Heidi Hewett's Blog

AutoCAD 2009 Ribbon... The Inside Scoop!

If you've seen or heard about the new AutoCAD 2009 Ribbon interface and wondered about the thinking behind its design, wonder no longer! Steve Johnson from Cadalyst Magazine conducted an indepth interview with AutoCAD Senior Product Designer, Matt Stein. In this interview, Matt "The Ribbon Man" Stein, provides a glimpse into the AutoCAD design process as he describes the origins of the AutoCAD Ribbon. He compares the AutoCAD 2009 Ribbon functionality with the former AutoCAD Dashboard and the Microsoft Office Ribbon.

AutoCAD 2009… A closer look at layer management

AutoCAD 2009 includes many enhancements to help you work more efficiently with layers.

The Layer Properties Manger has been converted to a palette enabling you to keep it displayed while using other commands. Like other palettes, you can dock or anchor the Layer Properties Manager as well as enable auto-hide and transparency. The changes you make within the Layer Properties Manager are instantly applied to the drawing without the need for you to press an Apply button.

You can freeze columns so that key information, such as the layer name, remains visible while you scroll to the opposite side of the palette.  Right-click menu options have been updated for clarity and to provide additional functionality. To gain real estate in the Layer Properties Manager, you can collapse the Filters pane.

The Layer Settings dialog box, which is accessible from the upper right corner of the Layer Properties Manager, includes new controls for Layer Isolation.

Many of the controls in the Layer Properties Manager are also available, at your fingertips, in the Layer panel of the new Ribbon.

 

A new option on the User Preferences tab of the Options dialog box provides you more control over layer property changes. You can now combine layer property changes for Undo and Redo operations similar to how you can combine them for zoom and pan operations.

View Demo

AutoCAD 2009 System Requirements

AutoCAD 2009 is available for both 32-bit and 64-bit operating systems (except in some languages). You can download either version from the Autodesk Website (32-bit or 64-bit) and use it for a 30-day trial period. AutoCAD 2009 is also available on a DVD that contains both the  32-bit and the 64-bit  versions. The DVD automatically installs the appropriate version based on the OS (32-bit or 64-bit). The 32-bit version is also available on a CD in all supported languages.

Before installing AutoCAD 2009, you'll want to ensure your computer meets the system requirements. The requirements vary depending on the  AutoCAD version (32-bit or 64-bit) and the operating system (Vista or XP).

32-bit AutoCAD 2009

Running under Windows XP:

• Microsoft Windows XP SP2 operating system
• Intel® Pentium® 4 processor or AMD Athlon®, 2.2 GHz or greater
  or
  Intel or AMD Dual Core processor, 1.6 GHz or greater
• 1 GB RAM
• 750 MB free hard disk space for installation
• 1024x768 VGA with true color
• Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 (SP1 or higher)

If you are using AutoCAD for 3D modeling, you should bump up your system as follows:

• Intel Pentium 4 processor or AMD Athlon, 3.0 GHz or greater
  or
  Intel or AMD Dual Core processor, 2.0 GHz or greater
• 2 GB RAM or greater
• 2 GB of additional free hard disk space
• 1,280 x 1,024 32-bit color video display adapter (true color) 128 MB or greater, OpenGL or Direct3D capable workstation class graphics card.

Running under Windows Vista:

• Microsoft Windows Vista operating system
• Intel Pentium 4 processor or AMD Athlon, 3.0 GHz or greater
  or
  Intel or AMD Dual Core processor, 2.0 GHz or greater
• 2 GB RAM or greater
• 750 MB of free hard disk space for installation
• 2 GB of additional free hard disk space
• 1,280 x 1,024 32-bit color video display adapter (true color) 128 MB or greater, Direct3D capable workstation class graphics card.

64-bit AutoCAD 2009
(The 64-bit AutoCAD cannot be installed on a 32-bit operating system)

• Windows XP Professional x64 Edition operating system
  or
  Windows Vista 64-bit operating system
• AMD 64 processor
  or
  Intel EM64T processor
• 2 GB RAM
• 750 MB free hard disk space for installation

For more information visit www.autodesk.com/autocad.

AutoCAD 2009 is shipping!

