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December 2008 - January 2009
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All Autodesk® Users
Architecture, Engineering and Construction
Manufacturing/ Mechanical Engineering
Civil Engineering and Geospatial
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ALACAD Customer Appreciation Mixer at Autodesk University 2008 |
7:00 - 8:00 pm, December 1, 2008, The Venetian, Las Vegas, NV
If you are an ALACAD customer who will be attending Autodesk University this year, you are invited to a free customer mixer the night before AU starts to celebrate ALACAD's 20th year in business. Call Kirk Hollis at 888-442-3100 or email him at kirk.hollis@alacad.com to get your ticket today.
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ALACAD Is Now Offering Autodesk® Authorized Training Classes in Jackson, MS |
ALACAD is excited to announce that it is opening a new training facility at its Jackson, MS office and our first class offering will be AutoCAD LT Fundamentals from January 19 - 21, 2009 and AutoCAD Fundamentals January 19 - 23, 2009. To register for either of these classes, call Lana Giessinger or Margie Purvis at 800-313-0745. Please check back frequently - more classes will be offered in the coming months. In addition, we can schedule classes by request.
To view all upcoming classes, check ALACAD's training schedule here. In addition, all ALACAD courses can be taught onsite at your office. Call us for details.
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Autodesk® Retirement Program |
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On March 13, 2009, Autodesk will retire the following products:
- AutoCAD® 2006
- AutoCAD® LT 2006
- AutoCAD® Architectural Desktop 2006
- Autodesk® Land Desktop 2006
- AutoCAD® Raster Design 2006
- AutoCAD® Mechanical 2006
- AutoCAD® Electrical 2006
- Autodesk® Inventor Series 10
- AutoCAD® Map® 3D 2006
- Autodesk® Viz 2006
This means Autodesk will no longer sell upgrades or crossgrades from these retiring products and support will be discontinued. However, if you upgrade to the latest version before March 13, 2009, you can get a significant discount off the normal price. Call us at 888-442-3100 for more information.
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Autodesk® Legacy Program |
Still designing in AutoCAD® Release 14, AutoCAD® 2000, AutoCAD® 2000i, AutoCAD® 2002, AutoCAD® 2004, or AutoCAD® 2005 software? Keep your software current with the Autodesk Legacy Program, which gives loyal customers, like you, an easy way to keep your software up to date. Between October 17, 2008 and March 13, 2009 qualified software owners who own a valid license of select, retired Autodesk software can purchase the latest version of their software for up to 35% off the suggested retail price when purchased with subscription. Call us at 888-442-3100 for more information.
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Autodesk® 0% Financing Promotion |
During challenging economic times, it’s more important than ever to stay on top of your game. Companies are being forced to do more with less. Meeting deadlines has become mission critical. But how can you keep up? Increasing your productivity is the key to getting your work done in less time, on time. Invest in the software that can take your productivity to the next level — without breaking the bank. Because now you can make no payments for two months and get 0% interest for an additional 12 months on most Autodesk software purchases until January 16, 2009. Don’t hesitate to get the tools you need to boost your efficiency and productivity. ACT NOW AND INCREASE YOUR TAX DEDUCTION: If you act before December 31, 2008, you may be able to write off the full cost of your software through the federal Section 179 deduction. Many businesses can deduct the full purchase price of qualifying equipment purchased or financed — like Autodesk software — during this tax year.
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AutoCAD LT® 2009 New Seat Rebate Promotion |
On October 20, Autodesk will launch the AutoCAD LT® 2009 New Seat Rebate Promotion, which offers significant savings for eligible customers. This promotion is available to U.S. commercial customers purchasing new licenses of AutoCAD LT 2009 software (five-seat limit) from October 20, 2008, through January 16, 2009. Eligible customers will receive a $200 rebate for each new license (seat) purchased, after they submit an online request and provide proof-of-purchase documentation. Call us at 888-442-3100 for more information.
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Upcoming Webcasts |
Did you know that alacad.com has a Webcasts page where we list all upcoming Autodesk and ALACAD webcasts? To see a list of all the upcoming webcasts, just go to http://www.alacad.com/webcasts.html. This page is continually updated so if you don't see anything that interests you right now, please check back in a week.
