AutoCAD Insider

AutoCAD 2010 Subscription Advantage Pack – Draw Order Panel

The Draw Order panel in the new AutoCAD 2010 Subscription Advantage Pack includes two tools: Bring Annotations to Front and Send Hatches to Back.

 

The first tool, Bring Annotations to Front, provides easy access to the TEXTTOFRONT command, which was introduced in AutoCAD 2005 (and well-hidden under the Tools>Draw Order menu). The Send Hatches to Back tool is new and addresses a key AUGI request. It automatically selects all hatches and sends them to the back of the drawing; significantly streamlining the process of working with hatches.

View demo video (This video doesn't include audio)

AutoCAD 2010 Subscription Advantage Pack – Select Panel

The Select panel in the new AutoCAD 2010 Subscription Advantage Pack includes the new Select Similar tool, a top AUGI (Autodesk User Group International) request.

 

With this tool you can save time selecting multiple objects with similar properties. When you select an object, AutoCAD automatically adds all other objects of the same type and with the same properties, to the selection set. You can specify on which properties to filter using the Select Similar Settings dialog box, which is accessible from the Settings option after launching the Select Similar tool.  If only the Layer property is enabled when you select a circle, for example, AutoCAD automatically selects all circles on the same layer as the one you selected. If both the Layer and Linetype properties are enabled, however, AutoCAD only selects the circles on the same layer and with the same linetype as the selected one. 

 
The Select Similar tool enables you to select more than one object and it creates the matching selection set accordingly. For example, if the Layer filter is enabled and you select two circles, each on different layers, AutoCAD selects all the circles on both layers. If, instead, you select a circle and a line, AutoCAD selects all the circles on the same layer as the selected circle and all the lines on the same layer as the selected line.
In addition to general object properties, you can filter selections based on object-specific properties including object style and reference name. Object Style properties apply to text and mtext, leaders and mleaders, dimensions and tolerances as well as tables and multilines. Reference names apply to blocks and externally references files including xrefs and images as well as PDF, DWG, or DGN files.

 

If you prefer to apply the Select Similar settings using the command line interface, you can use the SELECTSIMILARMODE system variable.

View demo video (This video doesn't have audio).

AutoCAD 2010 Subscription Advantage Pack – Draw Panel

The Draw panel in the new AutoCAD 2010 Subscription Advantage Pack includes the new Add Selected tool.

 

With this tool, you can quickly create a new object in your drawing based on the properties of an existing object. For example, if you use the Add Selected tool and select a polyline, AutoCAD automatically launches the PLINE command with basic object properties including color, layer, linetype, linetypescale, lineweight, plotstyle, and material pre-set to match the selected object.

 

 View demo video (This video doesn't have audio)

AutoCAD 2010 Subscription Advantage Pack – Isolate Panel

The Isolate panel in the new AutoCAD 2010 Subscription Advantage Pack includes three tools that enable you to turn on and off objects regardless of layer.  Because of this key timesaver, you no longer need to track down objects across many layers in order to hide information that isn’t relevant while you update a drawing.

 

When you use the Isolate Objects tool, only the selected objects remain visible in the drawing. All other objects are hidden. Alternatively, when you use the Hide Objects tool, the selected objects are hidden.

You can use a combination of the Isolate Objects and Hide Objects tools to efficiently display only the objects that are relevant to your current task. For example, you might use the Isolate objects tool to select an area of the drawing you want to edit and then use the Hide Objects tool to hide additional objects within that area. 

 

After completing your task, you can quickly restore the hidden objects using the End Object Isolation tool.

 

View demo video (This video doesn't have audio).

 

AutoCAD 2010 Subscription Advantage Pack

The AutoCAD 2010 Subscription Advantage pack is now available to AutoCAD subscription members. It delivers a set of key timesaver tools for AutoCAD and AutoCAD software-based products. These tools enable you to work even faster, and with less hassle, than ever before.  Easily select and work with objects when editing drawings, increasing your productivity. The Subscription Advantage Pack for AutoCAD 2010 works with:

• AutoCAD® 2010
• AutoCAD® Map 3D 2010
• AutoCAD® Mechanical 2010
• AutoCAD® P&ID 2010
• AutoCAD® Plant 3D 2010
• AutoCAD® Structural Detailing 2010

It’s available in the following languages:

• English
• Italian
• Chinese (Simplified)
• Chinese (Traditiona l)
• Japanese
• Korean
• Czech
• Polish
• French
• Russian
• German
• Spanish
• Hungarian

When you install the AutoCAD 2010 Subscription Advantage Pack, a new Subscription customization file (subscription.cuix) is loaded as a partial menu into the main AutoCAD menu (acad.cui). The Subscription menu file includes a Subscription toolbar and ribbon tab; each with the same seven tools.

 

The tools on the Subscription ribbon tab are divided into four panels: Isolate, Draw, Select, and Draw Order. I’ll describe all of these tools in upcoming posts.

 

AutoCAD 2009 Subscription Bonus Pack 1 - Videos

Well... I didn't get to post any more scenes for Autodesk Unversity last week (my cold/coughing got in the way). So, instead, I have some other videos to share. These demo videos help illustrate the tools that are availble in the first AutoCAD 2009 Subscription Bonus Pack.

Enjoy! :-)

AutoCAD 2009 Subscription Bonus Pack 3 – 3D Printing!!

The newly released AutoCAD 2009 Subscription Bonus Pack #3 provides new and improved 3D printing tools.

