CAD TechRx

Kinnosa CAD Tool Integration for Engineering Document Management

2009-09-13T12:56:00.001-07:00

I wanted to personally inform you about some new developments to the First Trace website that you and CAD TechRx readers may find valuable. At http://www.firsttrace.com/ we have added a new Kinnosa Product Tour section that lets site visitors experience the different interface options provided by this flexible Engineering Document Management (EDM) solution.

Take the Kinnosa Product Tour yourself and invite others to witness how Kinnosa directly integrates with Windows Explorer, CAD Tools such as AutoCAD, SolidWorks, and MicroStation, as well as Desktop Applications like Word, Excel and PowerPoint. These multiple interface options provide tremendous flexibility to engineers needing to control their important CAD files and related documentation.

We have also created a new Webinar Series of live educational events for the engineering community. Please visit our Events Page to check out our upcoming events, including our next Webinar: The Five Pillars of Engineering Document Management. This event was born out of our most popular white paper of the same name, so we are holding 2 sessions of this Webinar on Sept 22 @ 10AM PT / 1PM ET and Sept 24 @ 12PM PT / 3PM ET.

Best Regards,

Kyle Blair
Product Marketing Manager
+1 480.940.2393
kblair@firsttrace.com
http://www.firsttrace.com/

Material Submitted to CADTechRx by Kyle Blair

CAD Watch – gINT Software - Graphic Displays of Geologic Data

2009-09-07T15:25:00.000-07:00

gINT Software graphically displays geologic data from Soil Borings. Third Party Add-ons give users the ability to seamlessly utilize gINT data in AutoCAD, Excel (Langan-LagEq) and Esri ArcGIS (Datgal, Rockware). The most current version of gINT can create displays in Google Earth.

Geologic data is usually collected by geologic technicians in the field. It is brought back to the office and transcribed into gINT software later. Technicians may enter this data from the scientist's hand written field notes on gINT templates or import from specialized logging software like Plog.

Examples of Various gINT Boring Logs:
http://www.gintsoftware.com/reports_boringlogs.html

What is new in gINT - Google Earth
http://www.datgel.com/gINTVersion8_2.aspx

PDF Mark-Up or Signature Not Printing? Here's a Quick Fix!

2009-08-15T16:30:00.000-07:00

Mark-ups and Signatures on Adobe PDF files may not always print as they appear on the original or the screen. In some cases, if markups originate from more than once source, it is possible to print out the document and discover that while some of the hand marked entries are visible others did not print at all.

To fix this: Check your settings in the print command. Set your Comments and Forms Drop down box to: Comments and Markups.

In our example, the bottom signature printed fine but not the top one when our Comments and Forms setting was Document. Changing our setting solved the problem.

AVG is FREE and Easy- Virus Protection

2009-07-21T11:44:00.000-07:00

Our AVG Virus Protection subscription ran out and instead of renewing the paid subscription we installed the free version.

We like the free AVG better for our home office purposes than the more complex version, purchased a year ago. We never could figure out how to configure the FireWall in the purchased version. The FireWall settings look like they are designed for professional IT departments who are running AVG in a corporate environment.

The free version installed easily during our lunch break with no glitches. It was up and running in a few minutes. We don’t like the automatic scan daily but this can be stopped or paused (nice feature) by right clicking on the AVG tray icon.

An irritating new addition to the free version since we last used it is a browser toolbar. AVG recommends at install that you accept this feature, but it might be better to pass. This tool bar includes a superfluous search engine textbox which defaults to Yahoo and is difficult, at first glance, to configure or turn off. This unwelcome addition to our already bogged down Windows Browser hogs screen space below the Windows menu bar. In our opinion this makes Yahoo look like the wannabe. Can’t they find a more elegant way to advertise?

Economic Downturn - We're Still Alive!

2009-07-21T11:42:00.000-07:00

The economy has been so discouraging that for a time we gave up on CAD TechRX but then decided to continue to report our experiences and discoveries running a small business even when we are totally on the ground and very gritty. We know we’re not alone and maybe our experiences can help someone out!

CAD Manager's Job Description Evolves to CAD/BIM Manager

2009-04-05T09:58:00.000-07:00

The job description of CAD Manager continues to evolve. We have noticed an increasing demand for CAD Managers whose skill set includes an in-depth knowledge of both AutoCAD and BIM from an Information Technology perspective.

This trend is eloquently described in a recent post on Mistress of Dorkness.

BIM Managers connect like CAD Managers

http://mistressofthedorkness.blogspot.com/2009/02/bim-managers-connect-like-cad-managers.html

MEP BIM Coordination Debate

2009-03-02T12:03:00.000-08:00

"There is a general confusion when it comes to Revit. Revit is simply a different platform.

If you are coordinating a project, there is a common platform, such as NAVIS WORKS where all of the different elements come together to collaborate.

For example your steel can be created by Tecla, your architecture by Revit, your Fire Protection by FireCad, your HVAC/Mechanical piping by Maps software, your plumbing by Quickpen, and your electrical by Revit MEP.

All of the different file extrentions get loaded on to the NavisWorks File (NWF) reguardless from where they originated. The biggest issue emerging is the lack of understanding……and the fact that everyone is being misled by software vendors. As of today (and for at least the next 5-7 years) no one platform is capable of creating a true Building Information Model. "

This helpful information was submitted by:
Franklyn Lowder
BIM Coordinator
CADTECH, Inc

Computer Import Email Scam now Merging with Identity Theft!

2009-03-02T11:50:00.000-08:00

This is an example of Email Spam that has been in circulation for some time. We were just contacted by a local firm that had received this email cc'd to our company! We had nothing to do with the sender or the receiver. Our corporate email address had been used without our knowledge to give fake legitimacy to the email. If you receive an email like this it is a scam. There are many variations in circulation. The senders want your confidential information.

Original Message ----- From: nelson anderson
Hello,How you doing? My name is Nelson,i hail from UK and right now i work in Germany I read description and am interested in your services,I will be importing some computer into the United States.The PC are laptops pentium 4 dell computer ..i want you to Install software, clean inner & outer computer components, update software to current status.Get back to me with you total cost for the services of 10 computer.i will like You to know that my mode of payment is by check.I await your urgent response so that i can put the arrangement in order.Thanks.

OfficeMax $10.00 Ink Cartridge Refills - Recession Buster!

2009-02-17T09:33:00.000-08:00

OfficeMax will refill your Printer Ink Cartridges for $10.00. Last week, skeptical but faced with a budget crunch, we took in our empty HP cartridge for a fill up. We only had to wait about 5 minutes while the cartridge was filled.

The refilled cartridge works fine, with some minor glitches. Our HP printer did not immediately recoginize that the ink had been replaced and for a few days we had to ignore dire "Out of Ink" Warnings, when printing. The warnings dissapeared and though a low ink level is still indicated when we print, our prints look normal.

