Lynn Allen's Blog

Amsterdam, AutoCAD 2007 and a Broken Finger!

What a fantastic 2007 launch event took place yesterday in Amsterdam!  A local reseller, CAD and Company, put on a day of courses for nearly all the Autodesk products (similar to the AUGI CAD Camps in the U.S.).  Today I'm off to Austria for more exciting AutoCAD 2007 adventures...

I've inconveniently managed to break a finger along the way making it tricky to demo and type (and carry my luggage!)...I have discovered, however, that if I make any mistakes in my demo I can just blame it on that pesky finger!  (gotta love that...).  I'm wearing a not-so-attractive brace on it for maximum sympathy factor (feeling sorry for me yet?).  You can be assured I'll blame any typos in my blog on my finger as well...  : )

AutoCAD 2007 Hip Tip on the new File References command:

Instead of multiple dialog boxes for images, Xrefs and other misc. attached references - AutoCAD 2007 has a new one stop shop in the new File References command.  The new EXTERNALREFERENCES command (don't you dare key that long command name in!) can be found in the INSERT pull-down menu.  You'll also end up there if you key in any of the old commands such as IMAGE or XREF.  All your image files, Xrefs and DWFs that are referenced in your drawing will display in this new dialog (hence the "One stop shop") as seen below. 

You're going to like this new dialog...easy to use and work with ...

Remember...any typos...just blame my broken finger...

Lithuania, Bugs and AutoCAD 2007

No...not those kind of bugs...REAL bugs...(read on...)

Having never been to Vilnius, Lithuania, I really had no idea what to expect...the people were very nice and receptive to the two presentations (I also did one on making the move from AutoCAD to Inventor) and so appreciative that I made the trip.  An enjoyable time (and very good food) was had by all - and one of the highlights for me was the amber.  Street vendors and shops sold amber everywhere - but the most valuable of all were pieces that had an insect in them.  So...my love for Jurassic Park took over and I just had to have one...below you'll find a picture of my newly acquired necklace which is said to be (picture Doctor Evil here)  "millions" of years old...

poor bug...

So here is another 3D Hip Tip for AutoCAD 2007 - Using the Ctrl key and Spacebar for editing:

One of the nice things about working with the new 3D capabilities in AutoCAD 2007 is the ability to easily edit the new solids - even if you've unioned many together to make one big solid.  Simply use the Ctrl key to select a specific feature to edit.  For example, if you just want to change an existing fillet radius, hold down the Ctrl key until the fillet radius is highlighted and then use the Properties palette to easily edit the radius.

If you are having a difficult time getting the exact feature (too many in the same area), you can also use the spacebar to cycle through the individual features...this comes in VERY handy when working on complex structures. 

So there you have it...my bug and I are off to enjoy what's left of the weekend...

Reindeer, the Lapland and an AutoCAD Tip!

Well it's not often that I I A) Go to a restaurant (SAAGA) from the Lapland, or B)  have Reindeer served so many different ways (including reindeer tongue)...who knew there were so many courses that could include reindeer?  I had to draw the line at the Reindeer sorbet...

And here I am with the greeter who is dressed in the traditional Lapland garb...I don't know his name so we'll just refer to him as Sven...doesn't Sven look nice (and thrilled to be in the picture?)

And last but not least - the fabulous flaming dessert...you won't actually get to see the yummy brandy soaked barley pancakes - just the flames...(and let's face it - I only ordered it for the fanfare).

I was actually given a chance to visit Lapland today but I have too many projects on my plate right now to take a day off...such a shame...(could have seen some live reindeer roaming through the snow)...and the Ice Hotel that melts every summer...etc..

On to an AutoCAD 2007 Tip (especially helpful for Inventor Users):

If you truly intend to take this 3D stuff seriously, I STRONGLY recommend assigning 3D Orbit to the F4 key (same as Inventor).  You're going to be using the command constantly - so let's make sure it is readily available.  If you are in the position where you are bouncing between AutoCAD and Inventor then positively, absolutely you MUST make this change or you will go crazy trying to keep the two straight...

Sure you can hold the Shift key and the mouse wheel down simultaneously and orbit around your 3D object as I mentioned in my blog on Monday -  but that requires some serious coordination depending on your task at hand (and I am not known for my coordination skills).   F4 isn't used for anything valuable anymore anyway (Tablet calibration) so why not sacrifice it to the 3DOrbit gods? - a much better choice indeed!  This can easily be done in the CUI command - select Kayboard Shortcuts >Shortcut Keys, drag the 3DORBIT command up from the command list and then assign the F4 key as seen in the dialog below.

