Sunday, September 7, 2008

New Features Workshop

Do you update (I would say UPGRADE, but new doesn't guarantee better) your AutoCAD software regularly? Or do you update it in intervals? Regardless, it can be difficult to know and understand what the new version has to offer. There is a built in tool inside of AutoCAD that will help you know and understand the new features and improvements in AutoCAD. It is called the NEW FEATURES WORKSHOP.

When a user starts AutoCAD for the first time a window pops up. It is the New Features Workshop window. When the New Features Workshop window appear, you can turn it off FOREVER, turn it off until the next time you start AutoCAD, or view it now. I ask that if you don't want to view it now, wait till later to view it, or else you might forget. Don't just turn it off right away, it's easy to forget that way.

If it is turned off, you can get it back, don't worry. Go to the HELP function and it will be an option there.

Each new feature will be broken down in its appropriate section.  Some of the instructions now ave a very short animation to more clearly demonstrate the new process.  Each tip can be viewed over and over again.  

If you are a manager, or simply in need of material, you can use the New Features Workshop as a training guide, especially after a new install.  This works well for instructors because it eliminates the need to develop training material, at least for the new features.

The New Features Workshop has new features for the past Three (3) releases.  If you just installed AutoCAD 2009, there will be information for releases 2007, 2008, and 2009.  This is handy as several of us AutoCAD users often don't update every release, but will skip one, two or even three.  This means that what you missed in past releases can easily be picked up on by you and your users.

If you haven't use the New Features Workshop in AutoCAD before, thats ok, try it out and you might be amazed by what you didn't know!

Happy CADDING.

2 comments:

  1. Our office uses 2002, and we have been informed that updating to 2009 would cost us $12k for 4 seats since our upgrade has timed out. I went to an AUGI CAD Camp for 2009, and got a 30 day demo.

    Some of the stuff, especialy dynamic blocks, is pretty cool. Unfortunatly, my boss, who is otherwise a really smart guy, stopped learning ACAD on V10. Most of the other stuff, like ribbons (gag) are what I call "Bigger fins on a Cadillac"; Intended to make you want to buy the new one, without adding anything really useful.

    I just cannot justify the expense. We would get very little payback on the investment.

    ReplyDelete
  2. That price might even be a little bit low. And you might be right on getting little payback for the cost. That will depend on how you, or how anyone, will use the software. I agree that the ribbon doesn't really add any thing fantastic. Sheet sets, tool pallets, the CUI, dynamic blocks, annotated text, multi-leaders, tables, fields, dynamic input, and other enhancements since release 2002 can make a difference in production. What type of construction documents does your company produce? You might want to take another look at it and your methods.
    The last company I worked for had a similar way of thinking, new releases cost to much. Well, they finally spent the money to update 40 seats to 2008! Lots of cash. Then, because "nobody knows how to use it" we weren't allowed to use the new tools. What a waist of time and money. I started using the new tools in our satellite office and we quickly became more productive.
    I don't mean to say your company has made a bad decision. If your company, or any company has no intention of embracing the new tools, then no, it will not be worth the money. And not using the tools could still mean a company is productive. Productivity depends on the amount of picks, clicks, and mouse movements made by the tech. reduce these and you will reduce the time needed to make drawings.

    ReplyDelete

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