CAD-a-Blog

Autodesk Releases AutoCAD Civil 3D 2013 Survey Hotfix

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Benton) — Thu, 24 May 2012 19:38:00 +0000

Autodesk just released a hotfix for AutoCAD Civil 3D 2013 Survey. This hotfix repairs an issue with the Survey Figures Property Dialog where you could not see the vertex properties for chain type figures correctly.

Go to the download page, download the ZIP file and follow the installation instructions.

Autodesk Issues Hotfix for Vault 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Benton) — Wed, 23 May 2012 14:20:00 +0000

Autodesk has issued Hotfix DL19384168 for Autodesk Vault 2012. This hotfix provides fixes for the Assign and Update Item features. It also address cumulative updates. Here is where you can go to download the hotfix:

Autodesk Vault 2012 Hotfix DL19384168

Make sure to fully read the Readme file before applying the hotfix.

http://images.autodesk.com/adsk/files/dl19384168_readme.htm

There are several warnings in it along with lists of proper procedures to follow. Good luck!

Autodesk Updates the Update ReadMe

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Benton) — Wed, 23 May 2012 13:59:00 +0000

Autodesk pushed out an AutoCAD 2012 and AutoCAD LT 2012 Service Pack (See our post about it here). Today they updated the Readme files for each Service Pack. Previously the Readme did not list what was updated, changed, fixed, repaired, patched, etc. Now they do. The list is long but there seems to be a recurring theme among many of the fixes. Many of the fixes start off with this phrase:

“AutoCAD may become unstable after (when or while)…”

It seems that this service pack fixes many stability issues, which is good. There are few worse things than having to work in an unstable software program.

Check out the full Service Pack 2 readme file here for a full list of what issues were addressed.

AutoCAD Commands People Laugh At When You Say Them

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Benton) — Tue, 22 May 2012 20:12:00 +0000

There are a hundreds of command and system variables in AutoCAD. Most of them make sense as to what they do with regards to their names. Others, not so much. Sometimes though some commands just tickle the funny bones of other AutoCAD users. Here is a list of some of those commands and what they do.

OOPS
This command will undelete the last object that you deleted. This is nice if you accidently delete something but don’t realize it until you have already done a lot of work. Normally you would UNDO the delete but you don’t want to UNDO your work! OOPS and it’s back.

WHOHAS
This command will tell you “who has” a file open. Have you ever tried to open a file only to be denied! Read only is fine unless you want to actually do some work in the file. Run the WHOHAS command, browse to the file you want to check and pick it. AutoCAD will tell you who is holding on to your file.

EATTEXT
This command doesn’t really exist in AutoCAD anymore but you can still type it in. EATTEXT used to be the Attribute Extraction wizard but was replaced with the Data Extraction wizard. But EATTEXT is much more fun to say than DATAEXTRACTION.

GIZMO
GIZMO is not a Mogwai nor is it an actual AutoCAD command. It is really a tool that lets you move, rotate, or scale 3D objects in AutoCAD. You can use the system variable DEFAULTGIZMO to set which gizmo you will use. The commands are 3DMOVE, 3DROTATE, and 3DSCALE.

NURBS
Ok, this isn’t so much of a command but an object. It stands for “Non-Uniform Rational B-Spline”. Non-Uniform Rational B-Splines, are mathematical representations of 3-D geometry that can accurately describe any shape from a simple 2-D line, circle, arc, or curve to the most complex 3-D organic free-form surface or solid. Because of their flexibility and accuracy, NURBS models can be used in any process from illustration and animation to manufacturing. And yes, AutoCAD can handle NURBS!! It’s not just for 2D!

OVERKILL
OVERKILL is a long time Express Tool that was made a native AutoCAD (and therefore AutoCAD LT) command in AutoCAD 2012. OVERKILL is what you enter on the command line to start the Delete Duplicates command. It will clean up your file be removing duplicate lines and other objects.

BATTMAN
This is my favorite command to tell people about because they never ever believe me! Never. The response I typically get is, “Really?” It’s true. BATTMAN has come to my rescue many times in AutoCAD. BATTMAN is the Block Attribute Manager. Use it to manage attributes in a specific block. With it you can edit values and other properties of all attributes that are already in a block in a file. If you ever edit a block with attributes and it just doesn’t update the other instances of the block then put up the BATT signal!! Start BATTMAN, select the troublesome block, then click the SYNC button. BAM! POW! It’s fixed.

Autodesk Blogger Shaan Hurley is offline, Check out his Stand-Ins

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Benton) — Tue, 22 May 2012 17:00:00 +0000

Shaan Hurley, Autodesk Blogger, Technology Evangelist, and full-fledged nerd is out of town (out of the country actually) flying Autodesk Octo-copters in Africa. Before he left he managed to get a few stand-ins for his blog Between the lines.

Check out “Five ways to use Autodesk Inventor’s End of Part Marker in your Daily Workflow” by Paul Munford of the ‘CAD Setter Out’ Blog

Check out “Moving AutoCAD Architecture Projects, even if Windows objects" by Robin Capper of the ‘RobiNZ CAD Blog’

Make sure that you are following all three of these blogs as they are top notch and among the best Autodesk bloggers you will find.

Cadalyst Magazine’s All-In-One CAD Tip #5 (and I Helped)

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Benton) — Tue, 22 May 2012 14:09:00 +0000

Cadalyst Magazine has had a series of All-in-One CAD tips put together by one of my favorite CAD Guru’s Curt Moreno, the Kung Fu Drafter.

The series is sponsored by HP’s new “All-In-One” Workstation the Z1.

On Tip Five, Mr. KFD asked me to lend a hand. I contributed the tip about using Autodesk Design Review. I’m so proud! Check it out and check out the other All-In-One tips from Cadalyst, KDF, and HP.

AutoCAD 2012 and AutoCAD LT 2012 Service Pack 2 Released

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Benton) — Mon, 21 May 2012 17:00:00 +0000

If you are running AutoCAD 2012 or AutoCAD LT 2012 there is a new Service Pack now available for download and installation.

AutoCAD 2012 Service Pack 2

AutoCAD LT 2012 Service Pack 2

Both service packs have a 32-bit and 64-vit version so make sure you download the proper one. If you aren’t sure which one you need you can always use the Autodesk Exchange Live Update Maintenance Patch to show you which service pack you need.

Here is a link to the English Readme file for this installation.

Review Posts Coming

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Benton) — Wed, 16 May 2012 19:58:00 +0000

CAD-a-Blog is working on several hardware review posts right now that I know you will be interested in seeing. I know how difficult it can be when looking at new hardware. I've been there. Am there. We all need a resource that we can trust for fair, honest, and practical hardware information (and software.) That’s why CAD-a-Blog is on a quest to bring you the best hardware (and software) reviews out there.

Right now we are working on a review of the 3DConnexion SpaceMouse Pro.

(See our review on the SpacePilot Pro)

We also just received (literally) a review unit for the HP Z420 Workstation. We plan on putting this beast through the ringer over the next few weeks and letting you know how it stands. HP is also sending us, in the next week or two, the HP Designjet T2300 eMFP Large Format Printer. Look for that review in the next month. In the HP queue is also the “All In One – Power without the Tower” HP Z1 workstation.