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ALACAD Will Have Two Instructors at Autodesk University 2008 |
This year two ALACAD Solutions Specialists will be presenting at Autodesk University: James "Murph" Murphy, Geospatial Solutions Specialist and author of the popular Map 3D and Murphs Law weblog (http://map3d.wordpress.com) will be teaching:
GS204-1 From Paper to GIS: Using AutoCAD® Raster Design and AutoCAD® Map 3D to Create a GIS System
And Mike Massey, Vice President of Architectural Design Solutions and author of the equally popular Knowing What You Don't Know About CAD weblog (http://knowingwhatyoudontknow.blogspot.com). Mike will be teaching 3 classes:
AB110-6 AutoCAD® Architecture: Making Spaces Work For You!
AB404-3 From the Existing to the Beyond with Revit® Design Options and Phases
CV310-4 From Dirt to Doors: Making AutoCAD® Civil 3D® and Revit® Architecture Work Together In Harmony
Join us at these classes to learn more about these interesting topics.
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NavisWorks® - What Is It and How Can It Help My Designs? |
You are attempting to complete your project using BIM (Building Information Modeling). You have your entire project team on board. The problem is that everyone is using a different BIM solution. How can you possibly compile the multiple file formats into a single file model? Let me introduce you to NavisWorks.
- NavisWorks is a 3D design review program that will allow multiple formats to be brought together into a single file model. NavisWorks will compile over 40 different file types, including any of the Autodesk products, Archicad, Bentley, and many more. This will allow your team to work together no matter what BIM solution they are using.
- NavisWorks will allow you to not only compile the model, but it has numerous navigation tools to allow you to view, fly around, or walk through your model. Creating and saving animation files is as simple as clicking Record and walking or flying around your model.
- Inside of NavisWorks, you can query the model to determine dimensions or element properties. You can also use redline tools to mark up the model file for corrections or questions. These mark ups can be saved in a compressed file that can be easily emailed to your project team.
- NavisWorks also has a whole host of tools to help with creating presentation views. RCP files can be inserted for people, trees, or automobiles. Background images can be used for backgrounds. Objects that have been assigned materials can be viewed or changed to different materials. Lights can be added or adjusted. High quality renderings can be created for your project.
- Animations can also be created inside of NavisWorks that are linked to a Microsoft Project or Primavera project schedule. This will allow you to view the estimated state of construction at a particular point during the construction timeframe. This feature will bring your BIM model into the 4th and 5th dimensions by adding movement and time to your model.
- Finally, NavisWorks has built in collision detection tools to see if elements from the combined files interfere with each other. This feature will save time and money on a project by finding possible problems before the job is under construction.
NavisWorks is a great addition to your BIM family of products. It is the ultimate BIM review program that allows sharing of information regardless of the file format, review and query of the project, creating presentation views, use of 4D and 5D by seeing your project being constructed according to a project schedule, and searching for interferences across disciplines. Check out NavisWorks and begin to experience design before it is real.
Interested in learning more about this new product? Call us at 888-442-3100 or email us at info@alacad.com to request a free trial version of NavisWorks Manage 2009.
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Webcast: The Importance of Design Visualization for Creating Renewable Designs - Dec. 9th |
12:00 – 1:00 p.m. CST, December 9, 2008, Online
Join us and learn how architects, designers, and engineers use design visualization to explore more green design options, confirm their validity, and communicate their impact at every stage of development. Using 3D design visualization tools, project stakeholders can make visually informed design decisions such as the effect of sun or shadows on a building, or the visual effects of the materials used in the design. Design visualization techniques can be used to integrate BIM models with sustainable design standards and analysis criteria, such as lighting analysis, which provides invaluable assistance in attaining LEED 8.1 certification. See how you can expand the visual context of your sustainable design concepts for more effective design validation and visual communication. Qualifies for 1.0 CEU Credit. Register here.
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For Revit Users: Enhancing Elevations in Revit |
Creating elevations in Revit are as simple as placing a callout. Enhancing the elevations once they are created is another task. Tools like the Linework, Split Face, and Paint help us enhance the elevations. The Linework tool will allow us to change the lineweight of any line in the view, or set it to be invisible if we do not want to see it.
The Split Face and the Paint tools allow us to split the surface of a wall and apply a different material to that portion of the wall.
These tools are great, but there is nothing built in the program to vary the lineweight automatically based on the depth of view. It would be nice for Revit to allow us to set some depth distances to automatically switch lines that are in the forground to be thick and the lines in the distance to be thin. Maybe some day we will have that.
