CAD-a-Blog

This years Blog Action Day is about Climate Change. This is my first year participating in Blog Action Day, but I thought it was relevant to this site's content. CAD-a-Blog is about CAD, not going green, but there are many steps that CAD users can take to reduce their impact on the environment. Lacking any hard data or surveys, I would tend to think that two of the major impacts CAD users have on the environment is the use of paper and power. Let's face it, my job is to create construction/permit drawings on a computer all day. If I use less paper and less power, then it can only help.

Use Paper Less

There are several steps CAD users can take to reduce the amount of paper we use. Just say no! We live in the digital age. paper is nice for drawings of course, but the software we use comes with ways to produce our drawings electronically. Instead of printing to paper, print to PDF. if you are using AutoCAD or any other Autodesk product, print to DWF. If you print to DWF then you can use Autodesk's Design Review software (and it's free by the way) to mark up drawings and to share comments. All of this without using paper! If you have to submit your drawings to a client or government agency, submit them electronically. Send them the PDF or DWF files instead of paper. If they won't acept it, start a dialog on how it can help reduce the strain on the environment, but it couls help reduce costs as well. Several govenrment agencies are now allowing electronic submittals. Some even require it.

Use Less Power

This may seem like an obvious help to the environment, but one that might not be as easily remidied. Let's face it, CAD runs on electricity and the power has to be generated somehow. We need to find ways to use less of it, but mainly to stop waisting it.

Turn things off when you go home. It's ok to shut down your computer, desk lamp, radio, etc. If you have a charger for a phone, blue tooth device, GPS unit, etc., unplug the charger until you actually need to charge the unit. Turn your monitor off when you leave your desk.

Just Put in a Bit of Effort

It can be difficult to change our mindsets, our habbits, and the way others do things. It might even seem that our little bit isn't going to save the planet. But if you take a little bit from a lot of people then it adds up. If we don't start reducing waist at all, then we will all run out of resources much quicker.

Thanks for taking the time to read this "PSA". We can all do a little bit, we just have to start.

Back when I was a kid in elementary school, there were several choices of computers, each with a different OS. There was the Apple, IMB, Atari had one, Tandy, Commodore (one of my favorite) and more. Today, when a consumer purchases a new computer the choice is simpler. Essentially there are two choices, PC or Apple. Certain Apple machines can run their own OS or Windows. Exciting! PC’s can run Windows or a Linux based OS. Yes there are more options out there, but let’s face it, these are your “real” choices. I’m stretching it when I include Linux for the PC. Most private consumers really don’t care what the OS is. They want it to work and have as low of a cost as they can. I know, I’m that way (ok, I’m really more complicated than that, and I don’t care so much if it doesn’t work as well as it should, but I’m funny that way.)
Why do you buy the type of computer that you do? That depends on what you want to do with it and what you need it to do for you. It also depends on the data you are using and who you need to collaborate with. What are they using? Can I share data with them? “Them” could be clients, vendors, family, friends, or fellow Twittiphiles you “know” but have never really met in “real life.”

If you have access the internet in the past few days you might have noticed Google’s BIG announcement. They are working on and planning to release their very own operating system. Speculation is rampant and many are just adopting a “wait and see” attitude. Google already has a cell phone OS called Android. I remember the hype when that topic was first discussed. It was there, people were excited, but not to the extent that Google Chrome OS is getting in these first few days. My first complaint is that it has the same or similar name to Google’s web browser, Chrome. I understand the branding to a degree; Chrome OS and Chrome go hand in hand. And when a user thinks of Chrome, they will think of Chrome OS, and vice versa, assuming it takes off.

The question of the day is, “Will Chrome OS replace Windows?” Or some version of that. Does Microsoft need to be concerned? Hmmmm, um, yeah! Why? (Am I talking to myself again?) Chrome OS is Linux based. That means it is built upon an open source program. Open Source (a term which Firefox has made better known to the general user) means that a base code is provided free of charge for anyone that wants to and can use and work with. It also means that Chrome OS will not be proprietary, which means they won’t be charging for it! I believe that the average Windows upgrade kit costs about $100 (USD) with a full out version around $200 and more, depending on the version you get (home, professional, etc.) That will cover a good hard drive or memory upgrade when you buy your computer. On a full desktop, that’s not much of a break, but on a netbook, that could be a price reduction of nearly 30%!! My family has three netbooks and each cost around $400. If they had Chrome OS, then take off estimates of $50 or more! Cheap, and I know have a highly mobile machine that can do anything, except major 3D design and gaming. But who does that anyway?