STL Output
STL output had been improved with updates to the existing STLOUT and EXPORT commands. Both of these methods for producing STL (stereolithography) files now enable you to select more than one solid and the model is no longer required to lie in the positive XYZ octant of the WCS.

3D Printing
The new 3DPRINT command, available on the Subscription tab of the ribbon, takes advantage of the improvements to STL output as well as providing you with easy access to 3D Printing support and services.

If you select the option to learn more about preparing a 3D model for printing, the Help window is displayed with valuable guidelines to help you avoid printing errors or broken parts when sending your model to a 3D printing service.

When you’re ready to send the 3D model to a printing service, choose the Continue option. The Send to 3D Print Service dialog box is displayed with a preview image and output dimensions, which you can modify. You can then specify the STL file name and location. After creating the STL file, AutoCAD automatically launches a browser window where you can request a quote from one of the featured 3D Printing Service Providers.

The result is a 3D prototype of your AutoCAD model!

Subscription Bonus Pack 2: A closer look at PDF underlays

After installing the AutoCAD 2009 Subscription Bonus Pack 2, you’ll find PDF listed as one of the available file types in the External Reference Manager. You can attach a PDF file as an underlay to a drawing in the same way that you attach other externally referenced files including DWG, DWF, DGN, and images. You can also use the new PDFATTACH command, available on the Subscription tab in the ribbon, or the command line version, -PDFATTACH. In either case, you’re prompted to select the PDF file and specify typical attachment information including path type, insertion point, scale, and rotation.

 

After you’ve attached a PDF file to the drawing, you can control the display of the PDF frame, control the display of layers, snap to key points, adjust display properties, and clip the PDF attachment.

PDF Frame
A new system variable, PDFFRAME, enables you to turn the PDF frames on or off. They must be turned on for the PDF attachment to be selectable.

PDF Layers
The new PDFLAYERS command enables you to control layer visibility for the select PDF attachment if the layer information was included in the PDF during the plot process.

 

Object Snaps
Snap to key point on PDF geometry using familiar object snaps. You can control this behavior, which is enabled by default, with the new PDFOSNAP system variable.

PDF Adjust
You can modify the appearance of a PDF attachment using the new PDFADJUST command, available on the Subscription tab of the ribbon. A command line version, -PDFADJUST, is also available. The controls include Fade, Contrast, and Monochrome and the changes you make affect the plotted output. Adjusting these settings does not alter the original file and does not affect other instances of the PDF underlay in the drawing. All of these settings, as well as an additional control to automatically adjust the underlay colors so they are visible against the drawing background color, are also available in the Properties palette for a selected PDF attachment.

PDF Clip
The new PDFCLIP command (available on the Subscription tab of the ribbon) enables you to clip the PDF attachment by specifying a rectangular or polygonal clipping boundary. You can turn clipping on and off, as well as delete it, using right-click menu options and you can edit the boundary with grips.

Subscription Bonus Pack 2: A closer look at PDF Output

After installing the AutoCAD 2009 Bonus Pack 2, you’ll find a new AutoCAD PDF option in the Printer/Plotter device list: "DWG to PDF Bonus Pack". The new DWG to PDF driver offers merge control for plot colors, the ability to include layer information and a preview of the plotted PDF. It also offers increased vector resolution and embedded text to provide better output at a reduced file size. To view or modify the default settings, select the DWG to PDF Bonus Pack.pc3 option from the Printer/Plotter list of the Plot dialog box and then choose Properties.

To specify the Merge Control, expand the Graphics node, on the Device and Document Settings tab, and select the Merge Control option. You can choose to make lines overwrite or merge with each other.

  
  
The other new PDF settings are available when you select the Custom Properties node and then the Custom Properties button to display the DWG to PDF Properties dialog box.

 

In the DWG to PDF Properties dialog box, you’ll find the following changes:

Vector resolution
The default vector resolution for PDF output has been increased from 400 dpi to 600 dpi. The new setting delivers both precise lineweights and a reasonable file size.

Font handling
In a PDF file, TrueType fonts are exported as text rather than as graphics. This improves the visual quality of text and also enables highlighting, searching, and copying text within the PDF viewer.  When you create a PDF, you can capture some fonts, all fonts, or none. Keep in mind that the more fonts you embed in a PDF file, the larger it becomes. The default behavior of the DWG to PDF driver is to capture fonts you specify (Capture Some), rather than none or all fonts (Capture None or Capture All).

Include Layer Information
Layer information is included in the plotted PDF file so the person viewing the PDF can control layer visibility. To disable this functionality, turn off the option to Include Layer Information.

Open in PDF Viewer
A PDF file automatically displays in the PDF viewer after it is plotted. To disable this functionality, turn off the option to Open in PDF Viewer When Done check box.

  

 

AutoCAD 2009 Subscription Bonus Pack 2 – PDF!!

The second AutoCAD 2009 Subscription Bonus Pack delivers exciting new PDF enhancements. It’s available for AutoCAD subscription customers to download from the AutoCAD Subscription Center (www.autodesk.com/subscription).

PDF Underlays
Now you can import PDF files, attaching them as PDF underlays. Once you attach a PDF underlay, you can use a variety of tools to snap to lines and objects, control the display of layers, move, scale, rotate, and clip the PDF underlay.

PDF Output
Key improvements have been made for publishing PDF files. File sizes have been reduced, making it easier to share designs. TrueType font support has been added, giving you control over precisely how your fonts are displayed.