Heidi Hewett's Blog

Transitioning from 2D to 3D AutoCAD drawings 103

Continuing with my “Transitioning from 2D to 3D” series, I’ll use the existing single-line beams as paths for sweeping the beam profiles. The SWEEP command enables you to create a solid or surface by sweeping an open or closed planar curve (profile) along an open or closed 2D or 3D path. If you sweep an open curve, AutoCAD will create a surface. If you sweep a closed curve, AutoCAD will create a solid. Since beam profiles are not typically included in plan drawings, I copied them from the 2D Framing Elevation.  See Commandless Copy for more for information on coping objects between drawings.

The beam profile that I copied was a block. Before using the SWEEP command, I had to explode the block so I could access the closed polyline, which represents the cross-section of the beam.

From the Dashboard, choose Sweep to launch the SWEEP command.

1. Select the closed polyline, which represents the beam cross-section and then press enter to finish the selection set.
2. Select a line that represents a beam in the structural plan. AutoCAD automatically aligns the profile so that it is perpendicular to the path and it uses the centroid of the profile as the basepoint to follow the path. You can change the default behavior using the Alignment and Basepoint options from the right-click menu.
3. Repeat the SWEEP command using the same profile for each of the beam lines. Hint: Ensure that you have set AutoCAD to “Retain defining geometry”. See my previous post for more information.

The SWEEP command does not allow you to select multiple paths so you will have to perform this operation multiple times. However, you can use the AutoCAD API (Application Programing Interface) to automate the SWEEP command. Or, if the single line beams were inserted as blocks similar to the columns, you would only have to use the SWEEP command one time for each different block definition.

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Retaining defining geometry

Some of the 3D creation tools in AutoCAD 2007 use existing geometry to produce new 3D solids or surfaces. The default behavior in AutoCAD is to delete that defining geometry after the 3D operation has been completed. For example, if you sweep a profile along a path or revolve a profile around an axis, the original profile geometry will be deleted. In some cases, you may want to reuse that profile geometry for subsequent commands. If so, you can change AutoCAD’s default behavior so that it always retains the original geometry.

1. Right-click in the drawing window.
2. From the right-click menu, choose Options.
3. In the Options dialog box, choose the 3D Modeling tab.
4. Under “Deletion Control while creating 3D objects”, select “Retain Defining Geometry” from the drop-down list. You might find one of the other options even more approriate for your particular situation.
5. Choose OK to close the options dialog box.
   

Scenes from the Atlanta AYI Tour

The Accelerate Your Ideas event in Atlanta was a great success!

Next stop... Chicago!

Scenes from the Houston AYI Tour

The final leg of the Accelerate Your Ideas Tour is this week! The first stop for the week was Houston on Tuesday!Today we're in Atlanta and the final stop for the AYI tour is Chicago on Thursday. If you are near Atlanta or Chicago, you still have time to attend these valuable building solutions sessions! Hope to see you there!

Scenes from the New Jersey Autodesk User Group

On Thursday evening I had the pleasure of presenting AutoCAD 2007 at the New Jersey Autodesk User Group.

My mom, who joined me for a weekend in NYC, helped pick a winner!

Scenes from the NYC AYI Tour

NYC was the place to be on Thursday!

I took a little time to tour Manhattan and surrounding areas and I was amazed at the amount of building that is going on. Not just in the area of the WTC, but all over! Beautiful old buildings are being converted to "luxury condominiums" and sold for millions of dollars. It is no wonder there is so much interest in the Autodesk Building Solutions! Conceptual design, building information modeling and visualization are becoming more and more crucial!

Scenes from the Boston AYI Tour

The Accelerate Your Ideas Tour continued in Boston on Wednesday. In addition to the four building solutions sessions, there are two bonus sessions: Accelerate Your Renderings with VIZ and 3ds Max and Collaborative Project Management with Buzzsaw and Constructware.

Everyone is getting their Java fix before the sessions begin!

Someone forgot their Java!

Commandless Copy!!

Did you know that, going all the way back to AutoCAD 2000, you can quickly copy objects within a drawing or between drawings without even launching a command?

Simply select the object you want to copy and then click and hold the right mouse button as you drag the new geometry into position. When you release the right mouse button, a right-click menu displays the following options: Move, Copy, Paste as a block, and Cancel. This method does not provide the accuracy of grips and object snaps but it is a quick alternative if you aren’t concerned with placing the geometry at a precise location.

