Subject: Re: New AutoCAD FAQ
From: jeeper@halcyon.com (Dennis Shinn)
Date: Fri, 17 Jan 1997 05:38:22 GMT
Geraint Williams wrote:
As I browsed through the articles in this thread I tried to envision how I would
like to have the information presented to me if I were looking for an answer to
a specific question. Several options seemed plausible -
- by feature
- by command
- installation and performance
- ...
- ...
I think I'd agree with you, Geraint, a single mass document would be a hellishly
large thing to try to manage. But well indexed and hyper linked it could be
done. Perhaps there's even a case to be made for having separate documents for
different topics maintained at various sites of those interested in
participating. I know I'd be glad to host a portion of it myself, and for sure
I'd be glad to mirror anything that gets set up.
But, like the "Let's split comp.cad.autocad" effort, the conversation threatens
to drag out as we get involved in the rhetoric of how to do it rather than put
our energies to the task. I would be glad to take on the responisbilities of
handling questions about solids modeling. Not in Mech. Desktop - just AutoCAD. I
don't have all the answers by any means but in trying to field questions about
it, it gives me the opportunity to learn more as I research the solutions.
Now the question is how to format the information so, in the event that various
sections are maintained in different locations, that the interface is identical
wherever one might go.
I have no strong preferences one way or the other, but I think since Tony
spearheaded this much needed revival of the FAQ he should (if that's his wish)
outline the structure or format and we get on with it.
Dennis Shinn
Seattle AutoCAD User Group
SAUG-BBS [206] 644-7115 [PCGNet]9:517/215
CAD Systems manager/GLY Construction
Subject: Re: AutoCad Solid model editing R12 AME vs R13c4
From: jeeper@halcyon.com (Dennis Shinn)
Date: Fri, 17 Jan 1997 05:38:48 GMT
deanf@flinet.com (deanf) wrote:
>Does anyone know if there is an easy way to edit solids in R13 as easily as
>R12 AME models.
You can't edit them at all, unless you consider UNDO an editing option.
Your best bet is to get a little program called "The CSG Editor" from Context
CAD out of California. The card I have lists it at $US195.00 and it's worth
every nickle.
Their address is -
Context CAD, Inc.
103 Lincoln Drive
Sausolito CA 94965
Phone - 415-332-3691
FAX - 415-332-3692
Orders 800-840-8050
One problem I recently discovered using this program. Since it intercepts all
the solids commands, doing boolean operations on Acad "regions" no longer works.
The program is expecting a solid, not a region. Doesn't crash or anything, just
doesn't work.
Also. the history that the program maintains does add to the drawing database.
If you've got a huge amount of individual solids in your drawing you will
experience some increase in file size. But again, for the utility it provides
it's not unbearable.
Dennis Shinn
Seattle AutoCAD User Group
SAUG-BBS [206] 644-7115 [PCGNet]9:517/215
CAD Systems manager/GLY Construction
Subject: Re: CAD Viewer
From: jeeper@halcyon.com (Dennis Shinn)
Date: Fri, 17 Jan 1997 05:38:50 GMT
Kelly Haynes wrote:
>Is there a program that will open .dwg files from Autocad 13 and let you
>dimension a part? I am looking for an inexpensive alternative to Autocad
>that will run on minimal system requirements.
AutoCAD LT 3.0 will read R13 drawings directly. It lists for around $800 I
believe. Has the advantage of being an identical interface and command set as
AutoCAD. Will read and dislplay ACIS solids without error, even hiding them
correctly. Limited 3D capabilities and no support for AutoLISP.
FelixCAD will read R12 drawings like a breeze so if you have the option of
saving the drawings out of R13 to R12 format (SAVEASR12) you can bring them into
FCadd for dimensioning. It lists for around $995. Will read R13 drawings and
merely ignore the things it doesn't "understand" - things like ACIS solids,
mtext and mlines, etc. Which would include associative dimensions since R13
dimensions are mtext. Supports AutoLISP so your legacy routines are still
viable.