Addendum- 3/02/08: Last week, we went back to OfficeMax with a color cartridge to refill and were told that there was such a long wait that it would take a day! We opted to buy a new cartridge, instead. After replacing our color cartridge with a new one, we noted that although the new HP cartridge registers as full, HP shows the refilled/full cartridge as empty.

CAD Watch - Allplan by Nemetschek - Europe's Popular BIM Solution

2009-01-24T12:30:00.000-08:00

We were recently contacted by an architectural designer, looking for work who had just moved to the US, from Spain. He told us that the demand for Revit skills here was a surpise. According to him, Allplan is widely used for 3D architectural design in Europe and Revit is virtually unknown.

Lachmi Khemlani provides an in-depth summary of Allplan's history, strengths and weaknesses on her informative site, AECBYTES. She also states that Allplan is very popular in Europe. Allplan BIM 2008 Architecture

Here are some excerpts from Lachmi's article in which she outlines basic differences between Allplan and Revit

“…One of the most complex aspects of Allplan that needs to be understood before being able to work with it effectively is how the data is structured. A project is the main organizational unit, and unlike centralized model applications such as Revit, a project in Allplan is a folder containing a large number of sub-folders and files rather than a single file….”

“…Other pluses are its multi-disciplinary capability, all available within the same application, in contrast to other multi-disciplinary suites such as Revit and Bentley, which have different applications for the different disciplines….”

Nemetschek-Allplan

How to Scan Wrinkled Blueprints and Plans

2009-01-10T11:12:00.000-08:00

To scan damaged plans which are badly wrinkled take two pieces of mylar that match the dimensions of the plans, make a pocket and sandwhich the paper plan in between the mylar. Run this through your scanner. Your scans should come out ironed.

Tip submitted by Brian Kramer- FedEx/Kinko's

Convert NAD27 Data to NAD83

2008-12-30T12:04:00.000-08:00

Here's a link to a helpful utility web page that will convert NAD27 numeric data to NAD83 and visa versa.

http://www.ngs.noaa.gov/cgi-bin/nadcon.prl

NAD27 and NAD83 coordinates can be drawn in AutoCAD, but only as inert points.

NAD27 and NAD83 coordinates can be accurately plotted and converted graphically (NAD27 to NAD83 or vice versa) in AutoDesk Civil 3D, Autodesk Map, Autodesk Land Development Desktop and ESRI GIS.

Duplicate Block Name Nightmare - AutoCAD Block inserts with mystery entities

2008-11-16T17:43:00.000-08:00

This block snafu question was submitted to us by a busy CAD operator who was driven nuts by unwanted entities which mysteriously inserted with his titleblocks. It is a useful example of how not to setup office blocks.

1. Two titleblocks are created with 2 different names. The border is a another block inside each titleblock.

The 8.5x11 border block in the 8.5x11 titleblock has the same name (TB_BORDER) as the 11x17 border block (TB_BORDER) in the 11x17 titleblock.

2. The 11x17 title block looks fine. There is no sign of other block entities in the drawing. We don't see an addtional 8.5x11 border in this drawing.

3. If the 11x17 Title block is inserted into a drawing in which the definition of the 8.5x11 border block already exists we see an unwanted block entity - the 8.5x11 border. Note that the 11x17 border block was not pulled up by the drawing. The existing definition was used. This results in a corrupted title block. The end user may be clueless as to the cause.

4. To fix. Rename the internal TB_BORDER block. You can use the RENAME command without exploding the blocks.

5. If you need a fast temporary fix, attach the TitleBlock as an XREF .

Best Practices: Keep block names distinctive, descriptive and different for each entity in your block library. This includes blocks you are using to build other blocks.

Looking for an Online Fax Service? - We Recommend GotVMail

2008-11-03T20:20:00.000-08:00

We really like GotVMail's Online Toll-Free Fax Service. Client's who need to share drawings with us can easily fax in their plans.

GotVMail's TIFFServer interface gives us the ability to mark-up our incoming faxes and save them to PDF or JPG.

The dashboard features include: Convert to PDF, Scroll pages, Fit, Zoom, Format, Add a Sticky Note, Add text, Highlight, Add an arrow, Stamp. The Stamp cursor menu, shown in the screen shot below, provides a selection of messages to choose from.

Although GotVMail's 800 numbers can double as a fax line we don't recommend this for anyone who relies on their fax. Clients complained that transmission was intermittant when they faxed to our Gotvmail 800 number. Adding a dedicated GotVMail fax line solved the problem.

GotVMail's technical support team is responsive and available via phone or email. They can customize your setup.

Visit GotVMail.com for more information.

AutoCAD to TurboCAD - Fix Corrupted Text Glitch

2008-09-15T18:39:00.000-07:00

TurboCAD 8 corrupted some of our dimensions in an imported AutoCAD DWG file with romans.shx/MTEXT. Note that the Diameter symbols (created with %%c) are huge. TurboCAD also rotated the correctly placed AutoCAD dimensions and moved them off to the right.

Inside AutoCAD, we exploded the MTEXT in our Dimensions. Our client reported that this did the trick when he pulled the revised DWG into TurboCAD.

PDF2WORD v3.0 - Works like a charm! - Convert PDF to Word for FREE

2008-08-16T10:06:00.000-07:00

This little app is a miracle worker. It downloads and installs quickly with no glitches. A dialog box will ask you to register but hit the Try button and go to the File menu. Pull up your PDF and convert. You will be given 99 free tries. Warning: Opening the application counts as a try even if you don't actually convert a file.

The verypdf.com web site states that the letter S will be inserted randomly into your Doc by the trial version. We could not find any additional letters in our test run.

The test app will only convert docs with 5 pages or less. In order to convert larger PDF files you will have to purchase the software. We think the purchase price of $39.95 is worth it!

Our PDF came out formatted correctly in Word. We noted that our Word.doc's font did not match that of the original PDF. The font defaulted to Times New Roman in Word. Our images converted correctly.

Get your PDF2Word 3.0 here:

Recommended for CADD + Technical Training - American River College, Sacramento, CA

2008-07-25T12:55:00.000-07:00

Employers and Career Counselors recommend Indian River College in Sacramento, CA. They say that Indian River's Technology graduates can hit the ground running.

These Indian River programs include CADD + technical training.

CAD classes can be taken up to 4 times using different software releases!

CADD - Drafting & Design Technology
http://www.losrios.edu/class_schedules_reader.php?loc=arc/fall/Design-Technology-DESGN.htm

CADD - Engineering Technology
http://www.losrios.edu/class_schedules_reader.php?loc=arc/fall/Engineering-ENGR.htm

DIGITAL - Art New Media
http://www.losrios.edu/class_schedules_reader.php?loc=arc/fall/Art-New-Media-ARTNM.htm

Helpful Staff are available at the college to answer your questions, via phone.

