Between the Lines

Updated Express Tools

I have posted the updated files for the AutoCAD 2004 Express Tools ALIASEDIT & SYSVDLG to include the AutoCAD 2004 commands and system variables. Also posted is an AutoCAD 2004 verison of the Express Tool DBView.

Click Here

Cheers,
-Shaan

PS:
I know there is some work going on with the frame of this blog for a few view related issues. If you cannot see the page the links go to for the short term, please right click on the links then select Open in New Window. Your browser should then open a new window with the URL linked page.

List of System Variables and Commands for AutoCAD

I have been keeping track of all public system variables and commands for AutoCAD since R12.

Click Here

Cheers,
-Shaan

Merge Multiple DWF Files Into One

I hear the request to be able to merge multiple DWF files into one quite often. In the downloadable DWF Toolkit there is sample code to do this.

We have compiled this for those that would like to download and try it.
Click Here to download the 1Mb file

DWF “Merge Files” sample application is attached.
All you need to do is unzip this package and make sure all the files stay in the same directory.

To use MergeFiles, just drag-and-drop a bunch of DWF’s onto the application and publish. You’ll get all your files into a single DWF 6 file that you can then print in a batch using AEV.

This is not supported and at your own risk.

Cheers,
-Shaan

DWFwriter 2 Alpha Download

Printing from MS Word 2003 to the new DWFwriter 2 printer driver

The new version of the DWFwriter driver for Windows is much more optimized than the release 1.

DWFwriter Alpha: Click Here

On install you nwill get a message about the driver not being signed by Microsoft, ignore that message as the driver under development is not signed yet and you can ignore and continue the installation. After installation the DWFwriter will show in your Windows System printers.

Please note this is early alpha and is unsupported so use at your own risk.

Cheers,
-Shaan

Update: DWF Writer 2 is available now from: http://www.autodesk.com/dwfwriter

The Next Autodesk Express Viewer Beta Link

If you would like to get the AEV Beta Product:

Click Here

Cheers,
-Shaan

Nice Article on DWF by Lynn

My friend and fellow Autodesker Lynn Allen posted a great article on autodesk.com on "Why We Need DWF". You may find this article helpful.

Click Here

Cheers,
-Shaan

Welcome!

The new subscription site has launched. I hope you are enjoying it and find it a real benefit especially with the web support option. I will be updating this blog as often as I am able. If you have a topic you would like to have discussed regarding AutoCAD, AutoCAD LT, Beta Testing or other, please feel free to email me and mention Blog in the subject line.

Cheers,
-Shaan

Shhhh Dont tell Anyone, You Can Print to DWF in Windows Applications ;-)

Are you aware that the DWFWriter available for Autodesk Revit after being installed acts as a standard Windows System Printer? DWFwriter is a certified Microsoft® Windows® system printer driver. What does that mean, well you could print to DWF from almost any application on your machine. Of course this is not supported but works fairly well especially for CAD.

Click Here to download and try it.

Remember this is not supported but imagine the shock of some when they receive a MS Word document or another document in DWF format.

Below is a screen shot of the next free Autodesk Express Viewer viewing a DWF of a MS Word document about AutoCAD 2004. You can use th current Autodesk Express Viewer to view the created DWF files.

Pretty cool, eh?
Are you as convinced as I am that DWF is powerful?

Cheers,
-Shaan

Autodesk® Architectural Desktop 2004 Service Pack 2

The ADT 2004 Servie Pack 2 has just been released. This contains the AutoCAD 2004 Service Pack 1a. For more info see the readme.
Click Here

The ADT Service Pack Download Site Click Here

Cheers,
-Shaan

AutoCAD 2004 Extension Beta

Extensions are modular enhancements to Autodesk® software products and are available only to subcription members. They provide new functionality, are fully compatible with the base product, and are easy to learn. http://www.autodesk.com/extensions

Contrary to some of the rumors out there, extensions are still being delivered for AutoCAD. There is a AutoCAD 2004 extension now in beta and as a subsciption customer you are invited to enroll. This beta does require that you install the recently released AutoCAD 2004 Service Pack 1a.

Please note this beta should not to be used without careful consideration that these are unreleased beta products and are not fully supported and may contain software defects. As with any beta software always back up your data and previous files and exercise caution when in a production environment.

To enroll for the beta of this AutoCAD 2004 extension:
http://betaprograms.autodesk.com/enroll/base/nda.asp
Please enter "Rx1" where the form asks for you beta code.

Cheers,
-Shaan

Autodesk Express Viewer Beta

The Autodesk Express Viewer is getting more and more robust. DWF is far more better than a PDF and is more designed specifically for your design data. In addition the DW6 format allows for benefits than PDF such as:
* Viewer Size
* Speed
* Smaller File Size
* Higher Resolution

More information on DWF http://www.autodesk.com/DWF

If you would like to participate in this beta, please feel free to enroll before the beta is completed.
http://betaprograms.autodesk.com/betaweb.htm

Cheers,
-Shaan

Interested in Beta Testing the Next Release of Autodesk Inventor?