You can use similar functionality to copy geometry from one drawing to another. For example, I have a drawing of a 2D framing elevation that includes blocks of the beam cross-sections. I want to use those the blocks as profiles in my 3D drawing.

First, I open both drawings in the AutoCAD window and then from the Window menu, I select Tile Horizontally.

 

After zooming into an appropriate location in each drawing, I select the beam cross-section blocks from the Frame Elevation drawing and then right-click and continue to hold down the right mouse button as I drag the geometry into the 3D drawing

When I release the geometry in the 3D drawing, AutoCAD displays the following menu options: Copy, Paste as a block, Paste to Orig Coords, and Cancel. In my example, I chose Copy Here because I wasn’t too concerned with the exact location of the blocks in the new drawing.

I have found the Paste to Orig Coords option useful in many situations. For example, if you have two drawings of the same floor plan and you want to copy the lighting layout from one drawing to the other. Assuming the existing geometry in the second drawing (walls, etc) was based off the same coordinates as the first drawing, when you paste to original coordinates, the lighting geometry will automatically insert into the appropriate location.

I also use Paste to Orig Coords for quickly replacing an old title block with a new one. For example, if you have a bunch of drawings with an old title block, you can open all of them and open one drawing with the new title block. Tile all the drawings. The geometry in each of the drawings may not be very legible when they are tiled but it doesn’t matter. In each of the drawings, select and erase the old title block (you may have to purge its block definition if the new one has the same name). Then you can select the title block from the new drawing and right-click drag and drop into each of the other drawings. If you select Paste to Orig Coords (again assuming that the original coordinates in the first drawing are appropriate for the other drawings), the titleblock will automatically insert at the same location.

AutoCAD 2005 and 2006 Webcasts

I know many of you have not yet upgraded to AutoCAD 2007 or, even if you did upgrade, you are not yet using the newer functionality. As a matter of fact, I'm willing to bet that many of you AutoCAD 2006 and 2005 users are still not using some of the "newer" functionality that was introduced in those releases. Sometimes we hear so much about the "newest" functionality, that we forget all the value in the slightly older functionality.... much of which goes unused. For example, are you using Sheet sets? Fields? Dynamic Blocks? Tables? Toolpalettes? CUI (Customize User Interface)?  You can learn more about some of the "older" AutoCAD functionality by viewing the archived Webcasts. Nearly everything you see in those older Webcasts also applies to AutoCAD 2007.

Remember from my AutoCAD 200X posting... "if you haven't seen used it, it's new to you!"

Transitioning from 2D to 3D AutoCAD drawings 102

In my previous “Transitioning from 2D to 3D… 101” post, I provided an introduction to this series of posts in which I will show you how to update an existing 2D floor plan to a 3D AutoCAD model.

First, I’ll turn off some of the layers so that I can focus on the structural elements.

Then, holding down the Shift key and middle mouse button, I’ll move the mouse to change the viewpoint of the drawing. This means that I’m looking at the drawing at an angle rather than from directly above.

This drawing includes two different types of columns and therefore uses two different block references. Since the columns are block references, changes I make to the block definitions will automatically apply to all of the block references. This is typical AutoCAD behavior regardless if you are working with 2D or 3D geometry.

There are several ways to edit a block definition. In AutoCAD 2006 and 2007, you can use the BEDIT command to access the Block Editor. However, the Block Editor does not enable you to change the viewpoint of your block definition. You can use 3D creation tools in the Block Editor but since you can only view the geometry from the top, it might be difficult to see what you are doing. For this reason, I prefer to use the REFEDIT command. Using REFEDIT enables me to edit the block definition in the context of the rest of the drawing and it provides full access to the 3D creation as well as the 3D viewing tools.

1. Zoom into the column blocks.
2. Select one of the block references, right-click and choose Edit Block In-place. This launches the REFEDIT command.
3. In the Reference Edit dialog box, choose OK.
4. Press the Ctrl and Alt keys and pick inside the 2D column.
   The Ctrl Alt keys launch the Presspull functionality (you can also use the PRESSPULL command). As you pass your cursor inside the boundary of the column, AutoCAD detects the boundary and highlights it. You can then drag your cursor up or down to press or pull the 2D geometry into a 3D solid.
   
5. Drag the cursor up and pick a point or enter a value for the height. Even if you do not know the exact height, you can specify some value and then easily edit it later.
   