VDraft, from Softsource only reads R12 as well. I don't know the list price but
I have the impression that it's the least expensive. It's currently in beta
right now, though. Refuses to load R13 drawings as incompatible. No doubt this
will be corrected in the not too distant future. No support for AutoLISP but
does support support VB and other programming environments.
For "redlining" there are several options - the only one I'm familiar with or
have seen operate is Cyco's Automanager. I wouldn't suggest it as an editing
environment, however.
Dennis Shinn
Seattle AutoCAD User Group
SAUG-BBS [206] 644-7115 [PCGNet]9:517/215
CAD Systems manager/GLY Construction
Subject: Re: Lisp Compiler
From: rurban@sbox.tu-graz.ac.at (Reini Urban)
Date: Fri, 17 Jan 1997 08:14:24 GMT
On 16 Jan 97 20:20:04 GMT, "Ing. H.P.A. Rattink"
wrote:
>A hint: protect.exe is NOT a compiler: it is a encryption - program. This
>means: to protect the individual who wrote the very routine, so that it can
>not be copied to be modified and so. BUT-BUT-BUT: there are quite a while
>some programs available, to crack this thing. With other words: it is a
>toy, and it can be used to confuse people, but on it isn't working on the
>ones you want to confuse...
>
>There are only a few good ways to avoid cracking, and two of them, that I
>know, are:
>1. program in Visual Basic and compile to .EXE,
>2. " in MS Visual C++ "" "" "" "".
Please read the AutoLISP FAQ about this topic.
There are two native AutoLISP compilers available, and a Lisp2C compiler too.
Subject: Re: Mecanical Desktop
From: Robin Belley
Date: Thu, 16 Jan 1997 09:35:23 -0800
kleng Hodnefjell wrote:
>
> >There's a demo at Autodesk.
>
> How did I get there? Their homepage? Ehm.. Is it big?
>
>
> Kleng Hodnefjell Norway.
> Amiga4k/040/16Fast/1.3GB/4xCD - SigOp in Forum/Hardware at Yggdrasil BBS.
Sorry Kleng but I didn't found it. Once a while, there was a demo
downloadable at Autodesk (I've downloaded it) but it's quite long ago.
It was a demo of 1.4Mb (a disk) featuring AutoCad Designer and AutoSurf.
At this time, there was no mechanical desktop. This came after so AD put
Designer with a part assembler and AutoSurf and IGES translator in the
same package called mechanical desktop. There was two release of it say
R1 and R2. actually, the most up to date one is release 2.1. I'm working
with it and it's very good. A guy here worked with UnigrafX and Pro
engineer and he says that the "power for the buck" is better with mech.
desktop. He particularly appreciates the sketch features in it. Say, you
draw something barely what you want, let the computer profile it, you
add some constraints to the items of the sketch and some parametric
dimensions. Once it's done, you just extrude, revolve or sweep the
sketch (same thing as a cross section) and your part is done. It's very
good. The assembler is good too. Autosurf seems to be very very powerful
but I don't use it now.
Sorry for the demo,
Ask Autodesk directly,
Rob's
Subject: Re: Autocad Liscenses
From: Lu
Date: Fri, 17 Jan 1997 07:16:35 -0500
Dennis Shinn wrote:
>
> ddp@awwwsome.com (Dave Jones) wrote:
>
> >Anybody
> >want to buy a small aluminum window drafting company?? Cheap. Includes
> >two worthless copies of AutoCAD R13.
>
> Sorry, Dave. My rude attempt to make humor out of a bad situation.
>
> It's not funny when you're on the receiving end of this kind of corporate BS.
>
> Dennis Shinn
> Seattle AutoCAD User Group
> SAUG-BBS [206] 644-7115 [PCGNet]9:517/215
> CAD Systems manager/GLY Construction
Hi Dennis,
I've been trying to think of how to phrase this but I think my question
can fit in here. The following has been on my mind since this topic
came up.
