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Free AutoCAD Webcasts!

It's almost time for another FREE AutoCAD Webcast! Join me on Wednesday, October 15th, as we tour through AutoCAD's visualization and navigation functionality!

AutoCAD Best Practices Webcast: 3D Visualization and Navigation

Date & Time: Wednesday, October 15, 2008 10:00 - 11:30 a.m. PDT

Using AutoCAD® 2009 you can display your models in various forms for both modeling and presentation purposes. Use visual styles to view the model as wireframe geometry, conceptual-style faces, or realistic materials. Learn to apply materials from an extensive library that is included with AutoCAD, or create and modify your own custom materials. Use the new ViewCube and Steeringwheels to navigate around your model, and then save and replay key views with the new Shot Properties and Showmotion functionality.

Register Now!

If you can't attend the live event, no worries! The sessions are recorded for your viewing convenience! Check out these recently recorded Webcasts:

AutoCAD 2009 Best Practices Webcast: 3D Modeling Design the way you think…in 3 dimensions!
AutoCAD Best Practices Webcast: Publishing and Design Reviews
AutoCAD 2009 Tips & Tricks

And that's not all! There are many other Webcasts recorded on older versions of AutoCAD. Even if you have the most recent version, most of the topics (annotation scaling, sheet sets, etc) are still valid.

The Future of AutoCAD

You can help shape the future of AutoCAD in many ways! One of the quickest ways is to respond to the following survey posted by the AutoCAD Team. Your feedback is valued and appreciated!

Please take a few minutes to take the survey today!

The 3D Move Gizmo

If you work in 3D or if you don’t work in 3D but are thinking about it, you’ll definitely want to learn about the AutoCAD 3D “Gizmos”. The gizmos, also known as grip tools, were introduced in AutoCAD 2007 and provide an efficient and intuitive way for you to edit objects in 3D space.
The Move gizmo enables you to restrict the movement of selected objects or sub-objects to a specified axis or plane. You can activate the Move gizmo using any of the following methods:

• Enter the 3DMOVE command at the Command Line and then select the object(s) or sub-object(s) you want to move.
• Set the 3D Modeling workspace and choose the 3D Move button from the Modify panel of the Home ribbon tab and then select the object(s) or sub-object(s) you want to move.
  
• Set the current visual style to any 3D visual style and then select an object or sub-object.
  

When the Move gizmo is activated, it displays the X,Y, and Z axes as thick red, green, and blue vectors. Between each set of axes, is a square representing the plane defined by those axes.

If you pass the cursor over one of the vectors, the vector turns yellow and a continuous line is displayed in the original color indicating the axis of constraint. To constrain movement along the axis, click on the yellow vector.

With the selected object(s) constrained to an axis, you can drag the cursor and enter a displacement value or snap to key points on existing objects.

Only the coordinate value (X, Y, or Z) corresponding to the constrained axis will change.

Denver CAD Camp - Thursday!

The Denver CAD Camp is tomorrow, September 18! If you're in the Denver area, you don't want to miss out on this valuable one-day learning event. The classes are taught by excellent local and national instructors including Robert Green, David Cohn, and Matt Murphy... many of the same instructors that teach at Autodesk University!

Hope to see you there!

Attention San Francisco Bay Area AutoCAD Users

Many thanks to those enthusiastic AutoCAD users that participated in our special sneak peek event in San Rafael on Wednesday!

If you are located in the San Francisco Bay Area, you can still get involved in this rare opportunity to test drive some new features in AutoCAD and contribute your feedback to future releases. 

The AutoCAD Product Design and Usability team would like to invite you to join them for a sneak peek and test drive of a future version of AutoCAD, focusing on changes to the user interface and productivity enhancements.  Members of the AutoCAD team will be there to introduce you to new and enhanced AutoCAD features. 

In a casual focus group style, the design team wants to share with you their design-ideas-in-progress and ask for your input as they solidify their ideas for an upcoming release.  They’ll include time at the end of the session for general feedback and they’ll be happy to discuss any issues, future directions, or wish list items with you at that time.  Your input is critical in shaping the future of AutoCAD and the AutoCAD team depends on and values your ideas.  After this session the design team will make key decisions based on your input. 

Plan on spending the day (9am to 5pm) to meet the team and participate in hands-on sessions with a future release.  You will learn valuable tips and get step by step instructions. Snacks and lunch will be provided.