It seems that Google has a “Boil a Frog” approach going on. How do you “Boil a frog?” Well, if you boil a pot of water and then throw the frog in, it won’t like it and jump out. BUT if you put a frog in a pot of water and slowly apply heat to it, the frog won’t know it’s getting boiled. Now you have frog soup. Google didn’t start be releasing an OS, hoping we would all go and get it, know they started to indoctrinate us with a search engine, got us hooked (like a drug addict-first hits free) and essentially took over the web.

When Microsoft Windows came out, many moons ago, we (the computing world) need a standard OS that we could all use and love (or hate, but we need one standard.) Then they gave us (or at least got us addicted) to their software through various means, creation, purchase, etc. Now we have a standard, and it’s name is Windows. Users everywhere can share the same data knowing it will work on my machine and theirs. That is where Linux failed and where Chrome OS may prevail. Linux had the blessed desire, and worthy task, of providing us with a choice of operating systems. The problem with Linux is that I can’t use it. I can’t run the Windows based programs on it that my industry requires me to. Also, the makers of the software I “need” to use can’t produce it in Linux (or MAC) form because there aren’t enough Linux users to justify the cost. We are stuck with Windows. That’s ok by me, really, having one standard is the best option in my opinion, but who cares what I think, I’m just one guy with one blog and two readers.
If we want to have a real and legitimate choice in operating systems then they both have to work, almost interchangeably, or the programs we love and use have to work on either system. Which one is easier? I don’t know. I think that it will be easier for the user to change if it is slow and gradual, just like Google is doing.

Apple tried to give us a better machine and operating system for years, but they ran into two major problems: as above it can’t run my software, and 2 it cost more. Why would I spend more for something I can’t use? BUT for those that can use it, it’s worth the cost. So they ventured out to a new forum and gave us the iPod and iPhone. Good for them, and us. Now mp3 and smart phone producers are playing catch up to them. Is it easier to innovate in the tech world than it is to “catch up?” Seems as if it may be.

Enter Google, the topic of this article. Yahoo and others had the market cornered in the search engine category. I can still remember the TV commercials singing “Yaaahoooooooooooo!!!” Love it! I can’t say the word “yahoo” without singing it that way. Good branding. Well, now Google is a verb, not just a noun. Not too long ago my family and I spent a Friday night sitting around the couch and TV, each with a laptop, “Googeling” ourselves! What a bunch of nerds right? Come on, you’ve all done it, maybe not on a Friday night, but you’ve done it. Google got us hooked with their search engine, now Microsoft is trying to catch up with a new search engine, Bing. It’s different from Google, so they say, though I can’t tell you how. What happened to MSN? Don’t know, I’m a Googler.

Google then begins to slowly indoctrinate us with their apps, like Gmail, Calendar, etc. Google chat, Google video chat, and the mother lode, Google Docs!! YAY!! I love Google Docs. I can work on a document, spread sheet, or presentation from anywhere I have internet access. And now I can run Google Docs offline too! On that plane ride I took, I was able to write blog entries while flying! Don’t forget Google’s Blogger, Google Maps, Google Earth, and the other great online apps they bought like You Tube (yeah, I’ve heard of that) and Sketch Up. Sketch Up isn’t an online app, but you download it online, for free, and can design your next house with it!! Sort of.

The point is that Google has so many apps that there are very few needs of mine that Google can fill. Now, granted, Google doesn’t do anything as well as a paid software package does. Microsoft Office is far superior to Google Docs, no question. But will it always be that way? I don’t know. Google also has Groups (an online collaboration tool), Gmail (I think I mentioned that one earlier) Sites, Reader (to manage your RSS feeds), Knols (a sort of Wiki), and Sites (another online website/group interface.)

Google has given us a shotgun approach of apps. Try this, like it? Now try this. Yeah it’s not as good as such and such but it’s free and you can go to your local library and work, for free. Get it, free!! What’s that cost of Google upgrade? Nothing. How much to update your company’s MS Office software? Hundreds per employee. How many employees? Wow. Are you doing it? No, we are using more Google Apps now, they are free. Get the idea? Software as a service and Cloud Computing.

So, when Chrome OS comes out on a netbook in 2010 (yeah, that’s not that far away) I can get all I need for the price of the hardware, maybe $350. Done. My assistant now has a portable office in their backpack, just get a wireless card and they can work from anywhere.
How much to do that on a laptop with software that I have to purchase? Well, let’s say you spend $500 on a laptop, then a few hundred for the office type software, collaboration software, email software, calendar software, etc. Well, that’s a lot more than $350. Revenue is down? Ok, we can make the change.

