Between the Lines

Glimpse at Alias Sketch for AutoCAD 2010

Here is a interesting project in the works in the labs, Alias Sketch for AutoCAD 2010. This is an AutoCAD add-on application for sketching and experimenting with creative concepts in AutoCAD. You may be aware of the great Autodesk SketchBook Pro product for both Mac and PC as well as the new SketchBook Mobile for the iPhone. which I have and love.

Now there is some work on an add-on to AutoCAD to add some of the Sketch features currently named “Alias Sketch for AutoCAD 2010”.

Illustrate with Alias Sketch

Use intuitive pen-based painting and drawing tools such as pencils, markers, and brushes to create and adapt raster images in AutoCAD paper space.

The Alias Sketch Workspace

The Alias Sketch workspace is comprised of a single tabs on the AutoCAD ribbon. Marking menus, tool palettes, color editors, and browsers provide access to all the features you need to create illustrations in paper space.

Use intuitive pen-based painting and drawing tools such as pencils, markers, and brushes to create and adapt raster images in AutoCAD paper space.

Layer and transformation features extend your power to explore and fine-tune your ideas. Display 3D objects as layers in an Alias Sketch raster image to trace or to provide rich composition possibilities.

• Draw Freehand Illustrations
• Create Concept Variations
• Create Compositions with 3D Models
• Trace 3D Models
• Create Concept Walls
• Annotate

Just a glimpse of the possible future with AutoCAD. If you are into Industrial Design, then I would recommend the Autodesk University 2009 90 minute class ID218-1   Taking 2D Beyond Documentation
Description: Will explores creative methods that utilize Alias® Illustration functionality with AutoCAD® to extend documentation beyond technical drawings.
Speaker: Paul Lebovitz  Product Architect Autodesk

So if you use Photoshop® with AutoCAD®, this is the class for you!

Cheers,
Shaan

Project Cooper - Give it a New Name

Project Cooper is not the final name just a project name while the product is still in development phases. What do you think it should be called?  Help us give Project Cooper a permanent name!  Take this short, multiple-choice survey.  Should take less than 2 minutes, and we appreciate your input.

The SurveyMonkey survey link is live at:  Click Here to take survey

Have you tried Project Cooper with Win 7, or even XP?  If the answer is no then give it a try or mention it to someone that needs a super simple precision design tool. Be sure to email labs.cooper@autodesk.com with any comments you might have.

Autodesk Announces Support for Windows 7

The official supported products for the new Microsoft Windows 7 Operating System announced today. I have been running most Autodesk products without a problem for many months now. There was also a new Project Cooper released.

Autodesk Announces Support for Windows 7

Industry-Leading Design, Engineering and Entertainment Software to Be Compatible with Latest Windows Operating System

SAN RAFAEL, Calif., Oct. 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Autodesk, Inc. (NASDAQ: ADSK), a leader in 2D and 3D design, engineering and entertainment software, has announced support for Windows 7. Effective today, Autodesk will support customers using nine products including AutoCAD 2010, AutoCAD LT 2010 and the Autodesk Inventor 2010 family of software, on Windows 7.

"Windows 7 was designed with the customer in mind," said Mark Relph, senior director for Windows Product Management at Microsoft Corp. "We are pleased to have the support of Autodesk to offer our mutual customers an easy way to do the things they want on a PC."

For the 2010 product line, Autodesk will support nine products on Windows 7. These products are Autodesk Inventor 2010, Autodesk Inventor LT 2010, AutoCAD 2010, AutoCAD LT 2010, AutoCAD Architecture 2010, AutoCAD Electrical 2010, AutoCAD Mechanical 2010, AutoCAD MEP 2010 and Autodesk Algor Simulation 2010 software. Autodesk will support Windows 7 for most of its other products as updated versions are released.

"Autodesk is committed to delivering software that meets and exceeds our customers' functionality requirements, while providing them the broadest possible choice of operating systems," said Chris Bradshaw, Autodesk chief marketing officer. "Autodesk and Microsoft share a goal of making the tasks our customers perform every day easier and faster. We look forward to extending support for Windows 7 across our portfolio so all our customers can benefit from the improvements in this robust new operating system."