Okay… if you’ve been paying attention to Autodesk news, you probably know that AutoCAD 2009 began shipping last week. I apologize for slacking on the big news, but I’ve been on vacation… 11 days with no phone or email! To make it up to you, I’ve posted a convenient link to the AutoCAD 2009 demo videos.

AutoCAD 2009 isn’t the only new product that began shipping last week. Visit the Autodesk Web site to learn about all the AutoCAD 2009-based products that are now shipping. You’ll find feature lists, specifications, frequently asked questions, and more!

AutoCAD 2009
AutoCAD LT 2009
AutoCAD Architecture
AutoCAD Electrical
AutoCAD Mechanical
AutoCAD MEP

AutoCAD 2009... A closer look at the Ribbon!

The AutoCAD Ribbon (as well as the Menu Browser and Quick Access Toolbar) present a user interface similar to Microsoft Office 2007. The ribbon provides easy access to tools through a collection of tabs and panels. Each tab contains multiple panels and each panel contains multiple tools. Some panels can be expanded to access additional tools.

For some tools, the ribbon automatically updates to display context sensitive information. For example, when you create or edit an mtext object, the ribbon automatically displays the multiline text ribbon. When you close the mtext editor, the ribbon returns to its previous state.

By default, the ribbon is docked at the top of the AutoCAD window. However, a right-click menu enables you to control the display and behavior of the ribbon. You can reduce the amount of space the ribbon consumes by disabling the option to Show Panel Titles or by minimizing to tabs or to panel titles.

The ribbon replaces the previous dashboard functionality (if you enter the DASHBOARD command, AutoCAD automatically launches the RIBBON command). You may not notice the similarity between the ribbon and dashboard at first glance. But, if you undock the ribbon, you’ll see that it looks and behaves very much like the dashboard. When the ribbon is undocked, you can right-click on the title-bar to access familiar dashboard-type options such as anchoring and auto-hide.

Whether the ribbon is docked or undocked, you can control the display of specific tabs and panels by turning them on and off in the right-click menu.

You can drag and drop ribbon tabs, or panels within the tabs, to reorganize them. And, you can even drag panels off the ribbon to create separate, floating panels.

To further customize the ribbon, you can use the Customize User Interface dialog box, where you’ll find the new Ribbon Tabs and Ribbon Panels nodes.

 

You can create new panels and tabs, add tools to panels, and add panels to tabs, using the familiar process of dragging and dropping.

View Demo

AutoCAD 2009... A closer look at tooltips!

In many places throughout AutoCAD 2009, you’ll find preview images and other information displayed as tooltips. When using the traditional model and layout tabs, you can hover the cursor over a tab to preview the layout before selecting it.

Tooltips are also displayed when you hover the cursor over items in the Sheet Set Manager or the External References Manager.

Right-click menu options in both of these palettes enable you to control the content displayed in the tooltips. You can specify a tooltip style that lists only the name, a small medium or large preview image, details about the file, or a preview image and details.

Tooltips for command tools have been updated to provide you with more information as you need it. The improved tooltips not only display the name of the tools, but they provide additional information and even graphics. Pressing the F1 key in a tooltip automatically takes you to that particular topic within the Help system.

View Demo

AutoCAD 2009... A closer look at Quick View Drawings

The new Quick View Drawings functionality is a faster and more visual alternative to using the Ctrl-Tab key combination or the Window menu for switching between open drawings. You can access Quick View Drawings via a new button on the status bar.

When you enable Quick View Drawings, AutoCAD displays a row of preview images that represent the open drawings. If you pass the cursor over a drawing preview image, AutoCAD displays a second row of images representing the layouts for that particular drawing.

You can view and make active any layout within any open drawing directly from the Quick View Drawings preview. To see a larger view of the layout images, simply pass the cursor over a layout preview image. AutoCAD automatically enlarges the layout images and reduces the drawing images. Moving the cursor back over a drawing image returns the drawing images to the larger size and the layout images to the smaller size.

You can increase the size of the preview images by pressing the Ctrl key while rolling the mouse wheel up or down. If the preview images extend beyond the edge of the screen, use can use the arrow keys or the mouse to scroll.

Icons within the drawing previews enable you to save or close any open drawing; not just the current one! Additional tools are available in the Quick View Drawings control panel, which is automatically displayed below the preview images. You can pin the Quick View Drawings functionality so that it remains open while you work in the drawing editor. Additional tools in the control panel enable you to create new drawings or open existing ones.

