Revit To ASD Link For Steel Frames

Check out how to export a Structural model from Revit in AutoCAD Structural Detailing.

Revit to ASD Link for Steel Frames

AutoCAD - Windows XP

Autodesk have announced that from 1st January 2014 support will end for all new and upgraded versions of AutoCAD products, which are released in 2014 or later.

AutoCAD products released prior to that date will still be supported on Windows XP operating system

To find out more see the following link: Windows XP Support

ROLLOVERTIPS in AutoCAD

In AutoCAD you may of noticed that when you hover over an object with your cursor it may or may not display some information about the object. 

The below images shows this information:

 And this images doesn't show the information:

This can be controlled by typing ROLLOVERTIPS into the command line.

0 - Object rollover tooltips aren't displayed

1 - Object rollover tooltips will be displayed.

AutoCAD 2014 - Lynn Allen's TIps & Tricks

Ok so AutoCAD 2014 here been out for a while now. It's now here Lynn Allen's tips and trick booklet is here too.

 Download it from here: Lynn Allen's Tips & Tricks

Autodesk Building Design Suite System Requirements 2014

Now the Building Design Suite 2014 is available you might want to check your operating system is supported.

Below links to System Requirements:

Standard 2014: BDS Standard 2014

Premium 2014: BDS Premium 2014

Ultimate 2014: BDS Ultimate 2014

Building Design Suite 2014 - What's New

Autodesk released the 2014 version of the Building Design Suite recently and a few new products have been added.


New Products in Autodesk Building Design Suite 2014 highlighted in RED below: 

Standard

• AutoCAD
• AutoCAD Architecture
• AutoCAD MEP
• AutoCAD Structural Detailing
• Showcase
• SketchBook Designer
• AutoCAD Raster Design
• AutoCAD ReCap

Premium

• Revit (Architecture, MEP, Structure)
• 3ds Max Design
• Navisworks Simulate

Ultimate

• Navisworks Manage
• Inventor
• Robot Structural Analysis Professional
• InfraWorks (Formally named as Infrastructure Modeler)

If you would like to know more about the Building Design Suite 2014 click here: Building Design Suite 2014

AutoCAD 2014: Whats New with the command line

Autodesk have made quite enhancements to the Command Line AutoCAD 2014.

These enhancements include the following new tools and further enhanced tools that AutoCAD already had, which you the user has control of:

• AutoComplete
• AutoCorrect
• Search System Variables
• Search Content
• Mid-String Search
• Delay Time

AutoComplete - Is enhanced if you don’t know the full name but you know some AutoCAD will search and bring up the command your look for using Mid-String search.

AutoCorrect - Will automatically find the correct command if you miss spell the word wrong, you can also update your own AutoCorrects in the list.

Search System Variables/Content – So if you start typing things ‘symbol’ in the command line it will know you want to insert and give you the options in the command line or even a system variable. You can even type in object or layer names in the command line allows you to insert blocks or switch to a layer directly from the command line.

Synonyms.pgp – You now have a Synonyms.pgp file with lists of things so if you want to ETRANSMIT you can just type SHARE, SEND, TRANSMIT, PACKAGE, or ZIP into the command line it knows you want to ETRANSMIT.

Remember you commands – AutoCAD will even remember your commands and as you type into the command line, it’s going to put those common used commands further up the list.

Help & Internet Search – The command line allows you to access AutoCAD help or search the internet directly from directly from the command line.

I am looking forward to getting my hands on 2014 and seeing how well these new tools work.

Service Pack SP1 For AutoCAD Structural Detailing 2013

Autodesk have released Service Pack SP1 for AutoCAD Structural Detailing 2013 and its now available for download on Autodesk website: Service Pack SP1 for ASD 2013

Problems Reported with the Customer Error Reporting Utility
As a result of detailed information from customers who used the Customer Error Reporting Utility, a number of problems were identified and fixed. Updates have been made in the following commands and features:

• 3D Navigation Tools 
• 3D Modelling 
• Autodesk 360
• CUI (Customize User Interface)
• Design Centre
• DGN Support
• Dimensions
• Hatch
• InfoCenter
• Inquiry
• Plot
• Point Cloud
• Express Tools

General Updates - AutoCAD Structural Detailing 2013 Update 1 provides fixes for defects in the following areas:

AutoCAD Structural Detailing - Reinforcement

• Adding the viewports generated as blocks to the drawing.
• The reinforcement tables definition after database modification.

AutoCAD Structural Detailing - Steel

• The structure transfer between AutoCAD Structural Detailing Steel and Autodesk® Robot™ Structural Analysis Professional.
• Incorrect displaying AutoCAD Structural Detailing objects saved as ACIS objects.
• Incorrect result of modification in base and endplate connections.
• Incorrect value of levels displayed in description of elevation marks.

AutoCAD Structural Detailing - all modules

• Impossibility to select and change the colour of layer, line type or line weight in the existing objects in case of ribbon menu of AutoCAD Structural Detailing 2013.

How much of my MEMORY RAM is my drawing really using?

I came across this great blog post this morning from Being Civil, How much of my MEMORY RAM is my drawing really using?

Being Civil posted a quick tip on how to check the amount of RAM your drawing is using alsone with the complete statistics of the drawing.

Check out how My Drawing Memory RAM

You can also follow Being Civil on Twitter @BeingCivil

AutoCAD - Layout and Model (Tab)

The Layout and Model Tabs are missing, how do I get them back?

To switch the Layout and Model Tabs back on you need to go into your Options menu. If you type OP, then press Enter into the command line or click Applications Menu (BIG A) > Options.

