Lynn Allen's Blog

New AutoCAD 2007 "Stuff"

Hey - if you haven't been to www.autodesk.com lately - go check it out for my 15 minutes of fame!  I just about lost it when I saw myself front and center on the home page...(check out the screencast as well - even if you just watch the intro it's good fun)...

OK let's get straight to the good stuff...

Fields

Object fields have been updated enabling you to select objects between paperspace and modelspace (no more using CHSPACE to get around that issue). LISP variables are also supported in fields (Hoorah!)

Tables

The table formula function has been updated to recognize a comma as a period (should make some of you happy)

Model/Layout tabs

Now you can regain valuable screen space by placing the layout and model tabs on your status bar (makes sense - right?) No need to take up another row of room just for those tabs! Right-click over the model or layout tabs and select "Hide model and layout tabs". Get to your layouts by selecting them from the status bar buttons (speedy!)

So there you have it! I can hardly wait... Have a fabulous weekend!

More AutoCAD 2007 News!

Cleveland was fabulous!  The crowd was great (packed room) and the reception for AutoCAD 2007 was fantastic!  Though it was my first official AutoCAD 2007 presentation I think it went pretty well...no one can resist the outstanding new 3D features.

So here are a few more AutoCAD 2007 features to share with you...

Dynamic Input is more forgiving:

If you enter an unacceptable value as input, the value automatically highlights and enables you to reenter the value (as opposed to calling you names and kicking you out)

Tucking your Palettes out of the way (but keeping them at your fingertips)

AutoCAD 2007 makes it easy for you to attach your palettes to an anchor tab base on the left or right side of the drawing area.  The palette rolls open and closed as the cursor moves across it, keeping them out of the way but available for quick access.  Simply right click on the name bar and select Anchor left or Anchor right from the shortcut menu.  You can also stack your anchored palettes thus allowing several palettes on each side (for you power users).  When you roll your mouse over one of the palettes it rolls out to the full height of the screen (very cool!)

Underlaying DWF files

Autodesk  promotes the awesome DWF file format, and yet we haven't been able to bring DWF files into AutoCAD - what's up with that?  Not true anymore with AutoCAD 2007.  The new DWFATTACH command allows you to underlay a DWF file (similar to raster images).   The DWF is linked and not physically embedded into the drawing file (thus keeping the file size down).

Attached DWF files can be snapped to like standard objects.  All layers from the DWF file are flattened into a single layer, the physical underlay is placed on the current layer.

So there you have a few more cool features from AutoCAD 2007 (and I haven't even touched on the 3D features yet!)  Are you getting excited about the next release yet?

If it's Springtime it must be AutoCAD 2007!

It's nearly springtime - and you know what that means!  Certainly, another release of AutoCAD must be right around the corner...what will be the big news this year?  Will that one feature you've been waiting for be included?

I've been fortunate enough to get a glimpse of some of the future features of everyone's favorite CAD program and thought I'd give you a sneak preview of a few features you'll see when AutoCAD 2007 strolls into town. If you're like me you love getting an early scoop (give you all something to chew on).  While everyone is going to be talking about the great big huge 3D features in AutoCAD 2007 (which are to die for) - I thought I'd discuss some of the more obscure (but equally cool) ones...so here are a few for starters:

Printing to PDF
Even though we'd really rather you use DWF to share your drawing data, Autodesk realizes that sometimes you just need to create a PDF...you asked for it - you got it!  The Autodesk powers-that-be are making it easy for you to print to PDF.

Double-Click Control
I love the double-click capability in AutoCAD...double-click on an object and you can quickly edit the object...but I don't always agree with the command associated with each object (do you?).  Wouldn't it be nice if you could decide for yourself which editing command went with which object?  That would thrill me to death!  The very first one I would change would for attribute definitions - I would change it from DDEDIT (which only allows you to edit the attribute text) to EATTEDIT (which allows me to edit the text along with the height, angle, placement, etc!).  If this interests you then definitely stay tuned.

OK...one more feature you will see coming down the pipe-line...

Express Tools that would finally grow up and become part of the core program!

Admit it - you're an Express Tool addict (I certainly am)...did you know the Express Tools aren't localized?  That means if you're using the French version of AutoCAD, you'll be using the English version of the Express Tools (so not cool).  Each Express Tool that grows up and becomes an actual part of the core program is localized for everyone to use (including you LT users - hoorah!).  The AutoCAD team has added the popular Layer Express Tools to core AutoCAD (about 17 new tools!).

Stay tuned for more exciting adventures as we look into the AutoCAD crystal ball...