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Tips & Tools Weekly (Vol. 16, No. 42)
21 Nov, 2011 By: Cadalyst StaffEditor's Note: Tips & Tools Weekly will take a holiday hiatus and will return on December 5, 2011.
Just in Time for Holiday Shopping
Do you have any tips for using AutoCAD — or any other CAD software tool — more effectively and efficiently? Send them to us! If we publish your tip, you'll earn a gift card you can use to purchase a T-shirt or other prizes in the Cadalyst Store. Use the "Submit Tip" button below to send us your tip today!
Space Dimensions Automatically with DimSpace
Tipster Mike Demers sends an AutoCAD tip that will automate the task of spacing your dimensions in a uniform manner. "Traditionally, when dimensioning I would place my baseline dimensions, then adjust them so they looked nice and evenly spaced, but this took some time. With the DimSpace command, you simply select your baseline dimensions, then use this command to evenly space them so they look great!" View the complete tip and post your feedback.
Attach Digital Signatures and Seals
Senior Project Manager Mitch King expands on a previous tip about inserting digitized signatures into AutoCAD files. "To attach signatures and professional seals, I do something very similar to what Leonid Nemirovsky describes in his tip titled 'Insert Signatures.'" View the complete tip and post your feedback.
Ctrl to Grip-Edit Plines
Allen Jessup, an engineering specialist, expands on Rebekah Wolf's AutoCAD tip "Grip-Editing With Polylines." "In AutoCAD 2011, hold down the Ctrl key while selecting a portion of a polyline with either a window or crossing window. You will see that all the grips associated with those selected segments are highlighted." View the complete tip and post your feedback.
Hide the ViewCube and Navigation Bar
Tipster Bill Karkula shares a tip about managing the display of AutoCAD's ViewCube (also known as the Navigation Cube) and Navigation Bar. "In AutoCAD 2012, the ViewCube and Navigation Bar occasionally get in the way when drawing geometry or picking a window. I programmed a button to turn them off temporarily." View the complete tip and post your feedback.
November Tips from Hot Tip Harry
Hot Tip Harry, Cadalyst's mysterious purveyor of customized AutoCAD code, has dispatched another great bundle of tips from readers. View and download each of the latest tips using the links below, or get the entire November 2011 Hot Tip Harry batch at once. Please note that the next batch of useful LISP tips will come in January. Even Harry needs a holiday!
E-mail a Selection Set
Alan Thompson's latest routine allows you to quickly and easily e-mail a portion of your AutoCAD drawing. Start by loading the LISP file, then type in the command Email. View the complete tip and post your feedback.
Copy Attributes and More
This is a comprehensive routine that contains many AutoCAD functions related to copying text and attributes. Fortunately, tip author Robert Zipprich has provided a detailed readme file that contains all the information you need about each of the included functions. View the complete tip and post your feedback.
Improved Layer Isolate/Unisolate
This LISP routine from Kent Cooper improves on AutoCAD's built-in Layer Isolate and Layer Unisolate commands. View the complete tip and post your feedback.
Draw Window Trim
A unique routine from Jay Thomas that draws trim around windows in AutoCAD. View the complete tip and post your feedback.
Create Polyline Steel Decking
Jay Thomas's second contribution this month is a very nice routine that allows you to draw various types of 2D sheet-metal decking in the form of a polyline. View the complete tip and post your feedback.
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Review Cadalyst's Tip Submission Guidelines, then Submit Your Tip for your favorite CAD software. If we publish your tip, you'll earn a gift card you can use to purchase a T-shirt or other prizes in the Cadalyst Store. Please remember to submit only code and other tips that are your original work (or provide the original source so we can include proper credit) and to tell us which software version you use.
By submitting code, you grant Cadalyst the right to print and distribute your code in print, digitally, and by other means. Cadalyst and individual authors retain all rights to the code; published code is not to be used for commercial purposes.
Got Feedback? To share feedback about one of today's tips, navigate to the tip using the link provided above, then click Comment. The Comment tool is available to registered users of Cadalyst's CAD Tips site.