Select the Display Tab and under Layout Elements tick Display Layout and Model tabs, then click OK.

Twitter in AutoCAD

 ACADtweet

Ok so if you are using AutoCAD and also use Twitter. Then why not do both through AutoCAD its self? 

On the Autodesk Exchange you can now download a App which will allow you to send and read Twitter messages directly from the AutoCAD command line.

To find out a more and download the app click here.

Change Text Style Script - AutoCAD

He is how to create a script to change the text style in AutoCAD.

1. Open Notepad
2. So the Text styles dialog box does open you will need to type -STYLE into the command line.
3. Now following the command line:  

Enter name of text style or [?] <Annotative>: (ENTER THE TEXT STYLE NAME HERE) Standard

Specify full font name or font filename (TTF or SHX) <romans.shx>: (ENTER THE FONT NAME HERE) Arial
Specify height of text or [Annotative] <0.0000>: (ENTER THE TEXT HEIGHT HERE) 2.5
Specify width factor <0.5000>: (ENTER THE TEXT WIDTH FACTOR HERE) 1

Specify obliquing angle <0>: (ENTER THE TEXT STYLE NAME HERE) 0
Display text backwards? [Yes/No] <No>: (ENTER YES OR NO TO DISPLAY TEXT BACKWARDS HERE) n
Display text upside-down? [Yes/No] <No>: (ENTER  YES OR NO TO DISPLAY TEXT UPSIDE-DOWN HERE) n
Press F2 in AutoCAD so the Text Window opens, select and copy of the text into Notepad. So it should read as follows:


-STYLE
Standard
Arial
0
1
0
n
n

Note: If you add a few enters after the last n you will see it will start the command again, so just watch your enters.
Now hit save as and name your script i.e Style_Text.scr.  Note to run it as a script you must put .scr at the end.


To run the script in AutoCAD now type SCR into the command line, go the location where you saved the script select it and click Open. It should now change your Text Style to "Standard" as current.

AutoCAD - Rotate on Paste

This is a tip I came across a good few years ago but still a good one.

Did you know that when you copy a objects by base point in AutoCAD then paste it back in you can type 'R' (rotate) and it will ask you to rotate the object on insertion.

• Copy object by base point Ctrl+Shift+C
• Now look at the command line it will "Specify insertion point:" type R.
• You will then be asked to "Specify rotation angle <0>:".
• Now all you need to do is place the object and it will be rotated on placement. 

Scaling Text in AutoCAD

I was going through some stuff the other day and came across loads of useful tips for AutoCAD the other day. So I thought I would share it with you.

Scaling All Text At Once

Did you know you can scale or change the height of text all at the same time?

If you didn't well you can.

Type “SCALETEXT” into the command line.

Select objects: (select all the text for scaling)

Enter a base point option for scaling [Existing/Left/Center/Middle/Right/TL/TC/TR/ML/MC/MR/BL/BC/BR] <Existing>: (just press enter to keep existing insertion point for each selected text)

Specify new model height or [Paper height/Match object/Scale factor] <2.5>: (choose the height required)

Try it out and see how well it works for you.

You shouldnt need to use this if your using Annotative text in AutoCAD as it rescales for you if you need to change the scale of a view.

Creating a Script to Print

Ok so if you want to print off a drawing very quickly why not create a script which will do all the steps for you.

To start off open notepad. Note you need to remember that every space you leave AutoCAD will read so if you have finished a line hit enter to start the next.

First all you need to make sure you are in paper space or on a layout tab, so the first line you need to type TILEMODE 0.

So the script will look somethine like this.

TILEMODE 0
-plot
y

drawing sheet
a1 dwf
dwf6 ePlot

ISO full bleed A1 (594.00 x 841.00 MM)
millimeters
landscape
n
extents
1:1
center
y
giff full size mono.ctb
y
n
n
n

n
y

Please note where I put (giff full size mono.ctb)you need to put the ctb your are going to use.

Now you have put all this into notepad hit save. I have called mine dwf A1.scr, you need to have .scr at the end otherwise it wont work.

Open up AutoCAD if its not already open and type CUI enter. The CUI dialog box will open.
At the bottom left hand side under commands section there will be an icon that will create a new command, hit that and it should start to create a new command.

Give you command a name (i.e. A1 DWF), and a description so if other users will use it they know what it does. 
Ok so for the important bit under Macro, this where AutoCAD will run the command from.
You must always start a command with ^C^C this will escape from any other command before it starts this one.
We then type _script: so I will look for a script, then "the scripts location and name". Its important you have "" at the start and end.

So it should look something like this:

^C^C_script;"//mafp01/mabst1/Design Centre/Support Files/Script/dwf A1.scr"

Now thats done create a image for your icon, then simply add it to a current toolbar/ribbon or create a new one. Unless you have company toolbars/ribbons already i would create one for all your tools.

I hope this was useful, please feel free to leave your feedback.

Thanks.

Load & Unload Xref's AutoCAD

I came across these great tips on Cadalyst today.

Have you every been working in a drawing and you want to unload or load all the external references, well if you look at this tip you can create your own macro to do so.

Also if you wish to detach all Xrefs you can use this tip.

Oops I deleted something I didn't want to

Ok did you ever delete something while working in AutoCAD then you had to just UNDO everything you did since, which you would then lose. Well did you know you can get it back? Just type OOPS into the command line and it will restore the most recent object(s), even after you have created BLOCK or WBLOCK because these commands delete the selected objects onces the block is created. Its very useful if you had accidentally deleted an object.

Heres the but it will only restore the last deleted object(s). So you wont be able to go back through the drawing restoring everything you had deleted.