AutoCAD Architecture 2017 SP1

You might have noticed that verticals like AutoCAD Architecture 2017 are getting service packs. Either download via Autodesk Desktop App or from here: AutoCAD Architecture 2017 Service Pack 1.

Unlike the previous service packs, this service pack DOES NOT include AutoCAD 2017 Service Pack 1. Autodesk recommends that you install AutoCAD 2017 Service Pack 1 before installing AutoCAD Architecture 2017 Service Pack 1. Refer to the AutoCAD 2017 Service Pack 1 readme for more information. Installing AutoCAD Architecture 2017 Service Pack 1 without installing AutoCAD 2017 Service Pack 1 can cause unexpected issues. Some Architecture defect fixes require AutoCAD Service pack 1 to be installed.

Here’s from the readme:

Problems Reported with the Customer Error Reporting Utility

As a result of the detailed information that we received from customers who used the Customer Error Reporting Utility, we were able to identify and fix a number of problems. Updates were made to the following commands and features:

Project Navigator

• There were occasional crashes when opening a drawing which has camera view from Sheets tab in Project Navigator.

General Service Pack Updates

The following defects have been fixed:

AutoCAD Integration

• Application hangs when switching between Model Space and Layout in some drawings.

Section

• Application hangs when a drawing is saved in Front view after creating a Section line.
• Section line is seen as continuous linetype in Front view.

Project Navigator

• New sheets created in Project Navigator do not appear until project is refreshed.

Display Representation

• In some drawings the display is corrected.
• In the "Display Properties" dialog box, transparency settings are not saved.

Migration

• "Migrate from previous Release" option will suppress "Manage content Library" dialog in the Styles Browser.

Mass Element

• Trimming or Splitting of mass elements does not work in non-default UCS.

Schedule Tables

• Schedule table has incorrect results when converted or exported to an excel table.

See also

• Autodesk AutoCAD Map 3D 2017 Service Pack 1
• AutoCAD Mechanical 2017 Service Pack 1
• Autodesk® AutoCAD® Plant 3D 2017 Service Pack 1
• AutoCAD MEP 2017 Service Pack 1
• Autodesk® AutoCAD® P&ID 2017 Service Pack 1

AutoCAD 2017 App Autoloader Hotfix

AutoCAD 2017 SP1 introduced an issue that caused many AutoCAD apps to not work, among them many of JTB World’s apps both on Autodesk App Store and on our website. As it will take a while for Autodesk to publish this hotfix I was allowed to make it available.

Download: AutoCAD 2017 Exchange App Autoloader Hotfix.zip from JTB World.

UPDATE: Autodesk has made the download available at their Autodesk Knowledge Network. Autodesk® AutoCAD® 2017 Exchange App Autoloader Hotfix

You can verify that this is a valid file from Autodesk by right-clicking on it and select properties and look at the Digital Signatures tab.

From the Autodesk® AutoCAD® 2017 Exchange App Autoloader Hotfix readme:

This Hotfix addresses a problem with Exchange Apps that target the AutoCAD 2017-based products.

Description of Problem

Exchange Apps may not display on the Add In tab after installing the AutoCAD 2017 Service Pack 1 if settings are reset. Commands for Exchange Apps may no longer work. Newly installed Exchange Apps might not load.

Affected Products

The following products are affected after installing the Service Pack 1 for AutoCAD-based products:

• AutoCAD 2017
• AutoCAD Map 3D 2017
• AutoCAD Civil 3D 2017
• AutoCAD Mechanical 2017
• AutoCAD Electrical 2017
• AutoCAD Architecture 2017
• AutoCAD MEP 2017
• AutoCAD P&ID 2017
• AutoCAD Plant 3D 2017
• AutoCAD Utility Design 2017

Installation Instructions

To install this Hotfix

You must have administrative privileges on your Microsoft^® Windows^® operating system to complete the installation process. For your security, it is strongly recommended that after you install this Hotfix, you restore your previous security setting rather than running under Administrative privileges.

This installation process requires you to modify an installed product, which may cause Windows security warnings to appear. For all Windows security warnings that appear during installation, click Continue.

We recommend that you update your Autodesk applications with the latest service packs or updates.

