Category: <span>AutoCAD</span>

Category: AutoCAD

AutoCAD, BricsCAD, CAD Management, DWG, Performance, Tip

Why every AutoCAD CAD Manager should have a copy of BricsCAD – part 4, efficiency

 , , , , , , , itemprop="discussionURL"2

This is the fourth post in this series where I explain why this statement holds true: As a CAD Manager looking after AutoCAD users, or a power user looking after yourself, it’s worth your while to have a copy of BricsCAD handy. This post is about BricsCAD being more efficient than AutoCAD for some of the things a CAD Manager might need to do. What do I mean? BricsCAD starts up and closes down faster than AutoCAD, much faster in some environments. If your AutoCAD starts up slow (e.g. in some secure proxy server environments), pretty much any job you …

AutoCAD, BricsCAD, CAD Management, DWG, Tip

Why every AutoCAD CAD Manager should have a copy of BricsCAD – part 3, parts on demand

 , , , , , , , , , itemprop="discussionURL"1

This is the third post in this series where I explain why this statement holds true: As a CAD Manager looking after AutoCAD users, or a power user looking after yourself, it’s worth your while to have a copy of BricsCAD handy. This post is about using BricsCAD as a mechanical and structural parts library for your AutoCAD users. As I mentioned in my last post in this series, I was writing a client-specific AutoCAD 3D training course recently. To demonstrate the concept of revolving profiles, and also to compare and contrast different styles of solid creation, I wanted to …

AutoCAD, BricsCAD, CAD Management, DWG, Tip

Why every AutoCAD CAD Manager should have a copy of BricsCAD – part 2, 3D operations

 , , , , , itemprop="discussionURL"2

This is the second post in this series where I explain why this statement holds true: As a CAD Manager looking after AutoCAD users, or a power user looking after yourself, it’s worth your while to have a copy of BricsCAD handy. This post is about using BricsCAD to do things to help out your AutoCAD users who are having problems with 3D operations. Why would you bother using BricsCAD to mess with AutoCAD 3D models? Because sometimes AutoCAD can’t do stuff with them, and BricsCAD can. If you have a user who finally asks for help after fighting AutoCAD …

AutoCAD, BricsCAD, BricsCAD Shape, CAD Management, DWG, ZWCAD

Why every AutoCAD CAD Manager should have a copy of BricsCAD – part 1, fixing drawings

 , , , itemprop="discussionURL"2

Here’s a mega-tip with a lot of experience behind it: As a CAD Manager looking after AutoCAD users, or a power user looking after yourself, it’s worth your while to have a copy of BricsCAD handy. Why? There are too many reasons to fit in one blog post, so I’m going to do a mini-series. The first post is about using BricsCAD to fix up drawings that are giving your AutoCAD users problems. One of the things that surprised me most when evaluating BricsCAD as a potential replacement for AutoCAD was that my expectations were wrong when it came to …

AUGI, AutoCAD, Autodesk, Autodesk University, Interview, IPoC, Nostalgia

IPoC interview – David Kingsley – part 3

 , , , , , , , , , , , itemprop="discussionURL"2

Welcome to the second in this series of interviews of Interesting People of CAD (IPoC). David Kingsley has had a long and interesting career, was present in the early days of CAD adoption, and served as an AUGI board member for years. Here is the third and final part of David’s interview. This was the most interesting part of the interview for me, but unfortunately much of the more hilarious anecdotes and other discussions were off the record so I can’t share them. I hope you enjoy what’s left! Steve: What are you most proud of achieving with AUGI? David: …

AUGI, AutoCAD, Autodesk, Autodesk University, Interview, IPoC, Nostalgia

IPoC interview – David Kingsley – part 2

 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , itemprop="discussionURL"0

Welcome to the second in this series of interviews of Interesting People of CAD (IPoC). David Kingsley has had a long and interesting career, was present in the early days of CAD adoption, and served as an AUGI board member for years. Here is the second part of David’s interview which covers his involvement in AUGI, the controversy over how it was managed, and how that ended his involvement. Steve: What was your first involvement with AUGI or NAAUG? At what stage did you get involved? David: I think it was NAAUG in Philadelphia. Paul Jackson came up to me …

AUGI, AutoCAD, Autodesk, Autodesk University, Interview, IPoC, Nostalgia

IPoC interview – David Kingsley – part 1

 , , , , , , , , itemprop="discussionURL"1

Welcome to the second in this series of interviews of Interesting People of CAD (IPoC). David Kingsley has had a long and interesting career, was present in the early days of CAD adoption, and served as an AUGI board member for years. Here is the first part of David’s interview, which covers his career. It’s a long career, so this is a loooong post! Strap in tight for a candid discussion of solar plants, a couple of US Presidents, primeval Autodesk University, Autodesk before and after Lynn Allen, a personal opinion of the current CEO, sailing on an America’s Cup …