And to show that we aren’t jut HP lovers here at CAD-a-Blog we are also working with the great people at Lenovo (the people at HP are great too) and they are scheduling a review unit for the newly announced Lenovo ThinkStation E31 Affordable Workstation. (See are post on the E31 here)

Schedule permitting I also want to take a look at the newest version of Scan2CAD (version 8).

If you or your company has a product, hardware, peripheral, software or service that could be used in the design world and are interested in it being reviewed here on CAD-a-Blog please contact us so we can discuss it. Go to our CONTACT page for details.

For a list of all of our reviews check out the REVIEWS page on our site:

Lenovo Announces the ThinkStation E31 Affordable Workstation

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Benton) — Mon, 14 May 2012 14:20:00 +0000

May 14th, 2012, Lenovo announced the Lenovo ThinkStaion E31, an entry-level workstation meant for professionals that need more power than a PC but are on a PC budget. The ThinkStation E31 comes in either a mini-tower or small form factor (SFF) case and both offer an Intel® Xeon® Processor E3 with enhanced memory performance and graphics abilities.

Pricing and Availability
The Lenovo ThinkStation E31 tower model will be available beginning June 5th 2012 and the Lenovo ThinkStation E31 SFF will be available beginning July 13th 2012. Pricing for these models starts at $629 (U.S.D.) They will be available through Lenovo’s business partners and through www.lenovo.com.

Key Features

Integrated graphics & 2D and select 3D
Certified by leading ISVs, including Autodesk, Dassault, PTC and SieUp to 32GB Memory (Support for ECC and Non-ECC UDIMMs)
Support for Intel Core & Xeon processors
Up to 3 HDD (tower) and Up to 2 HDD (small form factor)
25 liter chassis for the Tower / 11 liter chassis for the small form supports Windows (7 and XP), Red Hat and is Windows 8 ready
3rd Generation Intel Core processors
Introduction of 11 liter small form factor
Up to nVIDIA Q4000 (Tower), Up to Q600 (SFF)
4 USB 3.0
450W Power Supply (240W for small form factor)
3rd External HDD and support for RAID 5
Supports 1600MHz DDR3 memory DIMMS
Upgraded to Climate Savers 80 Plus Platinum

Performance
The Lenovo ThinkStation E31 tower and SFF feature the Intel® Xeon® processor E3-1200 v2 product family or the 3rd Generation Intel® Core i7 Processor. They also use Error Correcting Code (ECC) memory and 1600 MHz DDr3 Memory Dimms. Also included are USB 3.0 ports for faster transfer speeds on USB devices and peripherals.

Both models of the E31 provide professional graphics capabilities with the option of either an Intel® HD Graphics P4000 or NVIDIA Quadro Graphic cards (up to the Q4000 in the tower model and Q600 in the SFF). The E31 ThinkStation can handle end users’ large storage needs with up to 9TB of storage for the tower model or 6TB on the Small Form Factor.

Software Certification
The Lenovo ThinkStation E31 is meant to be a budget workstation but yet still provide enough power to use powerful design programs. Equipped with Windows 7 Professional, the ThinkStation E31 workstation supports a variety of independent software vendor (ISV) applications for professionals in the engineering, design and financial services industry, including Adobe, Autodesk, Dassault, PTC, Solidworks and Siemens.

Sustainability (Green Computing)
The workstation’s eco-conscious design offers up to a 92 percent efficient power supply, as well as Energy Star 5.2, 80 Plus Platinum, EPEAT Gold and GREENGUARD certifications. Our innovative design allows our workstation to run cooler and quieter. Additionally, at less than half the size of the mini-tower, the newest SFF (11L) option provides an ideal space-saving choice for smaller office work areas.

Lenovo ThinkStation E31 Data Sheet

How Well Does It Really Work?
I don't know but it sounds like a good machine at a good price. I'm working with Lenovo now to get a review unit so stay posted!

http://www.lenovo.com

Lenovo Workstations

AutoCAD Quick Tip – How to Edit Command Aliases

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Benton) — Thu, 10 May 2012 15:37:00 +0000

AutoCAD commands can be entered via the keyboard in shorter versions called Command Aliases. These are typically two to three keystroke versions of the regular command. They allow for quicker input and require less effort. Most commands have them and there is an easy way to change them or to add more aliases to the default list.

Go to the MANAGE tab on the Ribbon, then the CUSTOMIZATION panel. Click the EDIT ALIASES button.

This opens the PGP file (the data file containing the assigned aliases) in Windows Notepad.

Scroll down to the bottom of the document. This is where you should add your custom command aliases. AutoCAD reads this document from top to bottom. If there are any conflicts it uses the last option read. The default alias for the LINE command is L. I can create a command alias using L for any command. If I put it at the bottom of this document (the PGP file) then AutoCAD will use my alias. If I want to revert back to the default alias all I have to do is remove my alias from the bottom.

I have added an alias for the REVCLOUD command. Follow the format shown to make your own. On the far left enter in your alias followed by a comma (,). Then tab over and enter an asterisk (*) then the command. Save the file.

Go back to AutoCAD and type REINIT on the command line.

This will re-initialize your PGP file. This will reload the PGP file allowing your changes to take effect. Otherwise you will have to reload AutoCAD. Select the PGP File option and click OK. Try out your new alias.

AUGI World, April 2012 Edition is Available For Reading

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Benton) — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 04:36:00 +0000

AUGI has released the AUGI World April edition for your reading pleasure. This month's AUGI World theme focuses on the many new features and updates to Autodesk's line of software.

I have written the article "Little changes, Big Impact" and it is about the new features to AutoCAD 2013. Check it out and take a look at plethora of new features found in Autodesk's 2013 line of programs.

AUGI.com

http://www.augi.com/augiworld/current-issue

Low Resolution PDF (6.0mb)
High Resolution PDF (59.2mb)
Read it Online

Trimble Purchases Sketchup from Google

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Benton) — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 14:02:00 +0000

Rumors have been flying around some time that Sketchup was being sold. Many believed that Dassault Systèmes would purchase it. Well they didn’t. Trimble (http://3d.trimble.com) has purchased it. Trimble (from their website) is “a leading provider of advanced positioning solutions that maximize productivity and enhance profitability.” Trimble is likely best known for their GPS technology. If you have ever done any surveying work then you have probably used some of their equipment at some point.

On April 26th, 2012, Trimble announced that it has entered into an agreement to purchase Sketchup from Google. The purchase is expected to finalize in the second quarter of 2012.

One of Sketchup’s great features is the 3D Warehouse. According to the press release, Trimble will partner with Google on managing the 3D Warehouse. Google will continue to host it and Trimble will continue with its access and implementation. Users will still be able to submit building models to Google Earth for potential acceptance.

According to the press release Trimble plans to have Sketchup continue on as it has been under Google’s ownership.

This is an interesting purchase for Trimble. Time will tell on what they will do with this new platform. Sketchup has millions of users across many different design genres. I can’t wait to see what Trimble does with it.

