AEC Tech News #163
15 Mar, 2006 By: Michael DakanAutoCAD 2006-to-PDF Now Possible
Adobe Acrobat 7.0.7 will please many a CAD user, as will upgrade to LiveCycle Policy Server
In early February, Adobe Systems released the latest slip-stream update for Adobe Acrobat 7.0 -- v7.0.7. You can obtain this free upgrade by simply clicking on the Help menu in Acrobat 7.0 and selecting Check for Updates Now. If you have your Acrobat 7.0 preferences set to automatically check for updates, which I highly recommend, you probably have the upgrade already.
Adobe Acrobat 7.0.7 provides support for AutoCAD 2006, which has been eagerly awaited by many an AutoCAD user. This, unfortunately, happens to coincide with the recent release of AutoCAD 2007. AutoCAD 2007 ushers in a DWG file-format change, so we might expect that it will be a while before Acrobat will directly support AutoCAD 2007. This should not be a tremendous inconvenience because Autodesk says AutoCAD 2007 will export in PDF format. And perhaps Adobe will consider creating a PDFMaker that would do a Save As to AutoCAD 2006 in AutoCAD 2007, then process the 2006 DWG into a PDF. We’ll have to wait and see.Read more >>
Bentley Connects MicroStation to Google Earth
by Sara Ferris
This seems to be Google Week in the CAD world. Following closely on Tuesday’s news that Google is acquiring @Last Software and its SketchUp product, Bentley Systems yesterday announced that it has developed a connection between its flagship MicroStation AEC design software and Google Earth that enables users to publish DGN and DWG models directly to the Google Earth environment.
Bentley SELECT subscribers can download the new connection software for use with MicroStation V8 2004 Edition. The feature will be incorporated in the upcoming release of MicroStation V8 XM Edition. Draws section lines in a drawing three different ways. Read more >>
Mark Your Calendar: AEC Events
Sustainable Design and the Virtual Building
March 23, 2006 (Aventura, Florida)
March 29, 2006 (New York, New York)
Presentations discuss how Graphisoft ArchiCAD provides tools to deliver graphically clear and statistically sound sustainable design alternatives. Earns 1.5 AIA Learning Units.
The Architecture of Sustainability
May 4-7, 2006
AIA National Headquarters, Washington, D.C.
American Institute of Architects conference will consider the impact of sustainability on architectural design. Is sustainability an architectural agenda at all, or strictly an environmental one?
June 11-15, 2006
Hilton Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
Presented by Bentley Systems, training event is designed for users and their managers in the AEC community in Europe and the Middle East.
For Cadalyst's full calendar of events, click here>>
what's new at cadalyst.comGet the Code!Cadalyst’s March code from Hot Tip Harry is now available for download. This month's $100 winner is Section Lines from Bill Townsend, a routine that draws section lines in a drawing three different ways.
Cadalyst Daily Update: For all the latest news and new products, subscribe to Cadalyst Daily e-newsletter. Plus, every issue includes a feature you won’t find anywhere else -- hardware and CAD software reviews, success stories, AutoCAD tips and much more! Here’s a sample of what you missed in the past week:
Google Buys @Last Software: 'The future of SketchUp just got a big shot in the arm.'
Say Goodbye to Mike Brady: Litmus proposal breaks with convention to improve architectural workflow.
Autodesk Unveils 2007 Line-up for AEC, Part 1: A look at what's new for Architectural Desktop and Building Systems.
