[SCzEngrgGroup]

No, Composer is just one the utility programs that comes with it. The application should be installed as C:\Program Files\Solidworks Corp\Solidworks\SLDWORKS.exe

I had a hard time getting a good install. Had to get some tech support, due to bugs in the installer itself. I also had to re-name a couple of DLLs to make it work under Win8.1 64-bit. That was back in January. Hopefully those problems have been fixed by now....

Regards,
Ray L.

[zephyr9900]

SolidWorks student version times out after a year and is not renewable. The last I knew (which is several years ago) Student edition also would not allow STEP or STL output so it wasn't usable with any CAM program that didn't import native SW part files. It would be a nice thing if SW has changed that in the meantime.

Also, full commercial versions of SW would not load files saved with the student version...

Randy

[MFchief]

I don't know if it can now be renewed or not, but the student version I installed a couple of weeks ago definitely will output STL. That's how I got the drawing of the hemispherical cut I posted about in another thread into Meshcam for that part.

Terry

[tmarks11]

The Military Veteran Program (MVP) version is limited just like the student edition to only one 1 year. Mine expires in 25 days; I will let you know if I have any issues renewing, but I saw nothing about such a limitation in the original offer. The MVP eligibility form mentions this "Any future purchases of the DS SolidWorks Student Edition will be subject to similar terms and condition of use, and will require a separate Purchase Application and qualification process."

Mine also has no limitation on generating part files, although any drawings produced by it are overlaid with "STUDENT EDITION" statement.

I have HSMWorks installed (student version, I will be sorry when it expires and I step down to HSMXpress, since I am no longer a student), and it happily processes the part and spits out g-code.

I could be wrong, but I think it is Autocad that makes the limitation on editing non-student edition parts, etc.

[zephyr9900]

That's good news on the file output, MFchief and tmarks11. It wasn't like that the last time I checked (2011 or so). But then SW has also recently changed their policy and allowed the last service pack of one year to open files created by the next year's releases.

Randy

[LeeWay]

Thanks Guys.
I just gave it some time and did the install again and it worked this time.
It was most likely a Win Update issue.
SW did return my email though it took a few days.
Not needed in the end.
I will play with it when I get some time.
Again thanks to all that commented.

[MFchief]

Hi guys,

Been off line a couple of days. Tmarks11, please let us know if you are able to renew when the time comes! At the rate I'm able to spend time on this stuff, I will definitely still be learning when my year is up.
Terry

[tmarks11]

Tmarks11, please let us know if you are able to renew when the time comes!

No problems, $20 and a week later, and I have my next year's copy of Solidworks.

It carried a (mandatory) upgrade from 2013 to 2014 Solidworks. Worried me that it was going to affect my HSMWorks installation, but worked out okay. Updated to SW2014, then HSMWorks asked me to update, and the installation is working seamlessly.

Except that SW2014 is a bit of a memory hog... my 4GB was more than enough for SW2013, but I am going to have to add some more RAM. I have run out of memory repeatedly. But than my computer is a bit of a lightweight for the task.

[SCzEngrgGroup]

More memory won't necessarily help. When Solidworks complains about being low on memory, it may well be low on graphics resources, which are a function of Windows and the specific graphics card and drivers, rather than simply the amount of physical memory. That's the problem I see most often. There is a specific resource you can check with TaskManager, but I forget what it is. OTOH, I routinely ignore the warnings, and I've never had a problem.

Regards,
Ray L.

[Peter Neill]

More memory won't necessarily help. When Solidworks complains about being low on memory, it may well be low on graphics resources, which are a function of Windows and the specific graphics card and drivers, rather than simply the amount of physical memory. That's the problem I see most often. There is a specific resource you can check with TaskManager, but I forget what it is. OTOH, I routinely ignore the warnings, and I've never had a problem.

Regards,
Ray L.