Links:
Trimble Press Release: http://ww2.trimble.com/news/release.aspx?id=042712a
Trimble: http://ww2.trimble.com/corporate/about_trimble.aspx
Official Google Sketchup Blog: http://sketchupdate.blogspot.com/
Sketchup Website: http://sketchup.google.com/

AutoCAD Prank – Snap On With No Limits – Muhahahaha!

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Benton) — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 13:25:00 +0000

AutoCAD has tons of settings. It so many that it’s easy to play tricks on your fellow CAD users. Here’s one that I would like to share with you. It involves changing the Limits and turning on the Snap feature.

Figure on left drawn with Snap Mode on.
On the right are the Snap Mode control settings

Snap Mode (not Osnaps) is a feature in AutoCAD that allows for quick drawing. It locks your cursor/crosshairs into a defined grid. It is similar to drawing on graph paper (the old fashion way - with pencils even!) but only being allowed to draw to points on the graph where the rows and columns are. Your endpoints, center points, and vertices can only be picked with your cursor if they are on the grid. It constrains your mouse movement. Look at it as a matrix of dots defined by columns and rows each set (by you) to a defined distance. You can set up a grid system to any distance. If you set the Snap Grid to One (1) then the distance between rows and columns will be one unit. This will allow you to quickly draw lines that are one unit long. You don’t have to type in distances or coordinate points. However, if you need a line (or any drawing object) that is off the grid, you can manually override it by typing in the appropriate distance or coordinate point.

You can further control this grid by setting your drawing’s limits. Limits will control the lower-left corner and the upper-right corner positions of your grid. It can also control where you can enter points. This is called Limit Checking. When this feature is on it “limits” your working area to within the defined Limits coordinates. When you turn Snap Mode on (press F9) you can only Snap to the grid area.

This is where the Auto CAD Prank comes in. Go to Paper Space. Set ~~both~~ the first Limits coordinates to 0,0 and the second to 0.0001,0.0001 and turn Snap Mode on. Let the magic happen. Muahhahahahahahaha!!

UPDATE (in italics)

Several of you have found that you cannot set the Limits while in Paper Space. After more research I found that you cannot set Limits in Paper Space if you are displaying the Paper Background. Go to OPTIONS, Display Tab and uncheck this. Once this setting is off you will be able change the limits in paper space.

Also, if you open the Drafting Settings control window (type OS on the command line) and go to the Snap and Grid tab you can make some changes there that will mess with people. Change the Snap Spacing (X and Y) to a size that is much larger than the screen (in paper space). For example, if the drawing is in Imperial units and it is a 24 inch by 36 inch size sheet, set the snap grid spacing to a very large number like 200. Make sure this number is greater than the limits. This will “limit” the number of snappable points to just one and the user will not be able to move their crosshairs in the drawing area.

1 if for RED, 0 if Bylayer, ANY if Byblock

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Benton) — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 16:56:00 +0000

Blocks are one of the selling points to using CAD over the drafting board. In reality, blocks are not really unique to CAD, from a certain point of view. Board drafters used templates and guides as a sort of block to create basic shapes and redundant linework. Blocks are sets of linework, text, or any CAD object that are saved and stored to be reused later on. They can take on many different forms, shapes and functions. They make drawing in CAD quicker. We use computers, and CAD, to make redundant tasks easier. Why do something several times when you can do it once? That’s what a block does.

AutoCAD blocks are great. There are several different types: Static (regular blocks), attributed, and dynamic. Each one has its purpose, role, and place. A static block is simple and straight forward. What you see is what you get. An attributed block has text fields where you can enter in data. This data can be stored in the block, displayed, or both. That data can also be extract acted. Dynamic blocks are easily changed. They have been “programmed” to be altered through grip edits. This makes dynamic blocks very diverse and extremely useful.

How do you get your blocks, regardless of type, to display the way you want them to while using a minimum amount of unique blocks? Let’s say that I am redeveloping a residential area. Some construction has been done in the past but I am also going to add new features and structures. Right now there are fire hydrants that have been installed. Some of the existing fire hydrants will remain. Some will be removed. Other will be removed and used elsewhere and we will be installing brand new hydrants. We have four different types of hydrants that we want to visually display in our drawings.

Existing
Existing to be Removed
Existing to be Removed and Reused
New

Here are our options.

We can make four different blocks.
We can make a Dynamic Block (essentially making 4 blocks into 1).
We can make One block and use layers to control the visual display.

I recommend making one block and using layers to control the display. There are several reasons for my recommendation:

I only need to make one block.
Since the blocks are on different layers, I have the most control of when the hydrants will be displayed.
Since the blocks are on different layers I have complete control on how the hydrants will look at any time.
If I need another hydrant type I only make a new layer.
If how I’m using the hydrants I only change their layer.

There are three setting types to use to control the display values of blocks. Let’s look at color. All other object properties (linetype, linetype scale, line weight, transparency, thickness) have the same option types so apply these principals to them. The three options are:

Retain the original color properties of the linework in the block.
Inherit the color properties from the current layer the block is inserted on.
Inherit individual color properties first, then the layer properties if they are different.

There are different ways to accomplish these goals. If we always wanted our hydrant to be RED then we can either set the linework in the block as RED or we draw the linework on a layer that is RED. Then we do nothing but place the block where we want it. But that’s not what we want to do. We want to draw the hydrant once and switch the color via layer control. We can change the color of the hydrant layer but we want our hydrants to be displayed in four different colors. In order to do that, we are left with the last two options. They are known as Bylayer or Byblock. Instead of assigning the hydrant lines to a color we need to set the color (and all other properties) to either Bylayer or to Byblock. (quick tip: when in doubt go Bylayer.) Bylayer and Byblock will inherit the properties from the layer the block is inserted on. If we insert our hydrant block on a layer with a color set to red, the hydrants will be red. Change the layer color and all of the hydrants on that layer will also change. That’s what we want to do. Now we can create four different hydrant layers, each set to a different color (and linetype). That gives us complete control of how the hydrants are shown in each drawing. I can freeze some of the layers, in order to not display them, and I can make some hydrants darker, thicker, or even dashed.

There are a few things to remember when using Bylayer and Byblock. A block’s linework that is set to Bylayer must be drawn on layer 0 (zero). If so then the block will inherit the properties of the layer the block is set to. If the block is on a specific layer and set to Bylayer then the block will only display according to the properties of that layer. However, if the linework in the block is drawn on a specific layer and set to Byblock, then the block will inherit the properties of the layer that the block is inserted on. It looks to the block for the properties not the line work of the block. This also means that you can change the color of the block without using the layers or the linework. Byblock gives you the most control.

Assume that the block’s linework is on a layer named RED and that layer’s color is RED. Set the line work’s color to Byblock. Insert the block on any other layer and the block will inherit the properties from that layer. Select the block, open the properties pallet (CTRL+1) and change the block’s color to green. It changes to green. Change the block’s color back to Bylayer. Open the Layer Manager (type LA) and change the layer’s color to Magenta. The block is now magenta. Now, freeze the layer the block is on. The block disappears. Thaw the layer. Now freeze the layer the block’s linework is on. The linework freezes. If your layer is Byblock you can freeze the linework layer or freeze the block layer. If your linework is Bylayer, you can only freeze the block layer. Freezing layer 0 (where your Bylayer linework is drawn) does nothing. Byblock give you more levels of control but Bylayer keeps things simple. In our case use either one but perhaps you should consider Byblock.