Windows 7 offers many powerful new features and functionality that will benefit Autodesk customers, including full support for 64-bit computing, Windows search and improved performance. Multi-touch support has also become a core capability of Windows 7, and Autodesk is developing new software to take advantage of this technology. At the Windows 7 media launch event, Autodesk will demonstrate Project Cooper, a preview of new technology for simple drawing and drafting that has been engineered to take advantage of the multi-touch capabilities of Windows 7. The Autodesk Project Cooper Technology Preview is now available for free download at http://www.autodesk.com/projectcooper. “

Autodesk Project Cooper

Autodesk Project Cooper is now live for you to spread the word for others that do not need the power of AutoCAD or AutoCAD LT but want a simple yet precise sketching product.

cnet article: Autodesk launches Project Cooper for Windows 7

www.autodesk.com/projectcooper

AutoCAD September Free Plugin of the Month ~ Offset in XREF OffsetInXref

The Autodesk Labs is now posting free AutoCAD plugins and the code for those wanting to learn more on AutoCAD customization. In Kean’s first plugin of the month it is OffsetInXref, This AutoCAD plugin allows you to offset geometry contained in external references without first having to explode them. I will be talking about some of these examples during the See the Difference with AutoCAD 2010 Tour in October.

Free Offset in XRef Plugin Download on Autodesk Labs site

The 32-bit, 64-bit DLL and the source code is included in the free download.

Related Posts on the AutoCAD Plugin of the Month

• It is Alive in the Labs  >  First Plugin of the Month: Offset in XREF
• It is Alive in the Labs   > Free Offset in XRef Plugin Download on Autodesk Labs site
• Through the Interface > OffsetInXref: September’s ADN Plugin of the Month, now live on Autodesk Labs
• Through the Interface: Plugin of the Month
• Through the Interface >  Coming soon to Autodesk Labs… “Plugin of the Month”

You can also learn more customization for AutoCAD from Kean’s posts and the available learning path for novice programmers.  I truly believe that just by reading Kean’s blog you gain intelligence and higher IQ points. I also believe reading Kean’s writing can help you realize how poor you are at writing in comparison to his top writing, grammar, and punctuation skills.

Coming in October: Clipboard Manager for AutoCAD.

So if there is some plugin and code example you are looking for, just ask on Kean’s blog Through the Interface or email labs.plugins@autodesk.com with feedback or requests for enhancements.

Thank you Kean, the ADN (Autodesk Developer Network)  and the Autodesk Labs Team!

Shaan

Project Twitch – Run Many Autodesk Software Applications Over the Web!

A cool “cloud” project is available for testing from the fine folks in the Autodesk Labs. If you located within 1000 miles of San Francisco and have a high speed connection you can now trial Autodesk products such as:

AutoCAD 2010

Autodesk Inventor 2010

Autodesk Revit Architecture 2010

Maya coming soon.

The reason for the proximity to San Francisco and high speed Internet is to make sure you get the best possible experience and performance as we are testing this technology..

Link to Project Twitch

• Test drive without installing or downloading Autodesk applications
• Scott Sheppard’s Blog Post on It’s Alive in the Lab Try AutoCAD, Inventor, and Revit without installing them

“Project Twitch!
This project is testing remote delivery of our applications over the Internet. The goal of project Twitch is to enable you to test and try the latest versions of AutoCAD, Revit, Inventor, and Maya without having to install or download the applications. These applications run remotely on our servers and are delivered to you over the Internet. You will use them in the same way that you would if they were on installed on your system.”

Check out the System Requirements before trying Twitch

System Requirements

Internet Connectivity

• Within 1,000 miles of the data center located in San Francisco California USA
• 5Mbps or greater bandwidth

Supported Operating Systems

• Windows XP (32-bit)
• Windows Vista (32-bit)

Supported Browsers

• Firefox 3.x
• Internet Explorer 7 or higher

Hardware (for data compression/decompression)

• 1.6 GHz or higher dual-core CPU
• 1 GByte RAM
• Display resolution of 1280x1024 or higher
• DirectX 9c capable video card

Are you twitching to try it?

Cheers,
Shaan

Project Dragonfly now on Autodesk Labs

Project Dragonfly is a free web hosted application which provides you the ability to easily design floor plans.

Yes Dragonfly is a free Do It Yourself “DIY”  web based application unlike any other, give it a try.

Project Dragonfly

See Scott’s post on the new Autodesk Labs offering.
Project Dragonfly now available on Autodesk Labs

Autodesk Shows Inventor Fusion at AU2008

Being from a mechanical background before coming to Autodesk, and having been an Autodesk Inventor user since before release 1, this was one of the coolest technologies I saw at Autodesk University 2008.  It was the Inventor Fusion technology from our Manufacturing division at Autodesk.

