GIS Exchange

Looking for your feedback...

Now that this blog has some followers (all 2 of you!) I wanted to reach out to the audience and ask for your help.  What type of troubleshooting content would YOU like to see? 

It's easy for me to sit at my desk and spit out info that I think you might need or like, but to know what the users actually are looking for and searching for would be helpful!

So, I ask you - what info do you need about your Autodesk GIS products?

Some examples:

I need info about -

• reprojecting raster data
• using bulk copy to edit an shapefile schema
• making a legend for my map
• publishing my map to MapGuide
• installing Map or MapGuide
• etc...

So ball is in your court - please use the comments section below to give me your 'wish list' for content and I will do my best to deliver.

Thanks for reading and participating!

Autodesk See the Advantage Virtual Event - October 5th

Join us for the Autodesk See the Advantage Virtual Event.  From the comfort of your office, you can attend sessions such as:

·    See the Advantage with Autodesk Revit Architecture

·    The Power of BIM: Smoother Construction with Autodesk Navisworks

·    Avoiding Detours in Your Civil 3D Workflows

·    Take your Planning to the Next Level with AutoCAD Map 3D

·    Increasing your Return on Investment with the Autodesk Plant Design Suite

·    AutoCAD 2011: The Top 10 Things You Need to Know

·    And more...  Register today at http://bit.ly/cAmFsI

AutoCAD WS is here and it's FREE and it works with GIS data!

 

AutoCAD WS is an easy-to-use FREE web application that allows you to work on your AutoCAD drawings from anywhere and with anyone. With AutoCAD WS you can view, edit, and share DWG™ files through a web browser or mobile device.  this product graduated from Autodesk Labs as Project Butterfly.

 

With AutoCAD WS, you can display maps underneath a drawing’s geometry using an integrated service from Google Maps.

Placing a drawing on top of a map will give you and your collaborators a better understanding of the design within the context of its surroundings. With a few simple steps you can dramatically enrich the presentation of your drawings to clients and team members.

In this example, you can see a stadium plan in Portugal overlaid onto a geospatial map image

To get started, visit AutoCAD WS  today.

 

AutoCAD WS Includes:

· autocadws.com- web application and online workspace.

· AutoCAD WS mobile app for the for Apple® iPad™, iPhone®, and iPod touch®, available for download on iTunes (www.itunes.com/app/autocad-ws)

· AutoCAD WS plug-in– to upload and synchronize files automatically from AutoCAD (32/64-bit, see entire list of supported software below). 

 

An AutoCAD WS plug-in is currently available for the following products:

 

AutoCAD WS Plug-in for AutoCAD 2011——(English Only)

·    AutoCAD^® 2011

·    AutoCAD^® Architecture 2011

·    AutoCAD^®MEP 2011

·    AutoCAD^® Mechanical 2011

·    AutoCAD^® Plant 3D 2011

·    AutoCAD^® P&ID 2011

·    AutoCAD^® Civil 3D^® 2011

·    AutoCAD^® Electrical 2011

·    AutoCAD^®ecscad 2011

·    AutoCAD^® Structural Detailing 2011

·    AutoCAD^® Map 3D 2011

 AutoCAD WS Plug-in for AutoCAD LT 2011—(English Only)

 

 

 

Performance Monitor for AutoCAD and AutoCAD verticals

New to Autodesk Labs is the Autodesk Performance Monitor.  This Windows gadget is used to gauge the virtual memory utilized by running versions of AutoCAD and AutoCAD-based vertical products.  It provides a color-coded status bar indicating the level of usage of virtual memory by AutoCAD products.

 
To get the best performance from Windows applications, it is better to use physical memory. When running low on physical memory, powerful programs like Autodesk applications are forced to use disk as memory. When this happens, memory intensive applications become less responsive. The Performance Monitor for AutoCAD provides you with feedback on how your system resources are being used as you work with your designs. The technology preview supports Windows 7 and Windows Vista at this time. Both 32-bit and 64-bit systems are supported.

