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Tuesday, February 12, 2008

AutoCAD Architecture 2009 Updated and New Features!!

Yes, new and updated features for AutoCAD Arhitecture 2009 can now be shared!! I've given a very brief description of each enhancement for now and will post more about each one as time permits. This list may not be all of the enhancements and I will post more as they become available...or I find them!

Support for 64 bit OS

Documentation & Reporting Enhancements
Spaces

- AutoCAD Linework Natively Space Bounding
- Freeform Shape Improvements – Curved surfaces show as one segment.
- Cleanup through Xrefs Improvements – Will interact with bounding elements in xrefs.

Annotation
- Multiline text in tags
- Display Configurations linked to Annotation Scale
- Multi-leaders

Object Enhancements
Walls
- Layout Enhancements – On-the-fly Justification manipulation.
- Endcap edit-in-place and Auto-Calculate Improvements
- Cleanups – Now include Solution Tips for cleanup issues.

Matching Integration w/ MatchProps – Can now match AEC Objects.

Solution Tips for Defect Markers – Identify the problem in any cleanup situation for AEC Objects like walls, stairs, slabs, etc.

Project Navigator Enhancements
-Remove Zero Document/Current Drawing Limitations
-Multiple Insertions of Same View on Sheets
-Improved Repath
-Project Properties Worksheet Enhancements
-‘Show External Reference’ Enhancements

Miscellaneous Enhancements
gbXML
IFC Enhancements
Material Tool
– Easily apply a material to an Object, including AutoCAD entities.
Dialog Resizing – All dialogs are now resizable.

Autodesk 2009 Products Announced!!

Autodesk Word Press Day is here!!

Take a look at the press release regarding the AutoCAD portfolio of products...

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/080212/aqtu091.html?.v=38

AutoCAD 2009 Updated and New Features!!

Yes, new and updated features for AutoCAD 2009 can now be shared!! There are 3 main buckets of enhancements...User Interface, Design and Drafting, and Visualization. I've given a very brief description of each enhancement for now and will post more about each one as time permits. This list may not be all of the enhancements and I will post more as they become available...or I find them!

This list does not include the new and updated features to AutoCAD Architecture as I will have a separate post for those enhancements. But of course, all of these enhancements will be part of AutoCAD Architecture!



User Interface
Application Window

  • A re-designed Interface that now includes a Menu Browser, Quick Access Toolbar, InfoCenter, Ribbin and Status Bar.
Menu Browser

  • This is a one-stop-shop for all the “Pull-Down” Menu’s that traditionally ran horizontal. It also includes a search for commands. Recent and Open documents can now be viewed as Icons or Images.

Quick Access Toolbar

  • Located at the top of the AutoCAD Interface, It includes the most commonly used tools, such as New, Open, Save, Plot, Undo, and Redo. The Toolbar can be customized to include what you want to see.

InfoCenter

  • Enhanced to provide more flexibility.

Ribbon

  • Very similar to the Office 2007 layout, the Ribbon provides easy access to tools through a collection of tabs and panels.

Status Bar

  • Re-designed to now utilize Icons or Text. Additional right-click access has been added as well as a new tool…Quick Properties.

Quick Properties

  • Quick Properties will show an editable list (customized through CUI) of properties of objects selected.

Quick View Layouts

  • New button on the Status Bar that will display a horizontal row of Quick View Layout images along the bottom of your AutoCAD Window. As you pass your cursor over an image, Plot and Publish icons will display.

Quick View Drawings

  • Very similar to the Quick View Layout button, Quick View Drawings provides an alternative to the Ctrl+Tab keystroke some folks to switch between open drawings. As you pass your cursor over an image, Save and Close icons will appear.

Tooltips

  • Tooltips have been enhanced to not only display the name of the tool but provide additional information, and even graphics, directly from the help system.

Hidden Message Settings

  • The display of messages that have a check-box that allows you to “Do not Show” the message anymore, can be turned on and off on an individual basis.

Design and Drafting
Action Recorder

  • Allows anyone to record the actions on the screen and make them into a macro to be used at a later time. New Action Recording file locations now exist in the Options dialog under the Files tab, so you can share your recordings with others.

Layer Management

  • Layer Manager is now a modeless dialog box. Changes made are now made instantly without the need of an Apply button.

Working with DGN files

  • Support for Exporting your DWG’s to Bentley Systems’ MicroStation® V7 DGN format, in addition to the V8 support that already exists. Layer visibility control has also been added along with a new DGN mapping for Layer properties.

DWFx Support

  • Support is now included for Microsoft’s XML Paper Specification (XPS) format of easy distribution on the Vista® platform supported by the XPS Viewer.

Xref Clipping

  • Grips can now be used to edit the boundary for clipped Xref’s. In addition, a new grip now appears to easily invert the clipping boundary.

Interactive Array Preview

  • When previewing an array, you can now pan, zoom, and navigate the drawing space before accepting the newly arrayed objects.

Find and Replace

  • Has been updated to include an expandable dialog box and includes more options.

Visualization
ShowMotion

  • The new ShowMotion functionality enables you to create and play camera animations for presentation purposes or to navigate through your design.

New View/Shot Properties

  • The New View dialog for creating named views, has been updated and renamed to support the new ShowMotion functionality.

Geographic Location

  • In-lieu of entering latitude and longitude for location information, you can now import location information from a KML- or KMZ-format file or from the Google Earth™ application.

3D Navigation Tools

  • The ViewCube and SteeringWheel are now part of AutoCAD 2009.