American River College - Sacramento
4700 College Oak Dr
Sacramento, CA 95841-4286
Phone General: (916) 484-8011
Admissions: (916) 484-8261
Financial aid: (916) 484-8437

http://www.arc.losrios.edu/

Tips on How to Convert 2D AutoCAD DWG to 3D in Chief Architect

2008-07-12T11:18:00.000-07:00

Chief X1 is compatible with AutoCAD 2008 DXF format.

The New CAD to Walls feature improves 2D to 3D Conversion inside Chief Architect.

Tips on how to convert 2D AutoCAD drawings to 3D in Chief Architect

1. Trace over the imported 2D AutoCAD file using CAD snaps and dims. Chief Architect can then build the 3D model.

2. Use the improved CAD to Walls feature in X1

Tip: Layer granularity in the AutoCAD drawing will help. Make sure all entities are on a dedicated layer in AutoCAD, i.e. walls, windows, doors etc. Chief Architect can then recognize them and build the model. Coordinate the layers you will need with your AutoCAD client before they get started, if possible.

It is also possible to import your DWG as an AutoCAD 3D file.

We recommend that you download a trial version of Chief Architect to test compatibility issues with AutoCAD files. It is not possible to plot in the trial version.

Chief Architect's sales team is informative and available via the phone. Call 1-208-664-4204 for more information.

ADDENDUM: 1/30/08 - How does Chief Architect rate? - Hail to the Chief!

http://aec.cadalyst.com/aec/Column:+AEC+Insight/BIM-Goes-Residential-AEC-Insight-Column/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/526899

GIS jokes - Get your T-Shirt Here!

2008-07-09T19:41:00.000-07:00

GIS jokes on T-shirts! Add spice to your work wardrobe.

http://www.gisnuts.com/

How to Extract RAR "Zip" Files for Free

2008-06-16T21:18:00.000-07:00

Occasionally, people send us AutoCAD Drawings compressed in RAR archived files.

We finally installed 7ZIPFREE and are glad we did. Download your copy at 7-zip.org

Not only does this handy free utility open and extract RAR files, it gives us an alternative with more options & control than the standard Zip function in Windows.

By right clicking any Zip file and choosing Z-Zip from the Curser Menu we can select from choices like: Zip to Email, Extract to a specific directory, Use 7Z or Zip.

Unlike the Windows Zip utility, 7Zip allows you to monitor where your extracted files will end up. A dialog box pops up with selections such as Ask Before Overwrite and Password Entry.

7Z does not create RAR files. If you want to create RAR, find out about WinRAR

Looking for a Free & Easy to Use FTP Client? Try Filezilla!

2008-05-06T11:40:00.000-07:00

Filezilla is a free FTP client which is easy to use and configure.

Features we like:
Filezilla updates by automatically uninstalling its outdated version before installing the current upgrade.

FTP addresses can be loaded and stored in the Quickconnect bar at the top of the user interface or configured in Site Manager.

Tiered interface allows simultanious view of File Directory Structure, Sub-Directories and Active Processes.

Status bar shows visual progress of uploads or downloads.

File Attributes are easily managed by right clicking on your ftp directory folders

Tech support and interesting browsing is available at:Filezilla Forums

Download Filezilla

Windows File Rename Nirvana - Bulk Rename Utility

2008-04-06T12:16:00.000-07:00

We highly recommend the Bulk Rename Utility by Jim Wilshire. It takes the drudgery out of renaming large quantities of files in Windows. Complicated file names are handled with ease!

This application is a breeze to download, and install. The Windows Explorer Interface is easy to navigate. A dashboard allows users to sort files by Match Expression, Find & Replace, Add Prefix, Add Suffix etc. Rename options range from simple to complex.

When you select the file to rename, it is possible to view your file's new name, in a Rename Column so glitches can be corrected in advance. The Undo command is a life saver.

Addendum - added on 5/21/08: If your project involves complex naming configurations, it is possible to save your settings in a "BRU" config file for later use. Hit the File Menu and go to Save.

Download your copy at:

BulkRenameUtlity.co.uk

CAD Software Watch - CoCreate OneSpace for Medical Devices

2008-03-16T09:05:00.000-07:00

CAD Software Watch posts spontaneous CAD Software recommendations from our customer base.

A principal contacted us the other day looking for CoCreate CAD support. His firm uses CoCreate OneSpace for modeling medical devices in 3D. He recommended it for this purpose.

CoCreate OneSpace Overview

Cadalayst Labs Review also gives CoCreate OneSpace kudos for "nonhistory-based, dynamic-modeling".

"If you work in a highly collaborative environment that imports a lot of disparate MCAD data from several sources and you are predisposed to making a lot of changes to assemblies late in the product development cycle, OneSpace Modeling could be well suited to fulfilling your needs."

Review - CoCreate OneSpace Modeling 2007

Clackamas Community College - Need Classes in Civil 3D, GIS, AutoCAD? Try Portland, Oregon

2008-03-03T14:44:00.001-08:00

We get frequent requests for information on CAD training programs and like to pass along any any leads that come our way.

Clackamas Community College, in Portland Oregon offers convenient and affordable weekend classes for professionals at their Autodesk Training Center. Spring classes start in April.

AutoCAD I (4 days - weekend or 8 evenings)
AutoCAD II (4 days - weekend or 8 evenings)

Recomended - These skills are in demand:

AutoCAD Map
Civil 3D (3 Days - weekend) for Civil Engineering Design Projects
ArcGIS I (2 Days -weekend) GIS Fundamentals

For PDF's on Class Content + Registration Forms contact the Drafting Technology Dept. at
503-657-6958 x2379 or email LynetteS@clackamas.edu

How to Import AutoCAD Splines to ESRI GIS

2008-02-23T19:00:00.000-08:00

To import AutoCAD Splines into ESRI GIS, draw Plines and use PEDIT with the Spline option. Splines drawn in AutoCAD using the SPLINE command do not show up in ESRI GIS.

There are LISP routines available that will convert Splines in existing drawings to Plines.

How to Mark Up a Drawing - Tips for Engineers

2008-02-03T14:46:00.000-08:00

We love clear markups.

One of our engineering clients uses a unique combination of the free Autodesk viewer, TrueView along with Microsoft Paint.

He creates jpgs of the drawing in TrueView and marks them up in Paint. The result is easy for us to read.

In this example, in order to explain his revision, the engineer has included a view of the 3D Model, an acutal photo of the device + a relevant part of the 2D AutoCAD drawing.

An organized image like this is worth a thousand words.

How to Change the Width of an Ellipse Line in AutoCAD?

2008-01-14T17:40:00.000-08:00

The line which defines the Ellipse entity in AutoCAD is a Spline. It is not possible to edit the width of a line created as a Spline. (At least we do not know of a way.)

Recreate your Ellipse as a pline. Type the system varaible, PELLIPSE at the command line and set it to the value of 1. Now redraw your Ellipse. It will be a Pline. Use the PEDIT command to change the width.

