Autodesk Releases AutoCAD Civil 3D 2013 Survey Hotfix

Autodesk just released a hotfix for AutoCAD Civil 3D 2013 Survey.  This hotfix repairs an issue with the Survey Figures Property Dialog where you could not see the vertex properties for chain type figures correctly.

Go to the download page, download the ZIP file and follow the installation instructions.

Autodesk wants your thoughts on the ribbon in AutoCAD

The AutoCAD Team is looking for your feedback on Ribbon usage, customization, and satisfaction.
You can help to shape the future of the Ribbon by filling out this online survey from Autodesk.  It took me about 5 minutes to fill out but it could take some as much as 10.  If you love or hate the Ribbon, or just parts of it, take the time to fill out the survey.

Autodesk does care about its users and wants to know how you use its products.  This is a good chance to voice your opinion about the Ribbon.

Do you think they will get rid of it in AutoCAD 2013?

 Please submit your requests for Ribbon enhancements to the AutoCAD team by taking this survey:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ContextualRibbon

Ideas for AutoCAD

Has Autodesk has run out of ideas for improving AutoCAD?  Not likely.  However, they are interested in the ideas of their users.  They better be.  The users are the one's using the software.  Say what you will about Autodesk but they have made a great effort in trying to reach out to their clients for input.  Not a month goes by where I don't receive an email about a new survey they are conducting.  Not a day goes by where Autodesk hasn't reached out via social media in one way or another.  

Autodesk has realized that the internet is a great tool for providing information to clients.  That's an easy discovery to make.  They have also discoverd that the internet is an even greater tool for collecting information.  Autodesk has asked for emails, beta testing, surveys, telephone calls and more in the past.  Now they have set up a website using Google Moderator called Ideas for AutoCAD.  Google Moderator is a site where people (or companies) can set up a way for readers to provide thoughts, feedback, and ideas.  

How odes it work?  Google Moderator lets you set up a series about anything you want or are interested in.  It provides a means for other interested people to submit questions, ideas or suggestions.  Anyone can come to the site and submit a question or comment.  They can even vote on submissions.  You can set up multiple topics or go with a single topic.  

Autodesk is trying this out.  They want your thoughts and ideas on AutoCAD, for MAC and Windows.  If you have a killer idea that will make AutoCAD better, stop on by and submit your idea.  If you have a question, stop on by.  While there, check out some other people's ideas and thoughts.  Vote on them, or not. Comment on them, or not.  It's up to you.

Autodesk takes these things seriously.  I suggest you go and participate.  Even if you feel you don't have a great idea, vote on the ideas that are there.  

Ideas for AutoCAD

Help shape the direction of AutoCAD and win (possibly) $30!

Autodesk has released a survey asking about your AutoCAD drawing comparison needs.  Take about 5 to 10 minutes to fill out this survey.  Once completed your name will be dropped into a proverbial "hat".  A winner will be selected in about 5 days time.

http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/513364/Drawing-Compare

Try it out.  it only takes about 5 minutes and you could win $30 (USD.)  Plus your answers will be used to help influence Autodesk!

Robert Green's CAD Manager's Survey 2010 is ready

How much money do CAD managers make? Do they work part-time or full-time? These questions and more are answered by Robert Green, CAD Manager Extraordinaire, in his annual CAD Manager Survey.

Robert takes a look at the average CAD Manager salary, education, age, and even more. If you want to see the questions he asked in the survey follow this link. Survey Questions.

Robert conducts this survey every year and the results are interesting to look at, especially in these past tough economic times. You can see the economic tool taken on CAD Managers over the past few years through his survey results.

Take a look at it and draw your own conclusions. Is your pay close to the average? How secure is your position? Looking to become a CAD Manager then take a moment to look at this survey, and those past, to get an idea of what might be expected of you.

Your Chance to Tell Autodesk what to do with AutoCAD

Autodesk is looking for your input on using the internet when acomplishing CAD work.  They want to know what content you find valuable or useful (or both I supose) for future releases!

They are asking for us to take about 30 minutes to fill out an online survey at:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/AutoCAD_Internet

The want to gain the most complete understanding about AD-related internet usage when making design decisions.  I plan on taking the survey and you should too.  After you do, come back here and comment on it.  What did you think?  Do you feel the information will help the next release?  How was the topic?  Important?  or not?  Let me know.