The right-click menu provides options for closing and saving the drawings. I particularly like the option to close all the open drawings except for the one on which you right-clicked.

View Demo

AutoCAD 2009… A closer look at Quick View Layouts

The Quick View Layouts functionality in AutoCAD 2009 provides a faster and more visual alternative to using the traditional Model and Layout tabs. In fact, the previous layout flyout on the status bar has been replaced by a new Quick View Layouts button.

AutoCAD 2008                                    AutoCAD 2009

When you enable Quick View Layouts, AutoCAD displays a horizontal row of layout images. You can identify and select layouts, not only by name, but by appearance. Increase or decrease the size of the layout preview images by pressing the Ctrl key while rolling the mouse wheel up or down. If the layout images extend beyond the edge of the screen, you can use the arrow keys or the mouse to scroll.

Icons within the layout preview image provide easy access to plotting and publishing. Additional tools are available in the control panel, which is automatically displayed below the Quick View images. You can pin Quick View Layouts so that it remains visible while you work in the drawing editor.

Create new layouts using an option in the control panel as well as in the right-click menu.  The right-click menu provides access to other familiar layout tools as well as a completely new option, which enables you to export the layout to modelspace in a new drawing.

View Demo

AutoCAD 2009… A closer look at Quick Properties

The new Quick Properties functionality in AutoCAD 2009 enables you to view and modify object properties for selected objects. Now, if you’re like me, you’re thinking “How is this any different (or better) than the Properties window that we’ve had since AutoCAD 2000”? Well, it *is* similar, but you can customize Quick Properties so it only displays only the properties that you really care about. The simplified list makes it easier for you to locate the property you want to edit.

Also, the Quick Properties window is displayed right at the cursor when you select an object as opposed to the Properties window, which you might keep on all the time for easy access. With Quick Properties you save screen space *and* barely have to move your mouse to access it!

 

You can enable/disable Quick Properties functionality using the status bar toggle.

 
A right-click menu provides options for controlling and customizing the behavior of Quick Properties.

The Settings option displays the new Quick Properties tab in the Drafting Settings dialog box. On the Quick Properties tab, you can specify when and where the Quick Properties window is displayed. And, you can specify the default number of rows to be visible when Auto-collapse is enabled.

When you select an object with Auto-Collapse enabled, only the specified number of rows is displayed until you pass your cursor over the Quick Properties window. Then, the window automatically expands to list all the quick properties.

You can specify which properties are displayed for each type of object using the Customize User Interface (CUI) dialog box, which is easily accessible from the right-click menu or from the Customize button in the upper right-corner of the Quick Properties window. In the CUI dialog box, you can view and edit the list of objects with defined quick properties and add or remove object types to or from the list. For each object type, you can specify which properties will be displayed.

View Demo

AutoCAD 2009… A closer look at the Status Bar

The AutoCAD status bar has been updated with new tools and icons! The left side of the status bar includes button toggles for familiar functionality such as Grid, Osnap and Dynamic Input. A right-click menu enables you to easily switch the status bar display between icons and the traditional text labels.

The right-click menus for some status bar toggles include additional controls, which are relevant for that particular toggle. You save clicks by applying these controls from the right-click menu rather than having to access the Drafting Settings dialog box. You can turn on the polar or grid snap from the right-click menu of the SNAP toggle. You can set the polar tracking angle from the right-click menu of the POLAR toggle. And, you can apply object snaps from the right-click menu of the OSNAP and OTRACK toggles… (My favorite!)

The last button on the left side of the status bar is the new Quick Properties toggle. The Model and Layout buttons have moved to the right side of the status bar where several new tools have also been added. I’ll describe all of these new tools in future posts!

The Layout flyout is replaced by the Quick View Layouts button, which is followed by the Quick View Drawings button. The status bar provides easy access to navigation and viewing tools including Pan and Zoom as well as the new Steering Wheel and Show Motion functionality. The Annotation Scale, which was introduced in AutoCAD 2008, is replaced by a Viewport/Annotation toggle that links the Annotation Scale to the Viewport Scale. This ensures they stay in sync. A new Workspace Switching button replaces the Workspaces toolbar, providing the same functionality in considerably less space! From this single button, you can easily restore any of the predefined workspaces as well as any custom workspaces that you create.