Announcement, AutoCAD, BLADE, Blowing my own horn, BricsCAD, CAD Management, Development, Interoperability, LISP, Video

Steve’s BLADE presentation at the BricsCAD New Zealand and Australia Roadshow

 , , , , , , , , , , , itemprop="discussionURL"3

Sofoco (Australia) and CAD Concepts (New Zealand) recently ran a series of seminars throughout Australasia demonstrating BricsCAD. I attended the last of these in Brisbane on April 19 and gave a presentation about BricsCAD’s LISP, with reference to AutoCAD compatibility and the tools available to CAD Managers and developers, including BLADE. The talk was aimed at anybody who is writing or maintaining LISP code for AutoCAD or BricsCAD. I had the just-before-lunch slot, which is never desirable for a presenter. People are dozing off and/or bursting to go to the toilet, and time adjustments have to be made if earlier …

AutoCAD 2018, AutoCAD 2019, Autodesk, Bug, CAD Management, Customer Service, Fail, Rental, Subscription

Autodesk remotely killswitches AutoCAD licenses – again

 , , , , , , , , , itemprop="discussionURL"6

Following the AutoCAD 2019 rollout disaster, where subscription users found their AutoCAD 2018s were broken by an Autodesk licensing system meltdown, Autodesk CEO Andrew Anagnost issued an apology. He also assured customers on Twitter that it wouldn’t happen again: While I welcomed that, I did have this to say at the time: I don’t think such a guarantee is realistic, given that the nature of subscription software is to only work when it knows you’ve paid up. At least it demonstrates that the desire is there right at the top to try to prevent such debacles from occurring in future. …

Announcement, AutoCAD, Autodesk, BricsCAD, Bricsys, CAD Management, Cadalyst, Customer Service, Customisation, Thoughts, Win

The game has changed – Robert Green migrates to BricsCAD

 , , , , itemprop="discussionURL"10

Is anybody left who still thinks BricsCAD isn’t a serious replacement for AutoCAD? If that’s you, perhaps the latest news might make you take it seriously. No, not the Heidi Hewett news. Even more recent news than that! Robert Green, CAD Management guru, Cadalyst writer and consultant (not to mention a rather good guitarist) has been announced as the first Bricsys Certified Migration Consultant. Read all about what Robert has to say on this Bricsys blog post. Anybody who has been reading this blog for the last few years will be surprised by none of what Robert has to say …

AutoCAD, AutoCAD 2019, CAD Management, Tip, Web Stuff

Still can’t download AutoCAD 2019? Read this

 , , , , itemprop="discussionURL"2

Timeline of AutoCAD 2019 events to date 20 March 2018 – Somebody (a reseller?) posts a video on YouTube with a collection of Autodesk video materials describing AutoCAD 2019; this is quickly removed 22 March 2018 – AutoCAD 2019 Released 22 March 2018 – Reports surface of AutoCAD 2019 activation acting as a killswitch for AutoCAD 2018 23 March 2018 – Attempts by myself and others to download AutocAD 2019 are thwarted by the non-availability of links and other issues 24 March 2018 – AVA, Autodesk Account and Autodesk desktop app all know nothing about AutoCAD 2019 24 March 2018 – …

AutoCAD, AutoCAD 2019, Interoperability, Rental, Subscription, Thoughts

Why One AutoCAD is smart strategy

 , , , , , , , , , , , itemprop="discussionURL"4

OK, so Autodesk may have blown the AutoCAD 2019 rollout, triggering an apology from CEO Andrew Anagnost. OK, AutoCAD 2019 may have the smallest set of significant advances in the history of AutoCAD releases. If you’re wondering, I give it 1/10. The “there can be only one” hype could easily refer to meaningful improvements to the product per year. This year’s improvement is… drawing compare! Still, AutoCAD 2019 is a significant release for reasons beyond the content of the core product. An examination of the One AutoCAD strategy reveals a collective corporate mind that’s smarter than it’s being given credit …

AutoCAD, AutoCAD 2019, Autodesk, Customer Service

Andrew Anagnost apology for AutoCAD 2019 rollout disaster

 , , , itemprop="discussionURL"5

Autodesk CEO Andrew Anagnost has sent an email to customers affected by the AutoCAD 2019 rollout disaster that acted as a remote kill-switch for users of earlier releases of subscription software. The email’s subject is We Missed the Mark: Readers of this blog will be aware that Andrew and I have fundamental disagreements on where he has taken the company, but credit where credit is due. An apology was appropriate in this case, and Andrew stepped up and made one. He has also stated on Twitter that it won’t happen again. I don’t think such a guarantee is realistic, given …