Using blocks is about making things easier. Making drawings is the easy part. It takes as long as it takes. But if I make my drawings in a way that allows easy and quick edits then I save much time in the life of the project. Regardless of which type of blocks you use always plan ahead and try to future proof your drawings as much as possible.

Sybex Announces 2013 Autodesk Books

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Benton) — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 17:02:00 +0000

Sybex (www.sybex.com) a division of John Wiley & Sons, Inc., has announced their 2013 Autodesk book lineup today (http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/Section/id-811359.html). Sybex announced these additions to their Essentials, Mastering, and No Experience Required series of technical manuals and learning materials. Seventeen books were introduced covering several different Autodesk products in all three series.

All of titles listed are available for preorder now ranging in prices (in U.S. Dollars) from $49.99 to $79.99. The titles will be available for purchase through Wiley’s website and via other online and local retailers. Electronic versions will also be available (including iBooks) but Sybex says to check availability with your favorite ebook reseller.

Instructors can receive evaluation copies by following the links provided on the site. Release dates and prices are shown for each title.

Titles announced are:

AutoCAD 2013 and AutoCAD LT 2013 Essentials
by Scott Onstott
May 2012 ©2012 US $49.99

Mastering AutoCAD 2013
by George Omura
with Brian C. Benton (<--- Yes this is me thank you for noticing!!)
June 2012 US $59.99

AutoCAD 2013 No Experience Required
by Donnie Gladfelter
June 2012 US $49.99

Autodesk Revit Architecture 2013 Essentials
by James Vandezande, Eddy Krygiel, Phil Read
May 2012 ©2012 US $49.99

Mastering Autodesk Revit Architecture 2013
by Phil Read, James Vandezande, Eddy Krygiel
July 2012 US $69.99

Autodesk Revit Architecture 2013: No Experience Required
by Eric Wing
July 2012 US $49.99

Mastering Autodesk Revit MEP 2013
by Don Bokmiller, Plamen Hristov, Simon Whitbread
July 2012 US $69.99

AutoCAD Civil 3D 2013 Essentials
by Eric Chappell
June 2012 ©2012 US $49.99

Mastering Autodesk Civil 3D 2013
by Louisa Holland, Kati Mercier, P.E.
July 2012 US $79.99

Autodesk Inventor 2013 Essentials
by Thom Tremblay
June 2012 ©2012 US $49.99

Mastering Autodesk Inventor 2013
by Curtis Waguespack
June 2012 US $79.99

Mastering Autodesk Navisworks 2013
by Jason Dodds, Scott Johnson
July 2012 US $79.99

Autodesk 3ds Max 2013 Essentials
by Dariush Derakhshani, Randi L. Derakhshani
June 2012 ©2012 US $49.99

Mastering Autodesk 3ds Max 2013
by Jeffrey Harper
August 2012 US $59.99

Autodesk Maya 2013 Essentials
by Paul Naas
June 2012 ©2012 US $49.99

Introducing Autodesk Maya 2013
by Dariush Derakhshani
May 2012 US $49.99

Mastering Autodesk Maya 2013
by Todd Palamar
with Lee Lanier
June 2012 US $69.99

Two Good Articles on What's new in AutoCAD 2013 from Cadalyst Magazine

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Benton) — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 17:00:00 +0000

Cadalyst Magazine has posted two great articles discussing what's new in AutoCAD 2013.

One is "AutoCAD 2013 from the CAD Manager’s Chair" by CAD Manager Robert Green.

The other is from Cadalyst Labs Reviews "AutoCAD 2013" by Bill Fane.

Robert Green gives a good review of the new version of AutoCAD from the perspective of a CAD Manager. He highlights the main issues a manager needs to be aware of.

Bill Fane details out the new features, updates, and changes to AutoCAD 2013.

Check them out. They are good articles.

Autodesk AutoCAD 2013 - What's New Overview

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Benton) — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 14:51:00 +0000

AutoCAD 2013. What’s new?

Figure 1: AutoCAD 2013 introduces a new DWG file format.

Autodesk has announced the 27th release of AutoCAD! AutoCAD 2013 (codename Jaws during testing) has several new features, system variables and a slightly revised user interface. Autocad 2013 also starts a new drawing file format. Previous versions of AutoCAD will not be able to open up AutoCAD 2013 .DWG files. This new file format includes changes to the thumbnail preview file format and new controls for graphics caching. Thumbnails are now PNG files. Many of the changes to this release are updates or enhancements to existing commands. Many of these new changes have to do with the user interface or user interaction, model interaction, drawing documentation, and cloud connectivity.

Interaction
The last time Autodesk changes the interface on AutoCAD we were given the ribbon. The changes this time are nowhere near as drastic or as dramatic. In fact the change this time is more of a visual change and an interaction change. Fundamentally there is little change.

The Welcome screen displays first thing once AutoCAD is started. This is not a new feature but there are new features that this screen provides. There is the typical “What’s New” and “Getting Started” video links. It also displays recently opened files, has links to open a file or to create a new file. There are links to the newly released Autodesk 360, the AutoCAD Exchange App Store, and to AutoCAD related social media sites. You can always turn this feature off and access it through the help menu.

Figure 2: The Welcome screen provides direct access to the Autodesk Exchange App store, Autodesk 360, and AutoCAD Social Media.

The Command Line has been reworked. It’s still there and still functions in the same way it did before, but has been given more control over its display properties. Instead of being a screen wide pallet by default, it is now a smaller pop up like pallet. It still has pallet like settings (you can return it to a full screen view) and it can be displayed differently with its color, transparency settings. It can also display command history by accessing recent commands automatically. It can be docked at the top or bottom of the AutoCAD Window or left to float on the screen. When it is undocked it is displayed as a single row of text with a semitransparent history that can display up to 50 lines of history. You can still press the F2 key to show the text window. It won’t be its own window but will display the past history above the command line. When typing in a command, (and dynamic input turned off) the autocomplete feature will display commands above the command line when it is not docked. The command line still does what it did before the fundamental change is in the way it is displayed.

Figure 3: The command line has an update visual display.

AutoCAD 2013 has in-canvas property preview enhancements. Changes to selected objects can be previewed before they are made. Select an object while the properties pallet is opened. Use it to make a change in color. While you hover over the different color options the selected object will display the new color before the change is made. This feature can be turned on or off in the OPTIONS dialog window in the Selection tab.

AutoCAD 2012 gave us new array features, 2013 enhances those changes making the array command easier to use. The three array types each start with a standard arrangement of the selected object. Rectangular array displays a 3 x 4 grid of the objects. Polar array displays a 6 object circle and the path array displays the objects evenly spaced along the path. Once started and displayed you can enter in the values on the command line or use the grips on the block to make changes to row and column spacing, number of items, radius, etc. It is visually displayed and arranged making it much easier to edit/create your array.

