Between the Lines

Have a Safe and Happy New Year

I know in light of the earthquake and tsunami disaster in Asia Pacific and the nightclub fire in Argentina it is extremely hard to celebrate anything in the same celebratory mood without a heavy heart. I would like to wish all a very safe and happy New Years. I wish all of those in the disaster regions a speedy recovery and that everyone across the world pulls together to help in the recovery efforts. For those partaking in the champagne... Read more →

Autodesk Civil 3D Blog

Angel Espinoza sent me an email that he has a blog on Civil 3D. There are a lot of tips and tricks for those using Autodesk Civil 3D. Check it out. http://acecivil3d.blogspot.com/ Read more →

AUGI CAD Camp Announced- Five Cities

AUGI's Regional Learning and Networking Events "CAD Camp" Houston, Texas USA Feb 8th, 2005 (registration open) Lansing, Michigan USA Feb 10th, 2005 (registration open) Seattle, Washington USA Feb 23rd, 2005 (registration opens 1/12/05) Chicago, Illinois USA Mar 1st, 2005 (registration opens 1/18/05) Dallas, Texas USA Mar 3rd, 2005 (registration opens 1/20/05) To register go to http://www.cadcamp.com The CAD Camp is almost like a miniature one day Autodesk University or more like a regional user group meeting with some classes. I... Read more →

Another Tsunami Relief Link

Cameron Scott of http://www.timberdesign.com mentioned another aid organization located in the UK that can be contributed to. The organization is Shelterbox. Cameron says "Shelterbox is a fantastic initiative based in Cornwall, UK that sends out vital emergency aid to disaster zones around the world. This aid comes in the form of a 'shelterbox' that contains enough equipment to provide shelter, clean water and other essentials for ten people for up to six months. Shelterbox has already started shipping aid directly... Read more →

500th Post to this Blog!

This is my 500th post to this blog. You can use the catagory archives listed on the left side menu or the search option to find some helpful tips, tricks, announcements, and resources. With over 3000 visits a day to this blog, the blog has been an enjoyable diversion for me and a benefit to those who visit and hopefully some fun at times. The blog has had over 200,000 visits in a year and a half and the photo... Read more →

Asia Pacific Region Needs Help After Disaster

My heart absolutely goes out to those in the Asia Pacific region after the large 9.0 earthquake and following tsunami. My deepest sympathies to the victims, families and communities. There have been so many lost of lives and housing. It is a huge disaster and the news reports are almost too much to watch. Currently the reported number of lives lost is at 58,000. Please join Autodesk in assisting in the recovery efforts as so many need your help. If... Read more →

Tip/Trick: Multiple Columns of Mtext in AutoCAD 2005

I received a comment from a AutoCAD user that was using AutoCAD 2005 and wanted to have columns in Mtext. I showed a inventive method to accomplish this and control the columns and easily edit them individually. Simply create a AutoCAD Table object with no Header or Title and no border then placing the Mtext in the Table cells. DWF of final MTEXT in columns Download Table-Mtext-Layout1.dwf You can view this using the free Autodesk DWF Viewer from http://www.autodesk.com/dwf Steps... Read more →

Happy Holidays!

Autodesk is closed from December 24th 2004 until January 3rd 2005. I am now going to try and enjoy a week off but may make a few blog posts as well as play Santa for my children. Have a very safe and happy holidays and a great new year. Shaan Read more →

Autodesk/Discreet Trial Software

AutoCAD® 2005 Streaming online trial or 30-Day Trial CD Here AutoCAD LT 2005 30-Day Trial Here AutoCAD® Revit® Series Here AutoCAD® Electrical 30-Day Trial Here Autodesk Inventor® 9 Test Drive CD Here Autodesk Map® 3D 2005 30-Day Trial Here Autodesk Streamline® 30-Day Trial Here 3ds max®7 30-Day Trial Here Autodesk DWF Composer 30-Day Trial Here Read more →

Autodesk University 2004 Course Handouts

The email to all Autodesk University 2004 attendees has been emailed with the password to the course handout content today. Now hopefully people will stop emailing me for the password. ;-) From the email: "Thank you for attending AU this year. Thanks largely to your participation -- and that of more than 4000 of your peers -- Autodesk University was once again a record-breaking success. Based on nearly 2000 onsite surveys, 95 percent of attendees plan to return next year... Read more →

Annual Holiday Starving Students Product Donation

For the past few years I have raided my office and asked fellow deskers that have ununsed Not for Resale copies of Autodesk products to give away in the holiday spirit. These are products I had left over. This is only for those that really need them like starving students or those out of work and really have no opportunity to purchase them. It is a way to make a difference in someones life and perhaps get them started or... Read more →

CADD Manager Newsletter Vol. 04, No. 12

Mark Kiker has a nice CAD Manager related website http://www.caddmanager.com/ and newsletter. The newsletter contains many tips and tricks for those using AutoCAD. The current newsletter for December 2004 is now available at http://www.caddmanager.com/Newsletter/CADnewsletterV04-12.html. To subscribe, send an e-mail to [email protected] Contents: Autodesk University 2004 CAD Technology is not Turnkey - CAD Managers are needed! ETransmit New Zoom option in AutoCAD 2005 (Zoom to Object) Does anyone know what enu means? Cheers, Shaan Read more →

