Between the Lines

My Travel in Planning

I will provide more details and confirmations as my travel and events are formally booked but so far here is my map. Looks to be another busy year in airports and plane seats and two Autodesk University events on in Las Vegas and one in Japan.

I would love to meet with large AutoCAD user group events or companies in Africa, Middle east, South and Central America or Russia.If you have a large user group meeting or office of AutoCAD users send me an email and perhaps I might attend and present on Autodesk’s platform products such as AutoCAD, Autodesk Impression, and many others as well as provide blurry glimpses into the possible future. I am not sales or marketing but connected to the product development teams.

All you have to do is ask by by sending me an email

Cheers,
Shaan @mrcadman on Twitter

This Blog is Turning 5 Tomorrow, and is potty trained, well mostly

Please join me in celebrating the 5 year mark as some said it and blogging in general would not last 1 year. Please don’t forget to add you comments on what I should continue to do, stop doing or ideas on topics and things to do.

Madonna is now 50, but this blog is turning 5!!!

I will be celebrating the 5 year blog birthday from here in hot Atlanta at IWF08 with the Matt Murphy Clay Head Sculpture! I wonder if I can get the Clay Head on CNN while here located next to the CNN world headquarters…..hrmmmm

Cheers,
Shaan

Autodesk Products - Hardware Certification Database is 17.2.0.4 Update

In case you have not seen the note in Communication Center, there is a new update for the Certified Hardware XML Database Update. This contains best product settings and tunings for certified hardware aka graphics cards.

 

You may need to download this file if:

• You have new graphics hardware.
• You have a new driver version for your graphics hardware in the graphics hardware list.
• The status of your graphics card has changed in the database. For example, The Status has changed from Supported to Certified.
• Autodesk or the graphics hardware vendor has resolved issues with your graphics hardware.

The current version of the Hardware Certification Database is 17.2.0.4. If the local version of your database is older than the current version, then your database should be updated.

Like always please review the ReadMe before downloading or installing.

LINK TO UPDATE

The Graphics Hardware List http://www.autodesk.com/autocad-graphicscard

Update Graphic Card Driver http://www.autodesk.com/autocad-graphicscardupdate

Changes from version 17.2.0.3

General Information

Click here to view the complete list of all cards available for this current database.

NVIDIA

• Adds support for the NVIDIA^® Quadro FX 570m 174.71 (7471) for Windows XP
• Adds support for the NVIDIA^® Quadro FX 570m 175.97 (7597) for Windows Vista
• Adds support for the NVIDIA^® GeForce driver version 175.16 (7516) for Windows XP64
  • The following Card has been added
    • NVIDIA^® GeForce 9600 GT
• Adds support for the NVIDIA^® GeForce driver version 175.19 (7519) for Windows XP, Vista , & Vista 64
  • The following Card has been added
    • NVIDIA^® GeForce 9600 GT

AMD

• Adds support for the ATI^® Mobility FireGL V5700 8.503 (6822) for Windows XP
• Adds support for the ATI^® FireGL unified driver version 8.453.1.3 (6758) for Windows XP & XP64
  • The following Card has been added
    • ATI^® FireGL V7700
• Adds support for the ATI^® FireGL unified driver version 8.453.1.3 (555) for Windows Vista & Vista64
  • The following Card has been added
    • ATI^® FireGL V7700
• Adds support for the ATI^® Radeon Catalyst Driver 8.6 (6822) for Windows XP & XP64
• Adds support for the ATI^® Radeon Catalyst Driver 8.6 (590) for Windows Vista & Vista64

NAVTEQ Street Data for AutoCAD and MapGuide Enterprise

I just read a pretty interesting press announcement for Autodesk users. You can purchase the Geospatial data from NAVTEQ for use in Autodesk products. NAVTEQ is very accurate and used in many of the auto and mobile GPS navigation solutions out there. This is not simple nor cheap Geospatial data of roads but detailed vector data for Geocoding and navigation centerlines.

http://www.adci.com/autodesk/

Twittering at AU ~ Tweet Tweet

Richard Binning posted about one way to keep up to date on what is occurring at AU this year by following a Twitter feed AUGIatAU.