The Viewports Panel on the ribbon has been renamed and reworked into two panels, Model Viewports and Layout Viewports. These new panels provide a visual interface for creating the appropriate type of viewport.

Figure 4

Figure 4: Working with Viewports is easier with Ribbon Based controls that are easily accessible.
Some other interface changes that I’d like to mention do not change the functionality in a great way, but they are small things that do make existing commands a bit better. One is in the Quick View Drawings thumbnail previews. The current view is now labeled with a larger bold face type making is easier to identify which view is current. The Hatch editor can now edit multiple hatch objects at one time. Not a huge deal but a good enhancement. Raster images that are inserted or referenced in a file will have a better display quality due to enhancements in the algorithm used. Again, nothing that the user can do but just something that has been improved. Also in the External Reference Manager user can edit the Saved Path directly in the palette and the Found path is read only. Also referencing files as a Relative Path is now the default unless it is not available. Again, one of those small changes but one that can help none the less. Legacy snap behavior (before AutoCAD 2012) of being able to enforce it during point acquisition has been restored.

Model Interaction
AutoCAD has turned into a powerful 3D modeling machine over the past several releases. This release has enhanced several of those tools. Point Cloud support is better and more streamlined. There are more Point Cloud tools available on the new Point Cloud Panel which is found on the Insert tab of the Ribbon. You can now attach and manage point cloud files similarly to working with xrefs, images, and other externally referenced files. Selecting a referenced point cloud will display a box around the cloud showing you where it is. You can also adjust the point cloud density and color with the new tools. Users can also CLIP a point cloud as you would a referenced file. And the indexing of point cloud data files has been streamlined.
Working with 3D objects is a bit easier due to the enhanced PressPull command. It is more flexible than before. Use the Multiple option or press the Shift Key to select more than one object to press/pull at the same time. You can now also select 2D and 3D curves and are no longer limited to clicking inside a bounded area. When extruding a face, the default behavior is to pull out, but press the CTRL key and you can offset the boundary of the area so that the pulled are tapers.

The new Extract Isolines tool in the Curves panel of the surface ribbon tab lets you extract iso lines from an existing surface or from the face of a solid. Options within the command let you change the direction of the isolines, to select a chain of isolines, or draw a spline on the curved surface.

AutoCAD 2013 now allows you to import Autodesk Inventor models directly into model space using the good old Import command.

Drawing Documentation
AutoCAD 2013’s main enhancements come in the form of Drawing Documentation features. There are many tweaks and new features that have been added to 2013. The VIEWBASE or Base View command has been improved on. There are also other commands that are new that will help you use a VIEWBASE object to create cross sections and details of your model in seconds. The Base View tool is found in the Layout Tab on the Ribbon in the Create View Panel. It can be started from either model space or paper space. You can create orthogonal views, in paper space without a viewport, of selected 3D objects or from an imported Inventor model. The VIEWBASE command create standard ortho views (front, top, side, iso, etc.) similarly to how it did in AutoCAD 2012. It is very quick and easy to do. Once your Base View has been created you can use the new commands to make a cross section or detail view. Section Views are made by clicking the Section flyout button in the ribbon. You can create a full, half, offset, aligned or from object type of a section view. The view is dynamic meaning that if the model is updated so will the section. Create details in a similar fashion. These details are drawn at a different scale zooming in to get a closer look at your model. Details are also dynamic meaning that they will update if the model is updated. All views (section s and details) have annotation that is generated automatically when you create them. They can also be edited once created. I would love to go into detail on how to use this new tool but we are running out of room. This is a great tool that has been made better with its additions and new functionality. Making orthogonal view drawings, cross sections and details has never been easier in AutoCAD.

Figure 5: These views, projections, cross sections, and detail were created in seconds with the new Base View commands

There are also several little small updates to several AutoCAD 2013 functions that are nice. One is an improvement to the Export Layout to Model tool. It will now export circles and arcs as circles or arcs instead of making them polylines. Multilined Text, Mleaders, Dimensions and tables all have a new Strikethrough formatting style that will create a “strikethough” line in your text. Not a big thing again, but a nice thing to have. The number of display rows for the Font Dropdown list has been increased in the Text Style dialog, the Text Editor ribbon tab, and the ArcAligned dialog box. Leader are no included on the TextToFront tool. The MLeader text box has been updated with to have a margin between the text and the frame to provide a minimum width for the mtext in order to prevent text overflow. Wipeouts now include the option to display but not to plot the wipepout frame. Use WIPEOUTFRAME and set it to 2 just like in IMAGEFRAME. Now when using the OFFSET command you will get a preview of the offset once you have entered in a distance and hover over an object.

Connectivity
Autodesk has been developing a Cloud Based service for some time now. AutoCAD 2013 integrates with several of those Cloud services. If you are on Autodesk subscription or have set up a free account, you can login to your Autodesk cloud account and store files online. You can also share those files. Log on to the Autodesk Cloud from the Infocenter toolbar. Not only can you store files in the cloud but you can store AutoCAD program specifics. You can sync your program appearance, profiles, workspaces, options and support files across the internet. Go to the ONLINE Ribbon tab to get to many cloud based settings. The Autodesk 360 button will give you access to the files you have stored online. The Online options button controls your settings. Open on Mobile will send your file to your mobile device. But your device needs to be signed in to the AutoCAD WS mobile app. Upload Multiple will let you upload mmore than one file to the cloud at a time. The settings buttons manage your account settings. The Share Document button will send your file to another person. Collaborate Now will open the current file in AutoCAD WS and allow you to share your session with others.

The CAD Manager Control Utility has been updated to include controls for Autodesk Cloud tools. This allows CAD Managers to control how their company’s users will interact with AutoCAD’s cloud based tools.

AutoCAD 2013 also comes with built in Cloud rendering tools. That means that if you have a large file to render you can take advantage of the power of many computers to assist you.
The Stay Connected feature in the InfoCenter tool makes it easier to stay up to date on your AutoCAD software and to remain connected to the online AutoCAD community. Log on to the Subscription center, view AutoCAD Facebook and Twitter posts here.
The Content Explorer has been given new enhancements as well. It now has indexing support for file name, date created, etc.) for many more different file types than before. Any file that can be opened, imported or attached using AutoCAD can be indexed.

Conclusion
AutoCAD 2013 is an interesting update in that many of the changes to it are enhancements to existing tools and not necessarily new tools. There is new functionality to it of course but mainly only new features to older tools. It also includes many online or cloud based tools and functionality. This native support makes using Autodesk’s cloud services easier and more streamlined.

This post is simply an overview of the new features in AutoCAD 2013. I will be taking a closer look at the new functions/tools/updates in later posts. I also plan on posting a true review, what I think, what I like/don't like of AutoCAD 2013 in the coming weeks.

