Heidi Hewett's Blog

Expert CAD Management: The Complete Guide

If you are a CAD manager, have some of the responsibilities of a CAD manager or just want to learn more about CAD management topics, check out Robert Green's newly released book: Expert CAD Management: The Complete Guide.

In his book, Robert discusses "real world CAD management issues like budgeting, training, management oversight, expectation management and software/network configuration tips in a conversational style". If you've had the opportunity to attend one of Robert's lectures at Autodesk University or CAD Camp or if you've read any of his work, you know Robert is a fantastic instructor and writer.

Expert CAD Management: The Complete Guide will be available at retail outlets, Amazon.com and from Robert Green’s CAD-Manager.com web site.  To learn more go to www.cad-manager.com/book.

Annotation Scaling 105

In my previous Annotation Scaling posts, I mentioned scale representations but I didn’t tell you what they are.  The time has come!

Think about how you work in AutoCAD today, prior to having the new annotation scaling tools. If you want to display the same geometry in different viewports at different scales, you need to create the annotations at different sizes. For example, the following image shows two details of the same geometry. The one on the left is scaled at 1:8 and the one on the right is scaled at 1:4. If you want the text height of all the dimensions to be 1/8” on the layout, you will need to create the annotations for each of the viewports using at different sizes. The modelspace text height for the annotations in the left viewport is 1” and the text height for the annotations in the right viewport is ½”. If you want an annotation to appear in both viewports, you must create two versions, one for each scale. The problem is that you must carefully manage those multiple copies of the annotation. You would probably control their visibility in each viewport using layers. And, if you want to change the text, you would have to edit it twice; once for each object.

In AutoCAD 2008, scale representations emulate how you currently address this need. However, they do it with a single object. For example, using annotation scaling, the TUBE leader is one object with two scale representations. If you want to change the text, you only edit it once. Also, you don’t have to calculate the modelspace text height. To create scale representations for an annotative object, you simply apply the proper paperspace size (1/8” in this example) and the scales you want it to support (1:8 and 1:4). You don’t have to apply crazy sizes by calculating scale factors. The added benefit is that the viewport scales can control the visibility of the annotative objects. For example, the TUBE leader supports both 1:8 and 1:4 scales so it is displayed in both viewports. The PAVING leader, on the other hand, only supports the 1:8 scale so it is only displayed in the left viewport. The HEAVY DUTY LOCK leader only supports the 1:4 scale so it is only displayed in the right viewport.

For now, keep this information about object scale representations in the back of your mind. In my next Annotation Scaling post, I’ll discuss Annotation Scale and then I’ll describe how Annotation Scale and object scale representations work together.

Annotation Scaling 104

As I mentioned in Annotation Scaling 102, you can use the Properties window to change the Annotative property of any object that supports annotation scaling. And, as I described in Annotation Scaling 103, the Annotative property of some objects (Text, Dimensions, Multileaders), can also be applied using styles. In addition, some objects including Mtext, Block Definitions, Attribute Definitions, and Hatches, provide an Annotative control within their object-specific editors. The Text Formatting toolbar has an Annotative button and the Block Definition, Attribute Definition, Hatch and Gradient, Hatch Edit, Block Attribute Manager, and Enhanced Attribute Editor dialog boxes have new Annotative controls.

It doesn’t matter how you enable the Annotative property of an object. Once it is enabled, AutoCAD automatically creates a scale representation using the current annotation scale. If you disable the Annotative property, AutoCAD automatically creates the equivalent traditional (non-annotative) object based on the current annotation scale.…. But wait! I still haven’t described scale representations or annotation scales!  Don’t worry! We’re getting there! Here are the main things to understand at this point:

• Any of the following types of objects can take advantage of the new annotative scaling functionality: Text, Mtext, Dimensions, Leaders, Multileaders (new object type), Tolerances, Blocks, Attributes, and Hatches.
• You can enable and disable the Annotative property of an object using a variety of methods including the Properties window, styles, and object-specific editors.
• The Annotative property must be enabled for an object to use annotative scaling.

