Erratic lines in FLATSHOT command acad 2013

I produce a lot of "Exploded View" style drawings for our equipment for assembly drawings and Operators Manuals. I model everything in 3D, set the perspective view, adjust the view I like, then use the Flatshot command to make 2D lines and arcs verions of the view to put into paperspace. Then item bubbles, notes, whatever. as of the last week, my flatshots, if they include a hex bolt head in the view, the arcs on the faces of the flats will be really stretched and skewed decidley toward the vanishing point in the completion of the Flatshot command. It does not happen on other arcs that may be in the model, seems to be exclusive with the hex. I doesn't happen if I do not make the view pespective but leave it "Parallell".

Any suggestions?

Don't use PERSPECTIVE.

Yeah, I know, I prefer how it looks too.

Turn off and FREEZE the layer with the bolts?

You can do it with SOLPROF, like in the image.

I seem to recall SEANT posting about this known issue with FLATSHOT functionality.

I've seen some strange results when used on off axis cylindrical solids in PARALLEL too.

OK. well you can't teach an old dog......well anything. I have used the SolProf command. Hate it. Hate it like I hated MicroStation 10 years ago. Hate it like the using "LOL" instead of having the courage to just laugh. Hate it like Going to Wal Mart, hate it like hearing a Vanilla Ice song come across the radio.......on and on. My hate can be everlasting.

I have done this flatshot business many times in ACAD 2010. Does anybody know if this is a problem exclusive to release 13? If so, what is Autodesk doing to fix it? I have not contacted Autodesk for a solution. I have loaded release 13 onto my laptop as well, for work at home, does the same thing. That leads me to believe that the problem does not exist with my individual copy of 2013. Could the problem be associated with the way I construct the 3d model? However, I am seeing the erracic arcs in areas other than just hex nuts and bolts. I really wish I could wrap my mind around all the requirements to be met to use the SolProf command, but it is too cumbersome and therefore not a solution for me. I will continue working with solprof, but haven"t found a good description on how to use it. Flatshot ....used to work.....just swell.

Did you install Service Pack 1.1 for 2013?

Not sure that I have. I installed the thumb drive software that I received from Autodesk. That was about a month ago. I had hoped it was the latest. I will search out the service pack and install it. Good idea. Is 1.1 the most current service pack? How do I get informed when there is a new service pack?

Not sure that I have. I installed the thumb drive software that I received from Autodesk. That was about a month ago. I had hoped it was the latest. I will search out the service pack and install it. Good idea. Is 1.1 the most current service pack? How do I get informed when there is a new service pack?

Have you played with the VIEWBASE functionality yet?

If not you should, as you will more than likely really HATE it.

Much to recommend it actually for some things, but no PERSPECTIVE.

How about doing it as shown in the image?

When I am doing erection drawings I use the actual model in the display.

Although I use a PARALLEL view.

If you go that way you can use PERSPECTIVE all you want.

Flatshot has had issues as far back as I can remember. I get similar results in 2011 AutoCAD on occasion. I prefer SOLVIEW/SOLDRAW over SOLPROF usually or I just live with the Flatshot problems. Sectionplane is the best results IMHO, but sometimes it is a pain as well.

Mechanical Service Packs I believe service pack 1 is the latest for Mechanical.

This was a .sat, are the bolts .sat also?

[ATTACH=CONFIG]37960[/ATTACH]

I usually just make it in paperspace and turn the objects until it looks good (if hidden lines aren't needed)then and ballon and create a bom there, if they need all out work instructions I just save the sheet as a jpeg and write it up in word

but viewbase is a great addition, easier than solview

I've actually never had any issues with FLATSHOT, whether it be perspective or orthographic view type. This is new to me.

I've actually never had any issues with FLATSHOT, whether it be perspective or orthographic view type. This is new to me.

Try it with .sat (ACIS) file. The handle I show was from McMaster Carr. FLATSHOT has been buggy since it first came out. The results used to give wrong measurements, not much, but enough to mess up machined parts in most cases. Most problems are mostly unnoticeable, so I use it sometimes. Biggest problem, still unresolved since it first was available, is duplicate lines, need to run OVERKILL on the FLATSHOT blocks and more times than not, the OVERKILL will not run on FLATSHOT blocks in the Block Editor.

Solview/Soldraw still gives best results.

Viewbase is too restrictive for my taste, even if I had that option.

I will say that most, if not every time I use FLATSHOT it was from a 3D model that I generated from scratch. I don't think I've ever used FLATSHOT with any 3rd party 3D model. I wonder if that makes a difference?