Math Does. Not. Lie!! (and I love Pi Day)

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Benton) — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 05:59:00 +0000

One of my favorite days of the year is March 14th. March 14th, in the United States is known as Pi Day (π Day). The number Pi (π), 3.14159, is a mathematical constant that is the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter. Pi (π) is used to help calculate many areas and volumes involving circles and arcs.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pi
http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=pi

In AutoCAD, one way to find Pi is to draw a circle with a diameter of 1 unit. Select the circle and open the properties pallet. You will see that the circumference is equal to Pi!!

If you are using AutoCAD’s QUICKCALC there is a button for Pi.
I promised a “Mind Blowing” blog post so here it is. This will blow! Your! Mind! (unless of course you already knew about this.)

Math does not lie. Geeks (like myself) love math. Numbers (which are involved in math) are a favorite thing amongst many Geeks. Several numbers are special to geeks. Some of them are:

Pi (π) 3.1415926535
Euler’s Number (e) 2.718281828459045
i (the square root of negative one)
The Golden Mean
Fibonacci numbers

Here is a set of numbers, a mathematical equation actually, involving Pi that will blow your geek mind! Ready for it?

π x 1337%=42

I told you that your mind would be blown away!!
If your mind is not blown then you may need to check your geek cred!

I love math, I love CAD, I love design and I love Pi. I also enjoy music. Here is a link to a song about Pi. You may recognize the tune the song is set to. The original version went viral some time ago.

Today being Pi day, there are several ways that one could celebrate. If you are stumped and are looking for ideas check out the official Pi Day website:

http://www.piday.org
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pi_Day

By the way, March 14th (aka Pi Day) is also Albert Einstein’s birthday! Again, behold the power of Math (and Pi)!!

Need Pi gear? Thinkgeek.com has a lot of great Pi themed wears!

http://www.thinkgeek.com/tshirts-apparel/unisex/sciencemath/cc38/?srp=8
http://www.thinkgeek.com/homeoffice/lights/ac3f/?srp=12
http://www.thinkgeek.com/b61a?srp=1
http://www.thinkgeek.com/e616?srp=4

Now for some sad news about Pi.

There is a movement amongst some math elitist that have a hatred for our beloved Pi. They are the Tauists. Yes, this group wants to rid the world of Pi and replace it with the number Tau!! (http://tauday.com/)
In short, these unbelievers (heretics) feel that the number Pi is not good enough. That since many arc based formulas (especially the Circle Constant) include 2 π, that π itself is not adequate. That the number used should be 2 π where 2 π=Tao or 6.28318. The argument is that a circle is defined as all of the points equidistant from a single point (more or less) and that distance is the radius of the circle, not the diameter. Since the radius is often known, many formulas replace Pi with 2r (where r is the radius of the circle.) These nonbelievers would say that the Circle Constant should be written:

Circumfrence=2 π(radius)

Therefore replace the number 2 and the number π with the number Tao (they even desecrated the symbol for the number π with their own abomination of a symbol.)

No.

They are wrong and should probably be burned at the stake.
The Circle Constant (a true and wonderful number) depends on the diameter not the radius. The argument for “needing” to simplify π by making it more complex is absurd.

Enough of that. How will you celebrate Pi day?

Pi to 1120 decimals:

3.1415926535 8979323846 2643383279 5028841971 6939937510 5820974944 5923078164 0628620899 8628034825 3421170679 8214808651 3282306647 0938446095 5058223172 5359408128 4811174502 8410270193 8521105559 6446229489 5493038196 4428810975 6659334461 2847564823 3786783165 2712019091 4564856692 3460348610 4543266482 1339360726 0249141273 7245870066 0631558817 4881520920 9628292540 9171536436 7892590360 0113305305 4882046652 1384146951 9415116094 3305727036 5759591953 0921861173 8193261179 3105118548 0744623799 6274956735 1885752724 8912279381 8301194912 9833673362 4406566430 8602139494 6395224737 1907021798 6094370277 0539217176 2931767523 8467481846 7669405132 0005681271 4526356082 7785771342 7577896091 7363717872 1468440901 2249534301 4654958537 1050792279 6892589235 4201995611 2129021960 8640344181 5981362977 4771309960 5187072113 4999999837 2978049951 0597317328 1609631859 5024459455 3469083026 4252230825 3344685035 2619311881 7101000313 7838752886 5875332083 8142061717 7669147303 5982534904 2875546873 1159562863 8823537875 9375195778 1857780532 1712268066 1300192787 6611195909 2164201989 3809525720 1065485863 2788659361 5338182796 8230301952 0353018529 6899577362 2599413891 2497217752 8347913151 5574857242 4541506959

You are welcome.

3DConnexion’s SpacePilot™ Pro

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Benton) — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 01:50:00 +0000

3Dconnexion has been providing 3D mice for a long time now and I had the privilege of taking a look at their SpacePilot™ Pro. A 3D mouse is an additional mouse that provides three dimensional interaction while working in CAD. They allow easy access to different views through additional navigational tools. Depending on the models features they can rotate your views, zoom in or out, pan, switch to saved views with the push of a button and provide a greater range of navigational tools than a standard mouse. They do not replace a standard mouse but work with one.

3DConnexion’s SpacePilot™ Pro is their top of the line fully featured 3D mouse. This product has all of the bells and whistles. The SpacePilot™ Pro features six-degrees-of-freedom (6DoF) sensor technology, second generation Quickview Navigation Keys (providing 32 standard views), an LCD screen, multiple function keys, keyboard modifiers, and an ergonomic wrist rest design platform.

NAVIGATION

The main purpose of a 3D mouse is to help you navigate inside your 3D CAD file. The SpacePilot™ Pro does that well. Its controller (called the 3Dconnexion Cap) is an easy to use panning, zooming and rotation tool for viewing your model. It is easy to use and to control. Simply move the controller in any horizontal direction. Push it forward, pull it back, move it left or right, spin it, tilt it, lift it, or roll it. Each movement of the cap changes your view in CAD in a different way. It is very intuitive.

Where the SpacePilot™ Pro really shines is in its extra buttons. It has a series of navigation keys that will take you to certain views with little effort. These keys will take you to standard views, isometric views, or will rotate your view 90 degrees. The navigation setting keys control how the mouse functions. You can restrict movement to certain axis, refine the movement of the cap (preventing certain movements so that it only works in specific directions), turn off (or back on) rotation controls, as well as speed adjustments (this controls the amount of force you will have to use on the mouse to get it to respond.)

PERFORMANCE

One of the coolest features in the SpacePilot™ Pro is the LCD screen. It can act as an additional monitor for your workstation, sort of. It is a full color screen that provides feedback to the user during use and displays the control setting for the mouse. The screen also contains several built in applets. These applets are small programs that will run inside the mouse while it is on. The Function Key Applet displays the commands that are assigned to the mouse’s Intelligent Function Keys. The Mail Applet can be connected to Microsoft Outlook in order to show recently received emails. Pressing the screens OK button will open Outlook on your main monitor. There is also an applet for the Outlook Calendar, Outlook Tasks, and an RSS feed reader. Even though an application you are using isn’t CAD or 3D related, the screen will display information from it as you use it. It may not have any functionality at all or there may be some limited interaction available.

