Autodesk launches new AutoCAD and New Community Site!

Yesterday was a big day for Autodesk. They officially launched AutoCAD 2010. It is available for download from their website for a free 30 day trial, as usual. They also launched a new website, AutoCAD Exchange.

AutoCAD Exchange is to be a community site where AutoCAD users can meet, mingle, and share ideas. It has tutorials, help, links to blogs (like this one!), contacts (similar to Linkedin or Facebook), and more. I have added a widget on the right side of this site that has some popular links from the site.

In order to get into the site you have to register. It's annoying yes, but if you have already registered to some other Autodesk Site (like the discussion boards) then you can use that log-in info.

I do have to say that my favorite part (and yes I am biased on this topic) are the videos. especially the one with me and Lynn Allen talking about AutoCAD 2010. It was fun filming this video. i have never been in front of a green screen screen before, unless you count some of the first computers I ever worked with! I was able to film a few other videos with several other Autodesk employees, so keep your eyes open.

Check out the site, download AutoCAD 2010, and send me your questions. I will be posting more info on AutoCAD 2010 in the near future, especially now that you have the chance to get your hands on it!

Happy CADDING!

Quick View Layouts-With Tabs

A reader recently asked me how to get the layout tabs back in AutoCAD 2009. He had been using the Quick View Layout (or QVL for short) but wanted to use the tabs again. In some cases tabs are quicker and easier to use. I agree. The QVL are great when you want a preview of the layout. Well, here's how:

Open up OPTIONS. To do that, type on the command line OPTIONS. (caps don't matter by the way.) Go to the DISPLAY tab, then to the bottom left of the screen to the LAYOUT ELEMENTS area. Make sure to Check the box that says DISPLAY LAYOUT AND MODEL TABS. That will turn them on.

You can use either method of moving through the tabs i your drawings. Even if the tabs are on, you can still use QVL. If you don't like either of these methods, you can toggle through your tabs by pressing CTRL+PAGE UP (or PAGE DOWN). CTRL+Page Up takes you towards the first tab, while CTRL+Page Down take you toward the last tab.

AutoCAD 2006 to AutoCAD 2010 - Upgrade or not?

It's that time of year again when one release of AutoCAD goes quietly away and the next comes barging in. On March 24th AutoCAD 2010 will be released and soon to ship. On March 13th, AutoCAD 2006 (and other 2006 releases of Autodesk software) will be retired. Friday the 13th! What a day to retire on right? It would be better to retire on March 14th, Pi Day!

Regardless if you are currently using AutoCAD 2006, 2007, 2008, or 2009, will you be updating to AutoCAD 2010? What do I recommend? I recommend subscription to be honest. It is a much larger cost up front, but in the long run, it's more economic and you get more, for less. BUT, what is right for me, may not be right for you. If you are an individual and only have one or two licenses for your small office or firm, then maybe you are better off updating every few releases and not staying on subscription.

Autodesk has a legacy program that you might be interested in. I wanted to share the link with you to help you decide what course of updating is right for you.

Autodesk Retirement Program

There are cost calculators here, plan information, reseller links, etc. What you do is your business. I wanted to make sure you had some tools to help you understand the costs in updating your CAD software.

Did yo notice that I keep saying UPDATING instead of UPGRADING? Yes I know I said UPGRADE in the title, but well, forgive me. I feel that there is a difference. An upgrade implies improvement, and update means you have the latest. I strongly feel that AutoCAD 2010 is indeed an upgrade, but not everyone will, because some never do. Some times users update their software version simply to be compatible with others. So they are not upgrading but updating. I also feel more comfortable using that term. What do you think? What is the difference between an UPGRADE and an UPDATE? Will you be updating or upgrading to AutoCAD 2010?

AUGI Wishlist Voting to End Soon!

If you are a member of AUGI then you likely know about the Wish List! This but one of many ways users of Autodesk products can voice their views on what should be in AutoCAD and other Autodesk products. As a member, I received an email and I would like to share it as a reminder to of the importance 0f voting. Perhaps you opened up and installed a new release of AutoCAD one time and when you started it, you didn't like the new features? Or perhaps one still didn't quite work the way you thought it should? Well, did you vote for the AUGI wish list? Did you know that AUGI members can even write their own wish list items? That's how it works. The members come up with ideas for new features or enhancements and we vote on it. The final list is then sent to Autodesk. AutoCAD 2010 has several new features in it that came from AUGI's wish list!

Here's the e-mail AUGI sent and links to the different wish lists.

The wish list ballots are open. Take this opportunity to cast your vote for the features you’d most like to see in future versions of AutoCAD, Inventor, Civil 3D and Revit Architecture. These wish list ballots will remain open until March 15, 2009. You have the opportunity to review and vote on the wishes posted by your fellow AUGI members. To choose the desired improvements you would like to see in future releases of AutoCAD, Autodesk Inventor, AutoCAD Civil 3D and AutoCAD Revit Architecture software, all it takes is your vote for your top 10!

It’s Easy
The voting process is now easier than ever. Wishes have been categorized so you can quickly find the features on which you want to cast a vote. Then just rank your votes from 1 (the improvement you feel most strongly about) to 10. It’s that simple!

It’s Valuable
The AUGI Wish List Program was established years ago to fulfill the need Autodesk saw in getting feedback on its products from the people using these products every day. That tradition continues today, as Autodesk turns to AUGI again and again for continued feedback and ideas for improvement.

Where to Start
Click on any of the links below to enter the Wish List of your choice. In each section, you’ll find more information about that Wish List as well as a handy guide to help you through the process.

AutoCAD Wish List

Autodesk Inventor Wish List

AutoCAD Civil 3D Wish List

AutoCAD Revit Architecture Wish List


Don’t Delay
The voting will continue until March 15th, but why wait? Go to the Wish List of your choice and vote today!