Autodesk Vehicle Tracking

It's amazing how easy the design process can be automated now, but an integrated package has to be well designed and constantly updated or it won't be useful in practice. Equipment and regulatory requirements constantly change, and it is a difficult, if not completely impossible ask for any single program to do everything. Autodesk will have a hard time keeping up in this game short of a complete acquisition somewhere. From an airports perspective the Transoft (Simtra) Airside+ application will lead in airline modelling for some time to come yet in my opinion... and on my workstation.

AutoCAD 2015

Today (27-Mar-2014) is the official release day for AutoCAD 2015! All restrictions on the beta testers are lifted, and for those of you on Subscription be sure to check your account now for the available downloads.

AutoCAD Civil 3D and many of the verticals will be released in the weeks ahead. But for those who like to get an early jump on the newest stuff (and we know who we are!) the basic version of AutoCAD (and LT) 2015 is now ready for you to install, play with, and provide feedback. Be sure to use the Autodesk Community Forums if you have questions or need help.

I'll have more to say once I get mine up and running. Enjoy!

Chocolate Bar Fiction vs. Fact

This clever little Hersey bar animated GIF on Google+ has been making the rounds lately, and it got me thinking, "How does that work?" It wasn't long after that I thought, "Why not use a little bit of AutoCAD to look into it further. So I did.

It turns out that magicians are pretty clever dudes after all! :) Like everything else they do this is a little misdirection and a lot of optical illusion.

So here's my video to show what's *really* going on!



I've probably been to too many Penn & Teller shows in Las Vegas. Now *I* want to explain how every trick is done! :)

AutoCAD: ALIGN

A short primer on the use of the ALIGN command in AutoCAD using the Autodesk Chronicle application.

AU 2013 Live Streaming Videos

It's Autodesk University 2013 time in Las Vegas, USA once again!... that time of year for almost 10,000 users, vendors, and others to descend on a city that never sleeps to talk all things Autodesk and high tech. If you can't be part of the crowd be sure to visit the 2013 AU Live Streaming Video page and take part from your desktop. You will find a great lineup of things there that you can see live during each day of the conference, including the Keynote, Closing sessions, and much more.

All events this year are once again being held at the palatial Venetian & Palazzo hotel convention and exhibition center. So check the schedule page above and look in during the week if you can! It will be well worth the time and bandwidth!

AutoCAD 2014 & Windows XP Finally Divorce

If you hadn't seen this yet the following is something you may need to know:

Microsoft® has announced the discontinuation of support for Microsoft® Windows XP operating system. Since Autodesk is aware that a large number of AutoCAD users continue to use Windows XP, they have begun notifying customers about the impact to AutoCAD software products.

AutoCAD® AutoCAD® 2014 will be the final version of AutoCAD software* that will run on the Windows XP operating system. This is important if you will continue to be using a computer with XP as the operating software:

• AutoCAD 2014 is the final release that can be installed on the Windows XP operating system.
• AutoCAD 2014 is the final version of AutoCAD that will be supported on Windows XP. 
• If you have a currently supported version of AutoCAD on Windows XP, Autodesk will continue supporting your AutoCAD software through the "support life" of the product (Autodesk support is limited to the most current version and previous three versions of AutoCAD software). 

AutoCAD® isn't the only program that will be affected.  All of the AutoCAD® verticals are going to be included.  So be sure to visit this page to get the full impact of the new policy.  You'll find more information there including detailed frequently asked questions.

AutoCAD 2014 & AutoCAD LT 2014 Service Pack 1

Today Autodesk released Service Pack 1 for AutoCAD 2014 and AutoCAD LT 2014. This update can be applied to AutoCAD 2014 installed as a standalone application or for AutoCAD 2014 installed from the AutoCAD, Building Design, Factory Design, Infrastructure Design, Plant Design, or Product Design Suites. The update is also available for 32-bit or 64-bit applications.

AutoCAD 2014 Service Pack 1 can be found HERE.

The ReadMe file containing information about who should install the update and what problems are resolved by it is currently only available in English, but is available HERE.

If you run AutoCAD 2014 or LT 2014 you should download and install this update even if you haven't been experiencing problems with your software.