The Intelligent Function Keys can be programmed to meet the needs of any CAD program. There are five keys. A short press activates the primary keys (1 through 5) and a long press activates the secondary functions (keys 6 through 10). This gives several programming possibilities to the user.

The SpacePilot Pro can be used with many different design software programs and within several different operating systems. It supports Windows, Mac OS, Linix and Unix. For a full list of which specific software you can use the mouse with visit the Supported Software page.
http://www.3dconnexion.com/supported-software/software0.html
Currently the SpacePilot Pro retails for $399.00 (U.S. dollars) and can be ordered on the 3Dconnexion website.
http://www.3dconnexion.com/buy/shop.html

RECOMMENDATION

If you or those CAD users you support work in a 3D modeling environment all day long then you (they) probably need this tool. It will assist them in many different ways and is well worth the price.
CAD-a-Blog gives the SpacePilot Pro a 5 out of 5 rating (five being the best possible score) and a rate it as a highly recommended tool for 3D design professionals.

Full Technical Specification

3Dconnexion patented six-degrees-of-freedom (6DoF) sensor
Color LCD Workflow Assistant
- Viewing area (WxH): 49.96mm x 37.72mm / 1.96" x 1.48"
- Resolution / color depth: 320x240 / 262,144
Second Generation QuickView Navigation (32 standard views)
4 Navigation Setting Keys (Speed, Rotation, Pan/Zoom, Dominant)
5 dual-function Intelligent Function Keys (access to 10 commands)
Keyboard Modifiers (Ctrl, Alt, Shift, Esc)
21 programmable keys in total (access to 31 commands)
Full size advanced wrist rest design
Dimensions (LxWxH): 231mm x 150mm x 58mm / 9.1" x 5.9" x 2.3"
Weight: 880g / 1.94lb
3 year warranty

Minimum System Requirements

Windows XP Professional SP2 (x86), Windows XP Professional x64 Edition
Windows Vista (all editions)
Windows 7 (all editions)
Linux Redhat Enterprise WS 4, SuSE Linux 9.3
Sun Solaris 8 (SPARC), Sun Solaris 10 (x64)
Microsoft® Outlook® 2003 or later required on host PC for accessing email, tasks and calendar information on LCD.

AUGI March HotNews

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Benton) — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 17:57:00 +0000

The AUGI HotNews March edition is now available.

The Feature Story (written by me, Brian Benton) entitled “CAD on the GO” takes a look at several mobile applications available from Autodesk.

Melanie Perry talks about the recent AUGI Home Page Poll “What Version of AutoCAD Are You Using?”

Mark Kiker’s CAD Management article, entitled, “Get It In Gear” discusses methods of motivating your CAD People.

And don’t forget AUGI President David Harrington’s monthly letter to all AUGI members.

This month’s Sponsor Spotlight is brought to us by HP Monitors. Check them out.

Autodesk Updates AutoCAD WS – now in 3D!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Benton) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 15:32:00 +0000

Autodesk updated it’s free mobile CAD application AutoCAD WS. Here are the new features:

3D Support
GPS Support
Plot from Mobile

These three new features in AutoCAD WS are great. The 3D support should probably have been there the entire time, but that’s ok because it is here now. Users can now go between 2D and 3D views. There is no 3D editing so those features are turned off during a 3D session. You can view the 3D model with a series of preset views. There are ten preset viewing angles as well as the ability to rotate your view as needed. You can also view the model in Wireframe mode or Solid mode. These views only have two visibility states, Grayscale and not Grayscale.

The GPS support lets you locate yourself in your file. It uses the GPS abilities of your mobile device so accuracy is limited to what the mobile hardware can do. Don’t use it to create survey points but it will get you close to where you need to be. The GPS functionality does work with AutoCAD WS’s Google Maps functionality. Tag your location the file and then load a Google Map image of where you are. This is good to create a map, or to quickly identify where your project is located.

The ability to plot from your mobile device via AutoCAD WS is limited to HP Printers that have ePrinter abilities but it’s a start. It can print to PDF or DWF which is really nice.

What I would like to see in the next update.

It would be nice if all visibility (or at least more) were available.
The ability to use other cloud based printing services/apps. Google Cloud Printing or my PrinterShare app integration for example. I don’t have access to an HP ePrinter (HP if you are reading this I would love to test some out for you and blog about them) but I do have access to a Google Cloud Printer and other wifi printers. For now I have to print to PDF and print that file from my device.
The ability to create a new drawing. Please add this.

What would you like to see in the next update of AutoCAD WS?

(shhh! Don’t tell anyone but I am hearing rumors of AutoCAD WS future abilities will soon include some cool things. Stay tuned.)

IMSI Design has released TurboViewer Pro for Android

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Benton) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 14:05:00 +0000

IMSI Design has three versions of their TurboViewer mobile app. The free version is TurboViewer. The midrange version is TurboViewer X ($3.99 U.S.D.). The TurboViewer Pro version goes for $9.99 (U.S.D.) Each version adds functionality to the next. (See our post on TurboViewer and TurboViewer X.)
TurboViewer Pro has all of the abilities of TurboViewer X and more.

TurboViewer Pro adds:

Model Space Viewing
Visual Styles: wireframe, hidden, x-ray, shaded, shaded with edges
Layer Display Controls (on/off/invert/all visible/invisible)
Autosenses 2D or 3D drawings
Online Wiki Help
Send DWG and DXF files via email
View DWG and DXF files from the web, FTP, Dropbox and WebDAV
Instant full screen preview while drawing is still loading
Save time with the ability to cancel a file during load
Restore saved AutoCAD® Views to quickly display the best visions of your design
Supports AutoCAD linetypes to maintain visual fidelity as intended

These additional functions make the Pro version of TurboViewer for Android more appealing than the lower end versions. The ability to send files and open files via the web is kind of the point to mobile devices. Add on to that the ability to view 3D files with different visual styles and it makes the price worth it. The app works well and is easy to use.

CAD-a-Blog.com recommends this app.

Discovery Channel casting for a new TV show called Top Engineer

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Benton) — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 17:58:00 +0000

image courtesy of pilgrimstudios.com

The Discovery Channel is having a casting call for engineers, designers, and builders that want to compete in a reality TV show called TOP ENGINEER. Finally! A reality show about something real and worth your time to watch!
They want are looking for “America’s most creative and daring techies, machinists, inventors and engineers to design, build, and BLAST their way to a Grand Prize…”

Their website says that you don’t have to have an engineering degree to be a part of the show. If you are a builder and love competing you may want to send in your application. The due date is March 7th, 2012 so hurry up.

All of the needed details are here on Pilgrim Studio’s (the ones producing the show) website. These are the guys that produce Dirty Jobs and American Choppers!!

AutoCAD 2013 is Announced in Japan!

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Benton) — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 18:51:00 +0000

Autodesk has officially announced AutoCAD 2013 in Japan. If you read Japanese then you can go directly to their website (click here) for all of the details. Autodesk often announces their products in Japan first and it seems so in this case. Lynn Allen has also posted some of AutoCAD 2013’s new features.