Chrome OS’s success will not be because of Chrome OS, it will come because of Google’s web-like saturation of its apps and services. The other aspect of Google Apps is that all I need is a browser to run them. That means I can use them on a Mac, I can use them on a train, I can use them on a plane, I can use them with ham, I can use them to get spam, I can use them to buy ham, and, oh, well, you get the idea. Usability.

If Google can get Chrome OS (and Chrome) to ship with netbooks, and eventually laptops, then they will succeed and finally put a dent in Widnows. Can you dent a Window, or just shatter it?
People seem to be excited with Google’s Chrome OS, I know I am. Will I make the move when it comes out? On a netbook or laptop I will. But because I work in the design industry I need strong, memory hungry software that can only run on Windows. But that can change. If Chrome OS takes a foothold in the netbook world, then users may start to consider using it on a desktop. Keep in mind though, that now, the trend is to purchase Laptops, not desktops unless you really need the power. I can easily see the future giving us three types of computers, the Apple (for those creative types), the Windows PC (for those needing power) and the Chrome OS (for those needing office software, email, and internet). If Windows hold on the OS market diminishes significantly, then that will cause software developers to have to consider producing their product on multiple platforms, or to switch platforms altogether. Another option that may take hold will be to develop programs that run on products like Adobe’s AIR. AIR is essentially and adapter plate for your OS. AIR is developed to run on Apple’s Windows, Linux, etc. and then your software runs on AIR. It won’t matter what OS your clients use, all they need is AIR. This can take hold if every computer comes with and OS (any OS) and with AIR.
What must Google do to ensure the success of Chrome OS? Get it out there. Put it on machines when people buy it. Saturate the average consumer with the OS, make it mainstream, get as many people as possible using Cloud Computing via Google products, or other similar products. Keep it free but make the apps much more powerful. If I can chose between two similar products and one is free, then free wins. Google’s Chrome OS has a chance at capturing a significant portion of the OS market, as long as they have the apps to back it up.

The AUGI (Autodesk User Group International) BOD (Board of Directors) Nominations submittal is open and ready. Nominations for the BOD are open until May 24th, 2009. There are certain criteria that one must meet in order to be considered for one of these postions. Here is a link to AUGI's website page that sdescribes what is involved and that describes the BOD.

If yo uthink yo uhave what it takes and you want to make a difference through AUGI, visit the page and see if you qualify. Voting will be held soon. Voting starts June 29th and runs through July 12th.

AutoCAD 2010 has really amped up AutoCAD's 3D modeling abilities. There are several new gizmos, tools, and abilities. You can create meshes, creases, and well so much more.

With all of the new features it may be difficult to get a hold on them. Well there is a new blog from Autodesk. It is called "What a Mesh." What a Mesh is managed by Guillermo Melantoni, an AutoCAD Project Manager. His work with AutoCAD mainly focuses on the 3D aspects, and he is an architect. His blog focuses on using the 3D tools in AutoCAD, and he is quite good at it. The image of the towers on the AutoCAD 2010 box was made in AutoCAD (bet you didn't think AutoCAD could do that did ya?) by Guillermo.

Check out his blog, see what AutoCAD 2010 can offer. Oh, if you'd rather, What a Mesh has a Spanish version too!

It’s that time of year again; time to cast your votes for the classes that will be made available for this year’s Autodesk University in December. Follow this link and login to cast your votes. The voting system seems a little awkward to me this year, but so what right?

Once you log in, use the filters to find the types of classes you want to take. Click the link given to each class. Scroll down to the bottom of that page and click the SUBMIT button. As far as I can tell this will cast your vote for the class.

Voting ends at midnight, May 8^th PDT.

There are four classes in particular that I think you will enjoy.

Create, Implement, and Maintain a CAD Standards Manual

Applying Parametric/Geometric Constraints in Dynamic Blocks with AutoCAD 2010

Applying AutoCAD 2010 Parametrics in Daily Designs

Two-Handed CAD: Do less work to get more finished.

All four classes were proposed by ME! Ok, so I am a little bit biased, but that’s ok. If you don’t want to vote for them that’s ok. It will let me know that you are not interested in this type of class. I would hope that you will be able to know what the class is about by its title. The CAD Manual class will discuss reasons to create a CAD Manual, methods of creating it, implementation, and maintenance. I don’t care about text formatting, or anything like that, just the reasons behind it. Why do you need a standards manual? How do you make it? When to make it? How to make sure people are following, and so on.