I was wandering the AU exhibit hall and saw Autodesk’s Kevin Schneider in an Autodesk Labs booth demoing something I had not seen before, so I stopped and watched. It had everyone’s eyes at the booth and in some cases jaws were dropped. It was very cool technology, exciting, and innovative. It permits the parametric modeling (history based) modeling available with Autodesk Inventor to work with the direct editing (history free) of Inventor Fusion. You are not locked into one methodology of parametric or direct editing for a project and can use either based on the tasks at hand and combine the design data, the proverbial best of both worlds.

The User Interface “UI” is new and showcases many new concepts based on customer research. The technology appeared to be presenting options based on the task and there appeared to be some predictive choices based on contextual next step/options for the selected feature. You could work all without using dialogs or the ribbon menu.

The demo of Inventor Fusion was very powerful and it will be exciting to see the industry and peoples reaction when a technology preview is available for download.

 

Check out the videos and details http://www.inventorfusion.com/

Cheers,
Shaan

AutoCAD Drawing Cleanup Tool from Autodesk Labs

Have you seen the AutoCAD Drawing Cleanup Tool from Autodesk Labs? There are some very handy tools drawing cleanup tools in there.

http://labs.autodesk.com/utilities/drawingcleanup/

Autodesk Tangible ViewCube

I was walking through the Autodesk San Rafael offices last week and passed Brian Pene’s office. What caught my attention was he was playing with something wireless and his screen with a 3D building model was updating. I had to stop and ask what it was. It was the Tangible ViewCube (yes View+Cube are joined and trademarked as one word).

Think of it as the Autodesk ViewCube in real life and much better for manipulating a view than a Nintendo wii besides you look more professional than telling your boss why a gaming system is needed in your office. I saw other cool and practical things in Brian’s office, but I cant talk about those just yet.

Read Scott’s blog post on the Autodesk Tangible ViewCube device including a link to a video.  Autodesk Tangible ViewCube

Cheers,
Shaan

Free Navigation Bonus Tool for AutoCAD 2008 and 2009 Available from Autodesk Labs

Randy Kintzley of AutoCAD Bonus Tool and Express Tool fame and in recent years a developer in core AutoCAD has released a nugget to Autodesk Labs.

Navigation Bonus Tool for AutoCAD

This Navigation Bonus Tool provides backward and forward display navigation within AutoCAD 2008 and 2009. This is similar to the forward and backward option in your web browser. This is not UNDO and REDO. It is tracking everything that is being done so it can roll back or forward. I am testing the Bonus Tool myself but have not seen an impact to performance, but if you see a problem please make sure to email us the feedback at the email: labs.acad.navbonus@autodesk.com

The following items are tracked and added to the history while you work:

• Active drawing switch
• Layout switch
• View changes such as zoom, pan ...etc
• Active viewport switch
• Viewport maximize/minimize

Ways of accessing this functionality:

• Toolbar: Note back/forward arrows in the upper left corner of the AutoCAD window
• Mouse: If your mouse has buttons that allow forward and backward navigation in your web browser, they can be used for this purpose in AutoCAD as well.
• Keyboard shortcut: [ALT]+[LEFTARROW] and [ALT]+[RIGHTARROW]
• Commands: NAVBACK and NAVFORWARD

It takes a little getting used to but can be very handy.

Navigation Tool Link: http://labs.autodesk.com/utilities/acad_navigation_bonus/

Autodesk Labs Link: http://labs.autodesk.com/

Give it a try and let us know your feedback labs.acad.navbonus@autodesk.com

Thank you Randy & Autodesk Labs!
Now please give us more more more AutoCAD Bonus Tools!

Cheers,
Shaan

Autodesk Inventor Plastic Features Technology Preview Coming

In addition to using AutoCAD, Impression, 3ds max, and many other Autodesk products I have been a longtime user of Autodesk Inventor from the pre Inventor 1.0 days. My background is mechanical design so Autodesk Inventor has always been a tool I use in my arsenal of design applications. Being one of the founders of Autodesk Labs,

Now the Autodesk Inventor Team is soon to be releasing a new Autodesk Labs Technology Preview named:  Inventor Plastic Features Technology Preview

This Technology Preview will be related to the creation of thin-walled plastic parts and features such as grills, rests, bosses, snaps, lips, grooves and fillets.
More details when it is made available on Autodesk Labs.

There is a current YouTube video message from Kevin Schneider, Product Manager with the Autodesk Manufacturing team

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DW0FiZV1lQU

The formal announcement will be on Autodesk Labs http://labs.autodesk.com

Also keep an eye on the Autodesk Manufacturing blogs including the Autodesk Inventor specific blogs.