   AutoCAD creates a new 3D Solid object within the block definition. The new object is created on the current layer so you will want to be sure you have an appropriate layer set prior to using the Presspull functionality or change the layer property of the 3D object after it is created. The same layer rules apply to 3D as they do in 2D. For example, if you want block geometry to take on properties of the layer in which the block is inserted, you should create that geometry on layer 0 within the block definition.
6. On the Refedit toolbar, choose Save Reference Edits.
   All of the block references for that particular type of column will update with the new 3D geometry just as you would expect them to do when you make 2D edits to the block definition.
   

I can repeat a similar process for the other block definition. If I want the height of the second column to be the same as the first one, I can easily use what I know about object snaps in a 2D environment to quickly snap to the height (Z value) of the existing column. Although the new column appears to be too tall, as soon as I pick the endpoint of the existing column, AutoCAD will read the Z value and apply it to the new object.

               

Reading my explanation of this process takes a lot longer than actually performing these tasks in AutoCAD 2007. I can easily convert all the column blocks to 3D in less than a minute and a half!

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Transitioning from 2D to 3D AutoCAD drawings 101

During the Accelerate Your Ideas tour, I've been showing how AutoCAD can be used in different building environments to convert a typical 2D floor plan into a 3D model. Even if you have never created a 3D drawing, I think you’ll find that the new tools in AutoCAD make it an easy transition from your familiar 2D environment to the world of 3D. As you become more familiar and comfortable with the 3D conceptual design and visualization tools in AutoCAD, you may discover that you want even more power and flexibility. You can use the knowledge you’ve gained and the drawings you’ve created in AutoCAD to help you transition to Autodesk solutions that were specifically designed for the architectural, building structural, and building engineering industries.

During last week’s “Accelerate Your Ideas” tour, I learned a lot about how Autodesk’s building industry applications work together to provide a complete solution. If you are in the building industry, I encourage you to attend one of these valuable half-day events near you. The remaining cities on the tour include Boston, NYC, Houston, Atlanta, and Chicago.

www.autodesk.com/buildingevents

In the mean time I am going to begin a series of posts that step you through a process for converting a typical 2D AutoCAD floor plan into a 3D AutoCAD model. Even if you are not in the building industry, you can apply these AutoCAD tools and suggestions to typical drawings in any industry.

I'll begin with an AutoCAD drawing of a floor plan. This particular floor plan includes walls, basic structural elements, lights, diffusers, and ducts.

This is a typical 2D drawing. Actually, I should clarify… In reality, every AutoCAD drawing is 3D because every object has a Z value. However, in typical “2D” AutoCAD drawings, the Z value of all the objects is zero. You can view any AutoCAD drawing (in model space) from any viewpoint. However, in a typical 2D drawing, we always view the model from the top. If you change the viewpoint of a typical 2D drawing, you can see that it is flat.

The easiest way to change the viewpoint of a drawing in AutoCAD 2007 is to hold down the Shift key while you press the middle mouse button and move the mouse. There are many other ways to change the viewpoint in AutoCAD 2007 and earlier releases. For example, you can use the View command to set one of the predefined views such as Southwest Isometric.

As you change the viewpoint of your drawing, you may find that all the geometry is NOT flat. For example, if someone accidentally entered or changed the Z value of a block’s insertion point to a value other than zero, the block would be floating in 3D space. Working in a typical 2D view (looking at the drawing from the top), you might never notice the mistake, and it probably wouldn’t matter.

In the next post, I’ll show you how to update the existing 2D structural columns in the floor plan to 3D objects.

Scenes from the Seattle AYI Tour

The west coast segment of the Accelerate Your Ideas tour wrapped up in Seattle on Thursday. The event was held at the Edgewater Hotel. Built on a pier, the hotel offered beautiful views of the water. I was worried the attendees wouldn't be able to focus on the presentations... But I guess they are used to these amazing views! Or maybe it was because the content was so engaging as they learned how to make the most of their Autodesk software!

Scenes from the Anaheim AYI Tour

The Accelerate Your Ideas tour continued to Anaheim on Wednesday. The event was held at the beautiful Disney Grand Californian hotel right next to Disneyland. I felt a little guilty being so close to Mickey without my kids! But, there was no time for roller coasters and ferris wheels! The morning was packed with architects and engineers learning how to use Autodesk's building solutions for conceptual design, visualization, and building information modeling.

Scenes from the San Francisco Accelerate Your Ideas Tour

Autodesk’s Accelerate Your Ideas Tour for the building industry kicked off on Tuesday in San Francisco. The event, held at the W hotel, offered four learning tracks including two for building professionals, one for structural and one for mechanical, electrical, and plumbing.