AutoCAD 2019, Autodesk, Bug, CAD Management, Customer Service, Fail, LISP, Other Autodesk Products, Rental, Subscription

AutoCAD 2019 rollout disaster

 , , , , , , , , , , , , itemprop="discussionURL"10

If you’re an AutoCAD user, you may have been intrigued by the news about the new way Autodesk is bundling up AutoCAD 2019 with various verticals (perpetual license owners need not apply). This is Autodesk’s latest attempt to promote its subscription model and raise prices again. 7% this time, but much more to come. But never mind that, the main point is that you’re getting a whole lot of stuff, and who could say that’s not a good thing? So it’s most unfortunate for Autodesk that the AutoCAD 2019 rollout has been an unmitigated disaster. My own experiences in trying …

AutoCAD, BricsCAD, CAD Management, Customisation, Development, LISP, Maintenance, Other Blogs, Tip

CAD Panacea tip – startup files in BricsCAD

 , , , , , , , , , , , itemprop="discussionURL"3

One of the things that might initially baffle a CAD Manager or power user when investigating switching from AutoCAD to BricsCAD is how to set up the startup routines. Head over to CAD Panacea for R.K. McSwain’s concise, handy description of how to do it. Due to BricsCAD’s high level of compatibility, you can maintain a common folder or set of folders containing LISP and other custom files for both applications. That way, you don’t need to do double maintenance during the transition period. I’ve done this successfully in a highly complex custom environment. Some code and other adjustments were …

AutoCAD, Autodesk, Guest Post, Thoughts, Tip

Guest post (BlackBox) – Why every click counts

 , , , itemprop="discussionURL"5

With a bit of tongue in cheek, “This is not only my first guest post on [blog nauseam], it’s also my first guest post on any blog.” Thanks, Steve! I get to write about one of my favorite AutoCAD features, and share a short personal story. Yesterday I read Frank Mayfield’s article on time-sensitive Right Click, which made me recall an opportunity to help a new user on a design task the other day. I led them through an approach to mitigate a design issue, noticed they weren’t using time-sensitive Right Click, and asked them why? User: Why not? Me: Fair …

AUGI, AutoCAD, Autodesk, Blowing my own horn, Bug, Navel Gazing, Nostalgia, Video

CAD Nostalgia Video

 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , itemprop="discussionURL"6

For the first video in the new cad nauseam YouTube channel, I’ve had a bit of fun. I unearthed a bunch of my old stuff to show you. Does any of this take you back? Enjoy!

3D, AutoCAD, BIM, Blowing my own horn, Development, Fail, Navel Gazing, Nostalgia

That awkward moment when I just failed to create BIM

 , , , , , itemprop="discussionURL"1

I recently updated my resume, and I thought it might be relevant to include an episode from my early career. This post is an expansion on what I had to say about that episode. I was managing a tiny CAD training and development company, Educad. Much of my time there was spent developing software called NIDIS (originally called NEEDS), a project that was started in 1987 or 1988 with Nixdorf Computer as the client. It was intended to take over the market among first the home building companies of Western Australia, then Australia, then the World! What’s special about NIDIS …

AutoCAD, CAD Management, Customer Service, Development, LISP, Tip

How to sign your LISP files

 , , , , , , , , , , , , itemprop="discussionURL"0

This post follows on from Why digitally sign your LISP files? and How to obtain a digital signature to sign your LISP files. In the first post, I explained why you might want to digitally sign your LISP files. In the second, I explained how to obtain and install a digital signature. This third and final post in the series assumes you have done all that and now want to sign your files. There are two methods available to you, using a dialog box or command-line interface. Signing LISP using the AcSignApply.exe dialog box Autodesk has provided a utility called …

AutoCAD, CAD Management, Customer Service, Development, LISP, Tip

How to obtain a digital signature to sign your LISP files

 , , , , , , , , , itemprop="discussionURL"2

In an earlier post, I explained why you might want to digitally sign your LISP files. If you decide to go ahead with that, then this post explains how you can obtain and install the digital signature you will need to sign your files. This is the most difficult part of the process and it involves spending money. Getting a digital signature Although you can make your own digital signature (there’s an Autodesk Knowledgebase article describing the process), there’s little point in doing this. You can sign your files, sure, but that signature won’t be seen as trusted by software …