• Garin Gardiner - In the Machine
• Jay Tedeschi - The Gear Box – Jay has a post about this Technology Preview. Deja Vu all over again...
• 08.13.08 Update Autodesk Revolutionizes Plastic Part Design With Technology Preview of New Inventor Plastic Features

New Autodesk Project Showroom Now Available, More Powerful

Project Showroom demonstrates an SaaSy idea we have been developing on to allow people customize a visualization based on materials and parts you can change. In other words you can do a remodel and see the different items you selected all nice and rendered immediately. It is pretty cool and gives a glimpse at house a company in the future may allow simple drag drop or changes to be reflected without having to know 3D design and using a rendering/visualization product as it is so simple even a caveman can do it. In the new version you can customize a kitchen and bathroom even change models of kitchen appliances, the floor, cabinet, or counter top materials

Personally I would like to see an open API as well as the ability to import my own 3D DWG file as the model or perhaps even a garden and change decks or exteriors.

• Project Showroom
• http://showroom.labs.autodesk.com
• More Information about Project Showroom
• http://labs.autodesk.com/technologies/showroom

Digital Sculpting with Autodesk Mudbox in the Autodesk Labs on Multi-Touch Technology

Two technologies Autodesk Mudbox and Perceptive Pixel Multi-touch Wall demonstrated by two great people in the Autodesk Labs.

Check out Scott's blog posting and the videos on YouTube
Exploring Mudbox on a Multi-touch device

Google Earth Extension for AutoCAD 2007, AutoCAD 2008, and AutoCAD 2009

The updated and very very popular Google Earth Extension for AutoCAD has been updated for AutoCAD 2009 so that it now runs on three AutoCAD versions. There have also been a few updates by the developer Thomas Inzinga:

• Support for the new AutoCAD 2009 Geographic Location object
• Numerous bug fixes.

The Google Earth Extension is a great way to get your designs into Google Earth or reference Google Earth in AutoCAD.

"Using the simple wizard-driven interface, you can publish your 3D models from AutoCAD or select AutoCAD-based products directly into Google Earth™. The technology preview is available for 2007, 2008, and 2009 versions."

http://labs.autodesk.com/utilities/google_earth_extension_beta/

In AutoCAD 2009 I created a 3D model of the Autodesk Civic Center Offices and published them to Google Earth using this extension.

 
View in Google Earth View in Google Maps

Google Map view showing the real-world location buildings in a satellite photo map.

View Larger Map

 

PS: Happy Earthday!
This is not a guilt motivated post by me just because I ran my chainsaw for 2 hours last night trimming my trees and roses after watching a new reality show Axe Men and just had to use my chainsaw. I guess it is a guy thing...

 

Cheers,
Shaan

Autodesk Content Search Graduates to Autodesk Seek

The Autodesk Labs project Content Search has made its transition from lab project to a graduate as of April 4th 2008 and more exciting details and updates will follow shortly.

What is Autodesk Seek (http://seek.autodesk.com/)?
Autodesk Seek delivers the design files or product specifications that you need regardless of format. You can download everything from Revit product family files and DWG files to DGN and SKP files to Microsoft Word documents and PDFs.

AutoCAD Google Earth Extension Updated for AutoCAD 2009

Updated Google Earth Extension for AutoCAD Now Available

Free One Click 2D and 3D Design Collaboration - Updated ShareNow Utility from Autodesk Labs

This free utility from Autodesk Labs allows you to one click publish to the free hosted Project Freewheel from your AutoCAD based products as well as Autodesk Revit and Autodesk Inventor Autodesk Freewheel is for quick and easy sharing of designs online in the DWF format.

Scott provides a detailed list of the update on his Its Alive Autodesk Labs blog.

• 3D/2D ShareNow supports AutoCAD flavors - both 2008 and 2009

Here is the new floating toolbar after I installed the latest ShareNow on AutoCAD 2009 as I gave it a run through.

Figure 2 is my design published to Project Freewheel which is a hosted zero client viewing site meaning nothing is required to be installed to view 2D or 3D designs. No need to be clogging up emails with attached files or someone having to install something to view a design or be on a certain version of a viewing application.

You can use the Wheel to Zoom and Pan within the design.

There is the option to save your session and share your design with others using your free Autodesk Labs login and password protect your session sharing. Those with whom you share the session with do not have to install anything at all just use their browser. You can even share a drawing set or email others of the link to the design session.

 

When you invited guest views the link to your design shared in Project Freewheel they can markup and even view the markup list.

