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AEC Newsletter archive:
Geoffrey Moore Langdon
CADENCE AEC Tech News # 33 (September 1, 2000)
AEC Tech News 9/1/2000
In This Issue:
DataCAD 9 Ships
AutoCAD 2000i Ships
Architects Grow Reliant
PocketCAD PRO and Autodesk OnSite View
Followup on eplot DWF and PDF
PDF viewer for PALM
DataCAD 9 Ships
DataCAD development is finally progressing very swiftly, as the software developers ship a vastly enhanced DataCAD 9 only a few months after shipping their other product - the parametric 3D architectural design software called DataCAD Plus. The production drafting oriented DataCAD 9 adds a smorgasbord of wishlist enhancements over DataCAD 8.52, including external reference files (xrefs), raster image overlays (i.e. now scan in those contours), multiple users on single drawing files, unlimited undos, direct publishing to Acrobat PDF files and much more. We look forward to bringing you a complete and detailed review very soon.
AutoCAD 2000i Ships
AutoCAD 2000i and AutoCAD LT 2000i are now actually shipping. The primary reason AutoCAD 2000i exists is that AutoCAD 2000 did not run in Windows2000, but they also have included some internet friendly features, such as the "publish to web" Wizard (which automatically creates either a layer-supporting DWF file or an html/jpeg file with interlinks), so the upgrade from ACAD2000 to ACAD2000i is not a free one. The biggest reason some high end CADD users may want to upgrade is that the new "i" version is the first to truly support multiple processors - so that you can finally take advantage of that Dual-Pentium you bought years ago (albeit only if also using either NT or Win2000).
Architects Grow Reliant
A recent New York Times article, called "Architects Grow Reliant on the 40-Pound Pencil" points out that the general public has noticed that architectural CADD software has completely changed the profession of architecture. Two somewhat disturbing themes pop up, however, one, that certain high profile designers such as Frank Gehry NEVER touch computers but rather (ala 1980's pre FormZ/DesignWorkshop/3DS Viz) have mechanical engineers "computerize" their designs into systems such as the CATIA mechanical CADD software, and the other theme that defacto everyone in architecture is now using 3D software. On a related note to that, the results of the CDEAT 3D Design Survey, conducted for the California Energy Commission by DesignCommunity.com and Geopraxis, Inc. and sponsored by the AIA last year, have finally been released, which shows that almost one in four architects is indeed now using 3D CADD modeling for design. The survey showed that in 3D architectural modeling AutoCAD (if you combine both ACAD14 and ACAD2000 users) is now up to almost 49% in usage by 3D modelers. The interesting survey results also seek to assess the impact of intelligent object oriented 3D architectural software such as ArchiCAD (the most predominant), AutoCAD ArchitecturalDesktop, TriForma, and so on.
PocketCAD PRO and Autodesk OnSite View
Two interesting new products announced this month follow on our discussion of PDA based CADD and Acrobat PDF viewers from last month. Autodesk OnSite View is essentially an AutoCAD drawing viewer with a redliner (similar in features to the original PocketCAD), whereas PocketCAD PRO is an actual CADD drawing program, also for Pocket PC (WindowsCE) devices, which supports creating and editing layers, blocks, polylines, arcs, trim, extend, copy, offset, rotate, move, delete, zoom, pan, undo, and much more.
Followup on eplot DWF and PDF
We got a great deal of mail about our article on publishing CADD files, particularly concerning the emerging PDF standard. AutoCAD 2000i's ePlot (not ACAD14 or 2000) will create a DWF file with controllable layers viewable only in VoloView - check the comparison chart between Whip!, VoloView, Express and so on, on Autodesk's web site listed below. To produce an html web page with links from AutoCAD 2000i use the publish to web wizard (not the eplot feature under the Print menu, which will produce a single, non linked, jpeg file). PDF writing is built into many new CADD packages (DataCAD 9, ArchiCAD 6.5, etc. - see the chart on www.cadd.bigstep.com), and is standard on Mac OS X, and "Plot to PDF" will show up in the Plotter dialog box for any CADD software if PhotoDelux, PhotoShop, or certain other Adobe products are installed on that machine. However, to get PDF files that are ZOOMABLE out of AutoCAD 2000i, you still need to buy the Acrobat Distiller software.
PDF viewer for PALM
The PocketPC (WindowsCE) type devices seem to hold an advantage currently for CADD and graphics viewer software over PalmPC PDAs partly because of the inherent color and that they merely run a small screen version of Windows. An example is the recent announcement by Aportis Technologies Corp. of a PDF viewer for Palm handhelds - which works, essentially, by using a companion Windows98 system to strip out any graphics images. CADD users would be more interested in the PDF reader (which does retain the graphics) by Ansyr Technology which currently runs on Windows CE, Pocket PC, as well as Palm operating systems, called Primer. Another favorite for Palm users is a utility which allows Palm users to download and view and scroll through any Web site (with graphics) called ISilo.
Another note about PDF files, since they are already a compressed file, they will take longer to download (similar to a zip file) than a non-compressed file the same size.
Links :
DataCAD = http://www.datacad.com
AutoCAD 2000i = http://www3.autodesk.com/adsk/section/0,,301480,00.html
NY Times - Architects Grow Reliant = http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/00/08/circuits/articles/10arch.html
CDEAT 3D Design Survey = http://www.ArchitectureWeek.com/2000/0712/tools_2-2.html
PocketCAD PRO = http://www.PocketCAD.com
Autodesk OnSite View = http://estore.autodesk.com/dr/v2/ec_MAIN.Entry17c?CID=0&SID=19515&SP=10007&PN=5&PID=264684
Adobe PDF = http://www.adobe.com
VoloView = http://www.voloview.com
Mac OS X = http://www.apple.com
Aportis Technologies Corp. - PDF viewer = http://www.aportis.com
Ansyr Technology Corp. - Primer = http://www.ansyr.com
iSilo = http://www.isilo.com
About Geoffrey Moore Langdon, AIA
Prof. Langdon is a registered architect and is the principal of Architectural CADD Consultants, a firm that specializes in helping architectural firms with computing and CADD. He has taught Design, Solar Energy, and Architectural CADD at a number of colleges in the Boston area. He is the author of Architectural CADD: A Resource Guide to Design and Production Software Appropriate for Architects, a guest speaker at many AIA events, and the founder and organizer of the Designers 3D CAD Shootout competition. contact him at aectechnews@architecturalcadd.com, or through his website: http://www.architecturalcadd.com
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