Between the Lines

Vote for the Autodesk University 2008 Sessions this year

We're doing something new this year—we would like you to help us select the best 500-plus sessions. We have uploaded all of the sessions (that were submitted by the deadline) to AU 2008 Session site and we need your input. Topics are organized under 19 tracks, which are either an industry or a product. If you are considering attending AU, please take a few minutes to vote for sessions that you absolutely want to see. Over the next few weeks,... Read more →

Scale List Cleanup Utility for AutoCAD 2008 and AutoCAD 2009

Updated version of the Scale List Cleanup Utility April 26th 2008 This Scale List Cleanup Utility repairs a problem with files that contain excess scales. This utility will soon be posted live to the Autodesk support site http://support.autodesk.com as it has completed beta testing with customers on http://myfeedback.autodesk.com This tool was developed in response to your customer feedback. Thank you. Download CleanupScales.html Download Scale_List_Cleanup_Utility_32bit.exe Download Scale_List_Cleanup_Utility_64bit.exe Description of Problem When a file contains excess scales, performance may be negatively affected.... Read more →

Happy Birthday Autodesk - April 26th, 1982

A HUGE Thank You to John, Duff, and Dan for giving us Autodesk and AutoCAD. Read more →

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... Read more →

Autodesk University 2008 - Last Call for Presenters

The Autodesk University User Conference and Exhibition (AU) is Autodesk's premier annual event. AU is all about empowering professionals with training, resources, and contacts to help them realize their best ideas. Attendees are seeking Autodesk and partner solutions that will help them align their careers and their organizations for success in today's fast-changing industries. After another record-breaking event in 2007, AU is returning to Las Vegas, where our venue will again be the Venetian Resort Hotel—one of the world's finest... Read more →

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. Read more →

AutoCAD 2009 Tutorial Videos Published on YouTube

These 13 video tutorials for AutoCAD 2009 features were recorded by my coworker Heidi Hewett. AutoCAD 2009 Demo Introduction AutoCAD 2009 Demo - part 2- Quick Access Toolbar AutoCAD 2009 Demo - part 3 - Menu Browser AutoCAD 2009 Demo - Part 4 - Ribbon AutoCAD 2009 Demo - part 5 - Status Bar AutoCAD 2009 Demo - part 6 - Quick Properties AutoCAD 2009 - part 7 - QuickView layout AutoCAD 2009 - part 8 - QuickView Drawings AutoCAD... Read more →

AutoCAD LispWiki

David Harrington pointed me to this wiki that describes itself as "a wiki code repository for AutoCAD specific VBA, AutoLISP, VisualLISP, and ObjectARX source code." This appears to be a nice start and resource to bookmark and see how it grows with helpful routines and code shared by the community. http://lispwiki.com Cheers, Shaan Read more →

The Matt Murphy Clay Head Poses with Jay Leno Lastnight

Jay Leno and the infamous Matt Murphy Clay Head Sculpture from Autodesk University 2007 made a Hollywood style appearance at Jay Leno's car garage http://www.jaylenosgarage.com/ on its travels around the world. They use Autodesk products at Jay's Garage and have one of the largest private collections of amazing cars and car experts. I was there with Marie Domingo of Autodesk providing some update tips and tricks for new AutoCAD 2009 and shot with the garage staff for an upcoming Jay's... Read more →

AutoCAD Wish List Ballot Results for February 2008

AUGI (Autodesk Users Groups International) has now posted the results of the February 2008 wish list voting cycle for AutoCAD. There are some good ones in there and we appreciate all the submissions. Everyone should get involved in AUGI as it is free, many benefits, tens of thousands of your peers, and you get to enter your wish list items and vote on them in 3 cycles a year. The top ten voted wishes for the year are presented to... Read more →

I am now on Facebook

I waited a longtime to join but finally did it. ;-) http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1221796059 Read more →

Camtasia Studio 5.1.0 Released

At least someone is not taking something more from me on this US Tax deadline day... My smart and friendly friends at TechSmith in Michigan have released an update to their excellent screen recording program Camtasia that I use almost daily along with their SnagIt screen capturing program. The newly released version April 15th, 2008 is Camtasia 5.1.0 (http://www.techsmith.com/camtasia.asp). There are quite a few updates as well as fixes worthy of updating to 5.1.0. Some of the updates New callouts... Read more →

New AutoCAD 2009 Training for Subscription Customers

8 hours 20 minutes of training and exercises are already available for Autodesk AutoCAD 2009 Subscription customers Read more →

Where to Find AutoCAD Service Packs

AutoCAD Service Packs are located on the Autodesk web site at http://support.autodesk.com and then select your product then the menu Updates & Service Packs. Here are the AutoCAD Service Packs and Updates currently available. Read more →

Welcome Kate!

Kate Morrical the author of the excellent AutoCAD LT Tips blog has been assimilated and is now a fellow Autodesk Technical Manager for the AutoCAD LT product. Not many are aware but many of us "deskers" are former product users ourselves having used the products and other CAD products in the "real world" before working for Autodesk. Below is Kate and the infamous matt murphy clayhead sculpture at Autodesk University 2007 and her own clay model submission to the fun... Read more →

The AutoCAD Guys Video

The AutoCAD Guys Eric and Doug show AutoCAD 2009. Read more →

AutoCAD 2009 - SnagIt Window Capture Tip

I have used the screen capture programs SnagIt and Camtasia from my friends at TechSmith for over 10 years now. Screen capturing is an excellent way to communicate something without just relying on words or excellent documenting a process. With the newer software applications being developed these days some like AutoCAD 2009 using XAML are using application frameworks that can be tricky to capture. When trying to capture or record a single full application window that is using application frames... Read more →

AutoCAD Google Earth Extension Updated for AutoCAD 2009

Updated Google Earth Extension for AutoCAD Now Available Read more →

Steelhead Riverbed and 2007 DWG Update Status

The performance and productivity of our customers is a key consideration for Autodesk and Riverbed. For this reason, our engineering teams are working together to devise workarounds and are examining potential longer-term solutions. Read more →

Interesting Math and Shaan's Update

I thought I would pass along this interesting piece of math results to prove I am still alive after no posts last week and many emailed having said they noticed I had not posted and were asking if I was ok. ;-) I have had some hardware issues over the last week as well as a busy life but all in all things are good, except for Steve Johnson starting a viral photo editing movement after I posted a picture... Read more →

AutoCAD 2009 New, Changed, Removed Commands and System Variables

New Commands Command Description ACTRECORD Starts the Action Recorder. ACTSTOP Stops the Action Recorder and provides the option of saving the recorded actions to an action macro file. -ACTSTOP Stops the Action Recorder and provides the option of saving the recorded actions to an action macro file. ACTUSERINPUT Inserts a request for user input into an action macro. ACTUSERMESSAGE Inserts a message that will be viewed during playback. -ACTUSERMESSAGE Inserts a user message into an action macro. ALLPLAY Plays all... Read more →