Good Question: AutoCAD/Excel Data Linking

Today’s good question comes from Gerald. He asked how he can write the changes he made in a linked AutoCAD table back to the Excel file.

In order to write data from the AutoCAD table back to the source Excel file, you must enable the "write" option within the data link.

1. Access the Data Link Manager (DATALINK command).
2. Right-click on the datalink that is being used by the table you modified and choose Edit.
   
3. If the Modify Excel Link dialog box is not already expanded, click on the black arrow in the lower right corner to expand it.
   
4. In the expanded dialog box, enable the option to Allow Writing to Source File and choose OK.
   
5. After you’ve edited the table cell contents, select the table, right-click and choose Write Data Links to External Source.
   

The answer I provided for this Good Question assumes you already know how to create a data link. You can learn more about data links in one of my previous posts and I tried to post even more detailed information in future posts.

Workspaces in AutoCAD 2008

One of the first things you might notice when you launch AutoCAD 2008 is the new 2D Drafting and Annotation workspace… This is in addition to the existing 3D Modeling and AutoCAD Classic workspaces that were included in AutoCAD 2007.

If you select the 2D Drafting and Annotation workspace, AutoCAD automatically turns on and off various toolbars and palettes including the Dashboard. You can customize the 2D Drafting and Annotation workspace (or any other workspace) to create an AutoCAD environment that enables you to maximize your drawing area while maintaining easy access to the tools you need most.  For example, I configured my workspace so that the Command window and most toolbars are turned off. It’s okay! Don’t panic! I use Dynamic Input to read and respond to command prompts and if I need to see information from the Command window, I use the F2 (Function 2) key. I have all of the palette windows (Properties, Sheet Set Manager, etc) anchored on the left side with Auto-hide enabled. Those palettes provide all the tools I need… and look how much drawing space I have!!!

To create your own workspace, start with an existing workspace that most closely matches the environment you want. Then simply turn additional toolbars and palettes (including Dashboard panels) on and off. If you want certain palettes to be rolled up and/or anchored, apply those options by selecting them from the right-click menu.

Ensure that you include the Workspaces toolbar in your environment because you will need it to change workspaces. After you set up your environment the way you want, open the Workspaces menu and select Save Current As.

You can select a workspace from the drop-down list to override an existing one or enter a name to create a new workspace. Although you can override the default AutoCAD workspaces, I suggest you save your custom workspaces to different names so that you can restore the default AutoCAD workspaces if necessary. The Workspace Settings option in the right-click menu enables you to control the appearance and behavior of workspaces.

In a future post, I’ll show you how to customize the Dashboard in AutoCAD 2008. By combining the powerful functionality of a customized Dashboard with custom workspaces, you can create an efficient working environment with plenty of drawing area!

Scenes from the 2007 Chicago CAD Camp!

The Chicago CAD Camp was hosted by Imaginit Technologies on Tuesday and was another huge success.

As it turns out, I happened to get a year younger that day... Maybe that's why I forgot to take pictures of the event! Hmmm... since I can't show you "scenes from the Chicago CAD Camp", I'll show you the cool GPS system that the CAD Camp team gave me for my birthday! Apparently they're tired of me getting lost!

Thanks guys! I won't leave home without it!

Scenes from the 2007 Omaha CAD Camp!

The Spring CAD Camp season is now in full swing. After missing the first few cities, I was thrilled to be able to join the tour in Omaha on April 5th! Avatech Solutions hosted this great event in which attendees vowed to return next year!

Look at all those happy Top DAUGs!

Oooohhhh and the lucky winner of AutoCAD 2008 software!

Thanks to David Cohn for sharing these pictures!

American Design Drafting Association... Next week!

Next week (April 16-19) is the ADDA (American Design Drafting Association) 2007 Technical Training & Educational Conference in Chattanooga, Tennessee. I’ll be there teaching a full day of AutoCAD on Wednesday, April 18. Although I’ll be using AutoCAD 2008 for the classes, much of the content will apply to earlier releases as well. Learn how to make the most of your AutoCAD investment with an introduction to time-saving functionality including sheet sets, dynamic blocks, 3D conceptual design, automated annotation scaling and more!