1. Close all software applications.
2. Navigate to the folder where your Autodesk product is installed.

C:\Program Files\Autodesk\AutoCAD 2017

1. Right-click AcAutoLoader.crx and go to properties. On the Details tab check the file version. If the version is 21.0.52.0 this hotfix should be applied. If the version is 21.0.104.1 this hotfix has been applied.
2. Right-click AcAutoLoader.crx and rename it as AcAutoLoader.bak. (Please note there is also an AcAutoLoader.arx file that you should not edit.)
3. Download the Hotfix to a location on your local computer.
4. Copy the downloaded file (AcAutoLoader.crx) from step 5 (from the 32-bit or 64-bit sub-folder depending on whether you have 32-bit or 64-bit software) to your product installation folder i.e. to the folder specified in step 2.
5. Repeat step 3 to ensure the hotfix has been applied.

To remove this Hotfix

1. Close all software applications.
2. Navigate to the folder where your Autodesk product is installed,

C:\Program Files\Autodesk\AutoCAD 2017

1. Delete AcAutoLoader.crx (the file you downloaded and installed).
2. Rename AcAutoLoader.bak to AcAutoLoader.crx

AutoCAD 2017 Service Pack 1 and a word of warning

Warning! This service pack breaks the loading of certain AutoCAD apps that are using the plug-in auto loader mechanism (among others used by apps in the Autodesk App Store). If you notice that some commands are not available, typically from the Add-ins Ribbon tab you can uninstall SP1 if already installed to restore functionality and then wait for a fix from Autodesk.

UPDATE 1: The problem with apps not loaded is only happening in vanilla AutoCAD and not in verticals like AutoCAD Architecture. A workaround is to remove the SeriesMax entry from the PackageContents.xml. For example: xmlSeriesMax="R21.0". Or to change it to xmlSeriesMax="R21.1".

UPDATE 2: See AutoCAD 2017 App Autoloader Hotfix

This Service Pack 1 can be applied to Autodesk AutoCAD 2017 installed as a standalone application, AutoCAD-based Vertical products, and the Autodesk Design Suites listed in the readme.

Download it at this point available via Autodesk Desktop App and soon on the download page. Update: Direct link to SP1.

According to the readme:

AutoCAD service packs are now separate and independent of the service packs for AutoCAD-based vertical products. From now on, you will need to install the AutoCAD service pack in addition to any applicable service pack for your vertical products.
This change enables Autodesk to release service packs in a more timely fashion.

Problems Reported with the Customer Error Reporting Utility

As a result of the detailed information that we received from customers who used the Customer Error Reporting Utility, we were able to identify and fix the problems listed below:

Blocks

• There were occasional crashes when inserting some blocks a second time.

Graphics

• There were occasional crashes when zooming out of a drawing following the 3D orbit command.

Purge

• There were occasional crashes when purging DXF drawing files.

Web and Cloud

• There were occasional crashes when modifying the Online Options settings and signing in to Autodesk A360 from InfoCenter.

General

• There were occasional crashes when launching AutoCAD in Windows 10.
• There were occasional crashes when inputting the system time in long string format, and then using the DIM command.
• There were occasional crashes when switching layouts.
• There were occasional crashes when performing a 3D rotate in drawings containing a point cloud.
• There were occasional crashes when plotting to PDF using AccoreConsole.exe.
• There were occasional crashes when performing an Undo after detaching a reference using the External References palette.
• There were occasional crashes when PNG images were specified in a CUI resource file.

General Service Pack Updates

The following defects have been fixed:

Display

• Xrefs on a frozen viewport layer would still be plotted.
• AutoCAD in Citrix might not default to the primary display adapter.

Open and Save

• Opening a drawing file using an Excel hyperlink was repositioning the AutoCAD application window.

PDF Import

• Importing a PDF Underlay that was attached with relative path could fail.

Xref

• The Xref status incorrectly displays the "Needs reloading" message when the dataset is opened from a UNC path to a shared folder.

General

• When opening drawings created with AutoCAD Architecture, AutoCAD might crash if the drawing was saved again.
• Plotting with certain visual styles might produce incorrect results.
• Migrating custom settings might fail.

One of the important issues addressed in AutoCAD 2017 SP1 is debugging the .NET in using Visual studio 2015. Till now, developers were asked to use workaround as explained in blog http://adndevblog.typepad.com/autocad/2016/05/debugging-autocad-2017-using-visual-studio-2015.html . But with AutoCAD 2017 SP1, there is no need to use the workarounds to debug the .NET project. Also, now you can edit and continue debugging your .NET project.