AutoCAD LISP Loading Utility

Jefferey Sanders of http://www.jefferypsanders.com/ has posted a nice LISP loading application for AutoCAD 2000 and up. It is a graphical LISP loading program and for those that do not like to use APPLOAD or other methods of loading LISP but want to pick from a graphical list, then this utility is for you. Link to LoadLSP Utility web page Cheers, Shaan Read more →

Archidigm: AutoCAD 2005 Fields

Archidigm has posted an article on AutoCAD 2005 Fields and they had some great feedback on them. I am sure they will be happy to know we are listening to all of the constructive feedback for future development and enhancements. Odin: If you are reading this send me an email [email protected] or call me at 415 507 8432 to discuss. :-) I have met a few of the people from Archidigm and they sure know their stuff to put it... Read more →

Desktop Search Tools

First there was the Google Desktop Search beta. I installed it and then after 2 weeks uninstalled it. Now there is a new one from Microsoft named the MSN Toolbar Suite in beta. I really like the MSN Toolbar Suite so far, but it will take 2 weeks to know for sure. I can search everything on my hard drive, email, and the web from one convenient location. I also have not noticed the web linking/mixing or caching encrypted data... Read more →

The CAD Industry Loses a Great Writer

I just got the news that MCAD writer Joe Greco has passed away. Joe wrote so many good MCAD reviews and articles. This is a huge loss to the CAD industry and he will be missed. He died of cardiac arrest and was only was only 41. My sincere condolences go out to his friends and family. Read more →

AUGI Hot News: December 2004, No. 19

Check out the latest AUGI Hot News. Free membership is required. Autodesk University, Revisited AU 2004 is just a memory now...but what a memory! AU traditions and new events combined to make this annual learning extravaganza a huge success. Read the recap. AUGI Elections It's time to vote for four open positions on the AUGI Board of Directors. Cast your vote today! Who's the 2005 Top DAUG? Read all about this year's competition. More participants than ever before competed for... Read more →

AutoCAD Quick Guide by Lee Ambrosius

Lee Ambrosius has made available a free AutoCAD Quick Guide and announced this in a post on his blog Beyond the UI. " Quick Guides are great if you teach AutoCAD classes to new students. One of the Quick Guides that I have is for many of the commonly used Command Aliases, Accelerated Keys (Keyboard Shortcuts), Coordinate System (Types of Point Entry), Drag 'n Droppable files, Object Snaps and Selection Methods." Link to Lee's blog Beyond the UI and the... Read more →

Autodesk University 2005 in Orlando Florida

You may have heard that Autodesk University 2005 will be held in Orlando Florida next year November 29th through December 2nd 2005 at Disney World. In my opinion this will be the largest and best CAD event ever held at the Disney location as I have attended others there. I am hoping to get some special things arranged since Disney is a large Autodesk customer and much of the park rides and facilities were designed using Autodesk software. I am... Read more →

AutoCAD Layer Filter and APP ID Purge Tool

Thanks to customer James Maeding and some developers in the Autodesk Developer Network team, I am posting this tool as a unsupported and open beta. Please review the readme text file. The tool can be used to purge unwanted Layer Filters and unnecessary REG APP IDs in DWG files. This tool actually purges any APP ID that is not needed, just like the -PURGE command does in AutoCAD 2005. This tool works for AutoCAD 2000 up to AutoCAD 2005. Download... Read more →

Avatech / Vizdepot Rendering Challenge Results

The rendering results for the challenge held at AU last week have been posted to the Vizdepot. The renderings are outstanding and definitly worth a look. A perfect example is the day one first place winner Ged Trias Check out Beau Turner's blog post on the contest http://rndr4food.blogspot.com/2004/12/rendering-challenge-final-results.html Or these links to the winners on Vizdepot.com Day One http://vizdepot.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=6275#post6275 Day Two http://vizdepot.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1263 Day Three http://vizdepot.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1262 Read more →

If you blog it, they will come

I imagine the AU news and photos had a lot to do with this, but in the past few days my blog readers went from a few thousand a day to many thousands per day and many emails. I have almost broke 500 posts now since starting this blog. You can search them using the search field on the left menu. It is so fulfilling to read the emailed comments about the blog as well as the amount of people... Read more →

XRef Overlay and XRef Attach

http://www.cadforum.cz always has some goods tips for Autodesk products. I wanted to point out a new one. CAD Tip # 4155 http://www.cadforum.cz/cadforum_en/qaID.asp?tip=4155 "The difference between overlaying and attaching an xref is in cases with multiple levels (nesting) of xrefs (A.dwg references B.dwg, which references C.dwg). If you xref-attach C.dwg in B.dwg, and then attach B.dwg in A.dwg, you can see the C.dwg contents/entities in both B.dwg and A.dwg. But if you overlay C.dwg in B.dwg, you can see the C.dwg... Read more →

Announcing the winner in the Test Drive and Usability sessions from AU 2004

The Autodesk Platform Technologies Div. product design and usability teams held some test drive and usability events while at AU 2004. There was a drawing for a brand new Canon digital camera for those that attended these sessions. Prize: Canon PowerShot SD 20 Digital ELPH, Deluxe Kit with Case The winner is: Nina L. Junco a-dec company Newberg, Oregon I used to work just down the street from a-dec in Newberg. Newberg is a beautiful place just Southwest of Portland.... Read more →

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You can use a HTML animated ticker to see the latest postings on this blog. Just use the below HTML on your page or any other place that allows HTML. HTML code: This produces the following animated banner: Read more →