Background: Ok, I have owned a license for using AutoCAD since rel 9.
I have purchased a license for all upgrades up to and including r13_c4.
This also includes a platform change required to go from my r10 286 to
r12 386. I have spent quite a few bucks over the years for a single
individual. I even borrowed the money to purchase my initial copy at
20% intrest.
Question: What do I have to show for this investment?
Aside from the fact that I can sleep at night, how am I ahead of someone
who uses pirated software? If I want to stay in business, I must do
work for people who don't own all the licenses they should. If the
users don't have manuals on their desks... When I have a problem, this
ng is my only source for help. I worked for my dealer for a short time
so I know how much they could help me.
I'd really like to hear how Autodesk would answer this. Yes it's the
law and I have absolutely no problem with that. What I have a problem
with is that I can purchase a program for $49 and get technical support
but for a program that costs $3000+, prompt/relyable support dosn't
exist.
Cheers,
Lu
//------------------------------------------------------------------
// When all else fails, read the book.
// CAD\Tek Home Page: http://www.cad-tek.com
//------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: Re: Dialog Boxes not visible
From: chen_f@netvision.net.il (Chen Fireshtain)
Date: Fri, 17 Jan 1997 08:40:17 GMT
On Sun, 12 Jan 1997 18:28:42 -0800, Michael
wrote:
>I wanted to rewrite the open, new, save, and plot commands to include a
>C:STAMP to update a date stamp on the drawings when these commands are
>entered, but everytime I execute the
>
>(command "undefine" "PLOT")
>(defun C:PLOT ()
> (C:STAMP)
> (command "._PLOT")
>)
>
>in the lisp it will only show the command line options and yes the
>cmddia and filedia are both set to 1.
>
>Any suggestions??
>
>Thanks in advance
>
>Michael
>
>Email: michaeln@bigfoot.com
I had the same problem in a routine of mine,
running the plot command from autolisp (command ".PLOT")
allways used the command line mode ,
I got around this in two ways:
1) changed the menu file, [PLOT]^c^c^pplotdata;plot
2) ran a script file at the end of the lisp routine
good Luck,
David N.
Subject: Re: CAD package needed for Mac and WinNT
From: Host
Date: Fri, 17 Jan 1997 10:58:23 +0000
In article , Tim Pedone
writes
. . . [SNIP]. . .
I just thought I'd chip in before the Bentley team does . . .
Try Bentley Powerdraft and MicroStation (although I'm sure they are
already near the top of your list). Do make sure, though, that you get
the support of a KNOWLEGABLE vendor who really does know the products
and how to get the best of them (they all SAY they do). The Bentley CSP
(Customer Support Program) offers a comforting backup if your vendor
does not live up to expectations. The answer to your questions below is
largely 'yes', but I'll leave it to more knowledgable guys at Bentley to
give more specific replies (no doubt they are tapping the keys
already!).
I believe that MicroStation offers a forward-looking product which
allows a great deal of flexibility.
. . . [SNIP]. . .
>I'm with a company that is currently working with a large aerospace
>corporation. The project involves automating some of their processes via
>some custom applications and integration of some shrink wrap software.
>One of these packages is a CAD package. We are looking at purchasing
>approx. 200 seats when we find the right package. Our requirements are as
>follows:
>
>1) Does it run on WinNT and Mac?
>
>2) Can it depict and manipulate custom entities?
>
>3) Can it create drawings from a script file that is passed to the program
>upon launch time?
>
>4) Once the drawing is automatically created, can the drawing be changed
>manually? If so, can you communicate this to an external application and
>regenerate the matching script file?
>
>5) Can the package export in .dxf, .bmp or PICT file formats?
>
>6) Does it support hierarchies? If I select an entity, can I double click
>the entity and have a more detailed diagram shown? Can it show a
>properties list?
>
>7) Can links be created between entities (much like a flow charting
>program)? If so, will they be bound so that moving one entity will update
>the link between it and the entity that it is linked to?