As this announcement was a surprise I have to admit that I am not prepared for a full review or blog post but rest assured that I will get it as soon as I can. We can talk about anything that Lynn has posted or that is available on the Japanese site.

For a quick rundown of the new features (and comparison to previous versions) the Japanese site has a chart.

Some of the New Features or Enhancements:

Command Line Enhancements
Array Enhancements
Model Documentation (section views for Base View) – One of my favorite
Import/Read Inventor Files
Sheet Set Manager for Mac (should have been in there from the beginning)
Multi-Edit Hatch Objects
Strike-Thru text

I plan on a full review and discussion of the new features and system variables as soon as they are available.

Am I a Tech Snob?

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Benton) — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 14:25:00 +0000

The Problem

I think that I may be a tech snob. I get very frustrated with intelligent people not being able to use common technology tools. Today I had to burn files to a CD because the individual we were trying to send them to could not figure out how to use YouSendIT. Let me break it down for you. We upload a file. A link is created and emailed to the specified recipient (and back to you.) They receive said email and click the DOWNLOAD button in the email. It takes them to a website where they are given instructions. They essentially read “Click Here” to download your file. Couldn’t do it. Frustrating.

Why is it that when a problem is encountered and I propose a technology solution it is balked at? Frowned upon? Groans are cast in my general direction as if I came across a French castle in my quest for the Holy Grail?

On the other hand I love it when I see my nine year old daughter solve problems on her own with a bit a tech. A friend of hers moved to Europe (we are in North America) and they wanted to stay in touch but not just through emails and online chat sessions. They wanted to speak with each other. My daughter took her second generation iPod Touch and began calling her friend via the Skype App. But wait; there is no microphone on the 2nd gen iPod Touch. She plugged in a microphone/headset combo. But yet when the email icon moved on one of my coworkers Blackberry he thought email was down!

Another problem that was presented to me was the issue of using Microsoft Outlook. Two members of the administration staff (people that use Outlook all day, every day) had access to a member of managements email account and would send mail on behalf of said person. When sent, the email was placed in their sent box. No good. They wanted it to go to the third persons sent box. Understood. I provided two solutions. One was to manually move the file. There was a yet another groan. Then I said “Make a rule to move it.” I received blank stares and then laughing ensued. In a mocking tone of voice they said, “Ok Brian, it’s a (with air quotes) RULE.” I answered their mocking laughter with a demonstration on how to use rules in Microsoft Outlook. The laughing was replaced with “Oh, I didn’t know you could do that.”

Maybe I am over reacting. I’ll admit that. But when I am approached with a problem and my solution involves a bit of tech (like using Dropbox, box.net, SugarSYnc, etc. instead of copying the files to three different machines and then copying them again when the files are revised, then wondering if you copied it correctly and then wondering if you copied over the real file or not and then opening all three machines files simultaneously and visually comparing them – my head hurts) that can solve a common problem please do not laugh at me. Please treat me with respect. Please use free software tools like Autodesk Design Review.

Why? Why do these people hate me so much? Why?

The Reason

Like Brian I too have long since suffered similar ills. It seemed that whenever anything that required electricity did not function correctly, I was the person who was called. When a problem required some degree of creativity or originality I was the person who was looked to. And still, more often than not, any suggestion, direction, or implication that these people could fix their own problem was met with scorn. Given enough time and repeats of similar incidents I began to wonder if the problem was me. Was I a snob or, as one friend likes to say, and “elitist”?

I couldn’t understand how that could possibly be the case. How can someone who believes YOU can do anything they can do be a snob? How could anyone who encourages another person to try and solve their own problems to obviate the need to call for outside help be an elitist? I could not understand how I was wrong for thinking these people must surely be smarter than they were acting when it came to technology. If I could do it, surely anyone could.

What I’ve come to realize is that this issue goes far beyond mere "snobbery" and even beyond the classifications of "early / late adopters" and the battle between “nerd and jocks.” It has truly become a gulf between the "analog masses" the "digital natives" and the "naturalized web settlers." And instead of the gulf narrowing as technology becomes more readily available, it seems to be widening!

Our kids, us, and them

Brian’s daughter is a digital native, born and living in a world where 1's and 0's along with near-ubiquitous internet access make almost any solution a matter of discovery rather than invention. She wants to make a call on an internet-connected device? Surely there is a program (app) that will do that. Just do some thought and search. I look at these young people and marvel at the existence they have in comparison to my own, at their age. In fact, I must admit to some degree of jealousy or sense that I was born just a tad too early.

We (mid-30's mentality) are the generation immediately following the founding of the internet as we know it. We were born into an analog world at the tail end, watched the birth of the digital world, grabbed our tech visas and immigrated. We are current-early adopters but still have an "invention" mentality because that is how out internet fathers did it. If we want to make calls on an internet-connected device we might think "wow that would be nice, but I haven't heard of a way and I know I can't 'invent' a way to do it. Oh well." (Or maybe you can invent it and you create the next Skype!) The invention mentality is a double edged sword that can hinder and give flight to the greatest of our technically and creatively inclined.

In some ways we may limit ourselves for the belief that we still live in a world where we must create our own fun. But, in some ways and on some occasions, we are right. We must create, we must invent, to move forward and have the world we want. In that sense I feel that we are well served by the invention mentality. If something doesn’t work, we must make it work. We explore. We tinker. We build. The internet is our inheritance, but it may not be our legacy unless we cease to invent. In that way I am glad to have been born when I was because while I watch digital natives seamlessly use tech, too often, they have no curiosity of its workings. Worse yet, they have no desire to build new tech.

Our literal fathers and grandfathers were born in an analog world and they represent a wide generation. To them the internet is still a "fad" to be mistrusted. Privacy is paramount and strangers with candy are behind every website. When problems arise they feel baffled as if this strange form of magic that previously made this technology work has suddenly gone rogue. Surely this is a matter beyond their measure. There is no need to explore, to invent in this “digital” area of the world since it is all ephemeral. No time is money and they must call for help. But really, how hard or serious can it be to fix something that hides in a little beige box or appears on the screen? That isn’t real work. That isn’t how we used to do it!

To this analog generation the internet and this digital world hold great possibility, but also great peril. And "old business" tells us that "risk, equal to or greater than the norm, is not a good bet." Smart people don’t do that. And who, in their opinion, are the smart people? They are the CEO's and VP's of architecture, design, and civil firms. They are the people who cry wolf when a user interface is updated. They are the people who spend weeks making the latest release of AutoCAD look and work like the previous release. They are the grey haired and weak hearted guardians and practitioners of "the way it's always been" who are too far along in their careers to change. Even those who "want" to change and reap digital benefits really, in truth, only "want to want" to change. The closest they will ever come is to hire someone who they think will effect change.

It's all very sad really.

This article was a collaboration between Brian Benton of CAD-a-Blog.com (the Problem) and Curt Moreno of kungfudrafter.com (the Reason). Thank you Curt for assisting in this article and for using tech solutions like Google Docs to work together in the cloud. I am so glad that you didn’t fax me your work or send a PDF! It was born out of a mutual frustration and a rant on Google+. Follow Curt here and Brian here on G+.