View Demo

AutoCAD 2009… A closer look at the Quick Access Toolbar

The new Quick Access Toolbar (QAT) is displayed at the top of the AutoCAD window, next to the Menu Browser. By default it includes six frequently used tools: New, Open, Save, Plot, Undo, and Redo. You can easily add your own tools to the QAT by right-clicking on the toolbar and choosing Customize Quick Access Toolbar.

Select the Customize option displays the Customize User Interface (CUI) dialog box in a collapsed form so that only the Command List is shown. You can drag and drop tools from the Command List to the QAT.

The QAT is stored on a per-workspace basis. You can reorganize or remove tools by expanding the QAT node under each workspace.

In addition to the option to Customize the Quick Access Toolbar, the right-click menu enables you to turn on the menu bar, which is off by default.

The QAT is the only toolbar that is turned on in the default workspace. You can turn on additional toolbars from the right-click menu.

View Demo

AutoCAD 2009... A closer look at the Menu Browser

The new AutoCAD 2009 user interface includes a Menu Browser located in the upper left corner. The Menu Browser provides easy access to a variety of content including commands and documents.

It displays a vertical list of menus items, emulating the menus that were traditionally displayed horizontally across the top of the AutoCAD window. You can select a menu item to launch the associated command.

A search tool at the top of the Menu Browser enables you to search the CUI (Customize User Interface) file for key terms. For example, as you begin typing L-I-N-E in the search field, AutoCAD dynamically filters the search options to display all CUI entrees that include the word LINE (Linetype, Command Line, Line, Multiline, etc). You can click on a listed item to launch the associated command.

In addition to command access, the Menu Browser enables you to view and access recent or open documents. You can display the document names with icons or with small, medium, or large preview images making them easy to identify.

Hovering the cursor over the document name automatically displays a preview image and other document information. You can view the recent documents as an ordered list or you can group them by date or file type.

In addition to recent documents, the Menu Browser offers easy access to recent actions. You can view a list of the recent actions and then select one to repeat it.

Right-click menus within the Menu Browser offer additional controls including the ability to pin a recent document or action so that it remains on the list. You can also clear the Recent Documents or Recent Actions lists from the right-click menu.

View Demo

AutoCAD 2009… A closer look at the Action Recorder

The new action recorder in AutoCAD 2009 can help you increase productivity by automating those repetitive tasks!

For example, imagine you’re a landscape architect and each time you receive a new site plan from a client, you have to add standard layers with the appropriate layer properties. You could create a custom LiSP file, but for such a simple task, it hardly seems worth the effort… especially if you don’t have an in-house LiSP expert! You could store your standard layers in a template file but, still, you must somehow get them into the client’s drawing, which takes time.
Using the new action recorder, you simply begin recording and then perform those monotonous tasks that you’ve performed many times before. While it is recording, you can launch commands, enter values, and select objects using familiar AutoCAD functionality. The action recorder records everything that passes through the command line plus it can also record typical actions from:

• Toolbars
• Ribbon panels
• Pull-down menus
• Properties window
• Layer Properties Manager
• Tool Palette

When you’re finished performing a repetitive operation, you simply stop the recording and enter an appropriate name for the action macro. Each action macro that you create is saved as an individual file and stored in the location specified by the Action Recording File Location option in the Files tab of the Options dialog box. A second option for Action Recorder Settings on the Files tab enables you to include locations for reading additional action macros making it easy to share action macros among your design team. The action macros in these specified locations are automatically listed in the Action Recorder panel.

 

You can create more robust and interactive macros by including text messages and requests for user input.  And, you can edit input values even after you’ve recorded the macro.

Action macros behave very much like commands. You can type them at the command line, assign short-cut aliases, and can call one macro from another. You can even call LiSP and ARX routines from a macro simply by running the routine while recording the macro!

View Demo

Learn more about AutoCAD 2009

Learn more about the new AutoCAD 2009 functionality by reviewing the AutoCAD 2009 Preview Guide. Keep in mind, however, that I write these preview guides to highlight NEW functionality in the latest release. If you’re upgrading from an older release of AutoCAD or if you have the latest release (AutoCAD 2008) but don’t use it to its fullest potential, take a few minutes to review some of the older preview guides as well. Remember, if you don’t know about it, it’s NEW to YOU!