Autodesk Wants to Know if You Want Transparent Objects in AutoCAD

It seems that the good people in the AutoCAD Product Design and Usability Group want to know if you are interested in having the ability to make objects transparent in AutoCAD. I'm glad they asked because I would love that. In fact I was trying to that the other day, and today. Seems like I am trying to do that more and more now. Please Autodesk, put this in. But do it right, please.

They are giving us the chance to tell them how we would like to handle our transparencies. They have produced a fairly extensive survey (took me about 5 to 10 minutes to complete) that you can fill out. It's a good survey format, easy to use and there are plenty of comment boxes where you can further explain your desires. They want to know how you would use it so they can put the proper tools into the next version of AutoCAD!

Follow this link to get to the survey: “Transparency in AutoCAD” Survey

The Survey will be active: May 6-15, 2009.

Check it out and voice your professional opinion on the matter.

Entering Angles in Surveyor's Angles

Many times in AutoCAD, users will enter an angle in Degrees. Maybe even in Degree/Minutes/Seconds. If you are a surveyor or are working with a survey drawing, you will see angles (or bearings) written something like this:

N45d20'6"E (where d is the degree symbol)

This means the angle is North 45 degrees, 20 minutes, 6 seconds, East.

Users can input angles just like this if we need to. When drawing a line, pick your first point, then type in:

Make sure to start with the '@' symbol. Then enter the distance, (here it is 200) then the less than sign (I would type it in but my blog thinks I am trying to type in an HTML tag!!) then N (for north or S for South) the angle number (45) d to let AutoCAD know it is the degree, then the minutes and seconds if any. Don't forget to type in the symbols ' for minutes and " for seconds. Finish up with your last direction e (E for east and W for west.)

This will draw a line 200 units long at 45d20'6" to the "right" (or east) of north (straight up)

It's that simple.

Happy CADDING

AUGI Salary Survey

Today is the last day or us to participate in the AUGI Salary Survey. My Friend Melanie Perry (visit her blog Mistress of Dorkness) runs this survey and she does an excellent job on it.

Here is the link to it: AUGI Salary Survey

This survey has thousands of participants and is used by even more to help better their pay and to make sure employees are compensated accurately. It only takes a few minutes, so please, go and fill it out.

Happy CADDING!!

AUGI Wish List - Voting almost over!

If you are a member of AUGI (AutoCAD User Group International), then you are probably aware of the AUGI Wish List. Every year AUGI puts together a list of wish items that its members would like to see added to AutoCAD and many of its vertical applications. During the year AUGI members post their wishes in the appropriate AUGI forum. AUGI then takes these items and put them in a list for us (AUGI members) to vote on. Well, it’s that time again. Time is running out. If you haven’t voted yet, you still have a few days to vote. The wish lists will be open until March 10, 2008.

You can vote on wish lists for AutoCAD, Inventor, Civil3D and Revit Architecture. At these forums, you can read each wish item and then vote for your top ten!! Each wish has been categorized and grouped making it easier to vote for your favorite. After you have chosen your ten favorite, rank them on how important they are to you. Each year Autodesk turns to AUGI to see what their users want in the software. And they listen!

Click on the links below to go and vote today. Hurry up, time is running out.

http://www.augi.com/autocad/ballot.asp

http://www.augi.com/inventor/ballot.asp

http://www.augi.com/civil3D/ballot.asp

http://www.augi.com/revit/ballot.asp

AUGI's First POD Cast

Busy posting day for me. That's ok. AUGI has posted a POD CAST that provides an overview of the CAD Salary Survey that was conducted by them. If you don't have the time to read the survey listen to this:

Salary POD Cast

Check it out and see where you stand.

AUGI CAD Salary Survey

The annual AUGI CAD Salary Survey is out and available. If you subscribe to AUGI World, you should be getting your copy in the mail soon. If you want to see it now, then follow this link:

AUGI CAD Salary Survey

This is an in-depth survey of AUGI's members. It is a great tool in determining what you are "worth" or if you are being paid what you are worth.

My friend Melanie Perry puts it together every year. Great job as always Mel.