Despite some transportation glitches with BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit), the attendance was great and the sessions were a huge success.

AutoCAD 2007 Webcasts

If you missed the live Webcasts for AutoCAD 2007, don't worry! They were recorded!

Best Practices for Rendering and Visualization with Heidi Hewett
Do you ever have to present your design ideas to a non-technical audience? Wouldn’t it be nice if you could create compelling images within your familiar AutoCAD environment? Well now you can.
Watch the webcast

Best Practices for Conceptual Design with Heidi Hewett
If you have tried working with solids and surfaces in AutoCAD in the past, but it was just too difficult, then it’s time to try AutoCAD® 2007 software.
Watch the webcast

Lynn Allen’s Tips & Tricks for Success
Learn from the expert how to get the most out of AutoCAD 2007.
Watch the webcast.

FREE Training!?!

As many of you know, I am a huge advocate of live training... and what can be better than getting it for free?!?!

Beginning next week, Autodesk will be offering half-day building solutions learning seminars at various locations across the US. I'll be teaching most of the AutoCAD sessions and I'm looking forward to LEARNING from the other sessions. To learn more about these FREE events, visit www.autodesk.com/buildingevents

Hope to see you there!

Align your blocks!

Inserting a traditional block often requires multiple steps to properly place and align the block. For example, if you insert a block of a kitchen range into a floor plan, you might have to rotate the block to align it with the rest of the floor plan. Even if you use the most efficient shortcut options it will require 6 steps (picks, clicks and keyboard entries), to properly place the block.
1) Right-click
2) Select Rotate
3) 9
4) 0
5) Enter
6) Pick to place block in drawing

If you update the block definition to use an alignment parameter, you will reduce the required picks, clicks and keyboard entries to 1! Simply push the cursor towards the object to which you want to align and pick!

To add an alignment parameter to your existing block definitions, use the Block Editor in AutoCAD 2006 or 2007.
1) Open the block definition in the Block Editor.
2) In the Block Authoring Palette, choose the Parameters tab.
3) On the Parameters tab, select Alignment Parameter.
4) For the Basepoint of Alignment, select the insertion point.
5) Pick a point to specify the alignment direction. By default, the alignment will be perpendicular to the direction you specify.

NOTE: In order for the block to automatically align upon insertion, the alignment parameter must be located at the basepoint of the block.

If the alignment parameter is not located at the block’s basepoint, it can still be used to move and align a previously inserted block, but it can’t align the block during insertion.

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eLearning Options!

Although e-Learning is not a replacement for live instructor-led training, it can help fill the gap when live instructor-led training is not feasible. e-Learning content is typically modular enabling you to focus on specific topics and work at your own pace. You can use e-Learning to supplement your existing knowledge or reinforce/refresh what you learned from a more traditional learning environment.

If you are a subscription member, you can access e-Learning lessons from the Autodesk Subscription Center. These self-paced lessons include hands-on, step-by-step exercises that enable you to master the key concepts and features of your Autodesk software.  Some of the newest eLearning titles include:

AutoCAD 2007 – 5 lessons (Japanese)
AutoCAD Electrical 2007 (IEC) – 5 lessons (Italian)
AutoCAD Mechanical 2007 – 5 lessons (Italian)
Autodesk Inventor 11 – 5 lessons (Italian)
Autodesk Inventor 11 – 5 lessons (Spanish)
Autodesk MAP 3D 2007 – 5 lessons (French)
Autodesk MAP 3D 2007 – 5 lessons (German)
Autodesk Revit Systems – 5 lessons (English)

The e-Learning lessons are free as part of the Autodesk Subscription Program... so why not use them???

If you are not a subscription member (and even if you are), you can purchase additional e-Learning content from various content developers. For example, 4D Technologies offers eLearning content for several Autodesk applications including AutoCAD, Inventor, and Architectural Desktop just to name a few.

Scenes from the Atlanta CAD Camp

The Atlanta CAD Camp is in full swing! If you didn't make it to today's CAD Camp, no worries! there is still one more... in Honolulu!

Atlanta CAD Camp.. Tuesday!!

Today's background image is of the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta! Why? Because that is the location of the next CAD Camp (and because it happens to be the view from my hotel room :-)

It isn't too late to register for the Atlanta CAD Camp! This is the last one in the continental United States until fall so don't miss out!

Hope to see you there!