Download AutoCAD 2009 Preview Guide
Download AutoCAD 2008 Preview Guide
Download AutoCAD 2007 Preview Guide
Download AutoCAD 2006 Preview Guide
Download AutoCAD 2005 Preview Guide
Download AutoCAD 2004 Preview Guide

By the way, you can access all of these preview guides under the Documents section in the left column of this blog.

The Word is Out... AutoCAD 2009!

AutoCAD 2009 is on its way! Here’s a quick peek at some of the new functionality that AutoCAD 2009 has to offer!

Microsoft Logo Certification – AutoCAD 2009 and AutoCAD LT 2009 have earned certification for Windows Vista; the highest level of Microsoft Logo Certification.

Modern User Interface - The default AutoCAD user interface has a new look and feel; similar to Microsoft Office 2007.

• The Menu Browser provides easy access to a variety of content, including commands and documents, from a single button in the upper left corner of the AutoCAD display.
• The Quick Access Toolbar, displayed at the top of the AutoCAD window next to the Menu Browser, includes frequently used tools and is easily customizable.
• The InfoCenter provides more flexibility when searching for help, including the ability to search for online solutions.
• The Ribbon, displayed near the top of the AutoCAD window, provides easy access to AutoCAD tools through a collection of tabs and panels.
• The Status Bar has been updated with new tools and icons!

Quick Properties – Use the new Quick Properties panel to view and modify object properties right at the cursor, when you need them, without sacrificing screen real estate.

Quick View Layouts – Easily switch between model space and layouts using this new Quick View Layouts. They provide a faster and more visual alternative to using the traditional model and layout tabs.

Quick View Drawings –Use Quick View Drawings instead of the traditional Ctrl-Tab key combination or Window menu to easily (and visually) switch between open drawings.

Tooltips – Improved tooltips throughout AutoCAD 2009 provide you with more information as you need it; including quick access to relevant topics in the AutoCAD Help system.

Action Recorder – Automate repetitive tasks by easily recording actions to replay in the future.

Layer Management – Easily manage layer properties while you work in the drawing. The new palette-style Layer Properties Manager provides easy access to layer controls while consuming minimal screen space.

Microstation DGN Support – Import and export drawings in Bentley’s MicroStation® V7 DGN as well as V8 DGN format.  Also control layer visibility of attached DGN files and map properties such as color and linetype between DGN and DWG files.

DWF Support – You’ll find DWFx listed along with DWF in all DWF- related functionality including Markup, External References (DWFATTACH), Publish, and Plot. DWFx files can be easily viewed on the Windows Vista platform with no need for additional viewing software or plug-ins.

XREF support - Use grips to edit the boundary of a clipped external reference and even invert the clipping are with the simple click of a grip!

Mtext – Automatically check your spelling as you type in the Mtext editor.
Array Preview- When you preview the results of an array, you can now zoom and pan while still in preview mode.

Find and Replace - The Find and Replace functionality includes an expandable dialog box and more options. Plus, the display automatically zooms into the text as it is found.

View Shot Properties - Named views are more flexible and powerful than ever. Choose from three types of views and apply shot properties, such as transitions and motion, to the named views.

Show Motion – Use the new Show Motion functionality to find, restore and play named views.

Lighting – The new VSLIGHTINGQUALITY system variable offers more control over the lighting quality in the current viewport.

Geographic Location - AutoCAD 2009 provides you with more options for defining the geographic location of a drawing, specifying the format of latitude and longitude values and controlling the visibility of the geographic marker.

View Cube – Easily restore standard viewpoints in a 3D model with a simple click on the new View Cube.

SteeringWheels – Easily navigate around- and through your 3D models using the new SteeringWheels.

eTransmit – Create transmittal sets (of the last saved version) without have to first save the current drawing. Also, automatically purge drawings when created the transmittal set.

Layout geometry – Automatically export all the geometry on a layout into modelspace of a new drawing.

Find and Replace – New options in the Find and Replace dialog box enable you to find and replace text within blocks and external references.

And More!