Another tool that I find handy that few people know about is the Silhouette Edge setting. This setting will allow you to beef up the lineweight of the silhouette edge. This setting is found in the Advance Model Graphics Settings dialog box.
Inside the Advance Model Graphics Settings dialog box you can set the silhouette edges to any linetype you have in your project. This will automatically apply this linetype to the outside edges of your view.
Here is a before and after view with the Silhouette Edges changed to Medium Lines.
Silhouette Edge set to None
Silhouette Edges set to Medium
This should give you a head start on enhancing your elevations. You can still use the Linework tool with the Silhouette Edges turned on.
View all of Mike Massey’s articles at:
http://knowingwhatyoudontknow.blogspot.com
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New Extensions for Revit® Structure 2009 Now on Subscription Center |
Revit Extensions are a series of easy-to-use applications that extend the capabilities of Revit Structure 2009 software in various key areas, including structural analysis and reinforced concrete detailing. New extensions now available on the Subscription Center include Static Analysis of Beams, Frame Analysis, Automatic Generation of Reinforcement for Retaining Walls and Slab Corners, and Automatic Reinforcement for Concrete Structures.
To access the full series of valuable applications, click here.
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Revit® Architecture Fundamentals Class in Pensacola, FL |
8:30 am - 5:00 pm December 16 - 18, 2008 Hampton Inn, Pensacola, FL
ALACAD will be holding a Revit Architecture Fundamentals class in Pensacola, FL. The objective of the Revit Architecture Fundamentals course is to enable students to create full 3D architectural project models and set them up in working drawings. Most of the course is focused on Design Development tools - building the 3D model with walls, windows, doors, floors, roofs, stairs, creating reflected ceiling plans and furniture plans. The course finishes with adding views and annotation to the sheets to create a set of Construction Documents.
Topics include:
• Understanding the purpose of Building Information Management (BIM) and how it is applied in Revit
• Using the Revit Architecture workspace and interface
• Adding walls to a massing study and creating a presentation sheet
• Working with the basic drawing and editing tools in Revit
• Creating Levels and Grids as datum elements for the model
• Creating a 3D building model with walls, windows, and doors
• Adding floors and roofs to the building model
• Creating standard and custom stairs
• Detailing Reflected Ceiling Plans with ceilings and lighting fixtures
• Adding component features such as furniture and equipment
• Setting up sheets for plotting with text, dimensions, details, tags and schedules
The cost of this 3 day class is $1,350. To register, call Charisse Smith or Margie Purvis at 888-442-3100.
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ALACAD Is Now an Autodesk® Showcase™ Reseller |
Make Better Decisions, Faster
Autodesk Showcase enables designers to create accurate, realistic imagery from 3d CAD data to not only convey form and function, but also create environmental
context to communicate brand character. Showcase helps users present and review models in an environment in which team members can make timely, reliable decisions both locally and via remote sessions.
Power Up Your Digital Prototype
Use high-quality digital 3d visualization to evaluate multiple design variations and communicate ideas. Showcase helps users reduce the time and cost of building physical prototypes in early design phases. Interact with digital models in real time. Use a variety
of materials and geometry during presentations, and switch between variations with a single mouse-click. Facilitate the design approval process by using Showcase to bypass client or management reluctance
to approve designs based on low-quality imagery.
Showcase generates photorealistic imagery with superior visual fidelity that accurately represents real-world materials, lighting, and environments.
Making Visualization Accessible
Showcase makes realistic, interactive visualization accessible to designers and provides advanced functionality for visualization experts by combining the latest technology with an easy-to-access architecture.
With its well-documented API (application programming interface) and scripting language, Showcase can be accessed on a programming level to meet specific customer needs. It provides tools to prepare, process, and present 3d design data in a single application, simplifying the preparation of data for high-quality visualization and further use. Because Showcase allows design model changes while preparing imagery for design reviews, it significantly reduces preparation time so design and visualization work can be done in parallel.
To view a detailed brochure on Showcase and how it can help your design process, click here (pdf).