More discussion about this topic on Augi:
Convert Ellipse to Polyline

Wise Tips on When to Outsource

2007-12-28T11:02:00.000-08:00

Wise Outsourcing has more benefits than just saving money

Small Business - The Adviser- SFGATE - 12/26/07

Contact ClearLogicGroup to learn more about how we can help you with our CAD outsourcing services.

CAD TechRX -Top 5 Hits - The 5 Most Viewed Pages - December 2007

2007-12-15T10:34:00.000-08:00

How to Import ESRI Arcview Shape Files Into AutoCAD
techrx.blogspot.com/2007/09/mxd-to-dwg-import-shape-files-to.html

Recommended CAD Software - Cabinet Vision for Kitchen Design /Woodwork
techrx.blogspot.com/2007/07/cad-software-watch-planits-cabinet.html

Arxerror-Eduplicatekey Nightmare - Fix It.
techrx.blogspot.com/2006/11/quick-fix-arxerror-eduplicatekey.html

Still Unsolved! KeyCAD Mystery
techrx.blogspot.com/2007/04/keycad-mystery.html
$10.00 Reward for Quality Info on this KeyCAD Posting
http://techrx.blogspot.com/2007/09/cad-techrx-5-most-viewed-pages-sept.html

How to Open AutoCAD Drawing in ESRI Arcview
techrx.blogspot.com/2007/08/how-to-open-autocad-dwg-file-in-arcview.html

AutoCAD DWG to Adobe Illustrator

2007-12-08T10:48:00.000-08:00

If you need to use Editable AutoCAD files in Adobe Illustrator the following options are recommended.

Best Option: Create a PDF file of the AutoCAD file.

Alternate Option (mixed results): Save the AutoCAD DWG file to R2000 format.

Not Recommended: Exporting the DWG file as an EPS can corrupt or distort the original.

Tip: If consistent & specific lineweights are required in Illustrator, set your lineweights to bylayer inside AutoCAD.

CAD Software Watch - OrCAD for Circuit Board Layout

2007-11-23T18:08:00.000-08:00

We are always learning about specialized CAD applications & markets from our customers. ORCAD, from Cadence, is recommeded for circuit board design and layout.

ORCAD 16.0 Demo Software on Cadence.com:
Test Drive ORCAD

ORCAD Community Forum:
ORCAD Online Tech Support

Wikipedia on ORCAD:
What is ORCAD?

Empty AutoCAD Drawing Syndrome - AutoCAD for Principals

2007-10-29T12:14:00.001-07:00

It is not unusual for us to receive a drawing with missing Xrefs from a customer who needs a deadline met yesterday!

Our unlucky client then has to negotiate with their contact to retrieve the missing files or even worse, look through an old project and try to figure out where all the needed drawings are.

If you open an AutoCAD drawing and see that it is empty, the file may be missing Xrefs. These are simply more drawing files linked to your drawing.

One way to determine if absent Xrefs are the culprit is to look for a text string in the drawing which indicates the path of the missing file. See screen shot example. The size of this text can vary depending on settings in the drawing. In this case, the small horizontal line (to which black arrow points) is actually a line of text which contains the path of the missing file.

The XREF command will list all the Xrefs in the drawing along with their current status in a dialog box.

We recommend that you encourage those you work with to send you AutoCAD drawings using Etransmit. This command pulls all relevant files into a convenient zip file so that Xrefs should be included if they are available.

Core FTP Lite - Reviewed by Dummies!

2007-10-13T16:40:00.000-07:00

We like to experiment with different FTP clients.

Recently, we tested CoreFTP Lite. We decided that we don't recommend it for non-technical users or diverse remote teams. It is good for IT pros who have experience with FTP servers.

Findings here are the results of running several CAD projects with this client.

Pros:

Free to download and install.

Seems to get through everything. Helpful if you are running or monitoring FTP servers with multiple projects and/or users with different rights. You can easily see where security needs to be tightened.

Cons:

Settings are finicky. We had to keep changing SSL check box options because our selections did not always work consistently.

Our offsite teams did not get reliable results. They complained of time-outs while downloading large amounts of data over slow connections.

Not recommended if you have to download files to a Windows server.

MXD to DWG - Import Shape Files to AutoCAD MAP

2007-09-06T12:42:00.000-07:00

You cannot bring an Arcmap drawing into AutoCAD. Arcmap is composed of a series of shape files.

If you have AutoCAD Civil 3D 2007, you can import shape files into CAD but not the actual MXD.

Click on the MAP menu then click on Tools then click on Import.

A dialog box prompts you to navigate to the shape file you want. Then you get another dialog box that prompts you to select from various settings before you bring your shape file into the CAD drawing.

You need some knowledge of GIS and shape files to figure this out but with trial and error you can resolve it. You will have to reconstruct the Arcmap drawing, shape file by shape file. If there are many shape files, you have to import each one individually.

Using this same procedure you can also bring in files from other applications like Microstation and Mapinfo.

CAD TechRx - The 5 Most Viewed Pages - Sept. 2007

2007-09-04T12:43:00.000-07:00

KEYCAD MYSTERY - CAN YOU SOLVE IT? $10.00 Reward!

We would like more information on this popular posting.
$10.00 Reward for quality answers to our questions below.

Email submittals to:support@clearlogicgroup.com

If you are using Keycad, do you recommend it?

Is KCW a Keycad file extension as stated here?
techrx.blogspot.com/2007/04/keycad-mystery.html

AUTOCAD - ARXERROR-EDUPLICATEKEY
techrx.blogspot.com/2006/11/quick-fix-arxerror-eduplicatekey.html

AUTOCAD - CAN'T ZOOM VIEWPORT
techrx.blogspot.com/2007/05/autocad-cant-zoom-viewport-dont-panic.html

VECTORWORKS 12 EXPORT OPTIONS
techrx.blogspot.com/2006/09/vectorworks-12-export-options-export.html

CARBONITE - BACK-UP YOUR HARD DRIVE
techrx.blogspot.com/2007/05/carbonite-dont-stress-back-up-your-hard.html

How to open an AutoCAD DWG file in Arcview 9.2

2007-08-27T08:31:00.000-07:00

Option 1:

Using ArcCatalog, highlight the file just like you would a shape file and drag it into the mxd. Or you can click on the file in ArcCatalog and it will break it into it's constituent entities; point line and polygon. You can only bring in entities from model space.

Option 2- See Screen Shot:

Here's another method to import CAD entities into GIS:

In ArcToolBox click on Conversion Tools, Go to Geodatabase. Then click on Import from CAD. This gives you a dialog box that converts CAD entities into a ESRI GeoDataBase (GDB). Then bring the .GDB file into GIS.

