To customise or not to customise?

Experienced users in a commercial environment rarely use software with the factory defaults, a customised UI and setting up shortcut keys and macros (Mapkeys in Creo) can have a significant impact on your workflow efficiency.

But as a new user customisation can conflict with support material which is generally created with the software set with the factory defaults. My advice would be;

  • know how to reset the UI to the factory defaults should you have trouble with support material
  • consider the effect of the change; changing the screen background colour or adding buttons to menus will make little difference, removing or replacing buttons could be confusing though.

 

Lab Configuration files

By default, Creo will start with the factory default setting – it will model in inches for example, as with most organisations we customise the installation to suit our needs.

For Creo to look and operate the same as the lab PCs you will need a set of configurations files which are run when Creo starts up.  The lab PCs point to the folder C:ProgramDataPTC, unless you want to manually edit the file config.pro you will need to have this folder on your PC, this folder is refered to as the Working Directory – the default working folder

To set up your PC to run as the lab PCs:

  • On your hard drive create the folder C:ProgramDataPTC
  • You will find the config files in the Teachdoc folder ‘Lab config files‘, copy these files into the folder you have created on your hard drive
  • On your computer, RMB > Properties on the start icon for Creo
  • Change the Start In folder to C:ProgramDataPTC – now Creo will use these configuration files on start up
  • If you open the software from different shortcut icons then all icons need to be changed

 

 

Customisation

Remember you can always return to the factory defaults by moving the configuration files out of the start up folder before starting Creo.

File > Options to access Creo Parametric Options window for customisation, this window will also be access though various other routes such as customising the toolbars.

Bottom left Export Configuration to save changes and create……

 

config.pro

This is the first file Creo will search for in the Working Directory folder, if found this session of Creo will be set up accordingly but other config files can be loaded at any time, you may want to have different configs for different jobs. This file is also viewable and editable in a text editor such as Notepad.  

To get into the nuts and bolt of config options;

File > Options

Creo Parametric Options window > Configuration Editor

There are hundreds of options available, through Find, enter a keyword in the Option box and use Find Now to search for associated options, use the wildcard * to see the whole list.

 

tree.cfg – the model tree has some very odd factory setting – eg. not showing part features in the assembly model tree.  Use the Settings icon at the top of the Model Tree to enter the tree Filters Window, customise the display options, save the Settings File in the Start In folder and point to in config.pro

syscol.scl – customise your interface colours, save in the Start In folder and point to in config.pro   Notice the config.pro option sketcher_blended_background yes/no – this stops sketcher changing to a black background.

Template files – you can create your own default .prt, .asm and .frm (drawing format) files.  Create your own layers, saved views, etc.  Point to the files with the config.pro options; template_solidpart c:[start in folder]default.prt  and template_designasm c:[start in folder]default.asm

 

Mapkeys

Any sequence of keyboard and mouse inputs can be recorded and assigned to a shortcut key(s) and/or a toolbar icon.

File > Options > Environment > Mapkey Settings

 

 

[drawing standard].dtl – while in the drawing environment

to set up your engineering drawing settings;

File > Prepare > Drawing Properties

Detail Options > Change

Save in the Start In folder and point to in config.pro

LDS drawing config file is bs8888.dtl

 

Sketcher Customisation Suggestions

Toolbar –  Sketch to customise your Sketcher toolbar.  Rearrange your icons to suit your habits, remove rarely used icons to tidy up your interface, add useful icons for quick access.

config.pro options:

sketcher_disp_grid   ‘yes’   –  using the grid as a guide to approximately size sketches can save a lot of time in resizing

sketcher_refit_after_dim_modify   ‘no’  –  stops the annoying graphics area resizing every time you make a change to the sketch

sketcher_set_grid_x_spacing  – set your own grid size to suit your common model size

 

Image Registry Conflict

If imported images do not show there may be a conflict in the system registry.

** Do not mess with registry setting unless you know what your doing **

Start > Regedit > HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT > .jpg

Set Default to Paint.Picture

 

Replace

You may also want to set the config.pro option “remember_replaced_components” to “no”.  This will uncheck by default the “remember these components” checkbox in the replace dialog box.  It is that checkbox which creates the undesired reference – some kind of internal interchange assembly for replaced components.