AutoCAD's Internet Features – R2000

Many AutoCAD R2000 users were pleased to attend Lynn Allen’s demonstration at BCIT this month.  The R2000 program is receiving good reviews for stability and quality, similar to R14.

There are many new features to explore, including a strong focus on it’s Internet capability.  AutoCAD R14 was the first to enable users to share drawings on the Internet.  R2000 has expanded these capabilities by adding features such as web-aware file access, hyperlinks, and DWF enhancements.  These tools allow users to connect and communicate their designs to anyone, anywhere, anytime.

Take the example of the “Insert + Hyperlink…” function on AutoCAD objects.  This is one of the easiest new commands to learn and is a powerful function in other Windows programs.  A hyperlinked object in an AutoCAD drawing will bring up a Word document, Excel spreadsheet, or another AutoCAD drawing.  It also allows you to navigate to other files on a network or even an Internet website. 

How does it work?  Go to “Insert” on the ACAD Menu and pick “Hyperlink…”  Pick on an object(s) in your drawing.  Browse for a file (or enter a website address).  Next time you want the ACAD object to open the (hyperlinked) file, left click on it to enable grips and right click to bring up a dialogue box.  Simply choose the hyperlinked file offered.  This function is also offered in a Word or Excel file using the same "Insert + Hyperlink…” format.  It is an alternate method to “Paste+Link” for attaching information to a drawing.  If the hyperlinked data comes from a website, the designer can continue to update the information long after the file has been completed.

Electronic plotting (ePlot), new in AutoCAD, provides users with .dwf (Drawing Web Format) files that can be loaded onto a website.  You can control paper size, margins, lineweights, pen override styles, and other plotting attributes with DWF.  Users can ePlot their drawings to scale and send them via e-mail to clients, customers, and other team members.  These files can be viewed with the WHIP!® browser, which is available free on the Autodesk Web site.  The DWF file is not a vector file, thereby restricting access to the contents of your electronic media.

For all ACAD users interested in exploring R2000, order your demo copy from the AutoDesk website.  Expect 30 to 45 days of full use from their free demo CD.

 CADD Standards - The NIBS National CAD Standards (NCS)

The development and implementation of office CAD standards is still a hot topic with CAD Managers. Very few resources are available for reference.  A serious attempt is being made by the NIBS organization.

NIBS has reached agreement in the following areas:
- a layer-naming standard
- a table listing 255 NCS colors (mapped to both AutoCAD and MicroStation color numbers)
- the order and contents of a typical set of building construction drawings (Includes sheet and model file naming and filing methods)
- individual sheet layout and standard sheet sizes in ANSI, ISO, and architectural format
- content and layout of all manner of schedules that you can include in a set of construction documents

The following topics are currently under review:
- Drafting Conventions
- Terms and Abbreviations
- Symbols
- Notation
- Code Conventions

Once the NCS becomes available on the Web, it will have a definite impact on the drafting industry.  They offer consistency when starting from scratch to create CAD standards for your office.  You can also use these standards to compare with your existing standards when updating.  Easy and convenient reference to it will result in more rapid acceptance and widespread adoption.  The cost of between $150 and $250 may be a consideration for some companies.  See the CAD/GIS Technology Center Web site at “http://tsc.wes.army.mil/” for more information. 

CADD Managers’ Corner - Interesting Sites of the Month

http://www.grc.com/ 
Do you think of your hard drive as a highly volatile storage area that have been manufactured as cheaply as possible?  Are you happy with a warranty that replaces your dead hard drive for free?  What about your data?  Visit this site for a look at protecting your data.

http://www.cadonline.com/features/599mass/599mass.htm
Mass Storage Methods - Don't lose your data.  Continuing with the theme of data protection, stop here for more info on this important issue.

VAUS Membership Meeting - April 5, 2000

Announcements:
- Paul introduces and thanks the Executive for their efforts in putting this meeting together.
- Special thanks to George Epp for organizing this event
- Special thanks to Dave Witso for organizing all that yummy pizza

Demo Time featuring;  Lynn Dee Allen, the Technical Executive Channel Manager of the Americas
- Lynn has had some significant accomplishments over the previous years!
  She earned her Master's degree in Mathematics from UCLA
  She began working with AutoCAD 15 years ago on Release 1.4
  Joined AutoDesk 6 years ago
  Has had a column in Cadence magazine for 8 years now
  Has taught at the collegiate level including at AutoDesk University
  Wants Bill Fane to teach at the CAD Cruise this year.
 
- Lynn also demonstrated her fine sense of humor. Here are some samples;
  Here are some of our favorite TV shows
  - As the UCS turns
  - Lost in Paper Space
  - The X-ref Files
 
  Been Doing CADD for too long?
  Way back when CAD stood for Control-Alt-Delete
  At your wedding ceremony you accidentally say 'UNDO' instead of I Do.
 