What are you doing? Follow AUGI at AU using Twitter

I am on Twitter as well but I still don’t understand the hype unless at an event which it makes perfect sense otherwise Facebook solves all the networking and networking. I am still giving Twitter a fair shot and Richard’s post had a great YouTube linked video on Twitter.

Don’t forget the Facebook groups for AU as well. I will be organizing events and activities and meetups in Facebook and perhaps Twittering in between.

Autodesk University 2008 Facebook Group

Autodesk University Japan Event Group

Autodesk University 2008 Shutterbug Event

Cheers,
Shaan @mrcadman on Twitter

Madonna is now 50, but this blog is turning 5!!!

On the 21st of August 2008 this blog will turn 5 years old which in dog years is 35 years old or in the context of an average blog life is an eternity. I will be posting some stats of the traffic over the years of blogging which began as an unofficial fun geek’ish experiment to find a new channel to deliver tips and tricks and announcements as well as reduce the number of times I was responding with the same answer in the discussion groups. It has grown and spread to other CAD users and vendors.

From the “bloggergate” to “astroturf” claims this blog has survived the gauntlet and in its own small part changed many of the ways and speed in which CAD news was delivered from monthly or Tuesday morning newsletters to the now instantaneous RSS feeds of breaking news, or knowledge.

The first blog post was 21 August 2003 Getting the feel for this Blog

What I would like to know in the comment to this post is: what do you like and I should keep doing, you do not like and I should stop, or would like to see?

Cheers,
Shaan

I am in Atlanta Georgia 08.19.2008 to 08.21.2008

It must be an Olympics theme week for me. I am heading during the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing which I have been watching intently from one Olympic town Salt Lake City (Winter Olympics 2002) to another Atlanta Georgia (Summer Olympics 1996).

I will be attending and speaking at the International Woodworking Fair http://www.iwfatlanta.com/ in Atlanta Georgia this week. I will be at booth #5013 of Autodesk partner Microvellum.  http://www.microvellum.com/

In keeping with my invitations to chat while traveling, If you are an AutoCAD user and interested in a discussion about AutoCAD with your team at your office or over a cup of coffee, please send me an email.

Cheers,
Shaan

Autodesk University 2008 Registration Open!

 

AU 2008 December 2 - 5, 2008. The Venetian Resort Hotel, Las Vegas, USA

Better hurry as there is just over 10,000 attendees planned for this year and if you are one of the last you have a slimmer selection of classes and labs as well as your hotel could be down the strip due to the main hotels booked solid. In past years we have filled up to 6 hotels from the event location down 2 miles from the location and having to utilize regular shuttle busses to get to AU.

Register for Autodesk University 2008

 

Facebook is a great (FREE) way of keeping in touch and up to date and organize gatherings and events and know who you are dealing with and network with them making the best use of your time.

• Autodesk University 2008 Facebook Group
• Autodesk University Japan Event Group
• Autodesk University 2008 Shutterbug Event

Autodesk University 2008 and Autodesk University Japan 2008 Flickr Photo Group has been setup, bookmark it as photos from participants will begin to show up when the events start. Flickr is FREE.

• Autodesk University 2008 Flickr photo set
• Autodesk University Japan 2008 Flickr photo set
• Autodesk University 2008 Shutterbug Event Flickr photo set

Hope to see you at AU!

Cheers,
Shaan

Robert Green’s CAD Manager Survey Time

Each year CAD Management guru, expert speaker, and Cadalyst Magazine writer releases a survey requesting CAD Managers to respond (anonymously).