I proposed two different classes in the new Parametric Constraints introduced to AutoCAD 2010. One deals with using them in a design drawing, while the other focuses on using them in Dynamic Blocks. I feel that these are two different subjects because you apply the constraints differently in either use. Blocks are a finite system and it is much easier to apply constraints. Design drawings are much more complex so it is more difficult to apply them. There are methods that we can use with these new tools that will make using them much easier, especially for those that use our files after we’ve constrained them.

And my favorite class proposal, “Two-Handed CAD: Do less work to get more finished.” This title might not be as obvious as the others, so I will explain. Two-Handed CAD is a topic that I have discussed here on CAD-a-Blog several times (check out my How to be more Efficient in AutoCAD Series). It is a method of using AutoCAD whose purpose is to increase efficiency. So this is an efficiency class. The Two-Handed CAD method has the users take advantage of using both hands to draw. One uses the keyboard while the other uses the mouse. It focuses on mouse and keyboard input, not icons or menus (with exception of course.) The theory proposes that doing less work will increase drawing speed. For example; It is quicker to input keyboard commands while moving the mouse rather than moving the mouse back and forth across the screen to initiate commands, then draw. There’s more to it than just keyboard and mouse input. This class will look at using tool pallets, the Ribbon, fields, sheet sets, and other tools in AutoCAD design to automatically complete tasks for you. If the computer does the work for you, you will have less work to do, therefore you will get done quicker!

Let’s say there are 10 tasks to do in revising a drawing and that each task takes about the same amount of time to do. If I can get the computer to do 5 of those for me, then I will get the work done in half of the time. If it takes me 10 minutes for each task, that’s 100 minutes of work. Not if AutoCAD does it for me. Now it’s 50 minutes of work. This may be an over simplification of the idea, but I want it to be clear. Draw with both hands and automate functions.

Regardless of what you are looking for, go and vote for your classes. It is but yet another way Autodesk can hear from you. Tell them the types of things you want to learn about.

AutoCAD will no longer come with Microsoft VBA. This has been mentioned before on other blogs, but I wanted to make sure that I addressed it too. For those of you that already have AutoCAD 2010 and use custom VBA routines within it, you may have found out the hard way. I hope not.
AutoCAD 2010 does support VBA, it just doesn't come with it anymore. You have to download the application separately. Autodesk made sure that AutoCAD could use VBA, and they made sure to make it available to those that need/want it. Follow this link to get to Autodesk's download:

VBA Support in AutoCAD 2010

Once you download it, follow Autodesk's instructions on loading it. If you are using stand alone applications of AutoCAD, it's very simple to install. I did it on my machine and can run VBA macro's now no problem. I haven't tried it out on an enterprise or network deployment, but I'm sure somebody has.

Why would Autodesk stop supporting this widely used feature? Because Microsoft has. Once I learned that, then it made since to me. Of course Autodesk would stop supporting a software feature that will no longer be supported by its creator.

It appears that Microsoft Office products will no longer support it either. Office 2007 was the last version to have it. Don't get too panicked, they (Microsoft) are essentially replacing it with VSTA. No, that's not a misspelled Vista, it is VSTA. That stands for Microsoft Visual Tools for Applications. It is the next step in macro evolution, be it good or bad, that's where it is headed. Does this mean that AutoCAD will eventually support this format? I don't know. As far as I can tell, I don't think Autodesk knows yet either. They are still committed to supporting LISP. Imagine the outcry if that ended!!

There are many people that will not be affected by this. In fact, there may even be people that will be affected and they have no idea! Don't worry. If you are one of those people, and don't feel bad if you are, your VBA macros will still work. You will just have to jump through a few hoops to do it.

Here's a question; If you used VBA for custom macros in AutoCAD, will you still use those macros, or will you rewrite them in LISP? Obviously you won't have to for AutoCAD 2010, but what about 2011? Will Autodesk provide this download for that release? Who knows? Maybe the 2010 download will work in 2011 and 2012. It may not in 2013 when the traditional DWG revamp will likely take place.

It seems obvious to me that it would be good for users to start making the move away from VBA in AutoCAD as soon as possible and head the .NET direction. But who knows when that will go away. Maybe users are better off sticking with LISP. Script files are still great, and there is always the Macro Recorder in AutoCAD!! Laugh all you want to, I think it has potential. Not like LISP or VBA or even SCRIPT files, but it has its place.

That is one of the big issues with technology, it is always changing. Once you feel you have a good grasp of something, BAM they take it away, or change the interface to a ribbon!! Change is constant in software, get used to it. I remember when I could program anything in BASIC on my Commodore 64! Man that was a long time ago, especially in software years.

