OffsetInXref can be used with AutoCAD to enable the OFFSET command to work with externally referenced drawings, blocks, and lines within associated arrays, dimensions and tables.
OffsetInXref now has added support for AutoCAD 2017.
Download trial or purchase here.
I got an email from Autodesk: “Your Autodesk software just got better. A new version is now available.”
Autodesk AutoCAD Architecture 2017 is here so I downloaded and installed it.
The following is an overview of the changes made to AutoCAD Architecture 2017:
You can edit the roof outline using grips. When a vertex is added to the roof, both edges will have the same properties as the initial edge. When a vertex is removed, the properties of the lower numbered edge will be used on the resulting edge. The Edges/Faces worksheet, launched from the Properties palette, shows the number of each edge.
The Manage Content Library dialog allows you to add a directory to the Content Library. There is also a checkbox to include all subdirectories.
Note: Using a large number of drawings may cause slow response of the Styles Browser during the creation of preview images.
A360 has been added to the Select Drawings dialog for the Content Library. This allows styles to be shared among geographically dispersed teams.
You can check the status of the Styles Browser palette using the AECSTYLESBROWSERSTATE system variable. You can close the Style Browser palette using STYLESBROWSERCLOSE command.
A new setting in the Properties for the 2D Section/Elevation result will force it to refresh when the drawing is opened.
Creates a live section view matching the 2D section to allow editing of objects within the section result. All objects within the section result can be edited, even if they reside in nested external references or blocks.
Grip states have been added to the Section line to allow it to be modified without having to recreate it. You can now add a vertex or a parallel jog using the midpoint grip of a segment, or remove a vertex with its endpoint grip. The start and end points can only be moved.
When using the command line to add or draw the following objects, you will see a new option, SHape.
New commands are:
2DSECTIONEDITLIVE - Edit the section result to make changes to the model. When you need to modify a specific area in a large model, you can create a section view of the area, select the resultant 2D section result and make your changes in it. You can even edit external references that may be included in the section result. Changes made in section result edit view are automatically updated in the model.
STYLESBROWSERCLOSE - Closes the Styles Browser palette.
New System Variable is:
AECSTYLESBROWSERSTATE - Indicates whether the Styles Browser palette is open or closed.
AutoCAD MEP 2017 has some improvements to the Styles Browser, CIRCUITASSIGN helps in assigning an electrical circuit to one or more selected devices directly using the command line. Parallel routing can now be used to have multiple objects follow the same routing preference and make connections automatically.
New features in AutoCAD 2017 are also available in AutoCAD Architecture 2017.
JTB World’s Catenary app for AutoCAD makes it easy to create or draw a catenary curve as a polyline by specifying the start and end point and the length and optionally a diameter (width) or sag. This can be useful for drawing freely hanging cable, hose, chain, transmission line, anchor line (anchor rode), cord, rope, string, suspension bridge cable, arch, hawser, wire or the like.
AutoCAD 2017 is now supported. Below the catenary has been created with a distance of 1000 between start and end and a sag of 100 has been specified, creating a true catenary curve with the length of 1026.
Purchase or get a trial at JTB World’s Catenary app for AutoCAD.
DimensionPatrol is a JTB World app for AutoCAD that helps you visually identify dimensions where automatic dimensions have been overridden or hard coded. Avoid costly mistakes that can be the result of having wrong dimensions on your drawings.
This app is now supported for AutoCAD 2017.
Download trial or purchase it here.
JTB FlexReport LT 1.3 has been released. This is a freeware by JTB World that creates nice looking HTML reports of current FlexNet network license usage. It is not limited to Autodesk features, but works with any vendor using FlexNet for their products.
Here’s what’s new in version 1.3:
Either you can download it from our website here or from Autodesk Exchange Apps.
For historic reports, chart reports, support for other licensing systems and much more see the full JTB FlexReport product.
DWG TrueView is Autodesk’s free desktop software that enables you to view .dwg files and lets you convert newer .dwg files to work with older versions of AutoCAD. DWG TrueView 2017 is now available and is based on AutoCAD 2017 and that means some of the performance and visual quality enhancements are included as well as snapping to gaps on dotted or dashed linetypes. A few other things, for example dialogs (DWGPROPS, PAGESETUP) being resizable also works in DWG TrueView.
Here’s budweiser2013.dwg viewed in Autodesk DWG TrueView 2017.
DWG TrueView 2017 System Requirements
The System Requirements did not say anything about Windows 8 but I guess it can work too.
.NET Framework Version 4.6
Deploying DWG TrueView
If you want to deploy DWG TrueView silently/unattended here is how, just make sure the .NET Framework prerequisites are already installed first and you will be able to script this or deploy using SMS or SCCM.
Here is how to install it the easiest way:
Setup.exe /q /w
alternatively specifying the ini file:
Setup.exe /q /w /i setup.ini
Optionally you can look at the setup.ini to just install what you want to install alternatively edit the ini and remove what you don’t want to include or for example change the installation path by editing INSTALL_PATH=%ProgramFiles%\Autodesk or remove the desktop shortcut by editing CREATE_DESKTOP_SHORTCUT=YES.
To uninstall DWG TrueView locate the GUID for the software. Look up this key in regedit.exe and then search for TrueView:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall
Below is what I found for DWG TrueView 2017 64-bit:
{28B89EEF-0028-0409-0100-CF3F3A09B77D}
So either of these works fine, Passive display option. The installer displays a progress bar to the user that indicates that an installation is in progress but no prompts or error messages are displayed to the user.
MsiExec.exe /x {28B89EEF-0028-0409-0100-CF3F3A09B77D} /passive
Quiet display option. The installer runs an installation without displaying a user interface. No prompts, messages, or dialog boxes are displayed to the user.
