BLAUGI Blog of Autodesk User Group International

AUGI HotNews - May 2013 - The Revit Revolution

Mark W Kiker — Fri, 17 May 2013 13:28:03 -0700

Read the full issue in your browser. The full issue contains all the links you see below plus those at the bottom of the email - Autodesk News, Forum Hot Topics, Heads Up and more.

Features

Letter from the President - May 2013

LUG's, RTC, and Volunteer Opportunities are all now available, online, and active! Get involved with AUGI as President David Harrington reviews some of the exciting recent developments that have become a reality in 2013.

Industry Spotlight: The Revit Revolution

Architect Doug Andresen guides you through the necessary steps to make the smooth transition from .dwg to .rvt.

Columns

Tipniques: View Templates 101

Designer Chris McNiel offers tips and tricks to get the best presentation-quality documents using the View Templates feature in AutoCAD.

CAD Management: Good Boss, Bad Boss

Good Boss? Bad Boss? Or somewhere in between? AUGI Director Mark Kiker takes a look at some of the more prevalent complaints from employees and shows you how to guide your boss toward being a better mentor and leader in the field.

Are you currently conducting a job search?

Are you conducting a job search! Melanie Perry reviews the March Homepage Poll on what stage, if any, are they in looking for a new place of employment.

Sponsor Spotlight: HP Performance Advisor

Freely available on HP Workstations and HP Elite Mobile Workstations, the HP Performance Advisor is an ultra-savvy, automated application that monitors and helps increase the performance of your workstation.

Heads Up - May 2013

AUGI brings you all the latest news on service patches and updates from Autodesk within the last month.

AUGI User Groups - The Recent Updates

Mark W Kiker — Tue, 07 May 2013 09:05:40 -0700

AUGI has been working on a new Local User Group listing system and recently unveiled the newest features.

Local User Groups (LUGs) are a collection of Autodesk product users that have face to face gatherings and usually focus on one industry or product suite. They meet to discuss and exchange ideas, provide input to their members, share tips and offer advice to new users and experienced pros. AUGI has always been a huge supporter of Local User Groups formation and operations. These groups, which are self-governed, have partnered with AUGI to encourage users to join their specific group and often extend an open invitation to become an AUGI member as well.

We now offer search features for our extensive list of User Groups. Now you can find one in your area with ease. By using the search feature you can limit the search to your state or area, then thin it down by product focus or industry. This quick and easy filtering is interactive as it filters the list real-time. It has never been easier to find a user group in your area.

We also now have expanded listing information for Affiliate LUG's.

Affiliated LUGs are those groups that have chosen to mimic AUGI in structure, purpose and function. They embrace the “Member First” mode of providing what their members need. They embrace the “self-governed” mode of leadership in that fellow members manage them. Resellers are encouraged to participate at every level but the leaders of the group are everyday users, not reseller staff. Lastly, they promote AUGI within their meetings and to their membership. Becoming an Affiliated AUGI LUG is an option for groups that want to be listed as such with AUGI, but it is not required.

Check out the new pages today.

AUGIWorld May 2013 - Something for Everyone

Mark W Kiker — Fri, 03 May 2013 08:12:53 -0700

Who doesn't love a smorgasbord? There are plenty of choices and nobody walks away without finding something that pleases. For AUGI members, the educational menu is equally varied in the May 2013 issue of AUGIWorld magazine. Yes, there's something for everyone.

For example, help yourself to "Execution is Key to Implementation," Philip Russo's article targeted to Revit Structure users. If your interest is Autodesk Simulation CFD, you'll savor John Evans' look at the latest release in
"New Features and Enhancements in CFD."

Or perhaps you want to do what you have been doing, only better. If that's the case, sample Walt Sparling's "Using AutoCAD Efficiently" with a bonus AutoCAD tip from Michael Beall. There are many more choices in this issue, so dig in.

Also in the May 2013 AUGIWorld...

Nested Families and Parameter Controls – Cassandra Watts uses a real-life project to demonstrate the proper use of parameters in Revit MEP.

Reporting, on a Curve – Marcello Sgambelluri shows you how to report the length of a curve or series of curves in Revit Architecture.

What's in Your Profile? – Sam Lucido shows civil designers how to gain an advantage by creating profiles within AutoCAD Civil 3D.

Take Advantage of Annotations – Melinda Heavrin examines the annotation abilities in AutoCAD Architecture including keynotes, notes and labels, dimensions, hatches, and lots more.

Property Set Definitions – Elisha Sage explores how AutoCAD MEP helps to create and modify data within drawings.

Plus...

Making a Game of Model Navigation – Kevin Miller and James Christensen play around with the idea of using a video game controller for model navigation. •

Converting Revit to 3D PDF – Marcello Sgambelluri reviews the 3D PDF Converter for Revit product from 3DA Systems.

Inside Track – Lee Ambrosius with new software for Autodesk product users. This month, featured selections address xrefs, images, and a workflow capture and sharing tool.

AUGI HotNews - April 2013 - Technology Rocks!

Mark W Kiker — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 07:57:00 -0700

Read the full issue in your browser. The full issue contains all the links you see below plus those at the bottom of the email - Autodesk News, Forum Hot Topics, Heads Up and more.

Features

Letter from the President - April 2013

LUG's, AU, and Volunteer Opportunities! As we close out the first quarter of the year, President David Harrington reviews some of the exciting program developments coming up in the next few months.