 Commands:
- UNDO is the most frequently used command
- ZOOM is second
- LAYER is third

- Next she discussed and demonstrated the 'Cool Things in ACAD 2000'. Check it out at http://www.vaus.bc.ca/LynnAllen/coolstuff2000_files/frame.htm
 
 Announcements:
- Paul thanked Sasha from the CAD Resource Centre for his display and support
- Introduction to Bill Fane, BCIT instructor - AutoCAD AutoCAD Mastery, programming, mechanical programs. He can be reached at wfane@bcit.bc.ca
- Introduction to John Sprung, Kwantlen University College instructor - AutoCAD Mastery, programming, architectural programs. He can be reached at johnsp@kwantlen.bc.ca
- Check out the new Architectural courses at Kwantlen College
- Both BCIT and Kwantlen College are Authorized Training Centers for AutoDesk

Break: Lots of donut, coffee and juice

 Announcements:
- John Sprung awards Paul Backus Recognition for judging the Skills Canada
- Looking for a chance to brush up on your CAD skills, pick up more tips and tricks for your flavour of AutoCAD and have some fun at the same time?  Then you want to go to Destination Desktop, the Summer School for AutoCAD Professionals.
 May 11th to 14th in Kelowna is the place to be to get the latest on ADT, Mech. desktop, LDD (or "dirtTop") and GIS. We even have two (yes 2) user group meetings as well: Western Canada REBIS UG. and a special VAUS meeting as well.
 Two days of classes in each track focus on your use of AutoCAD, or Rebis. Evening play time with a Texas Long ball (That's golf, I'm told) Beach volleyball and an outdoor BBQ with live music.
 Cost? Ah the important question: $690 for 8 classes, food and evening entertainment. Onsite accommodation (at Okanagan University College) is available.
 Special deal: Register before March 31st. using the "Sasquatch special" and get $100 off the fees.
  Check out www.autodraft.com/cadfun for more info, and the registration forms.
 
 Demo Time featuring;  Back to Lynn Allen
- More cool stuff in AutoCAD 2000. http://www.vaus.bc.ca/LynnAllen/coolstuff2000_files/frame.htm
- Lynn can be reached at lynn.allen@autodesk.com
Prizes: from AutoDesk
Cad Overlay
AutoCAD 2000 Janusz Krawczynski
AutoCAD Lt. Stelian Mediano
Express Tools Ewe-Ann Fletcher
Symbols 97 John Tapie
Express Tools Carolyn Lemarchand

Prizes: from CAD Resource Centre
Destination Desktop Toni Lo
ACAD 2000 Upgrade Don Gray
Watch Juan Plata
Watch Dave Witso

In closure: Paul Backus thanked everyone for attending.

Next Meeting - May 3rd, 2000

Starts at 7:00 PM
B.C.I.T.  --  Building SW5
Willingdon Avenue and Canada Way
Burnaby, BC

Topic:
Architectural Desktop, Release 2
John Sprung & Albert Lamothe

Wiggleto the Laundromat,
Waggle to the Sea

In the March meeting, I demonstrated a LISP routine called SPL2PL that converted spline objects to polylines.  I also promised that it would appear on the VAUS website available for download.  Fortunately, that promise will not be kept, and instead you now have WIGGLE.

 What an odd name, you say.  For reasons that will become clear further on, it is a very accurate and descriptive name.  Unfortunately, it does mask a lot of the routine's capabilities.  Well, you know what they say about roses being roses, despite what you call them.  And the same goes for onions.

Enough of the cute stuff.  You probably want to know what this new and improved bit of code does.  In order to save myself a few keystrokes, what follows is mostly a repeat from the documentation section of the LISP file.

This R14+ routine creates a polyline (2D/LW/3D) or spline object (2D/3D) from each object in a selection set.  The selection set may include as valid objects: polylines (2D/LW/3D, but excluding polygon meshes), splines, ellipses (whole or arc), lines, circles and circular arcs.

The routine works in any UCS, and the selected objects do not have to parallel to the current UCS.  If the created objects are specified to be 2D, then they are created as if projected onto the current construction plane.

The vertices of the created objects are initially defined by the points placed by the DIVIDE command along the selected objects, either for a user-defined maximum length or number of segments.  The endpoints of open objects are also included in the set of vertices.

The set of points is then erased, while the original objects are optionally erased.  The properties of the original objects can also be applied to the created objects.

The routine gets its name from the final stage of processing.  Each vertex of the created objects can be offset from its original position.  The offsets have two components, parallel and perpendicular to the original object, which are randomly distributed between zero and a maximum.  The maximum for each component is equal to the created segment length, multiplied by the user-specified factor for that component.

The end result, for non-zero factors, is the creation of a random wiggly line following the path of the original object.  If the factors are both zero (the defaults), the routine is useful for approximate conversions between object types, such as ellipses into polylines, for changing the vertex count of an object, or for smoothing the differences in segment lengths.

The routine executes automatically when it is loaded into the current drawing session.  To eliminate having to manually initiate the load, you should:

1) Save WIGGLE.LSP and WIGGLE.DCL to a directory that is on AutoCAD's support search path, and

2) Add the following bit of code to your ACAD.LSP file:

(defun C:WIGGLE () (load "wiggle") (princ))

In closing, I hope you find the routine useful in saving time and energy.  The title for this note comes, with thanks, from a poem in the book "Alligator Pie" by Dennis Lee.  Any feedback is welcome - send it to: nandp_taylor@telus.net