CAD Software Watch - AutoCAD 2008 Kudos

2007-08-13T20:08:00.000-07:00

Recommended - AutoCAD 2008 - A breakthrough in compatability!

http://manufacturing.cadalyst.com/manufacturing/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=417300&sk=&date=&pageID=2

Cadalyst April 2007

Addendum- Sept. 27, 2007

Annotation scaling leads the list of new features cheered by AutoCAD users

http://www.deskeng.com/ME2/Audiences/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&tier=4&id=0D7F0C724E9E42F3AB569AAA2CA399A8&AudID=2FC31F0C0A2

Desktop Engineering Sept. 2007

Internet Explorer 7 Mysteries - How to Bring Back the Menu Bar

2007-07-25T21:11:00.000-07:00

We really missed the Menu Bar, which vanished in IE7. If you can't live without it, here is how to bring the old menu back.

Hitting the ALT key - Brings back the Menu Bar but it does not stay visible after you exit the browser.

To Set The IE7 Menu Bar so it Loads all the Time:

Right Click the top bar of your browser, Select Menu Bar from the pop up menu that appears by your cursor. You can turn the Menu Bar off and on by toggling this option!

CAD Software Watch - Planit's Cabinet Vision

2007-07-10T19:13:00.000-07:00

We are always on the lookout for interesting CAD applications. Cabinet Vision from Planit was recommended to us by a customer who is a Kitchen Designer.

http://www.planitsolutions.com/us/cabinetvision/intro.default.aspx

Check out Woodweb.com http://www.woodweb.com/ if you want to learn more about the pros and cons of this software.

We like the Woodweb CAD Forum which posts helpful discussions and tips on CAD issues.

http://www.woodweb.com/cgi-bin/forums/cad.pl

Advanced Wiring Installation Training for Electrical Engineers?

2007-07-04T15:06:00.000-07:00

Joke of the Month - For Electrical Professionals Only!

http://www.clearlogicgroup.com/blog/wiring.ppt

Submitted by Hasib Nusratty - Electrical Designer

CADTechRX Most Viewed Pages to Date

2007-06-20T13:46:00.000-07:00

ArxError-Eduplicatekey - Nightmare AutoCAD Bug!
We thank JTB World-http://www.jtbworld.com for sending us the updated links posted on July 1, 2007.

techrx.blogspot.com/2006/11/quick-fix-arxerror-eduplicatekey.html

DWGTrueView 2007 - Recommended

techrx.blogspot.com/2007/01/make-your-day-easier-autodesk-dwg.html

Carbonite BackUp - Recommended

techrx.blogspot.com/2007/05/carbonite-dont-stress-back-up-your-hard.html

What is AVI?

techrx.blogspot.com/2006_08_01_archive.html

VectorWorks 12 Export Options for AutoCAD

techrx.blogspot.com/2006/09/vectorworks-12-export-options-export.html

KeyCAD - Not Recommended

techrx.blogspot.com/2007/04/keycad-mystery.html

AsBuilt Tips - Remodeling? Buying a Home? Get the As-Built Plans!

2007-06-09T13:25:00.000-07:00

If you are planning on remodeling the first thing you need to do is locate your original house plans.

These valuable documents, called As-Builts, can save you a great deal of money. Without them, you will probably have to hire someone to measure your site and draft the as-builts from scratch.

When buying a home, ask the owners if they already have as-builts for the property.

Never toss any old plans of your home even if they are no longer representative of it's current status.

You may be able to find similar examples of plans which match your house, online.

For more information on As-Builts send us an email at ClearLogicGroup@gmail.com.

Need to Convert Lat Long to Decimal?

2007-06-04T13:01:00.000-07:00

Try this utility. It converts Lat Long to Decimal Degrees and visa versa.

http://www.fcc.gov/mb/audio/bickel/DDDMMSS-decimal.html

Another approach is to use the utility in Esri Arcview 9.2 which allows you to derive units from points interactively.

http://www.esri.com/software/arcgis/arcview/index.html

Recommended by one of our Environmental Engineering Clients

FTP Tips for IE7 Dummies! Bring the Folders Back.

2007-05-23T20:30:00.000-07:00

We were disapointed to learn upon upgrading to IE7 that the FTP interface had become less user friendly. Here are some simple Tips to get you up and running with IE7 & FTP.

1. For IE7 Dummies: IE7 does not default to a Windows interface. To view FTP sites in the IE6 Windows Explorer folder format, click the Page button, located at the upper right of your browser, and then click Open FTP Site in Windows Explorer.

2.If you are not seeing this option under Page,
Go to the Tools Button at the far right of your Browser menu.
Go to Internet Options.
Hit the Advanced Tab. Go to the Browsing Section.
Check Enable Folder View (outside of Internet Explorer).
Hit Apply, Hit OK.

3. If you are not able to access the FTP site at all, you may also need to adjust this setting.
Open your IE 7 browser.
Go to the Tools Button at the far right of your Browser menu.
Go to Internet Options.
Hit the Advanced Tab. Go to the Browsing Section.
Uncheck: Use Passive FTP
Hit Apply. Hit OK.

4. For Purists: We recommend you get out of your IE7 browser and type or paste, the FTP site address into the address bar inside My Computer. Voila! You will instantly be able to access your FTP site in the familiar Windows format . If this does not work, go back and complete Steps 2 & 3 and then retry Step 4.

Disclaimer: These tips are based on our experiences and may not work for everyone. We welcome more tips and suggestions!

AutoCAD Monkey Revisited

2007-05-15T12:12:00.000-07:00

AutoCAD Joke of the Month

Carbonite - Don't Stress - Back Up Your Hard Drive!

2007-05-09T10:38:00.000-07:00

One of our friends fried his hard drive this week. We asked if he was upset. He told us that he had subscribed to Carbonite and could recover his data thanks to their on-line back-up service.

We decided to try it. Carbonite installed seamlessly while we were working on several projects and multi-tasking on our computer. Carbonite gives you options to back up some or all of your data. Your first back-up to their server may take 24 hours or more. It attaches a yellow ball symbol to all files that are being backed-up. We have not noticed any loss in speed or interruption to our work flow while our back-up is taking place. A year's subscription to their automatic back-up service is available for only $49.95. We are already less stressed!

http://www.carbonite.com/

Carbonite Followup- 6/02/07: It took Carbonite approx a week to back up everything on our test computer. Now it just backs up new data. The Carbonite indicators attached to all files are helpful as they change color to show the status of backup process (The yellow ball symbols changed to blue when backup was completed). Our friend with the crashed computer reported that he was able to restore all data backed up to Carbonite successfully.

Carbonite Followup - 7/19/07 - You may want to read about other users experiences with this software and their recommendations before you install Carbonite. Pros and Cons are discussed on the blog, Fresh Thinking.

http://www.freshbooks.com/blog/2007/07/12/remote-file-back-services-carbonite-review/#comment-45330

Carbonite Followup - 9/19/07 - Heads Up for subscribers: Carbonite only gives a 1 week notice if your subscription is about to expire. This can be a hassle if you are between pay checks.

