something similar.

I don't know if this is related or not, but eDrawings doesn't support .exe or .html formats on Mac-based computers since the extensions are PC versions. This makes me believe that something may indeed be happening when you email the file.

[MetalShavings]

Hi Giz:

You could be right. I just don't know enough about it to tell one way or the other.

I do have the E-Drawings viewer on my Mac computer but, I'm still unable to view the E-Drawings files I've generated on my Windows based laptop.

When I look at the file/info for these E-Drawing files they appear to be incomplete. I mean that the HTML files of my E-Drawings only contain 152 KB of data. That's basically just an icon or a short-cut of the full file so opening these files just gives me a blank screen on the E-Drawing viewer.

When the computer you use to generate and email these E-Drawings files is connected to the internet, the E-Drawings program automatically attaches all pertinent information for that file to be emailed.

As it is now, I have to transfer these files from one computer to the other in order to email them. I appears that all I'm transferring and emailing are the Short-Cut icons rather than the full E-Drawing file.

MetalShavings

[giz]

152kb is larger than most eDrawings .htm files I've seen so I wouldn't let that concern you. My best guess is that the Mac OS is corrupting the file.

Can you try using a zip archive?

[MetalShavings]

I'll have to try the "Zip" option of emailing one of these E-Drawing files. I just want to see if I can get them to work in the event I have to email something again in the future.

I can email an IGES file just as easily and have the receiver be able to do alot of the same things they could do with an E-Drawing file; provided they have the appropriate software.

But frankly, sometimes I just like to show off to some of my younger nieces and nephews by showing them some of the drawings I've generated with my CAD software. I've been sending them jpgs. If I could send them some drawings they could manipulate I think they would be more inclined learn about CAD/CAM type of stuff.

As long as they have the viewer software they can view the files I send them.

MetalShavings

Thanks Giz.

MetalShavings

[CNC Lurker]

There is an Internet Explorer module that is required for one to be able to view Edrawings. I'm not able to view a saved .htm edrawing with Firefox, and when I tried to view it in Internet Explorer, I got the message in the attached screenshot.

I had no problem viewing the .htm file after installing the module.

Interestingly, I emailed only the .htm file and deleted the .htm and the original edrawing format file and was still able to open the .htm file. This leads me to believe you do not have to send the edrawing file because the .htm file has everything you need (minus the EModelView Module).

The reciever of the email has to use Internet Explorer or they will not be able to open it.

[MetalShavings]

I downloaded the free module for Mac computers that is supposed to allow you to view these .HTM files on your Internet Explorer screen.

I got the same response on my Mac. When I clicked on the "Run" button it did open up the E-Drawings viewer but it was just a blank window. When I tried dragging and dropping the file in question onto the Explorer screen nothing happened.

I'm still looking into it. I'm pretty sure it's something I must be doing wrong on my end. I just don't know what.

I'm glad you posted your reply. I was wondering what to make of this same dialog box you got.

Is the module you're referring to the free download offered on the E-Drawing website or have I misunderstood you?

MetalShavings