Industry Spotlight: Technology & Rocks

Taking a look at how AutoCAD and related technologies are shaping the world around us, from the ground on up, this article showcases some of the advanced uses of AutoCAD in the raw materials sector.

Columns

Tipniques: The Return of Doctor Who and the CAD Manager

Layers, CEN, isolation, and TARDIS. Machine Designer Patrick Hughes provides a glimpse of block libraries and explains how layering conventions can make everyday tasks easier in AutoCAD.

CAD Management: Am I the Only One Who Sees This?

Director Mark Kiker shares a few ways to keep your cool when you catch the daily mistakes and offers tips on how to deal with the less-than-proactive co-worker.

Homepage Poll: Upgrades

To Upgrade? Or Not to Upgrade? Melanie Perry reviews March's Homepage Poll, detailing the range of thoughts on upgrading decisions among the AUGI community members.

Sponsor Spotlight: HP Remote Graphics Software

HP Remote Graphics Software delivers your in-the-office Autodesk applications to your at-home or on-the-road notebook.

Heads Up - April 2013

AUGI brings you all the latest news on service patches and updates from Autodesk within the last month.

AUGIWorld April 2013 - What's New in 2014?

Mark W Kiker — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 11:09:34 -0700

Autodesk delivered its own brand of "March Madness" with the 2014 product releases. As always, cheering fans are eager for information about the newest versions of their favorite Autodesk products. And AUGIWorld authors are happy to deliver the goods in the April 2013 issue.

Brian Benton walks you through "What's New in AutoCAD 2014." Inventor gets "Increasingly Social," and John Evans describes how users of this robust release can easily tap support resources in the Inventor community.

Jay Zallan and Marcello Sgambelluri interpret some "ancient" predictions about the new features in Revit Architecture 2014 in "Predictions of a Present Future."

Also in the April 2013 AUGIWorld...

Better Model Definition - Author Philip Russo discusses new features in Revit Structure, including rebar and structural element enhancements.

Tools & Timesavers – Melinda Heavrin presents a handful of her favorite tips for using AutoCAD Architecture.

Revit Content That Works – Andrew Baranowski reveals why you'll never have to search the Internet for a Revit family again. He shows you how develop custom Revit content.

Civil 3D Funkiness – Christopher Fugitt with some tips & tricks you won't find in a typical AutoCAD Civil 3D training course.

Plus...

• What's in a Report? – Michael Smith demonstrates Navisworks tool that enable users to effectively report meeting minutes following coordination meetings.

• Inside Track – New offerings from Autodesk and related third-party providers.

AUGI HotNews - March 2013 - Movement: The Drive to Success

Mark W Kiker — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 14:39:11 -0700

Movement: The Drive to Success

Read the full issue in your browser. The full issue contains all the links you see below plus those at the bottom of the email - Autodesk News, Forum Hot Topics, Heads Up and more.

Features

Letter from the President - March 2013

In the March edition of AUGI HotNews, President David Harrington reviews some of the upcoming Local User Group features, the Revit Conference, and other AUGI features leading up to the November Autodesk University.

Industry Spotlight: Motivation

CADD Manager Reuben Stone delivers motivation tips for crafting your creative space and finding energy in day-to-day work.

Columns

CAD Management: The Last of the Three R’s is… Math?

Can math make all the difference? AUGI Director Mark Kiker guides you through a simple cost-benefit analysis that can help demonstrate, document, and justify your investments every day.

Homepage Poll: Learning Methods

AUGI members love to learn! Melanie Perry reviews February's Homepage Poll on learning methods and looks forward to the March/April edition on software updates.

Sponsor Spotlight: HP Z Workstations - Tested to Run Your Autodesk Applications

The HP Z Workstation family delivers the power, performance, and reliability to support your design, engineering, and visualization projects.

Heads Up - March 2013

AUGI brings you all the latest news on service patches and updates from Autodesk within the last month.

AUGIWorld March 2013 - Expert Help at Your Fingertips

Mark W Kiker — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 12:55:57 -0800

As an Autodesk product user and AUGI member, there is no reason, ever, to work in a vacuum. If you have the desire to find a better, quicker, more efficient way to solve a problem or perform a function, help is literally as close as the AUGI Forums - and the March 2013 issue of AUGIWorld.

In this issue, our experts present their favorite tips and tricks for popular Autodesk products. Melanie Perry, AUGI board member, brings you "Tips from the Dork Side", her collection of tips for AutoCAD. Joining Melanie is Michael Beall with another of his monthly quick tips.

Revit Structure users will benefit from the article by Brian Mackey, who presents "Productivity Boosters for Everyday Work."

And Mark Flayler provides "A Collection of Hot Tips" for Inventor 2013 software. And there's a lot more tips, tricks, and helpful hints in this issue.

Also in the March 2013 AUGIWorld...

Advanced Scheduling: Check This Model – Martijn de Riet shares key information he's found while working on the Dutch Revit Standards.

Tools & Timesavers – Melinda Heavrin presents a handful of her favorite tips for using AutoCAD Architecture.

Revit Content That Works – Andrew Baranowski reveals why you'll never have to search the Internet for a Revit family again. He shows you how develop custom Revit content.

Civil 3D Funkiness – Christopher Fugitt with some tips & tricks you won't find in a typical AutoCAD Civil 3D training course.

Also in this issue...

What's in a Report? – Michael Smith demonstrates Navisworks tool that enable users to effectively report meeting minutes following coordination meetings.

Inside Track – New offerings from Autodesk and related third-party providers.