Supported AutoCAD versions include:

• AutoCAD 2009-2011
• AutoCAD Civil 3D 2009-2011
• AutoCAD Map 3D 2009-2011
• AutoCAD Architecture 2009-2011
• AutoCAD Mechanical 2009-2011
• AutoCAD Plant 3D 2009-2011

Image Sharpness

The other day I was presented with an image that looked pretty blurry when inserted into a drawing, but in other programs had sharply visible pixel boundaries.  It was a land use image that looked like this in Map 3D:

 

but like this in other programs:

Now, that may not be pretty, but you can see which pixels belong to each class, and which are borderline.  Depending on your needs, this can be good for aerial or satellite imagery as well.  To me, the two images below offer very different sets of information.  If I was digitizing, I'd use the one on top, since it shows you the areas of uncertainty.

To toggle between the two rendering methods in Map, use IMAGEQUALITY.  The Draft setting gives you the raw pixel values that you see in the upper image above, while High smooths them into an easier to interpret image.

AutoCAD Raster Design 2011 Object Enabler is here!

The wait is over, the Object Enabler for Raster Design 2011 was released earlier this week, yey!  For those of you scratching your head, thinking, what the heck is the OE for, it's very simple - the OE is a FREE add-on for some core AutoCAD based products that enables the viewing of certain raster file formats, such as MrSid (.sid).  Make sure to read the Readme for the OE before downloading it to see if it is right for your needs.

AutoCAD Raster images can be enabled in the following Autodesk products:

• AutoCAD^® 2011
• AutoCAD^® Architecture 2011
• AutoCAD^® Civil 3D® 2011
• AutoCAD^® Electrical 2011
• AutoCAD^® Map 3D 2011
• AutoCAD^® Mechanical 2011
• AutoCAD^®MEP 2011
• AutoCAD^® P&ID 2011
• AutoCAD^® Plant 3D 2011
• AutoCAD^®ecscad 2011
• Autodesk^®Topobase 2011

For earlier versions of these products, please refer to www.autodesk.com/oe for the correct version to download.

Please note, this is NOT the release of AutoCAD Raster Design 2011, that is expected out later this summer.  This post is referring to the Object Enabler for Raster files.

Also, if you are using the Raster FDO connection within Map 3D or Civil 3D, you need not install this add-on to view MrSid images.  This OE refers to when you are using the old skool command mapiinsert (in Map 3D) to insert a raster image into your DWG.

An exclusive opportunity to learn more about new Autodesk 2011 software

It’s here — your chance to preview all the new ways that Autodesk 2011 software can help you transform your business challenges into new opportunities.  Attend Autodesk’s free Seize the Opportunity Virtual Event.

Monday, April 19, 2010

7:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. PT

Get access to exclusive sessions and live demonstrations, including:

• How to achieve greater speed, power and flexibility using AutoCAD 2011 software
• Going beyond 3D to Digital Prototyping with Autodesk® Inventor® software
• Delivering building projects more economically and with minimal environmental impact using Autodesk® Revit® software for building information modeling (BIM).
• Delivering transportation and environmental engineering projects faster with AutoCAD® Civil 3D® software.
• How Autodesk Digital Entertainment Creation software can open new opportunities for creativity and give you a competitive edge.

Explore all the new opportunities that Autodesk 2011 software can offer you. Register for the free Seize the Opportunity Virtual Event today at www.autodesk.com/seizetheopportunity

New Install & Licensing Discussion Group

Autodesk is hosting a newly organized Install and Licensing disucssion group.

Check it out - Install and Licensing forum

Spring has sprung, and so has AutoCAD 2011

Spring is here up in the Northeast, and we all know what that means - Autodesk is releasing 2011 products - yey!!

 

Autodesk released the first of many 2011 products yesterday, including AutoCAD.  AutoCAD 2011i is now available for download through subscription center for subscription customers.  Many other AutoCAD based products also became available - check your account on subscription center to find out what you have available to you.

 

What's new in ACAD 2011?

• surface analysis
• point cloud support
• materials library updates
• 3D navigation
• 3D free-form design tools
• introductory 3D workspace

Remember subscription customers (in most countries) will no longer receive boxed shipments unless specifically requested; instead, they you will receive an email notification that your upgrade is available to download.