This painless survey is very helpful for all in CAD Management to understand where they fit among fellow peers in benefits as well as identified frustrations, CAD Standards issues, and changes in the CAD Management. You could even use the survey results when released by Robert to discuss with your management team to better your position or help them understand CAD Management challenges as a whole and how to improve.

• www.cad-manager.com/survey

I would suggest if you are a CAD Manager to also subscribe to Robert’s newsletters and read his column in Cadalyst to keep up to date and tackle CAD Management related issues easily and with the least amount of pain, expense or the resorting to a long stick or electrical shocks in the chairs for CAD Management and CAD Standard enforcement.

• Cadalyst CAD Management Newsletter
• Cadalyst CAD Manager Column
• Cadalyst CAD Manager Q&A

I will be in Robert’s neck of the woods this week Georgia but knowing our schedules we wont even see each other but know in some distant CAD conference speaking engagement like AUGI CAD Camp or Autodesk University we will bump into each other again.

Cheers,
Shaan

Thursday Thought

How many times when you make a mistake have you heard people say “I would have done it the other way”.

But when you do something right, how many admit and say “they would have done it the other way…”

-Shaan

AutoCADの予約がまとまっておめでとう

やっと使える

AutoCAD大事典 (Navigate AutoCAD)
”AutoCAD大事典 AutoCAD LT対応版―実務で役立つワザが満載! (単行本) Navigate AutoCAD AutoCAD LT version"

鈴木 裕二 (著), 伊藤 ゆみ (著)
Authors Yuuzi Suzuki and Yumi Itou

• http://www.adds.co.jp
• http://adds.blog.ocn.ne.jp/

Amazon Japanese
Amazon English

AutoCAD Commands and System Variables in Japanese

• コマンド名からページとタイトルを検索 (Commands & Index)
• システム変数名からページとタイトルを検索 (System Variables & Index)

敬具、
Shaan

AutoCAD UI ~ Best of Both Worlds is Flexible with Traditional Menus or New Ribbon +Plus+ AutoCAD UI Retro Mod’ing Fun

A recent question came into the Autodesk Product Feedback web form received from a Dallas based AutoCAD 2009 customer asking how they could get their traditional/classic menus in AutoCAD 2009 to look like a previous release.

It was a simple solution and answered by AutoCAD Senior Product Designer Yan Schober.

If you'd like to work with the traditional drop-down menus, you can type MENUBAR 1 at the command line, which will bring back the old menu structure, or you can click the "gear' icon in the lower right-hand corner of the screen and selected AutoCAD Classic from the menu.

 I would encourage you to explore the new ribbon interface before switching back to the traditional drop-down menus; we understand that it will take some time getting used to the changes, but believe that using the new ribbon interface will pay off in the long run.

If you’d like to understand more about the rationale behind the new ribbon interface, here is an article that you might find interesting:

• Between the Lines: Matt Stein (aka Ribbon Man) on the AutoCAD 2009 ...

 

 

Before                                            After
 

Now taking UI retro things much further…for the AutoCAD Geeks out there!

You can even revert your AutoCAD 2009 UI "(User Interface) back to a pseudo R14 look if you want but be warned you will lose quite a bit of functionality resulting in less productivity.

• Set the Crosshair size to 100% in Options>Display or CURSORSIZE 100
• Enable the Side Menu in Options>Display
• Set the Commandline background color to Blue and text to White ala R12
• Set both the 2D and 3D the Model background to black in Options>Display and disable grid (F7)
• Disable Showing Tabs, Panel, and Tiles
• Disable ViewCube in Options>3D Modeling
• Enable Model and Paperspace Tabs
• Disable ToolTips and rollover ToolTips
• Right-click on Object Snap icons and uncheck use icons to get the Text icons instead of graphical.
• Disable QuickAccess Toolbar commonly referred to as the QAT like Kitty QAT.
• Disable icons in Tray
• And more…

I’m sure I could document this better and even do more mods/tweaks but here was a quickie. I will share the profile and CUI later.

