Tips & Tools Weekly (Vol. 14, No. 11)

This Week's Software Tips

Call for Text-Related Tips!
Do you have a favorite tip for working with text in AutoCAD? How do you manage your text styles? Fonts? How do you handle text in model space or paper space?  How do you edit your text? Do you use rtext? Review the guidelines for submitting tips (at the end of this section), then send us your tips and tricks for text. If your tip passes inspection, we'll publish it in an upcoming "text tips" edition of Tips & Tools Weekly. Keep your eyes open as we request tips for other general themes coming in the future, or send us suggestions about what you'd like to see. 

Viewport Twist and Shout
Tim Dougherty sent us a tip that he uses in AutoCAD 2007 to easily rotate the view in a viewport. "This is an easy LISP-free method for setting a viewport twist (by selecting two points) when you do not know the correct Dview angle." View the complete tip and post your feedback.

Rotate Block to Match Viewport
Mike Roberts sends us a LISP routine that will rotate a north arrow block to match the rotation of a viewport in AutoCAD. "After creating countless sheets with north arrows and viewports at random rotations, this tip was born out of necessity. This routine, as simple as it is, is one I find most handy." View the complete tip and post your feedback.

Change Space
Jeremy Grove sends us a method that will switch objects to paper space from model space or vice versa. "This tip is very useful when people draw items to scale in paper space and you want them in model space." View the complete tip and post your feedback.

Submit Your Tip for your favorite CAD software. If we publish your tip, we'll send you a Cadalyst T-shirt, and each month Cadalyst editors will randomly select one published tip and send a $100 gift card to its author. Please remember:

• Submit only code and other tips that are your original work (or provide the original source so we can include proper credit).
• Tell us which software version you use.

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. To share feedback about one of today's tips, locate the tip using the link provided, then click Comment. The Comment tool is available to registered users of Cadalyst'sCAD Tips site. 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.

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Resources

Dassault Whitepaper Examines Composites Design
"Wind Turbine Blade Composites Design: Leveraging Aerospace Advances for Improved Durability" is now available from Dassault Systemes for users who register. Learn how Frontier Wind applied lessons learned from the aerospace industry to design the first commercially available variable-length, wind turbine blade, and how product lifecycle management (PLM) played a role in success.

LEDAS Opens Driving Dimensions Labs
LEDAS launched the Driving Dimensions Labs where visitors can see LEDAS prototypes in action. Discover how dimension-driven design can be used to help CAD users implement ideas in simple and intuitive ways.

Whitepaper Discusses the Value of 3D Data Interoperability
V1 Research has teamed with Safe Software to produce a whitepaper that explores the promise and importance of interoperable 3D data. "Extending 3D Models Beyond Application Dead Ends" covers real-time virtual worlds, integrated 3D models, 3D data format limitations, interoperability through spatial ETL, the spatial ETL process, and the promise of integrated 3D models.

Latest SketchUp School Video Covers IES Energy Modeling
School has released its latest video tutorial on using the VE SketchUp plug-in from IES to create more sustainable buildings and homes. The two-part video shows viewers how to perform energy analysis on a massing model using the plug-in for SketchUp models.

Free Wide-Format Scanning Webinars
Join Contex Americas every Tuesday and Thursday through April for webinars designed to help improve large-format scanner efficiency, including educational topics, online software demonstrations, and dealer training.

Parametric Exchange for SolidWorks
A technology preview of Parametric Exchange for SolidWorks, a feature that enables the seamless transfer of parametric models from Geomagic Studio to SolidWorks, is now available on Geomagic Labs. Parametric Exchange provides an intelligent connection between Geomagic Studio and SolidWorks to enable automatic native reconstruction of geometry from scan data.

OptiTex Releases Beta Version of OptiTex Web Services
OptiTex Web Services is a new web site offering online access to OptiTex fashion design software features and products. The site also offers a data converting service and an import/export service.

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Opportunities & Honors

Call for Submissions: KOMPAS-3D Modeling Contest 2009
ASCON announced a call for submissions for its KOMPAS-3D modeling contest. Users of KOMPAS-3D Parametric are invited to share results of their work in KOMPAS software. Deadline for submissions is May 1, 2009.

MSC.Software's MD Solutions Honored in China
MSC.Software announced that its multidiscipline solutions have been recognized with two technology awards in China. The company recently received the China Information World's Impact Award and was named one of 2008's most influential technology solutions.

Alibre Design Contest Winners Chosen
Alibre announced the results of its 2009 Design Contest. The first place winner is Keith Linder from Indiana who designed Econotruder, an economical extrusion machine. Second place went to Peter Schild's Grinding Machine, and third place went to Ian Baldwin's Road Going, Bike-Engine Race Car.

Be a Presenter at DSCC 2009
Do you have a story to share of how product lifecycle management software has transformed your business? Consider presenting a session during the Dassault Systemes Customer Conference, October 6-7, 2009. ENOVIA, DELMIA, CATIA, 3DVIA, and/or SIMULIA customers are invited to submit a presentation for review by April 17, 2009.

Building Information Modeling and Building Products Survey
Share your thoughts, opinions, and perspectives in a building information modeling (BIM) and building products survey. Results will be used to improve the quantity, quality, and availability of BIM for the AEC community. All completed surveys are entered in a drawing to win one of two $200 Amazon.com gift cards.

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Books & Training

Engineered Efficiency Offers Free Training to Unemployed
Engineered Efficiency is offering free Civil 3D training to those who have recently lost their jobs. Users can choose from any of the eight classes currently offered, including Civil 3D core concepts, styles creation, data management, and process-based advanced design classes in transportation, hydrology, and surveying.

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Mark Your Calendar

Webinar: Renewable Energy -- Engineering Innovation and Reliability Through Simulation
March 26, 2009
11 a.m. PT
Renewable energy technologies are indispensable to a clean and secure future for our nation and the world. However, engineers developing new energy sources face incredible technical challenges. Read more

MidWest Infrastructure and GIS Technical Conference
June 1-3, 2009
Sheboygan, Wisconsin
The Wisconsin Geospatial User Group invites attendees to this three-day conference that focuses on Civil 3D and GIS systems. Read more

For a complete list of CAD meetings, conferences, training sessions, and more, check out our calendar of events on Cadalyst.com.

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What's New at Cadalyst.com

First Look Review: Photoshop CS4
The depth, flexibility, and speed of this latest release make it a powerful tool for a range of design and engineering applications. Read more

AutoLISP: A Civil Designer's Helpmate
Use this powerful programming tool to query and label GIS object data, convert unusable points, and much more. Read more

Bentley Releases New Energy Performance Series for Green Building Design
Hevacomp and Tas products are now available in the United States and Canada. Read more