Well, anyway, no need to panic just yet. Autodesk was wise and started the process of weaning its users off of VBA. Perhaps they should have started last year with AutoCAD 2009, but perhaps there were enough surprises in that release with the Ribbon. And AutoCAD 2008 came too soon after the 2007 announcement from Microsoft. Oh well, it is what it is and I think Autodesk is doing the right thing here, as frustrating as it might be. Especially to me because I just bought a VBA for Dummies book about 8 months ago!

Happy CADDING

Have you ever needed to know what size your text should be? Or have you ever wondered what the dimensions for a sheet of paper is? How about scale factors, or better yet, the inverse scale factor? There is a tool available that many of you may have used before, or at least seen. It is the Cad CARD from Autograph technical Services. The Cad CARD has been around since 1989. I have been using mine since AutoCADr10, whenever that was. In fact, my Cad CARD even says its for r10! So what is it? It is a cardboard slide chart used as AutoCAD productivity aids. They will quickly help you determine drawing border sizes, text sizes, sheet sizes, and much more. The cards have two sides, each side providing different types of information. Some of the information provided:

- Function key assignments
- Units
- PDMODE options

- Dimension Variables and how they affect the Placement and Display of Dimensions
- Definitions of many Dimension Variables

- Dimension Lines, Extension Lines, Alternate Units

- Arrowheads, Arc Length Symbol, Center Mark for Circles

- Linear Dimensions, Measurement Scale, Zero Suppression, Angular Dimensions
- Tolerances and Tolerance Display
- How to set AutoCAD to Round Off Dimensions
- Text Appearance, Alignment, Placement, Fit Options, Fine Tuning
- We have even included a few Drafting Scales, just so they are handy.

The back focuses on dimensions and other operations.

The cards themselves are made of coated card stock and they are very durable. Mine has several coffee stains on it! There are 2 Metric versions and 2 U.S. versions. There is even a wallet sized version called the Cad CARD Junior! I use this one a lot because it is small and gets me scale factor and text sizes very quickly. I recommend the Cad CARD. I've been using mine for for so long I can't remember, but its been since at least 1994! Its compatible with all sorts of different versions of AutoCAD and has been updated to work with AutoCAD 2010! Even if you have an older version, it still works.

You can order your Cad CARD online from their website. Use a credit card or paypal and you don't have to be in the US to purchase it. The price is a definite value, because you can use it with more than AutoCAD, and they are long lasting. Autograph even provides discounts when buying the Cad CARD in bulk, so buy some for your entire department, or for your class if you are an instructor.

If you use AutoCAD, or even if you don't I guess, for 3D design, concept design, modeling, etc. Autodesk wants to hear from you. Take a few minutes to fill out this survey. Heidi Hewett first posted about it here. The survey only takes a few minutes to fill out. Plus you get the chance to voice your opinion on AutoCAD.

Here is the excerpt from Heidi's blog:

The AutoCAD marketing team, in partnership with the University of Colorado, is conducting a survey to learn more about AutoCAD’s current role in 3D design. The results of this research study will help us better meet your conceptual design needs. We value your feedback and encourage you to take 10 minutes (or less) to respond to this survey.

Check it, let them know how you feel.

Autodesk Labs contains a plethora of tools. Autodesk uses the Labs site to try out new things. Several tools have come out of it, Like Impression, Inventor LT, Freewheel, and more. I'm a big fan of the Labs site and I've posted about it often. Well, here I go again. Autodesk Labs has added Project Dragonfly. Dragonfly is a sort of hybrid of Project Draw and Project Showroom. Well, maybe not really, but you can see it from a certain point of view.

Showroom is more of a drag and drop application that features specific design materials and hardware for a room. Project Draw is a generic 2D drawing application. Dragonfly focuses on 2D and 3D architectural design. It has drag and drop "blocks" of furniture, windows, doors, wall types, floor types, appliances, electronic equipment, and, well much more.

Dragonfly is a tool that enables you to quickly produce a 2D or 3D model of a building and its furniture. It is drawn to scale, so it has a degree of accuracy. It also has a level of quickness that is appealing. Changes can be made very quickly (just drag and drop), the design can be e-mailed, saved, and printed. Have an idea for a kitchen? "Sketch" it up in Dragonfly and email it to your client or contractor.

Dragonfly can give you a 2D and a 3D view. you can also edit the model in either form. Try it out, see what it has to offer, and give Autodesk some feedback. The Labs site is a sort of sandbox where Autodesk and its customers can get together and try things out. This is a good chance to provide information to Autodesk so that they can provide software that better suits your needs.