Never restart option. The installer never restarts the computer after the installation.
MsiExec.exe /x {28B89EEF-0028-0409-0100-CF3F3A09B77D} /quiet /norestart
Download DWG TrueView here.
The page FlexNet / FLEXlm feature codes for Autodesk applications and other applications has been updated with feature codes for Autodesk 2017 products.
Something that is new is the addition of “Package Feature Code – Term (subscription with multi-user access)”.
86604ACD_2017_0F indicates a specific product and version. Description: Autodesk AutoCAD 2017.
64300ACD_F indicates a perpetual license of AutoCAD on a maintenance plan, Package Feature Code. Description: Autodesk AutoCAD Package.
64300ACD_T_F indicates a subscription of AutoCAD with multi-user access, Package Feature Code - Term. Description: Autodesk AutoCAD Package Term.
JTB FlexReport and JTB FlexReport LT can make use of these descriptions. Use the button “Get Feature Descriptions” in respective product. In JTB FlexReport it is found in JTB FlexReport Config>General>Features.
Why Don't My Custom Images Display with A Transparent Color?
Starting with AutoCAD 2017-based products, the color 192,192,192 in BMP files is no longer supported as a transparent color for custom images displayed in the user interface like Ribbon and toolbars. All custom images stored in BMP files which previously used the color 192,192,192 for transparency need to be updated to PNG files (something that has been supported since AutoCAD 2015). Once updated to a PNG file, the color 192,192,192 needs to be changed to the transparent color.
The icon to the left is an old BMP icon and the color 192,192,192 now shows as the gray color it is. The icon to the right is a PNG icon with transparency showing up as expected in the Dark Color scheme.
And this with Light Color scheme.
The following outlines the general steps that need to be performed to update an existing custom image with transparency:
The image should now display correctly in the AutoCAD user interface.
Tip 1: To simplify the conversion process of custom images, you could use a third-party image editing application that supports the ability to batch convert the images. As part of the batch process, you might be able to convert multiple BMP files to PNG files and perform a color substitution on each file as it is converted. A color substitution can be used to automatically update the color of all pixels in an image from 192,192,192 to transparent. Here are a few possible third-party image editing applications you could use:
Tip 2: After you have your PNG files you can rename them to BMP and thus you don’t need to change the names in the .cuix file.
The ADN team has posted a code snippet that can be used to convert such images too.
AutoCAD 2017 is now available. Let’s take a look.
Here’s the new migration interface where you can select to Migrate Custom Settings.
When starting I get to select license type to be used. Either enter a Serial Number or use a Network License.
If you later on want to change license type it’s easy to do and no registry hack is needed.
Here’s the new AutoCAD 2017. Most things looks familiar compared to AutoCAD 2016.
Associative Center Marks and Centerlines are a nice addition.
With the grips change them easily.
Want to import PDF files into AutoCAD. Use the PDFIMPORT command.
Share design using the ONLINEDESIGNSHARE command.
And see it in Autodesk A360 like this sample.
For more about what’s new and updated in AutoCAD 2017 see our AutoCAD 2017 page.
No matter if you are upgrading to Autodesk 2017 products like AutoCAD 2017 or not you should consider upgrading the Network License Manager now because of a FlexNet vulnerability in version 11.13.1.0 and earlier.
Here you can get the download:
Autodesk recommends installing the Network License Manager in the default installation folder. Starting with version v11.13.1.2, the default installation folder has changed to C:\Autodesk\Network License Manager.
Autodesk 2017 products can obtain license from Network License Server v11.12 and above. However, it is strongly recommended to upgrade the license servers to the latest version, v11.13.1.2, when using 2017 products.
Supported Operating Systems:
JTB FlexReport works fine with Network License Manager v11.13.1.2.
JTB FlexReport 10.1 has been released. With JTB FlexReport you can monitor license usage across your network.
Here are downloads.
Here’s the revision history describing when is new and fixed in this release.
This update is for all customer with current maintenance agreement. If yours has expired you’re welcome to renew it.
Contact us to get a time limited license file for free. You can try it in your environment with your real data for a few weeks with full functionality. Support is free so if you run into any questions we’re here to help you.
It has come to our knowledge that some Microsoft Office (Office 2013, Office 2016, Office 365) updates are causing troubles with our DWG Columns product that can show DWG properties in Windows Explorer / File Explorer.
If you have activated the columns in Explorer you will notice that they are missing after Office is updated and can’t be added back again.
Microsoft Office development team are now aware of this problem and hopefully will fix this so it’s not happening in future Office updates.
In the meantime the workaround is to for example add the following to your Windows login scripts or run it manually on the command line and after that the columns can be added again.
rundll32.exe "C:\Program Files\JTB World\DWG Columns\DWGPropertyHandler.dll",InstallPropertySchema
This issue will affect any software that has similar functionality to show custom properties or metadata in Explorer using the Windows Windows Property System API.
SSMPropEditor 6.2 is now available. Are you using the Sheet Set Manager then you will save a lot of time, frustration and money with our app.
Use Find and Replace of text among all properties and all sheets or change properties on multiple sheets at the same time. If you want to make changes in Excel, that can be done too. Copy custom properties that are defined in one Sheet Set into another Sheet Set. And more…
For details on this release see the revision history.
Downloads are available here and works in trial mode for 30 days. Existing customers can upgrade for free and use their existing license file.
More from JTB World: Create new Sheet Sets including drawings based on an Excel template with out JTB Sheet Set Creator.
If you would need help to develop any custom app or program we can help. We specializes on AutoCAD and Revit but also do work for other CAD platforms as well as pure Windows apps.