For more information visit http://adda.org/

I hope to see you there!

Annotation Scaling 103

The new automated annotation scaling in AutoCAD 2008 only works for objects that are annotative; meaning their Annotative property (available in the Properties window) is set to Yes. In addition to applying the annotative property on a per-object basis (as I described in my previous post), you can create Text, Dimension, and Multileader Styles that automatically enable the Annotative property. You’ll find a new Annotative option in the Text Style, Dimension Style, and Multileader Style dialog boxes. When the Annotative option is enabled for a style, the style name is preceded by an Annotative icon. This icon helps you identify which styles are annotative when viewing them in a style list.

The annotative object property is automatically enabled for objects, including Text, MTEXT, Dimensions, Tolerance, Leaders, and Multileaders, which use an annotative style. However, you can override the Annotative property on a per-object basis using the Properties window. If an object is using an annotative style but you set its Annotative object property to No, that object will behave just like it would in older releases of AutoCAD.

When you change the Annotative option for a style, existing objects that reference that style are not automatically updated to reflect the change. If you want the annotative properties of selected objects to match those of the object’s style, you can use the ANNOUPDATE command. For example, if your drawing was created in a previous version of AutoCAD using the Standard dimension style, the Annotative property for those existing dimensions is set to No. You can modify the Standard dimension style so that the Annotative option is enabled. Now when you create new dimensions using the Standard dimension style, or when you apply the Standard dimension style to existing dimensions, the Annotative property will be enabled. However, the existing dimensions that already use the Standard dimension style must be updated with the ANNOUPDATE command… or you could select them and manually change their Annotative property in the Properties window.

Regardless of how the Annotative property of an object is enabled (through styles or by manually changing it), AutoCAD automatically creates a scale representation using the current annotation scale…. But wait! I still haven’t described scale representations or annotation scales!  Bear with me! I promise I’ll get to it!

AutoCAD 2008 Customer Involvement Program

With the release of the Autodesk 2008 family of products, Autodesk offers a new Customer Involvement Program (CIP). The CIP enables you to help guide the direction of Autodesk design software by automatically sending Autodesk information about how you use the software. This sounds a little scary and, if you’re like me, you probably dismissed the CIP dialog box (which displays automatically when you first run AutoCAD 2008), without even reading the information. No worries! Here is some of the information you missed:

The Customer Involvement Program (CIP) is a program that dramatically improves the way Autodesk designs software and measures performance and quality. It lets customers be involved in helping make Autodesk products better meet their needs and the needs of the larger community of users.
Included in nearly all of Autodesk’s latest product releases, CIP automatically collects information about software features usage, system configuration and software errors from those customers that choose to participate. About once a day, a small file containing CIP information is sent to Autodesk’s servers.

Autodesk software designers and developers use this information to:

• Identify typical usage patterns
• Learn how new and experienced customers discover and use new features
• Learn how customers use multiple Autodesk products in concert to accomplish tasks
• Understand how features behave in complex, real-world configurations
• Learn more about error conditions that may be caused by software defects or configuration issues

The Customer Involvement Program collects the following types of information:

• Autodesk product commands used
• Name and version of your Autodesk products
• Operating system name and version
• System configuration information like processor, memory, and graphics card
• Errors conditions
• Format of data imported or exported from your Autodesk product
• IP address (used to estimate your country of origin)

The CIP program DOES NOT send actual design information to Autodesk so it is not possible for Autodesk to replicate your actual drawings or design information using the CIP information.

So what do you think? Are you ready to help define the future of AutoCAD? You can start or stop your participation in this program at any time.

To join the Customer Involvement Program:

1. Select Customer Involvement Program from the Help menu.
   


2. In the CIP dialog box, simply select Yes and choose OK. To discontinue participation in the CIP program, access the CIP dialog box again, and select No.
   

That's it! If you participate in the Customer Involvement Program, AutoCAD automatically sends the specified information to Autodesk. You don't have to do a thing!