If you have questions or feedback for an Autodesk product team please use the Autodesk Product Feedback web form as this goes direct to the teams and I have seen proof of the team responding as well as listening. Make sure to tell them that Shaan told you to email them. The only thing I ask is provide details and be constructive as a frustrated or vague email or wish list item is hard to respond to.

OK back to work and also Microsoft’s Patch Tuesday appears to have been a Patch Wednesday for me with a ton of important updates for my Windows Vista and Office 2007.

Cheers,
Shaan

College Time

My oldest son starts college here in Utah next week, wow do I feel old and soon to be broke (g). It would be so cool to be in his shoes and going through the experience. He just graduated High School and we all wanted him to stay in the mode of education so he did not put it off for later. I am damn proud of him!

 

Speaking of college….

My family has always been a strong believer in education and my grandfather donated millions to many good causes because he was fortunate not because he wanted his name in lights or a tax break, he did it all for the right and honorable reasons. Land was donated as was a considerable amount money to start a endowment to award scholarships for future students of a Eastern Idaho Technical School “EITC”.

I should have a shirt “My family donated millions, and all we got was this small plaque in a field”

It is always nice and honorable to donate and expect nothing, but there is responsibility to see the scholarship trust funds are managed to grow and be used for (I heard they were used for other capital and now are gone) and at least honor and recognize the critical and vital benefactors. Instead there is a small plaque sitting in a field where my families house that I lived in as a child and barn once stood and nearby my grandfathers horse ranch.

There is a new healthcare building and I have heard they recently refused to name it after the benefactor of their campus, my grandfather Ivan Ashment. Perhaps they are instead looking for new money from a new benefactor to name the building. They named other buildings after people.

My grandfather passed away many years ago and he did not really expect anything in return, but it would have been the right thing for the college to do given his contributions critical to the future of the college instead of the little plaque. My grandfather was a farmer that happened through hard work to become one of the worlds top known and well respected names in the American quarter horse breeding and racing industry as well as the Idaho potato industry like my other grandfather on the Hurley side who was critical to the Idaho potato industry.

I hope what I have heard secondhand about the building name disagreements in the directors office and endowment scholarship trust fund are incorrect, but the only thing that remains is a plaque in a field and no evidence the scholarship trust fund exists today and that's says volumes to me.

This post is in no way a reflection on all schools, benefactors, or donations.

Donating for education is still the right thing to do.

-Shaan

Animation Academy 2009 for Secondary Schools

This one is related to students and educators which is something myself and Autodesk 110% believe in as they are the future.

Autodesk Launches Animation Academy 2009 for Secondary Schools

“The six-part curriculum introduces students to 3D animation and visual effects technology while immersing them in core academic subjects such as science, math, language and arts. For the first time, Animation Academy includes Autodesk Mudbox digital sculpting software and Autodesk MotionBuilder character animation software, along with the Autodesk 3ds Max and Autodesk Maya modeling, animation and rendering software.”

For further information on Animation Academy 2009, please visit http://www.autodesk.com/pr-animationacademy.

Autodesk University 2008, AU Shutterbug Event Facebook Group and Flickr Photo Groups

Spread the word!

Place your face on Facebook and join the AU events. This way we can all get together, network, as well as know each other by face and background. There is also the good AU Online.

Facebook is a great way of keeping in touch and up to date and organize gatherings and events and know who you are dealing with and network with them making the best use of your time.

• Autodesk University 2008 Facebook Group
• Autodesk University Japan Event Group
• Autodesk University 2008 Shutterbug Event

Autodesk University 2008 and Autodesk University Japan 2008 Flickr Photo Group has been setup, bookmark it as photos from participants will begin to show up when the events start. Flickr is FREE.

• Autodesk University 2008 Flickr photo set
• Autodesk University Japan 2008 Flickr photo set
• Autodesk University 2008 Shutterbug Event Flickr photo set
  

Cheers,
Shaan