Official San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge Time-Lapse

This may be an ultimate, "How It's Made", episode... for those who have seen that program on USA television. If your internet connection can handle it be sure and watch this at full 1080p and full screen and marvel at what has been done. The time-lapse video shows in 4 minutes what cost taxpayers roughly $6.5B over the past 5 years. As of this writing the construction is finally nearing completion.



More images of the construction and information on the design is currently available in the Autodesk Gallery.

Parking a Cargo Jet

I've been in Honolulu training all of this past week on new software that allows us to model aircraft and design passenger loading bridges. The program runs on top of AutoCAD and I used it tonite to design and confirm a new cargo ramp parking position for a operator coming into Kona soon. It will still take me time to fully absorb all the nuances of this package, and everything we were exposed to, but it's mostly just a matter of practice. The new software is quite a bit easier to operate, has some very cool new features, and can produce simulations in 3D for certain types of equipment. Unfortunately for the project in the video above, the aircraft was not one of those where a 3D presentation could be done. Maybe next time I'll have something.

Autodesk Project Chronicle

I became aware of another Autodesk Labs cloud-based service tonite called "Project Chronicle", so it was worth some time experimenting with it. Hopefully this will be something they will either keep for a while or make fully available to subscription users much like Autodesk 360. Project Chronicle is a great way to create short videos like the one above.

You'll have to pardon my narration... but this was all done much like the creation of the block itself... completely on the fly!

To be able to view this full screen on the Project Chronicles website, place your cursor over the image above and click on the link in the upper left corner.

AutoCAD C3D 2014 Installed

C3D Splash Screen

Installing a program as complex as any of the Autodesk series is always filled with at least a little bit of anxiety.  It's not uncommon for something to go a little haywire... maybe a driver is missing or incompatible, maybe there was an error in the download, maybe something else went south.  Think space launch.  There are millions of lines of code just like parts in a rocket engine, and every single one has to work perfectly or there's an explosion on the launch pad.  I've had these scenarios in the past and they're no fun.

Think AutoCAD 2013.  For whatever reason it never did install and work correctly on my computer and in the end I just ignored that release for a year until 2014 came out a few months ago.

AutoCAD Civil 3D 2014

Yes, it's true.  My long wait for my very own copy of AutoCAD Civil 3D is finally over.  This afternoon I was granted a full license of the latest version to install and work with on my own computer(s).  The downloading is in progress as this is going to press and the hunt for good reference and learning materials will begin later in earnest.

For 3 years I asked, begged, pleaded, cajoled, made the case, provided the justification(s), you name it, to get a home use license so I could learn this program.  But it was all to no avail; the answer was always "no' or no answer at all.  In the end (today) those obfuscations and delays were no factor - I managed to get a legal copy without outside "help" at all.  Whoever said hard work isn't rewarded was all wet.  It is!

Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy!!!

And worth every precious second too!

The new journey begins!

It's Official

  Dave Hein, P.E.

AutoCAD 2014 - What’s New

Each new release of AutoCAD is jammed with what are supposed to be bug fixes and new features.  Some years we get more of one than the other.  Some years everything seems to go wrong, and other years it goes just about right.  As time moves on this year I'm certain we'll find things that still don't work or haven't been fixed as well as features we love.  As long as the balance isn't lopsided in the negative we should be okay.  As for myself I've been testing fairly heavily the last few days and haven't hit anything major yet.

So here are a few of the things you can look forward to in the new release:

AutoCAD 2014

It's here!  And so far it looks good.  I'll need an object enabler for Civil 3D objects.  Those types of things generally lag the main release.  And there have been a couple minor things that didn't migrate quite the way I expected from 2012 (I never did employ the 2013 version).  But there doesn't appear to be any of the issues out of the box that the last release had.

Now to figure out what's new and play around!  More to follow as events unfold...

Evangelists

Nowadays... that is to say, in the digital age, we have evangelists. No, I'm not waxing theological here, I'm referring to the software gurus (and gurugals) who seem to eat, breathe, live, and love the complex software packages we alternately love/hate. I have two evangeli; one I've met personally (and she's as sweet as she looks in her various and sundry videos), and one I'd like to meet some day.

