Tips & Tools Weekly (Vol. 14, No. 17)

3 May, 2009

This Week's Software Tips

Export Coordinates
Douglas Lerner sent us a routine that will assist in exporting the coordinates of objects/points from an AutoCAD file. "This routine exports coordinates of picked points to a file. Coordinates are exported in decimal format at maximum precision regardless of what the drawing units or precision settings are." View the complete tip and post your feedback.

Panning Around
Jon Jonas discusses different ways to move around in a drawing using different forms of the PAN command. "This is useful if you have multiple versions of a drawing in model space and want to change from one to the next version being seen in the viewport and have it show up in the exact same space." View the complete tip and post your feedback.

Turn Off Notices
Jim Lampe gives us a tip on eliminating the RECONCLIE LAYERS prompt in AutoCAD. "Put this ACADDOC.LSP file into a folder, which is listed in your Support File Search Path (Options>Files). That way each time a drawing is opened, the notifications will be turned off." View the complete tip and post your feedback.

Frame Your Text
Perry Medina uses this trick to create an automatically expanding outline around his text. The trick is to use a multileader and then do a quick grip-edit of the leader so that the leader has a length of zero and is essentially invisible. "In the Leader Structure tab, first change the Set landing distance to zero, then uncheck the Automatically Include Landing check box." View the complete tip and post your feedback.

And More Tips!
Following are this week's reminders, tidbits, and miscellaneous updates from the Cadalyst Tip Patrol.

Print Screen: Use this button on your keyboard to make a copy of what is displayed on your screen and add it to the Clipboard. Use Print Screen to copy the entire screen or Alt+Print Screen to copy only the active window. You can copy any CAD drawing and paste it into other applications -- for example, paste into a Word document for a quick reference sketch.

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.

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'sCAD 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, Kevin Sawyer, and Billy Wooten.

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Resources

Autodesk and CADdetails Facilitate More BIM-ready Product Content
Autodesk announced an alliance with CADdetails, which will allow more than 400 building product manufacturers to get their product information in front of designers through the Autodesk Seek web service. The Autodesk Seek service is available in the 2009 and 2010 U.S. versions of Autodesk Revit-based software applications as well as AutoCAD, AutoCAD Architecture, and AutoCAD MEP software.

Free Carpentry Toolset for Drawing Windows and Doors
Reader Haris Omeragic offers a free carpentry toolset for drawing windows and doors on the web site Subroutine Solutions. The C#.NET application works with AutoCAD 2009. It offers options to work in meters, centimeters, and millimeters, and Omeragic is willing to modify it to work with other units if enough users request the update. Find more information about the routine, download the installation files, and contact the author via the web site.

Contex Americas May Webinars
Join Contex Americas every Tuesday and Thursday in May for webinars designed to help improve large-format imaging efficiency. May webinars include large-format scanning, working with scanned drawings, turning an inkjet printer into a color copier, and using Wiseimage v11. Registration is required. See web site for dates and times.

Maptek Launches New Web Site
Mining solutions provider Maptek has launched a new web site following the release of its new brand in 2008. The company has combined all of its product web sites under the maptek.com umbrella, with rewritten product information and improved site search functionality. Password-protected areas for users and product case studies have also been revamped.

Avatech Supports New Autodesk Assistance Program
Avatech announced that it is supporting the Autodesk Assistance Program by offering low-cost training courses in architecture, building systems, civil, and mechanical engineering. Avatech classes are $99 per class and include a training manual. Students can sign up for Avatech's Standard Classroom or Online Virtual Classroom Training courses.

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Deals & Freebies

Bluebeam Offers Free PDF Viewer
Bluebeam Software has launched a new download page for Bluebeam PDF Revu Standard Edition, a free, Windows-based PDF viewer. The viewer enables users to safely and securely download, view, and print PDF files, according to the company.

FARO Offers Technology Test Drive
FARO has unveiled a Technology Test Drive program, which makes FARO’s entire line of portable 3D measurement and imaging devices available to customers over a four-month period for a monthly fee as low as $2,000, with 100% of that fee applied to the purchase price at the end of the test drive.

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Opportunities & Honors

Safe Software Receives Oracle 2009 Award
Spatial ETL technology provider Safe Software announced that it has received Oracle's Spatial Excellence Partnership Award at the 2009 Oracle Spatial User Conference. The award highlights Safe Software's strong partnership with Oracle and its contributions to the Oracle Spatial community, demonstrated by its consistent support for Oracle Spatial technologies and early adoption of new features such as raster and 3D.

Colortrac Scanner Wins Readers' Choice Award
Readers of Wide-Format Imaging have voted the Colortrac SmartLF Gx 42 professional color graphics scanner series the Best Large Format Scanner available in the Wide-Format Scanner 2009 category. This award endorses the growing reputation of Colortrac's color graphics, large-format scanning technology.

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Books & Training

CIMdata Introduces a New PLM Certificate Program
CIMdata announced the PLM Certificate Program. The program includes nine sessions spread over five days, delivered through lectures, case studies, exercises, and tests. Topics include PLM benefits, strategy, implementation, PLM expansion and reach, and solution evaluation.

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Mark Your Calendar

Laney College SolidWorks Users Group Meeting
May 12, 2009
Oakland, California
Elise Moss has launched the Laney College SolidWorks Users Group. The first meeting will include a special guest from SolidWorks and SolidWorks giveaways. Read more

Autodesk Imagine Tour: Dallas
May 12, 2009
Hilton Anatole Dallas
Dallas, Texas
Learn how industry-specific software can help architects, engineers and designers visualize and simulate the real-world performance of their designs before building begins. Autodesk design software experts will be on site to answer questions and offer technical tips. Read more

CoCreate Lunch and Learn Webinar Series
May 12-21, 2009
Join PTC in May for one, two, or all three live Lunch and Learn webinars about explicit modeling. Read more

Webinar: Linking Financial Decision Making to Supply Chain Performance
May 28, 2009
7 a.m. PT
At this webinar from SCM World, attendees will learn to balance financial needs with operational imperatives and develop an optimized inventory management strategy.
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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