>
>8) Does it support a C/C++ API for automation of drawings?
>
>9) Does it support interapplication communication (Apple Events on Mac
>and/or DDE on WinNT)?
>
>If you know of a package that can meet these requirements, please contact me.
>
>Thanks,
>
>Tim Pedone
>tpedone@cts.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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John Seifert Architects Also to be found at
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Subject: Please Help! Plotting problem.
From: SHughes
Date: Fri, 17 Jan 1997 09:29:48 -0600
We use the Calcomp Techjet Personal inkjet printer with R13c4 under
W95. We also have the most recent Calcomp driver. We can print fine,
but EVERY time we switch to a different plotter configuration (like to
make plots for our HP Designjets) Acad crashes with the message "Fatal
Error: Unhandled Exception". After we relaunch Acad, we can choose any
plotter/printer we want. It's only after using the Calcomp, then trying
to switch, that it crashes. It happens on every machine, most of which
are 486/66's w/16mb ram.
ANY help or ideas would GREATLY be appreciated. Thanks in advance!
Steve
Subject: Re: New AutoCAD FAQ
From: rurban@sbox.tu-graz.ac.at (Reini Urban)
Date: Fri, 17 Jan 1997 15:48:51 GMT
On Thu, 16 Jan 1997 20:02:39 +0000, Geraint Williams
wrote:
>I think that the subject is to big for one FAQ document
>why not split the responsibilities and the FAQ's between the
>different authors who simply publish their own FAQ's and update a common
>index which is mirrored on all the sites holding parts of the FAQ
>
>Better men than me have offered to contribute to the FAQ but I am
>prepared to index and co-ordinate the above.
>
>This way we would set up an autocad web rather than a one FAQ document
>
>I know this flies in the face of the idea of a one stop simple faq
>with all the answers but I think it is a real possibility.
I prefer the faq to posted regurlarly to the newsgroups. Of course a html
version is fine but the main resource should be the posted version. Who of you
often read peter's autocad faq?
The problem is the automated task of posting it regurlarly to the newsgroup.
I'll try auto-faq and post_faq for the autolisp faq. Both are best used with
unix. Who of you can post of a unix machine or you could convert the posting
scripts to win32?
If not I would have to do the automatic posting part. No problem, cause I have
to post the autolisp faq bi-weekly anyway.
A faq in 3-6 parts is no problem. The maintainers should be splitted too for
the first collection of q&a;'s. Then I would take the autolisp part.
comp.cad.autocad: AutoCAD FAQ, Resources (part 1/6)
comp.cad.autocad: AutoCAD FAQ, Setup (part 2/6)
comp.cad.autocad: AutoCAD FAQ, Hardware (part 3/6)
...
comp.cad.autocad: AutoCAD FAQ, AutoLISP (part 6/6)
The maintainers keep there local html copy and I'll set up a script that
updates that version, converts it to ascii and posts it. This looks like a
handy way. And every maintainer could keep a local mirrors of the other parts
too.
I tested the connections for speed and error rate:
mcwi.com (Darren) was the best connection for me, good were also compuserve
(TonyT), halcyon (Dennis) and manusoft (Owen).
Bad were cadshack (jeff), abacus.no, autocad.com
I guess that the xarch is quite slow for US connections too. Is it slower than
450ms with ping?)
Better write it first in HTML, then it could it easily converted to ASCII (for
posting and archiving) and winhelp.
html-ascii: load the local copy of the autocad-faq.html into netscape, select
the whole text via Ctrl-A and paste it into notepad.
Beware that you have to set up the netscape window for 78 characters maximum
(best done with a non-proportional font)
html -> winhelp could be done by robohelp or others. (pythonwin i.e., perl not
yet)
Also read the docs at
ftp://rtfm.mit.edu:/pub/usenet/news.answers/news-answers/
for writing and handling faq's.
There's also a section about handling the "take over" from a former
maintainer, and so on.
--Reini
You can never surf too much!
