Friday, December 30, 2005

Quick Select & Select Similar - Last Post of 2005

In Autodesk Civil 3D 2006 there are a couple of commands available from the right-click (shortcut) menu that I find useful. They are Quick Select (QSELECT) and Select Similar (SELECTSIMILAR).

Quick Select: allows you to use object properties or object types to include objects in a selection set, or to exclude them. In other words, I can search for any property of any object type and select EVERY object that satisfies the search. This is similar to the old filter command.

QSELECT is commonly used in conjuction with the Propeties Palette which would then allow you to modify the objects just selected.

SELECTSIMILAR: To use this command, select a single object, then right-click and choose SELECTSIMILAR this would select ALL objects of the SAME type on the SAME layer.

This likewise, is commonly used with the Properties Palette.

Most of next week I will be out of town providing training and should be back next Friday. Until then have a Safe and Happy New Year!

Thursday, December 22, 2005

3DDWFPublish and Transparent Surfaces


Here are a couple of things that may brighten someone's Christmas.

First, the 3DDWFPUBLISH command allows us to create a Design Web Format (DWF) file of our three-dimensional models. The process is quick and easy.

Second, in Autodesk DWF Viewer or Autodesk DWF Composer when you look at a 3D DWF you can choose components and either "Hide" them or make them "Transparent". This can be useful when needing to see a pipe network. Just make the surface transparent.

Happy Holidays!

Friday, December 16, 2005

AU Online for Subscription Clients

I do not know if Autodesk Subscription clients have been notified. But, if you have not visited your Subscription Center lately, you may wish to do so. Why?

Autodesk has made available 100 recorded Autodesk University sessions and the complete collection of AU .PDF's to all Subscription clients.

Knowledge without the trip to Orlando.

More Knowledge. More Knowledge. MORE KNOWLEDGE!

Styles PDF

For those of you that did not make it to Autodesk University, you may want to check out the following.

James Wedding has posted in the Discussion Groups the 17 page handout (.PDF) from his AU class titled "House of Style". It is a very good source of information pertaining to styles. The last page alone, which indicates where certain items in a typical profile (with pipes) are controlled from, is worth the effort to locate and download this document.

The title of this post is linked to the document. Once open File > Saveas to save it to your system.

Thanks again James for making everyone better.

Tuesday, December 13, 2005

Autodesk Blog Survey

The title of this post is linked to a survey that Autodesk is conducting regarding Blogs and Blogging. I found mention of it at Shaan Hurley's Blog.

There are many blogs, this one included, that Autodesk is asking for input about.

If you have a moment, you may wish to participate in the survey. Simply click the title of this post to begin the survey.

I'M BACK!

Well, today I am at my desk for the entire day. This is after being away for the majority of the last three weeks.

In the near future I hope to share the items I learned at Autodesk University, what I taught at Autodesk University, and what I learned while at Autodesk Headquarters (nothing confidential, so I can share).

It is good to be back.

Sunday, December 04, 2005

Zoomfactor

Most people know this, but, not everyone. There is a system variable that controls how much the zoom magnification changes with each click of the mouse wheel forward and backward.

When the Civil 3D is installed the system variable ZOOMFACTOR is set to the default value of 60. For civil engineering drawings, where the smallest object is considerably smaller than the entire drawing, users may find that setting this variable to it's maximum value of 100 may serve them best.

Saturday, December 03, 2005

Disneyland

Announcers voice:

"Angel Espinoza, you just taught your first Autodesk University class what are you going to do now?"

"I'm Going to Disneyland!"

Yes, you read correctly. Even though I was just around the corner to Disney's Magic Kingdom (Orlando). I flew home 3,000 miles to attend Disneyland (Anaheim) with my family on Friday.

Monday I leave for San Rafael (Autodesk's HQ) to learn more about implementing Civil 3D. I return Friday night.