San Francisco (downtown SF) -  September 18, 2008

Interested in attending the event?  Here’s what they are looking for:
• Day to day users of AutoCAD or LT
• Users of Dynamic Blocks
• Users interested in or proficient in 3D modeling
• All levels – beginning to advanced

Seats are limited so please take the below brief survey so we know your user profile.  Feel free to contact Shari Nemerovski (415-507-8217), with any questions about registration for this exciting event.

http://myfeedback.autodesk.com/adsksurvey/TakeSurvey.aspx?SurveyID=860395l   

Regards,

Shari Nemerovski
shari.nemerovski@autodesk.com
Customer Research and Events Coordinator

Autodesk, Inc.
3950 Civic Center Drive
San Rafael, California 94903

Direct      415 507-8217
Fax          415 507-8179

Maximize your drawing area!

There are many ways to maximize your drawing area while maintaining easy access to the many AutoCAD tools. I’ve already written about these options but in a recent Webcast for our AutoCAD users in Australia, I promised to repost the links.

I hope you’ll give these a try!

Palette anchoring
Dynamic input
Scroll bars
Model/Layout buttons
Dual monitors

Sheets Happen.... More than ever!

You can’t avoid layout sheets! You create them, access them, organize them, and plot them every day! Usually many times! Since you’re stuck with them, why not make them work to your advantage? Use the Sheet Set Manager! After all, it’s been around since AutoCAD 2005!

I’m happy to report that word is getting out and AutoCAD users around the world are increasing their productivity with sheet sets. Just since list night I received two emails from enthusiastic sheet set users on opposite sides of the globe.

John in Pennsylvania wrote “I sent an email out to the team with instructions on how/why to use sheet sets and everyone seems eager to try it.  A few actually implemented it on their current projects already!”

Robert in Australia wrote “I’m sold on sheet sets”!

I use sheet sets all the time and wouldn’t want to do without them! Even if you only use the most basic sheet set functionality, it will make you more productive.

I’ve already provided extensive information about sheet sets in previous posts and videos. Even though I wrote/recorded that content on older releases, the same functionality applies (and is improved) in newer versions of AutoCAD. Take a look at the Sheets Happen document and don’t let its length discourage you (50 pgs). There are a lot of graphics! You can read one small section at a time (in order) and implement just that much of the functionality. If it takes you all year to fully implement sheet sets, don’t worry! You’ll immediately increase your productivity with every step along the way!

Attention San Francisco Bay Area AutoCAD Users

There are still some openings for you to participate in these San Francisco Bay area AutoCAD events!

If you are located in the San Francisco Bay Area, you have a rare opportunity to test drive some new features in AutoCAD and contribute your feedback to future releases. 

The AutoCAD Product Design and Usability team would like to invite you to join them for a sneak peek and test drive of a future version of AutoCAD, focusing on changes to the user interface and productivity enhancements.  Members of the AutoCAD team will be there to introduce you to new and enhanced AutoCAD features. 

In a casual focus group style, the design team wants to share with you their design-ideas-in-progress and ask for your input as they solidify their ideas for an upcoming release.  They’ll include time at the end of the session for general feedback and they’ll be happy to discuss any issues, future directions, or wish list items with you at that time.  Your input is critical in shaping the future of AutoCAD and the AutoCAD team depends on and values your ideas.  After this session the design team will make key decisions based on your input. 

Plan on spending the day (9am to 5pm) to meet the team and participate in hands-on sessions with a future release.  You will learn valuable tips and get step by step instructions. Snacks and lunch will be provided.

San Francisco Area (San Rafael) - September 10, 2008
San Francisco (downtown SF) -  September 17 or 18, 2008

Interested in attending the event?  Here’s what they are looking for:
• Day to day users of AutoCAD or LT
• Users of Dynamic Blocks
• Users interested in or proficient in 3D modeling
• All levels – beginning to advanced

Seats are limited so please take the below brief survey so we know your user profile.  Feel free to contact me, Shari Nemerovski (415-507-8217), with any questions about registration for this exciting event.

http://myfeedback.autodesk.com/adsksurvey/TakeSurvey.aspx?SurveyID=m402m86

I hope to see you there!

Regards,

Shari Nemerovski
shari.nemerovski@autodesk.com
Customer Research and Events Coordinator

Autodesk, Inc.
3950 Civic Center Drive
San Rafael, California 94903

Direct      415 507-8217
Fax          415 507-8179

Flavor your AutoCAD with P&ID for increased productivity

If you’re reading this blog you probably know I’m a huge fan of AutoCAD. There isn’t much you can’t draw with AutoCAD, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t ways to draw faster. If you’re currently using vanilla AutoCAD for P&ID drawings, you might be interested in this newly released productivity study comparing vanilla AutoCAD to AutoCAD P&ID for the creation of P&ID drawings. It shows a 42% increase in productivity! Is it time to flavor your AutoCAD? Check out www.autodesk.com/autocadpid for more information!