Emmett’s Holiday Gift Guide 2022
The 2022 holiday season is officially upon us here in the United States which means it’s time for my annual gift giving guide. I used to panic every year whenever my spouse, parents, and siblings asked me what I wanted for Christmas. I needed to give them an idea otherwise I’d end up with an ugly sweater or some random junk I would never use.
So to help alleviate some of my stress I started compiling my own holiday gift guide. It’s kind of like the big toy catalog you used to get as a kid, only this is for adults. I’ve made a list of items I think would be very useful or exciting for your fellow CATIA users, sorted by different categories. Some of these items I already use on a daily basis and others are things that are on my own personal wish list. Enjoy!
<Some of these links are Amazon Affiliate Links. If you purchase one of these items, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. It helps keep this site operational.>
CATIA BOOKS
First, I got to start off with a shameless shelf plug. If you want to learn how to program CATIA macros, check out my book VB Scripting for CATIA V5.
To improve your CATIA V5 design efficiency read CATIA V5 Tips and Tricks.
OK, now that we’ve got the self promotion over with, here are some other great books.
CATIA V5: Macro Programming with Visual Basic Script – the only other book you’ll find about programming CATIA macros. Read my full thoughts here.
OTHER BOOKS WORTH READING
Excel 2016 Power Programming with VBA is fully updated to cover all the latest tools and tricks of Excel 2016. Encompassing an analysis of Excel application development and a complete introduction to Visual Basic for Applications (VBA), this comprehensive book presents all of the techniques you need to develop both large and small Excel applications. Over 800 pages of tips, tricks, and best practices shed light on key topics, such as the Excel interface, file formats, enhanced interactivity with other Office applications, and improved collaboration features. If you’re having trouble programming macros in CATIA V5, I highly recommend you take a step back and try programming in Excel first, as it is much easier and there are far more resources available.
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir – If you’ve read any of my previous gift guides you’ll know I’m a big fan of Andy’s book, The Martian. Project Hail Mary is similar, not as good in my opinion, but still very interesting and science heavy.
Nowhere in the world is there a more bizarre theme park than Happy Fun Land and it’s mind blowing attractions: a drop ride with no brakes and a death simulator, just to name a few. Will the human test dummy survive his hilarious adventure through the world’s craziest theme park? This book cracked me up. And the engineer in me loved reading about the mechanics of some of the messed up rides.
TOOLS FOR THE JOB
Presenter and Laser Pointer Combo – I use a laser pointer nearly everyday in my day job.
TechSmith Snagit takes the hassle out of creating images and videos. Capture your screen, edit images, and deliver results. Snagit is also the only screen capture tool with built-in advanced image editing and screen recording. So you can easily create high-quality images and videos all in one program. Quickly explain a process, build visual-based documentation and be more engaging by adding images and videos to your communications. It’s the tool I use to create all the images for Excel Spreadsheets Help and well worth the price.
Curved LED Monitor – I had never tried a curved computer screen until recently, and I am loving it! So bright and colorful too.
Wired Ergonomic Vertical USB Mouse – Designed to be utilized in neutral “handshake” wrist and arm positions for smoother movement and less overall strain helping alleviate wrist pain. OK, personally I’ve been finding it really hard to get used to get after using a conventional mouse for so long, but I’m going to keep trying. I know a bunch of designers who do use it and love it.
TECH, GADGETS, & TOYS
LEGO Star Wars Boost Droid Commander – This toy is right up my alley combining multiple things I love: Star Wars, LEGO, and programming. Kids can learn to code and develop creative problem-solving skill (fun for adults too)!
Dash and Dot – programmable robots. If you’re into programming things like CATIA macros and you want to teach your kids the joys of programming then I’ve found the perfect gift for you. These cute robots are designed to help introduce children to the wonderful world of programming. Oh, and they’re fun for adults too! Can’t wait to use this with my son in a few years. For now he just likes watching me drive it around with my phone.