If you're having troubles with this send me an email and I'll document it step by step...(but it's pretty easy)...

I'm off to Lithuania tonight!  Who knows what lurks ahead for me there! 

If it's Wednesday it must be Helsinki!

It's a sunny day in chilly Finland today...plenty of users came out for the AutoCAD 2007 launch and the reception was great!  I'm in a quaint hotel next to the convention - but I must admit I found it pretty amusing when I saw the dead stuffed bird they'd placed in my window as decoration.

I'm going to go out on a limb and say I wouldn't find this interior decorating tip in Architectural Digest!  It's a little creepy actually (like it might come back to life in the middle of the night).  I'm sure the poor thing died of natural causes...(right?)  Tonight I've been promised Reindeer for dinner - it's clear we aren't in Kansas any more...Tomorrow I move on to Lithuania (never been there before - do you think they'll have dead birds in those rooms too?). 

Let the AutoCAD 2007 Launch Begin!

I'm off an running to Helsinki (yes...Helsinki...) for the start of my contribution to the European launch of AutoCAD 2007 (as well as the other great Autodesk 2007 products).  After Helsinki I hit Lithuania...and then on to the Neverlands...and so on...

After a long flight from San Francisco to Heathrow, I'm waiting around for my flight to Finland (and not looking very glamorous I might add).  Since I was able to muster up a wireless connection I thought I'd post a little something on my blog...

Hip Tip for easy 3DORBIT in AutoCAD 2007:

When drawing in 3D you want to be able to rotate around as quickly as possible...(you're going to love this!).  Simply combine the Shift key with the mouse wheel and you will launch right into the new and improved 3DORBIT command.

Hip Tip for Super Speedy Extrude (without even entering a command!):

Let's face it - EXTRUDE is probably the most frequently used 3D command...and those clever programmers came up with a speedy means of extruding in AutoCAD 2007 without even entering a command!  Simply hold down the Ctrl and Alt keys while inside of a closed area and AutoCAD will dynamically let you extrude the object!  Fabulous!  This tip will save you 3Ders tons of time.

I can hardly wait to hit the bed when I get to Helsinki...ZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Happy St. Patricks Day!

What a great way to start the weekend with a celebration of the Patron Saint of Ireland (although he wasn't even Irish!).  I'll be in search of a pint of Guiness tonight at the local Irish pub for sure...You'd all better be wearing green today (or you know what happens!).

AutoCAD 2007 Hip Tip on Dynamic Text:

This just in - the DTEXTED variable has a new option that will make many of us die-hard techies happy.  Let's recap and catch everyone up.

Before AutoCAD 2006 came out you could easily put multiple strings of text all over your drawing while in the DTEXT or TEXT commands.  After keying in the first string (and without leaving the command), simply move the mouse to another location and pick...the text prompter will move to the new location and you can key in more text - very cool!

Along comes AutoCAD 2006 with the new in-place text editor.  Unfortunately, however, the new text editor broke the functionality explained above (what was up with that?) The only way to get the old functionality back was to set DTEXTED to 0 (which essentially turned off the new text editor).  bummer...

Enter AutoCAD 2007 with a new setting for DTEXTED that gives us the best of both worlds...the ability to place text strings in multiple location within the TEXT command AND the ability to use the new text editor too!  Just set DTEXTED to 2.

Happy St. Patty's Day!

Las Vegas and AutoCAD 2007

It's mighty chilly here in Las Vegas!  It's Autodesk's annual conference this week and  employees and partners from all over the world are gathering here at the MGM hotel.  I hope they brought a sweater because it's in the 40's...so cold for Las Vegas this time of year...brrr....next week I'll be in Finland...double brrr...

More AutoCAD 2007 "stuff":

Finally a HELIX command!

If I had a dime for everyone who's asked me how to draw a Helix in AutoCAD I'd be rich!  (well at least I'd have a lot of dimes...)  Now it’s super easy to create helical shapes by specifying the height, base, top radii, number and height of turns and direction (clockwise or counter clockwise). 

Combine that with the awesome SWEEP command:

Ir's easy to sweep an open or closed profile along an open or closed 2D or 3D path. If you sweep a  closed curve the result will be a solid.  The profile will be moved and aligned perpendicular to the path (no need to align it yourself anymore - which is wonderful). The final result is in the shape of the profile (the swept object). 