Perhaps not so much Ray. Solidworks doesn't really tax the graphics card much at all as believe it or not - all the rendering is done through the CPU! Surprising I know, and after 2012 they made some efforts to share this out to the GPU and even introduced a "render farm" option where you could sub out some of the graphics/rendering processing across a local network of PCs.
I run it on (separately) 2 workstations both with twin Xeon processors and 24GB of ram in one & 20 GB in the other, and I still get memory errors. Can't quite figure that one out

[SCzEngrgGroup]

Perhaps not so much Ray. Solidworks doesn't really tax the graphics card much at all as believe it or not - all the rendering is done through the CPU! Surprising I know, and after 2012 they made some efforts to share this out to the GPU and even introduced a "render farm" option where you could sub out some of the graphics/rendering processing across a local network of PCs.
I run it on (separately) 2 workstations both with twin Xeon processors and 24GB of ram in one & 20 GB in the other, and I still get memory errors. Can't quite figure that one out

I wish I could find the original explanation I read when I first came across this issue about a year ago. It was somewhere on the Solidworks forum, and the post was written by a Solidworks support guy, so I have to give it some credibility. The problem is the Windows GDI object limit. I confirmed that, in most cases, this is what caused my "out of memory" warnings. It was NOT a shortage of physical memory.

Regards,
Ray L.

[luv2ride]

A friend has his copy in the way and we were wondering about the extended period of time as well. Will SW really let us go on for many years for $20 a pop? I sure hope so and intend to find out over the next bunch of years.

[carlowens]

No problems, $20 and a week later, and I have my next year's copy of Solidworks.

It carried a (mandatory) upgrade from 2013 to 2014 Solidworks. Worried me that it was going to affect my HSMWorks installation, but worked out okay. Updated to SW2014, then HSMWorks asked me to update, and the installation is working seamlessly.

Except that SW2014 is a bit of a memory hog... my 4GB was more than enough for SW2013, but I am going to have to add some more RAM. I have run out of memory repeatedly. But than my computer is a bit of a lightweight for the task.

yes indeed, they recommend 8 gigs or more. SOLIDWORKS System Requirements | Windows and Mac | SOLIDWORKS

[bevinp]

I have been using the student versions for a few years:
The only difference between the student and the full price version is that the drawings will have the "Student version " printed lower LH side of the drawing. The student version will output the full range of .stl etc formats.and you have the option to install all the capability of the full version. The version provided for say year 2014 is labelled "2013 - 2014" but is actually 2013.

I cannot confirm that SW has recently changed policy to allow a previous year version, updated with the last release of that year, to open files of the current year. I have given up trying to open files attached to posts in this forum because after downloading and then extracting, I get the "... previous version .." message. A disappointment because the info provided in this forum is excellent, but often relies on opening the attachment. .

Bevin

[BAMCNC.COM]

I think that is poor business practice, it would NEVER fly if Solidworks were just a "consumer product" but it's more industrial so they can get away with it.

[LeeWay]

I see it happen sometimes in Turbocad that it will not open a DXF file from an older version. Not often though. It never happens with the Turbocad file types though.

[BAMCNC.COM]

Not being able to open previous versions makes it tough for guys like us to keep up. I dropped 4,000$ for my version, and soon it will be outdated, and if I send files to someone for a quote they won't be able to open it.

[tmarks11]

...if I send files to someone for a quote they won't be able to open it.

As long as they have a newer version then you, they will be able to open it.

It only becomes a problem working the other way (trying to open a SW2014 file with SW2013).

OW, upgrading to a new version would be a nightmare, as you would be unable to open any of your previous work.

[BAMCNC.COM]

Oh really, ok. I was told by someone that it was either way, well that makes me feel better! I haven't had an issue yet, just assume they had 2014

[Peter Neill]

I have SW back to 2003, and still have some old files from back then, and SW14 will open those no problem.
The only files I have a problem with is where they were rendered using Photoworks - which was replaced in SW with Photoview 360 - and although opening these old files does ask if you want to import Photworks textures and materials, it's not quite the same. Must stress no problems with the actual geometry or feature trees though.