Anker PowerCore Fusion – This is a portable power charger that plugs directly into the wall so it works as your regular charger, but is also a battery so you always have power on the go. This is something I use everyday and take wherever I go.
Smart Scale – After putting on a few extra pounds during COVID quarantine, I decided to try to be a little more healthy and purchased this smart scale to help. The free app on my phone tracks and shows trends.
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Hello sir,
I am Vinoth Kumar .S working in private organization.
Basically I am from Mechanical Engineer. I am working in Catia V5 software from Last 10 years. My professional nature is to make the design and drawing for Automotive components. My thinking style is to establish the new things and give the better solution to the customers through easy way.
Starting on 2012, i was receiving emails from Mr. Mick berry and Mr. Nick Weisenberger they spent their time to clear my clarifications and sharing their ideas about Catia V5 Automation. For that I should thanks to both of them.
Now You (Emmett Ross) are my trainer. Thanks to you.
Now a day, People works are going faster than machines.
They omitted the manual works for getting more times and no benefits.
Catia users also getting closer than fastest and simplest way to do their work.
Learning Macro developing is the right way using VB Script and your information.
If the people don’t know about the programming like C++, Java scripting, by seeing the procedures and step wise instructions – peoples can easily execute the program by their own way.
From the emails of your Macro learning topics, and blogs where you have answering the questions are very easy to understand for me. I wish to get it day by day.
I am still in learning level of developing macros upon with still my regular projects.
As for us, we are using Part design, Assembly design, Drafting workbenches in Catia V5. From that 75% of process is going on manual work only.
For example, Part parameters, Material apply, Assembly to Bill of material, Dimensional properties, Table exporting from Ms‐excel to Catia, selecting the entities.
I like the special toy for my kid to explore the idea and develop their problem solving skills.
My holiday time will be spend with exercising and developing the macros on VB and explore the tools to customize multiple command usage to one command option using CATIA V5: Macro Programming with Visual Basic Script.
And Thanks for all, please continue the classes through mail. I am greatly wishes for that.
Help the people is great thing especially sharing the knowledge.
Thanks in Advance,
Best Regards,
Vinoth Kumar
Hello,
My name is Ervin Avsec (ervinavsec@gmail.com) and on my wishlist is new keyboard from 3DConnexion.
With very simmilar work to Mr. Kumar i get ideas for new macroa on daily basis, but with lack of knowledge i am not able to realize them all, so book would help me a lot. My goal is to make a macro which would apply everything for bom to part and making the drawing for part in same macro. Some of costumers also want special names for parts and drawings, so macro for renaming parts, drawing and stp files in the end of design would help to. There is a lot to learn and make work easier so i am looking forward to get the book 🙂
Best regards
Ervin
Hi Emmet,
I’ve been working with Catia for about 6 years now and I have so many ideas for macros lined up, but no one in my orginization knows how to create them. The All-in package is number one on my wish list.
Hi Emmett,
Hope you are keeping well.
I’m an engineer in the automotive industry and along side using CATIA I look after the 3D Experience platform. Learning to automate tasks in CATIA using macros has always been an interest.
Top of my list this year is a new desk chair. Since COVID I’ve been working from home 3 days a week and my old desk chair, 20 years old, is longer cutting it!
Happy holidays
Darryl
It had seen once in past offer at christmas. It is the time when I started my career in catia. Now after covid everything is changed in career and I that all we have need to grab skills to remain in industry. From the last four month, I am continuously visit website to check that the price of All -In Package is reduced or have some offer, but I didn’t get it on website. I think this year will become a precious year for me, if I get this as giveaway at the time when I need it most to upskill my knowledge and a start a long and deep journey in and along with catia v5
In the new year, I’d like to learn how best to roll out V5 macros at work and a method to roll out updates easily too.
Just looking for an iPad Air just bought and am using now love the new vr for my son I bought for Christmas merry Christmas yall
Hello Emmett,
I wish for a healty year for all people. Since i discovered your website, my enthusiasm for macros went up! So i’d appriciate ‘All in one package’.
Good luck to everyone!
Merry Christmas!