Carbonite Followup - 8/25/08 - Carbonite can slow our old computer to a crawl just when we are under pressure to get some work done. We found that by right clicking the icon in the Windows XP tray notification area, we can pause Carbonite for 24 hours or less.

AutoCAD - Can't Zoom Viewport? Don't Panic - It is Locked!

2007-05-02T20:19:00.000-07:00

If you cannot Zoom inside a viewport in your AutoCAD drawing, look for the viewport and list it in Properties. If the Display Locked property says Yes, Change it to No.

It is a good idea to Lock your viewport if you want to protect the scale of your views. This is especially helpful for large site plans or if recovering your view will be difficult.

It can be confusing, however, to receive a drawing with a locked viewport, if you are not familiar with this feature. When the viewport is locked, zooming inside MS zooms the entire drawing. Just unlock it!

Nemetschek acquires ArchiCAD , The Rest of the Story is?

2007-04-25T21:07:00.000-07:00

Nemetschek took over Graphisoft in January 2007.

We have clients who use ArchiCAD and Vectorworks but have not heard much about the ramifications of the acquisition.

Rumors, by insiders a few years ago that Graphisoft had lost it's pioneering vision for ArchiCAD may have foreshadowed the change.

Two interesting blog commentaries on the Nemetschek's move:

Nemetschek becomes majority shareholders of Graphisoft

http://www.stress-free.co.nz/nemetschek_become_majority_shareholders_of_graphisoft

Susan Smith On Nemetschek's Acquisition of Graphisoft

http://worldcadaccess.typepad.com/blog/2007/02/susan_smith_on_.html

Mac OS & AutoCAD Watch - McDwiff!

2007-04-08T16:15:00.000-07:00

Mac users can now view AutoCAD DWF files.

McDwiff is a Mac OS X application that opens, views, converts, and prints DWF files.

http://www.macdwf.com/

KeyCAD Mystery

2007-04-03T13:34:00.000-07:00

We were contacted last week by a customer who sent us CAD files created in a software called KeyCAD with a .kcw extension.

We can not find much information on KeyCAD and KeyCAD Pro. Although it is still marketed on Amazon.com with good reviews from users who needed a cheap CAD package for home use, Softkey, the company who manufactured it, is out of business.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SoftKey

Moral of the story is, when purchasing a CAD package, find out how or if , it's drawing files can be read by other CAD software packages. Keep in mind that you may eventually want to issue your drawings in another CAD software. If you don't know how to export your drawing to a more readable format, you may be stuck with files that have to be redrawn from scratch.

Ready to Plot in AutoCAD but Text Size Looks Wrong? Check with "Change Space".

2007-03-26T15:47:00.000-07:00

This tip is for anyone who has to check AutoCAD drawings before plotting.

Problem is that this floor plan has been scaled up in model space from 1/8” to ¼” scale. Is the text going to plot correctly? It is difficult for a non-expert to tell by looking at it on the screen.

To resolve, using the DTEXT command, try typing some text in paperspace at the size you know text should plot at if measured on paper. We like to use 1/8” text height for our standard. As you can see, by comparing the new PaperSpace text with existing, the text in model space is too big. What is the correct height?

Using the Change Space command, send the text to model space. Your text lists in model space at 4-13/16". For the purposes of our example, this is the size you want your model space text to be for a correct plot (your situation may vary).

If you are a pre -2007 AutoCAD user - Change Space can be found under Express Menu, Layout Tools.

Change Space Instructions for 2007 Users from CadTutor.net.

"Formerly found in Express Tools, the Change Space feature is now… "
http://www.cadtutor.net/corner/2006/august.php

"Yes, Virginia, There is a RhinoMarine!"

2007-03-16T20:35:00.000-07:00

We had not heard of this software until a customer contacted us last week with a request for RhinoMarine Drafting Support.

Turns out that it is not a rare rhinoceros but a Plug-In, from Proteus Engineering, for Rhinoceros which provides “a full suite of specialty marine design and analysis tools.”

For more information:

www.rhino3d.com/marine.htm

Informative Rhino Marine Instructional Videos show examples of RhinoMarine in action.

www.rhinomarine3d.com/videos.htm

Reporting from MySpace - AutoCAD Users Group

2007-03-07T16:06:00.000-08:00

Check out this site for interesting feedback on AutoCAD.

Forum Topics change fast.

Today they are currently voting for best AutoCAD Release. AutoCAD 2004 & SketchUp are in the lead.

AutoCAD Users and Needs
http://groups.myspace.com/httpprofilesmyspacecomusers7772125

Canstruction - Cool Design & Build Competition

2007-03-04T13:31:00.000-08:00

Architects and engineers compete to see whose team can build the most spectacular structure using little more than cans of food at Canstruction, the 13th annual NYC Design and Build competition in New York.

http://www.canstruction.com/indexi.html

Submitted by Hasib Nusratty

What software will make PDF’s in AutoCAD R14?

2007-02-19T11:43:00.000-08:00

A client asked us this question last week. As, proponents of interoperability, we keep reiterating, many AutoCAD users are still on R14.

We recommended PDF4Free because it is a neat little app which installs quickly and only lets you know it is around by the promotional watermark on the PDF’s it creates.

http://www.pdfpdf.com/pdf4free.html

A friend of ours, currently running R2007 swears by CutePDF (professional), despite the fact that AutoCAD 2007 now has the capability to create PDF files. We decided to give the free version a try.

Our McAfee red flagged their site, CutePDF.com,as potential trouble, so we downloaded it from
http://www.download.com/3000-6675-10206470.html.

Smooth sailing, until; upon running the app for the first time, we were prompted to download a mandatory PS2PDF converter. The link took us back to the red flagged CutePDF.com. We decided to proceed anyway and did not encounter any noticable problems.

We found that the free version of CutePDF provides more options than PDF4Free sans any watermark. The only advertising we can find (to date) is unobtrusive promotional copy urging us to upgrade to the complete version of the application in the Saveas Dialog box. PDF's can be created for full size plot sheets even if you do not have a plotter.

Both applications will work with AutoCAD R14.

If you are an Engineer...You Won't Get This...

2007-02-03T16:37:00.000-08:00

Do You Have .... The Knack?

http://www.clearlogicgroup.com/TechRX/TheKnack.mpg

Get Temperamental AutoCAD Drawings to Behave!

2007-02-03T16:26:00.000-08:00

An effective way to clean garbage out of a misbehaving AutoCAD drawing is to WBLOCK it to itself.

Command line instructions:

Command: -wblock
Select the drawing you are currently working on from the “Create Drawing File” dialog box.

Caution: Be certain you are selecting the same drawing that you are in. When bleary eyed we have on occasion overwritten the wrong drawing.

AutoCAD will confirm that the drawing exists and ask if you want to replace it. Pick “Yes”.

Type * to select the (whole drawing) option. Hit Enter.

Quit. Do not Save, when prompted to Save.

If you open your drawing and it is still acting up, perform the entire procedure again.
Sometimes you have to do this more than once to get the desired results.