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ALACAD's Autodesk® Inventor® User Group, Jackson, MS Chapter Meeting in January |
Come join ALACAD at the next meeting of the Jackson AUGI (Autodesk Users Group International) Manufacturers User Group. There will be food and drinks, an introduction to what the user group is and does, and the night will be rounded out by a presentation by Jon Selzer, VP of Manufacturing Design Solutions. This is a great opportunity to meet and network with others in your industry, as well as get a little free training. This meeting is FREE to anyone who would like to attend and will be held on January 15, 2009 at the ALACAD, Jackson Office, 944 Hwy 51, Suite 2,
Jackson, MS from 5:30 - 8:00 pm. Register here.
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Free Download: CATIA v5 Import Translator for Autodesk® Inventor® |
Now avaialable from Autodesk Labs, this technology preview gives you more flexibility when creating designs with vendor or customer data by allowing you to directly import CATIA V5 files into Autodesk Inventor. This translator reads both CATPart and CATProduct files bringing solids, surfaces, wires, and points into Autodesk Inventor to be directly utilized while modeling. Being able to import directly from CATIA V5 files eliminates the need to convert the CATIA data to make it usable in your projects.
You must have a licensed copy of Autodesk Inventor 2009 SP1 or the Autodesk Inventor LT Technology Preview 2009 SP1 to run this add-in.
Click here to go to Autodesk Labs to download this add-in.
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AutoCAD® Land Desktop Transition Program |
As technology has advanced and the challenges facing engineering organizations have become increasingly complex, Autodesk has decided it is time to look beyond Land Desktop to new technology that better addresses the demands of today’s engineering organizations. As a result, AutoCAD Land Desktop 2009 products will be the last release of Land Desktop software. From July 8th, 2008 through April 17th, 2009 eligible AutoCAD Land Desktop 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009 customers can cross grade to AutoCAD® Map 3D, AutoCAD Civil, or AutoCAD Civil 3D for a special promotional price. Call us at 888-442-3100 for more information.
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For AutoCAD® Map 3D Users: Exporting to SHP with AutoCAD® Civil 3D® and Errors |
A few Civil 3D users are getting errors and the quick exit out of Civil 3D when they try to export to ESRI shp format with Civil3D 2009. One thing they need to check is the mapexport.ini file located in the C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Autodesk\C3D 2009 folder. The ini file can be opened and edited in Notepad or any text editor. Look for a section called [SHP]
[SHP]
File=True
Rootname=False
EntTypes=All
FeatureClass=Single
CreateClassBy=None
SupportsAppend=False
If it looks like the above then edit the value for EntType to Type instead of all.
So that it looks like this:
[SHP]
File=True
Rootname=False
EntTypes=Type
FeatureClass=Single
CreateClassBy=None
SupportsAppend=False
Save the changes and close the file. Now when you call the mapexport command in Civil 3D you will get the old dialog back that allows you to select the object types. You will need to select the object types (point, lines, polygon, or text) to export.
The reason the ALL value is causing errors is ALL = ALL to include the Civil 3d objects, and as we all know Civil 3D objects do not play nice with Map3D. If you are still getting errors on the export review the post here and watch the file names or here for a little tip about exporting text.
View all of Murph’s articles at:
http://map3d.wordpress.com
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For AutoCAD® Civil 3D® Users: An Update to Transparent Hatches |
Hey everyone. I received a comment to the Transparent Hatches post from last month. After reading the comment, I tried to create the transparent hatch and plot it from my local printer. Much to my chagrin, the hatch that shows up transparent on the screen plotted a solid colr blob on my printer.
Well, that got me to thinking and doing some more research on the topic. I called on Alacad's resident Map 3D specialist James Murphy. I told James the steps that I had gone through to create the "transparent hatch." I asked him the all important question of how can I get this transpaernt theme to hatch. James informed me of a command that is new to the 2009 version of Map 3D, which means that it also works in Civil 3D. The command is MAPPLOTTRANSPARENCY. When you enter this on the command line you have the option to turn it on or off. Turn the command on. I sent the current drawing file to my local printer and lo and behold, the hatched area printed transparently! To get this to work on your local/network printer/plotter, you may have to adjust the line merge properties of the printer/plotter. This setting can be changed through the printer properties button on the plot screen. I hope this helps!
Happy plotting!
View all of Whit McCormack’s articles at:
http://gettingtothedirt.blogspot.com
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Alabama CAD/CAM, Inc., 2687 John Hawkins Pkwy, Birmingham, AL 35244
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