You can also twist or scale the objects as they are swept.

Tip:  use the new helix as a path to create a variety of helical shapes.

Very cool...and the launch date is getting closer!

More AutoCAD 2007 3D "Stuff"

AutoCAD 2007 buzz is all around me!  I'm so looking forward to doing some cool presentations on the new features...(it's really so much fun to show the new 3D tools).  Let's continue down our walk through the new updated 3D solid primitive commands...

More AutoCAD 2007 3D Solid Primitives:

Cylinder:
Here you'll find the same options as the familiar CIRCLE command to define the base followed by the height which is easily picked dynamically.  You can also specify an elliptical base.  The height of the cylinder can be defined by selecting between two distinct points (2P),  or simply an axis endpoint.  Of course - it's easy to use the new friendly 3D grips to make changes to it dynamically at any time.

Sphere:
Once again you'll find the same options as in the CIRCLE command (center point, 3P, 2P, TTR) but you end up generating a sphere.

Pyramid
Use the new PYRAMID command to draw a solid pyramid (the prompts are very similar to the familiar POLYGON command).   You’ll input the number of sides (3 to 32), base radius, inscribed or circumscribed (or use the Edge option), top radius and height.  Super Cool!

so there you go!  I'm off to Las Vegas tomorrow for a conference...stay tuned for more cool 3D "stuff"

Basic 3D in AutoCAD 2007

Yesterday I had a fabulous time presenting at the AUGI CAD Camp in Mountainview, California.  If you haven't had a chance to check the CAD Camp schedule - be sure to do so just in case there happens to be one coming to your neighborhood.  These events are filled with lots of learning, tips and tricks, and networking (definitely not to be missed!)

So lets start to dabble into the world of 3D in AutoCAD 2007...you've no doubt heard that 3D is SUPER easy now in AutoCAD 2007.  Very visual, very intuitive, with no headaches (like it was in previous releases).  The new solid primitives work just as your existing commands work...if it's based on a circle (like a cone or cylinder), you'll see the same prompts as you'd find in the CIRCLE command...super friendly.  A box is created similar to a rectangle, etc.  Let's take a look at just a few today:

BOX
The new friendlier BOX command is similar to RECTANG (same options), you just dynamically add in the height.  You can also use a center point to define the cube.

WEDGE
Simply draw the base rectangle and the height with the sloped face opposite the first corner.  You can also use the Cube option to draw a wedge with equal sides.  Just like BOX, you can specify a center point to define the wedge.

CONE:
Here you will find the same options as the CIRCLE command to define the base (cen, radius or diameter, 3P/2P/TTR) followed by the height which is easily picked dynamically.  You can also specify an elliptical base.  The height may be defined by selecting between two points (2P),  or an axis endpoint.  The Top Radius option creates a cone that does not meet at a point (cone frustum) as you'll see below (ok...how many of you actually know what a frustum is?)

more later...Happy AutoCADding!

Weekend in LA...and more AutoCAD 2007

Returned to my old stomping grounds of Southern California (grew up in Long Beach) and went to the fabulous Magic Castle in Hollywood with some of my favorite colleagues from Disney.  Tom Conti (one of our top AU speakers) was kind enough to invite me up for an extraordinary evening of magic and a seance (we brought back Houdini of course!).  It was fabulous hanging out with Shane Bartley (also a top-rated AU speaker) and Patti Wines (who's just plain awesome) along with some other fantastic (and oh so fun) Disney people and their significant others.  I can't thank you enough Tom!  You need to know a professional magician to get into the Magic Castle (that would be Tom) so it's an extra special treat worth flying in for...I think it's safe to say a good time was had by all!  No cameras were allowed inside of the Magic Castle so I'm afraid I don't have a good group photo to post on my blog.

So on to some more AutoCAD 2007 info:

New XREF Palette:

The new updated XREF command displays all of your attached file information (not just XREFs anymore).  That means your image files and DWF files will also display (one stop shop!).

   

Creating Tool Palettes

The new CUI command that came out in AutoCAD 2006 allowed you to customize just about everything except for those handy Tool Palettes (what was up with that?).  AutoCAD 2007 has added that additional functionality into the CUI so you can drag and drop commands from the CUI to your tool palettes.

Stay tuned for more AutoCAD 2007 features this week!