We are now accepting pre-enrollment for the autodesk Inventor 8 beta program. For more information go to:

http://betaprograms.autodesk.com/betaweb.htm

Cheers,
-Shaan

Newly Released Service Pack 1a for AutoCAD and LT 2004

The following is from a post by Shawn Gilmour in the public discussion groups:

“As you may know service pack 1 for AutoCAD 2004 and AutoCAD LT 2004
encountered a problem with an omitted file required for the HP DesignJet
Windows system printer driver. Based on your feedback we were able to
quickly react to this issue and post a fix within 24 hours for service pack
1. We have now posted service pack 1a that includes the omitted file for HP
DesignJet Windows driver and have tested it extensively with customer beta
sites to ensure the problem is resolved. The AutoCAD team thanks you for
your patience and is committed to providing you with quality products.
Please consult the service pack 1a readme file for more information.

Service pack 1a is available through the LiveUpdate feature in the AutoCAD
2004 / AutoCAD LT 2004 Communication Center or for download at:

http://www.autodesk.com/autocad-updates AutoCAD 2004

http://www.autodesk.com/autocadlt-updates AutoCAD LT 2004

Cheers,
-Shaan

DWF!

In case you may not be aware there are few exciting press releases from today and yesterday.

Autodesk Announces DWF 6 for Mac OS X Users and Developers

Autodesk Announces Agreement with Océ to Support DWF

Cheers,
-Shaan

Free Data Recovery Software for Hard Drives and Digital Storage Media

The price is good. :-)

Free Data Recovery Software for Hard Drives and Digital Storage Media
http://biz.yahoo.com/iw/030909/057304.html
http://www.pcinspector.de/file_recovery/uk/download.htm

Cheers,
-Shaan

3DS Max 6 Coming Soon

The beta has been great with quite a few enhancements. This is no sales pitch just my comments after playing around with it for some time. The Mental Ray renderer is simply stunning. Perhaps I will place a rendering up here after the weekend.

Here is a link to the PDF on features:
http://www.discreet.com/docs/products/3dsmax/3dsmax6_techspec.pdf

Cheers,
-Shaan

Where AutoCAD is developed

This is where I work, in San Rafael California. My office is shown in the lower right corner and that is where most AutoCAD development takes place as well.

What is a blog

From blogger.com

Q: What does "blog" mean?
A: "Blog" is short for Web log.

Q: What is a blog?
A: A blog is similar to an online journal. It is composed of short, frequently updated posts arranged chronologically.

Q: Why use a blog?
A: People use blogs for many reasons. Some provide links to other content or commentary about other web sites. Others use blogs as diaries or as a place to share news, photos, poetry, short essays and project updates.

.NET is pretty cool

I have started doing some web pages based on .Net from Microsoft using both Macromedia Dreamweaver and Microsoft Web Matrix Reloaded. The power of what you can do with .NET based ASPX pages is very cool. Soon the entire web site of http://betaprograms.autodesk.com will be based on .NET. For the current time I will be getting used to this and creating content
a little at a time. I have a developer in Scotland that is working on a .NET based web forum for the beta program discussion groups as well. The new web forum looks very promising and I will detail more later once we get this up for a trial run.

Here is my screen shot of Microsoft Web Matrix Reloaded

Cheers,
-Shaan

Quite a few eBetas and more coming

Autodesk Beta Programs has posted a few open enrollment beta programs called eBetas. Of course it must be considered these are unsupported and unreleased products. They will also require that you accept a non-disclosure agreement.

Posted enrollments:

* AutoCAD Electrical
* AutoCAD Mechnical
* Mechanical Desktop
* Autodesk Express Viewer 4

and soon to be released for enrollment:
* Autodesk Inventor 8

The links and details are provided on the eBeta page
of Autodesk Beta Programs
http://betaprograms.autodesk.com/betaweb.htm

Have a great weekend.

Cheers,
-Shaan

Great AutoCAD Web Resources

Here are some very helpful AutoCAD related sites:

http://www.cadpanel.com/

http://jtbworld.com/?/autocad2004tips.htm

http://www.hyperpics.com/

http://ellenfinkelstein.com/autoCAD.html

The AutoCAD online Knowledge Base can answer most technical issues.
http://support.autodesk.com

The Autodesk Discussion Groups full of very helpful fellow AutoCAD users.
Click Here

And of course my unofficial AutoCAD History Site:
Click Here

Cheers,
-Shaan

I hope you like the new photo

Heidi and Bill came over yesterday and took a new photo of me. The old caffeine freaked looking one is now gone. Thank you for all of the feedback.

Cheers,
-Shaan

New AutoCAD & LT 2004 SP1a

We have invited thousands so far and have no stop ships reports in the past few days. This new Service Pack 1a will install on a non updated AutoCAD 2004 & LT as well as over the initial installed SP1. This will also install over an AutoCAD 2004 & LT original released SP1 with the hot fix released early last Friday announced on the Knowledge Base. The first SP1 was recalled due to a missing driver which has now been addressed and tested. We need people to test as many differing production environments as possible. We believe this will be the final release of the new SP and have been testing for the past few days internally and with external beta sites.

Please note these eBeta utilities and files should not to be used without careful consideration that these are unreleased beta products and are not fully supported and may contain software defects. The main purpose for posting them is to find the defects and have them reported. As with any beta software always back up your data and files and exercise caution when in a production environment.

Download Links:

ReadMe

AutoCAD 2004 Locked Product

AutoCAD 2004 UnLocked Product

AutoCAD LT 2004 UnLocked Product

Please send any feedback to the email ebeta@autodesk.com with the subject line of SP1. Please do not post feedback on this to the discussion groups as we are unable to monitor those for all reported feedback.

We sincerely appreciate your assistance in this testing.

Sincerely,
Shaan Hurley
Autodesk, Inc.