Warning: Even, if you have your File Save Option set to "SaveAs AutoCAD 2000", this command will WBLOCK your drawing out to the current release you are working in.
Open the drawing and save it again to Save Down. If you are sending drawing files out, the Etransmit command will Save Down automatically for you.

Webmaster "In Absentia"? How To Tweak Your Own Web Page

2007-01-21T15:44:00.000-08:00

A friend of ours, who is a busy principal, emailed us with a question. He had to change the office address on his web page quickly and asked how to do this himself. So, here goes...

Clueless about web stuff and need to edit text content on one of your web pages? Don't panic. Follow these easy steps:

1. Pull up your browser. Navigate to the web page on your site that you want to modify. (Don't worry about finding the web page on your web server.) Right click on it and save it as a text file.
If this does not work in Explorer try another browser such as Mozilla Firebird.

2. Pull up your text file in Notepad. Don't use Word, it will screw up the HTML. Do a Search (Find..) for the text you want to update. When you find it, edit the text.

3. SaveAs with an html extension and email the page to your webmaster for uploading.

Note: This won't work if the web page is in PHP or if the content is in Flash. No webmaster? That is the subject of another tutorial.

Take AutoCAD Home from the Office - Yes, It's Legal

2007-01-10T10:17:00.000-08:00

It is quite a perk and perfectly legal to install AutoCAD at home if your office has purchased a licensed copy for your workstation.

More specifics:
http://civilcommunity.autodesk.com/blogs/blog/4/blogpost/3621/

How To Legally Install Your Office Copy at Home (This will not work for a Network Liscense):

After installation on your home workstation AutoCAD will prompt you to either:
(1) Enter or (2) Get Your Authorization code. You do not need to have the code handy.

Choose the option to Get your Authorization Code and enter all your your company information as if you were at the office (i.e. enter your office location, email etc) just as it is entered on your office workstation installation. AutoDesk should then approve your authorization.
Autodesk expects each workstation to have a few reinstalls and this is counted as a reinstall.

If your authorization code is not verified, check with your Network Administrator or CAD Manager.

Addendum - Sept. 21, 2007 : Autodesk will request an Authorization code each time AutoCAD is reinstalled at your home location.

Make Your Day Easier - AutoDesk DWG TrueView 2007

2007-01-07T15:18:00.000-08:00

Who isn't getting tired of constant upgrades? We are still supporting clients who insist on using R14!

Kudos’ to Autodesk! They are continuing to improve their free options for AutoCAD file viewing.

AutoDWG works well. Recommended for principals and staff who do not have to modify drawing files.

Don't try to get DWG TrueView 2007 up and running right before a deadline!

Give yourself at least 30 minutes to download and install this application and an hour to review its features.

We hit a snag during it's installation of the .NET Framework and had to restart the computer and try again.

Once up and running it responds to commands quickly but pulls up drawings slowly on our workstation.

Download Your Copy Here...
http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/index?id=6703438&siteID=123112

More Information from Shaan Hurley...
http://autodesk.blogs.com/between_the_lines/2006/04/autodesk_truste.html

Addendum: Editor's Pick - Helpful TrueView Tips

6.09.07

ERROR: Layout not initialized - from Beyond the Paper

http://dwf.blogs.com/beyond_the_paper/2006/05/error_layout_no.html

Mysterious computer glitch got you down? Try DiskCheck first.

2007-01-02T10:09:00.000-08:00

Alameda Business Machines (refer to earlier post on Spyware) also recommends the old fashioned CHKDSK command for “do it yourself repair” of mysterious Windows XP computer glitches. It still works.

Before running to your tech support guru or computer repair shop, try this.

From My Computer, Right Click your Local Disk (C:) and select “Properties” from the Menu.
Select the Tools Tab. Hit the “Check Now” Button under “Error-Checking”.

Check the “Disk Options”. Hit “Start”. A message box will appear recommending that DiskCheck be scheduled next time you start the computer. Hit the “Yes” button.

Plan to restart your computer when you can wait approx. 1 hour for DiskCheck to run. You will be unable to work during this time.

Over the holiday, we tested DiskCheck on a computer which was repeatedly locking up on the same DLL file during a McAfee virus scan. Our only recourse had been to turn off the computer. DiskCheck fixed the problem and our McAfee Scan now works fine.

Austin, Texas is the place to be... for CAD training!

2006-12-12T14:05:00.000-08:00

Austin Community College offers an incredible line-up of programs for multi-discipline CAD Training. They report that their students are in high demand.

"GET TRAINED IN CAD at Austin Community College. AutoCAD, Inventor, Revit, LDD, Pro/E Microstation, Cadence Virtuoso, 3DS Max [& ESRI]. New Certified CAD Drafter Program! Register today! Call 512.223-4900. Email: autocad@austincc.edu, or visit http://www.austincc.edu/autocad"

Advice on Spyware

2006-12-01T18:25:00.000-08:00

"Spyware is a growing problem with computers. Spyware comes from the internet and resides on your computer causing excessive popups and other problems with Windows based computers.

We recommend two proven spy ware killers....Ad-Aware SE Personal Edition (free)http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/ad-aware_se_personal.php

Spy Bot Search and Destroy (free but donation is appreciated)http://www.spybot.info/en/spybotsd/index.html

After downloading and installing these programs, you should run them once a week to offest any problems from the internet."

This posting is compliments of Alameda Business Machines excerpted from their hand-out
"Advice on Spyware, Viruses and Shared Internet History".
http://www.abmpc.com/cgi-bin/abm.pl

ClearLogicGroup recommends downloading, installing and testing these programs one at a time on your machine unless you are already familiar with them.

AutoCAD 2005 Error Message - class associated with CLISD...not registered.

2006-11-19T14:39:00.000-08:00

Question submitted to TechRx - AutoCAD 2005 error message

I work with jpg images in CAD drawings and they frequently need modification. In the past I could click on the image, go to Properties and adjust the image under "Image Adjust". But now when I do that I get the following error message.

"Unable to bring up dialog because class associated with CLSID {E68312A2-580C-4F22-BCD9-2E0CE58CB135} is not registered."

I get this error message for the last several days. Any ideas?

CLISD is in reference to a COM object that cannot find a class it is looking for. The cause of the error message is a corrupted registry. The corruption can be caused by uninstalling or installing software. A trojan or worm can also write into the registry.

In this case our user told us that the error message only happened when they invoked the "Image Adjust" command. We recommended re-installing AutoCAD.

Take a Constructive Coffee Break - Visit YouTube - Autodesk!

2006-11-07T15:12:00.000-08:00

Take a constructive break and check out the Autodesk related videos posted on YouTube. They range from informative software tutorials to hilarious commercials.

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=autodesk&search=Search

Quick Fix - ArxError eDuplicateKey Nightmare

2006-11-01T22:18:00.000-08:00

An annoying Dialog Box appears when user is trying to insert a block. Unfortunately, this dialog box cannot be closed!! It is an unwelcome reminder that you are working with incompatable versions of AutoDesk software.