Download ShareNow

Documentation: http://labs.autodesk.com/utilities/ShareNow/documentation/
Feedback email: Labs.Freewheel@autodesk.com.
Project Freewheel: http://freewheel.labs.autodesk.com/index.aspx

Cheers,
Shaan

I Better Get Busy, I made the Autodesk.com Home page ;-)

I have been swamped with the Autodesk 2009 product line launches, the beta projects wrapping up on many of the products, took a week off and went hiking and shutterbugging in Southern Utah, and then I got sick. No time for any of that now that I have hit the big time with my blog being on the main page of Autodesk.com.

I have a few blog posts in draft I will finish up and get them online like the updated ShareNow utility from the Autodesk Labs. As you may have noticed I have been adding some guest articles and tips from fellow AutoCAD users to add more perspective and knowledge like the Layer Isolate tip from Michael Beall and I have a few more guest authors. If anyone else has tips and tricks to share with Between the Lines all you have to do is email me at shaan@autodesk.com.

Cheers,
Shaan

DWFx and AutoCAD 2009

The DWFx format has been added to AutoCAD 2009. DWFx is based on the XML Paper Specification (XPS) format from Microsoft. You can view and print DWFx files using Internet Explorer 7 on Windows Vista and Windows XP (with latest updates for .NET). 

In AutoCAD 2009 You can plot or publish to DWFx, attach DWFx files as Underlays, and read DWFx files using Markup Set Manager. You can still and will continue to be able to plot the older DWF format as well.

The soon to be released FREE Autodesk DWG TrueView 2009 will provide the ability to open and view DWG or convert to DWF or DWFx as well as much more including the much requested measuring/inquiry capability. See the Beyond the Paper posting DWG TrueView 2009 is cool.

The soon to be released and FREE Autodesk Design Review 2009 supports viewing, some editing, and markup for both the DWF and DWFx formats.

 

The free web service for viewing your 2D and 3D files from any operating system through a browser Project Freewheel (http://freewheel.labs.autodesk.com) now supports DWFx and the official Autodesk Freewheel (http://freewheel.autodesk.com/) perhaps in the future.

Autodesk Labs Project Draw 0.7 Uses Google Gears for Offline Mode

It is always pretty cool to watch the evolution of a idea or software. The Autodesk Labs Team has now released an updated Project Draw which allows the web based application to run in the offline mode and synch files later when you re-connect. It is like having a web 2.0 and a desktop application rolled into one. That has always been my concern is getting used to an application that is web based then not being able to use it when on a long flight or when my Internet connection is unavailable but Google Gears solves this concern for now. Now you can use Project draw on the plane to do simple diagrams and synch back up with the web app when you reconnect and imagine the possibilities with other web based apps in the future with no reliance on a specific machines operating system.

Project Draw 0.7 Now Available

http://draw.labs.autodesk.com

Drawing Cleanup Utility Now Available on Autodesk Labs

A new version of this tool to clean up drawings has been updated for the timeout and is now available. I would post screen shots but unfortunately it only works on Windows XP and I am happily on Windows Vista with most of my machines.

http://labs.autodesk.com/utilities/drawingcleanup/

Regards,
Shaan

Bah Humbug, Scrooge is in the Lab

Scott Sheppard of Its Alive in the Lab is a Scrooge ;-)
http://www.scroogeyourself.com/?id=1592991911

Technorati Tags: Scrooge, Scott Sheppard

Scott Sheppard - A Dead Man Posting ;-)

Just noticed in my RSS feed reader the following post on the Autodesk Labs blog...

AutoCAD Elves from It’s Alive in the Lab by Scott Sheppard

"Shaan Hurley will make sure this comes back to haunt me, but here goes:

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1574997118 

It takes a while to load, but it's worth it. Happy Holidays."

Well it is elves dancing and it has the faces of Lynn Allen, myself, and Heidi Hewett on them. Scott, as the old saying goes revenge is a dish best served cold. Bwahahahaha.

 

OK I did have a hard laugh over this. :-)

-Shaan

Scott Sheppard of Autodesk Labs - Now and Back from the 80s

I cant believe Scott was brave enough to blog a photo of himself from the eighties but he was motivated to do so after photos of Lynn Allen were posted from AU 2007. He asked what I was like in the eighties, "uhhh rock on dewd, where's my hair brush".

Humor: A Blast from the Past

Scott from the in the rockin 80s

Umm not sure who this guy below is...

I am now just getting ready to leave Las Vegas and head North where it is currently slowing which will slow my drive from around 6 hours to perhaps as long as 10 hours but I have a good co-pilot the Matt Murphy Clay Head Sculpture to navigate the weather.

Cheers,
Shaan