Tips & Tools Weekly software tips for AutoCAD are reviewed by Cadalyst staff and the Tip Patrol before publication. Use all tips at your own discretion, please. We're sorry, but editors and Tip Patrol members cannot provide assistance with technical problems; please refer to Cadalyst's Hot Tip Harry-Help discussion forum for assistance with AutoLISP and other AutoCAD customization questions.
Sincere thanks to our volunteer Tip Patrol members: Brian Benton, Don Boyer,
Mitchell Hirschklau, R.K. McSwain, and Billy Wooten.
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Resources
Federal Geographic Data Committee Launches New Geospatial Web Site
The federal government and its geospatial partners recently unveiled Geospatial Platform, a web portal comprising federally maintained geospatial data, services, and applications. In addition, the site provides access to data from state, tribal, regional, and local governments, as well as nongovernmental organizations.
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Deals & Freebies
SIS Offers Complimentary Ground Control Points with Software Purchase
Mapping software firm Spatial Information Solutions (SIS) is offering three complimentary ground control points from the CompassData archive to buyers of its QA/QC software products, Accuracy Analyst and Topo Analyst. As part of the promotion, SIS is offering a 10% discount on the software until December 31, 2011.
Siemens Debuts Discounted, Local Motors–Specific Version of Solid Edge
Siemens, a provider of product lifecycle management (PLM) software, is introducing Solid Edge Design1 exclusively through Local Motors, a Siemens PLM software partner, for a monthly subscription price of $19.95. A free trial of the mechanical CAD program is also available to members of the open-source automotive design community.
Open Design Alliance Opens Public Beta Program for Collada Interface
The Open Design Alliance (ODA) has opened a public beta program for the Collada file format that allows users to translate 3D data from the DWG file format to Collada. The interface is available as a stand-alone conversion application for Windows. Platform support will be available to ODA members in the upcoming 3.5.1 release of Teigha.
Luxion Provides Free Trial of KeyShot 3
Luxion, a developer of rendering and lighting technology, is offering a free, unlimited trial of KeyShot 3 for Windows and Mac platforms. The updated rendering solution features a new animation system, improvements to the user interface and workflow, and more than 400 new materials and importers.
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Opportunities & Honors
ATP Earns Autodesk BIM Experience Award
ATP Architects and Engineers (ATP) received an Autodesk BIM Experience Award for the company's use of building information modeling (BIM) for its architectural and engineering services. The firm is one of the first in Central Europe to implement a fully integrated, multidisciplinary BIM workflow.
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Books & Training
CIMdata Announces 2012 CIMdata PLM Certificate Program
CIMdata, a product lifecycle management (PLM) management consulting and research firm, recently announced its 2012 CIMdata PLM Certificate Program schedule. Upon successful completion of the nine-session program, which will be held in locations around the world, participants receive a CIMdata PLM certificate.
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Mark Your Calendar
2011 NIBS Annual Meeting and Ecobuild America Conference
December 5–9, 2011
Washington D.C.
The Ecobuild America conference covers strategies and technologies, and focuses on timely topics and real-world solutions throughout every phase of the project lifecycle. Read more
Hexagon 2012 International Conference
June 4–7, 2012
Las Vegas, Nevada
Hexagon 2012 offers hands-on training courses, interactive technology demonstrations and exhibits, and networking opportunities. Read more
For a complete list of CAD meetings, conferences, training sessions, and more, check out our calendar of events on Cadalyst.com. Are you hosting an event that you would like to include in our calendar? Submit details at least two weeks in advance to news@cadalyst.com.
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What's New at Cadalyst.com
CADspeed Blog Post:
How Much Should You Spend on a New CAD Workstation? Part 1: Entry-Level Systems
What does "high-end" mean when it comes to the dollars in your budget? Read more
CADspeed Blog Post:
The Difference Between a Workstation and Consumer-Grade PC for CAD
What's the difference between a workstation or consumer-grade PC, and why should you care? Read more
Bentley Seeks to Extend Point Cloud Data through Infrastructure Lifecycle
With its acquisition of Pointools, the infrastructure software provider prepares to leverage a new fundamental data type across the ProjectWise and AssetWise platforms. Read more
The Role of GIS in the Smart Grid
As two-way communications enhance dialogue between power consumers and suppliers, network operators are beginning to require location as a standard for effective system management. Read more
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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! |
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