To fix - download and install the appropriate Autodesk Hotfix.

Note: Updated Links on July 1, 2007 Provided by JTB World (http://www.jtbworld.com/)

For AutoCAD® 2004 or 2004 based products:

http://usa.autodesk.com/getdoc/id=DL7047389

For AutoCAD® 2005 or 2005 based products:

http://usa.autodesk.com/getdoc/id=DL7047376

For AutoCAD® 2006 or 2006 based products:

http://usa.autodesk.com/getdoc/id=DL7047371

Addendum 7/24/07: Helpful Link - Cad Forum

http://www.cadforum.cz/cadforum_en/qaID.asp?tip=4922

Just when you thought you knew all about virus signatures. . .

2006-10-23T18:12:00.000-07:00

http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,2034680,00.asp?kc=EWEWKEMLP102006BOE1

Courtesy of:
Marvin Tanner
Silicon Networks

VectorWorks 12 Export Options - Export to AutoCAD - Part II

2006-09-30T21:17:00.000-07:00

If you are working back and forth between Vectorworks and AutoCAD, drawing conversion can be tricky. These VW12 settings are recommended for successful export to DWG or DXF format.

Screen Shot - Courtesy of Larry Mortimer, AIA

DwgSee Pro now available for AutoCAD 2007

2006-09-23T18:52:00.000-07:00

We recommend DwgSee Pro for viewing AutoCAD files and converting DWG files to GIF, JPG, TIF or PDF format.

DWG files pull up fast in the viewer which makes using it a welcome relief for anyone who has to deal with large AutoCAD files and a slow computer.

Some features may seem clunky to AutoCAD users. For example, the Pan command draws a line to show where the user has panned. Getting the best resolution in converting DWG files to GIF, JPEG or TIFF is something we have not yet mastered.

Still, overall, DwgSeePro is a useful application, intended for professionals who need to review and markup drawings, quickly and don't want to hassle with AutoCAD.

For more information – read Cadalyst’s review:

http://management.cadalyst.com/cadman/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=325011&pageID=3

Download and Test Drive a Demo from http://www.autodwg.com/.

If you already own the software, upgrading is free.

Fix Crashing AutoCAD Files which originated from Vectorworks - Part I

2006-09-18T13:43:00.000-07:00

To fix crashing AutoCAD files that originated from Vectorworks try this procedure courtesy of CADneophyte from the Autodesk Discussion Group - posted on: Apr/10/06 - 18:11 (GMT)

1. Use the Recover Command not the Open Command to open,
2. Delete any extraneous layouts
3. Global Explode
4. Purge
5. Saveas R12.dxf
6. Recover same
8. Purge again
7. Saveas .dwg

Architects flourish in the Bay Area job market

2006-09-14T13:12:00.000-07:00

Sunday, September 10, 2006 (SF Gate)

The Profession is in the Details/Architects flourish in the Bay Area job market
Robert M. Detman

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/g/a/2006/09/10/detman.DTL

What is Pro/E?

2006-09-08T19:51:00.000-07:00

What is Pro/E or Pro/Engineer CAD software ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pro/ENGINEER

Pro/Engineer Wildfire 3.0 - Reviewed in Desktop Engineering Magazine
http://www.deskeng.com/Articles/Software-Review/Pro%10Engineer-Wildfire-3.0-200605151020.html

AVI and 3d CAD Animation

2006-08-26T19:47:00.000-07:00

AVI (Audio Visual Interleave) is a Microsoft Windows file type for Audio/Visual data. AVI files can be played in Windows Media Player which comes with the Windows Operating System.

The AVI format allows people to easily view 3d CAD animations even if they do not have the CAD software installed on their computer. It is a great way to share work with clients. AVI’s can be created by many different CAD applications including AutoCAD, Architectural Desktop, 3D Studio, ArchiCAD and Solidworks.

AutoCAD Layouts - How to List Layouts in a Drawing - Part I

2006-08-17T11:23:00.000-07:00

If you have to work with a drawing which has many layouts and need to quickly verify all of them use LAYOUTLIST.

This LISP function will list the names of all the layouts in your drawing. Type it at the command line inside parenthesis or include it in a LISP routine.

(layoutlist)
returns:
("Layout1" "Layout2" "Layout3" ...etc)

Command For Users not Lispers - Addendum - added July 4, 2007:

"...go into the LAYOUT command and key in a "?". That lists out the layouts - but doesn't give you a final total (you'd have to count them yourself)."

Lynn Allen
Autodesk Technical Evangelist

Useful Macro for Lispers - Addendum - added August 3, 2007:

http://www.cadforum.cz/cadforum_en/qaID.asp?tip=1594

The Virtual Office by Larry Mortimer AIA

2006-08-14T13:42:00.000-07:00

Larry Mortimer wrote this helpful article regarding his experiences with a Virtual Office setup for the AIAEB. He has given us permission to publish it here.

The Virtual Office
by Larry Mortimer AIA
http://www.clearlogicgroup.com/blog/virtual.pdf

Microsoft® Windows® Malicious Software Removal Tool

2006-08-11T11:50:00.000-07:00

For Windows XP, Windows 2000 and Windows Server 2003 we recommend:

Back check your Virus Protection with:

Microsoft® Windows® Malicious Software Removal Tool (KB890830)
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=AD724AE0-E72D-4F54-9AB3-75B8EB148356&displaylang=en

We recommend a full scan.

Scan during your lunch break or at the end of the day. The application does not allow you to minimize it. The dialog box will stay on top of all other applications. The full scan can take at least an hour. Be sure to check the report afterwards to find out if any files are infected.

AutoCAD 2006 Service Pack 1 and _vernum - Part I

2006-08-09T14:51:00.000-07:00

We are running AutoCAD 2006. How do we know if AutoCAD Service Pack 1 has been installed?

Open AutoCAD. At the command line type: _vernum

If the response is: Z.54.1 - You are running AutoCAD 2006 with no Service Pack.

If the response is: Z.77.0 - You are running AutoCAD 2006 with Service Pack 1.

AutoCAD 2006 Service Pack 1 is highly recommended.

Google AdSense Tips - Part I

2006-08-08T16:50:00.000-07:00

Adding Google AdSense to your web site is a great way to find out how Google views your web pages.

If you are not familiar with Adsense. Find out more at: www.google.com/adsense.

Adsense reads text on your web page, it does not pick up on images. A web page which contains only pictures will not attract Adsense advertising content.

Adjust your web page text content to control Adsense advertisements. Emphasize the topics that you would like to see picked up by AdSense. For example if you don't want competitors posted in your AdSense, adjust written content to reflect services that are slightly peripheral to yours.

It takes Adsense several days to acclimate to your page. If you want Adsense content to change, modify your page content and meta tags. AdSense will eventually start picking up on the new information.