Lynn Allen is my go-to AutoCAD evangelist. I've taken classes from her and met her in person at AU a few years ago.  I never miss Lynn's bi-weekly Cadalyst Video Tips either.  You can sign up if you like them and get email notices when ever a new one comes out.

Julieanne Kost is my Adobe evangelist. One look at her work and you have to believe she has plenty to share. Take your eyes off her blog for a while and you're sure to fall behind the curve.  Every day, Julieanne shares Instagram photos from her travels (and she travels a lot!).  Here she's compiled a year's worth of her favorites.

You've gotta love (and use!) the internet these days. And hitch your wagon to every "evangelist" you can find!

Autodesk University 2012

Certified!

This summary is a little late going up on the board, but a quick review of my Autodesk University 2012 conference in Las Vegas a month ago is still worth doing.  Some may have noticed the black AutoCAD panel at the bottom of these pages.  The certificate above validates it. 

AutoCAD 2013 SP1.1

No posts all month and then two within a half an hour.  Go figure.

But I just became aware that Autodesk re-released updates today for the packages that failed a few weeks ago immediately after they were posted.  32-bit and 64-bit versions of the new Service Packs can be found here:

AutoCAD 2013 Service Pack 1.1
AutoCAD LT 2013 Service Pack 1.1

A couple of things to note about these:

1. They are for AutoCAD only and will not work on any of the vertical products.  Separate SP's for vertical products will be created and issued as appropriate. 
2. Also, if you previously applied the original SP1 before it got pulled you can simply install SP1.1 right on top of it.

As always, be sure to go thru the ReadMe file that accompanies any update very carefully and follow all the directions.

I'll be watching the boards closely over the next few days to see how the user community is reacting to this repair package.  If the feedback looks positive I may take a dive back into 2013 waters myself.  We'll see.

Making Sawdust

I haven't had much time recently to add a new blog posting because I've been working on these and the plans for a new stand up workstation at my office.  The suite will include these two bookcases made of American Cherry and Red Oak, three torsion box table top work surfaces (two each about 3 ft wide by 8 ft long and one shorter one to form a "U" shape) and a small case to hold the computer unit under the table.  Basically I got tired of working in a conventional fashion and decided it might be better for me long term to stand instead of sit.

I got the original idea from a colleague and an article I stumbled onto online.  So in late August I began drawing up detailed construction plans, a cost estimate and made the pitch.  Once the boss granted approval and gave me funding for the materials it was full steam ahead.  Construction started in my shop at the start of September and has been pretty steady since.  The schedule is to get everything complete and installed before I head off to Autodesk University (AU2012) in late November.

A complete set of progress images of the build are being posted on my PBase Woodworking pages.  These include an abbreviated set of the drawings I put together for the project.  Entries  here may become a little sporadic while this goes on.  I'm enjoying making sawdust again.  :)

AutoCAD 2013 SP1

You had to be *really* fast today because if you blinked, you missed it. Yup, Autodesk released AutoCAD 2013 Service Pack 1 (SP1) into the wild on this date (22-Aug-2012)! Or did they? It turns out they both did and they didn't because almost as soon as it was set free Autodesk pulled it, ney, they yanked it like a bad tooth... because it was apparently. If you go to the Autodesk Service and Support site now (as this is being written) this is what you'll see:

AutoCAD 2013 Service Pack 1

Service Pack 1 for AutoCAD 2013 has been temporarily removed due to a newly discovered fatal error. The AutoCAD team is actively working on resolving this and a new service pack will be posted here as soon as it is available.

The words, "fatal error" always catch my attention. Maybe it's just "fatal". Anyway, that word in anything will make me sit up and get focused. The boards are still somewhat quiet (stunned?!) about all this so I'm not quite sure what any of it means other than:

1. It's becomming more important than ever to wait a few days (weeks, months, etc) before ever installing a new AutoCAD release; and,
2. It's equally worth your time, money, and sanity to wait a few days (weeks, or months, we'll see, etc) before ever installing a new Service Pack.

Whack-A-Mole anyone? Stay tuned!