|
|
AutoCAD 2011 for the CAD Manager
25 Mar, 2010 By: Robert GreenAutodesk is launching the latest version of its flagship product today. Here’s a rundown of the new features that will help you help your users.
CAD Manager’s Newsletter is arriving a day later than scheduled so I can bring you the news about today’s launch of AutoCAD 2011. You'll be seeing a lot about the new AutoCAD release from Autodesk in the coming days and weeks. In this newsletter, I’ll review the updates that will have the greatest impact on CAD managers. You’ll find my general overview of new product features in “AutoCAD 2011: A Look at What’s New,” and my Cadalyst Labs Review of the new version appears in the Spring 2010 edition of Cadalyst magazine, which goes on sale later today.
I usually try to keep the CAD Manager's Newsletter product-neutral, but since so many CAD managers either use or support AutoCAD-based products, I'll make an exception in this case. Read on for my take on the new tools that facilitate user training and system configuration. Here goes.
Interface Modifications
AutoCAD 2011's user interface is quite similar to the last couple of releases (2009 and up) in that the out-of-the-box configuration utilizes a ribbon along the top menu bar, as opposed to the toolbar/dashboard approach utilized in AutoCAD 2008 and prior. Alert your users (or be ready for questions) about a few differences I'll call your attention to now.
Workspace pull-down menu. Located in the upper-left corner, this is a handy way to switch between 3D, ribbon, and classic-style interfaces — and it's much more prominent than prior releases.
Ribbon pull-down menu. Unobtrusively located just to the right of the other pull-down menus. this control allows the user to customize how detailed the ribbons will appear and, therefore, how much space they'll consume. My advice is to bring this to your users' attention and ask them to try some different settings to see if they can get used to the ribbon.
3D object snaps. New 3D object snaps are included along the bottom navigation bar, but the icon looks very similar to the 2D object snap icon that resides right next to it. I found myself a little puzzled by this at first, and so might your users.
The AutoCAD 2011 user interface includes a workspace pull-down menu in the upper-left corner, 3D navigation tools along the bar at right, a ribbon pull-down menu, and 3D object snaps details (superimposed for clarity).
3D navigation tools. The move toward having 3D navigation tools on screen has been completed with the Navigation bar consolidating 3D tools and zoom/pan functions into a single floating panel. Note that these settings can be customized for each workspace so they don't always have to be on.
Conclusion. If your users are familiar with AutoCAD 2009 or 2010, they should become comfortable with AutoCAD 2011's user interface very quickly. For those users who've never seen a ribbon-style interface or a 3D view cube, it may take a little longer and require some training from you.
Transparency
A new transparency object property has been added, which you'll see in dialog boxes like Layer, Plot, and Properties. Transparency can be applied by object or by layer (just like color or linetype), and the more transparent an object is, the higher the number will be — up to a maximum of 90.
Transparency is simply another object property, like color or linetype.
1 2 3
|
|
AutoCAD Tips!
Autodesk Technical Evangelist Lynn Allen guides you through a different AutoCAD feature in every edition of her popular "Circles and Lines" tutorial series. For even more AutoCAD how-to, check out Lynn's quick tips in the Cadalyst Video Gallery. Subscribe to Cadalyst's Tips & Tricks Tuesdays free e-newsletter and we'll notify you every time a new video tip is available. All exclusively from Cadalyst! |
|