OsnapzBG Plus introduced

OsnapzBG Plus is based on our freeware OsnapzBG but adds ability to set any of the drawing window colors like those in the 3D parallel projection, 3D perspective projection or the command line context and interface elements and have these changed depending on the value of the AutoCAD system variable Osnapz.

When the AutoCAD variable OSNAPZ is changed many have found it useful to have a more visual change to indicate its state. In verticals like AutoCAD Architecture you have a small button that indicates the state of the “Z lock” but some might want to even have different drawing window colors change just like the Block Editor changes the background color. With OsnapzBG Plus loaded any change of OSNAPZ will also change drawing window colors depending on if OSNAPZ is set to 0 or 1.

Usage of OsnapzBG Plus where drawing windows colors are changed when OSNAPZ is changed.

Both OsnapzBG Plus and OsnapzBG now supports AutoCAD 2017.

JTB Layer Palette for BricsCAD

JTB Layer Palette for BricsCAD is now available.

JTB Layer Palette is a palette app for BricsCAD. Now you can manage layers in BricsCAD without leaving the drawing screen. Customizable view, multiple layers tasking, this will make managing layers much more easier.

More about JTB Layer Palette here. For more of JTB World’s software that you might find useful visit our software list. We also offer custom programming services and can help you with both small and large projects.

Subscribe to our JTB Layer Palette newsletter or any of our other Newsletters.

JTB Align Plus for GstarCAD

JTB Align Plus is now available for GstarCAD.

JTB Align Plus makes it easy to copy and align your text, block or selection of objects at picked point of selected line or curve. Curve can be Arc, Circle, Polyline, Leader or 3D Polyline, in current space as well as nested inside Blocks or Xrefs.

More about JTB Align Plus here. For more of JTB World’s software that you might find useful visit our software list. We also offer custom programming services and can help you with both small and large projects.

JTB Align Plus for BricsCAD

JTB Align Plus is now available for BricsCAD.

JTB Align Plus makes it easy to copy and align your text, block or selection of objects at picked point of selected line or curve. Curve can be Arc, Circle, Polyline, Leader or 3D Polyline, in current space as well as nested inside Blocks or Xrefs.

More about JTB Align Plus here. For more of JTB World’s software that you might find useful visit our software list. We also offer custom programming services and can help you with both small and large projects.

JTB Text Bubble Plus for GstarCAD

JTB Text Bubble Plus is now available for GstarCAD.

With JTB Text Bubble Plus you can insert text bubbles to lines, curves, or draw leaders with it, or quickly make a schedule from text bubbles and/or other blocks. Incrementing of numbers or letters is done automatically.

More about JTB Text Bubble Plus here. For more of JTB World’s software that you might find useful visit our software list. We also offer custom programming services and can help you with both small and large projects.

JTB Text Bubble Plus for BricsCAD

JTB Text Bubble Plus is now available for BricsCAD.

With JTB Text Bubble Plus you can insert text bubbles to lines, curves, or draw leaders with it, or quickly make a schedule from text bubbles and/or other blocks. Incrementing of numbers or letters is done automatically.

More about JTB Text Bubble Plus here. For more of JTB World’s software that you might find useful visit our software list. We also offer custom programming services and can help you with both small and large projects.

JTB Steel 1.3 released

JTB Steel is an AutoCAD app that helps with drafting of steel frames, shapes and steel detailing.

Version 1.3 is now available with these changes:

• Add hatched property to steel sections
• Fix issue in AutoCAD 2015, 2016, Windows 64 bit: error when changing steel frame section.
• Added support for AutoCAD® 2017
• Minor fixes

A free trial of JTB Steel is also available.

SmartPurger to clean AutoCAD drawings

Here’s a review of SmartPurger: “This one is another great app that you can use to clean your drawing.” Via Six efficient ways to clean AutoCAD drawings by SourceCAD.

SmartPurger can clean up AutoCAD drawings in a very controlled way. Even if you have drawings that causes AutoCAD to crash, SmartPurger will proceed with the batch processing. Great if you want to batch process even if you have thousands of drawings.

You’re not limited to only purge with SmartPurger. You can change the version of the drawing in the process as well as run any custom LISP or script that you have on each of the drawings.

A free trial is available for here as well as on Autodesk App Store.

JTB World’s Text Bubble 2.6 released

JTB World's Text Bubble for AutoCAD has been updated.

This app inserts Text Bubbles at end of lines, arcs, polylines, splines and leaders or at any other location of your choice. Renumber the text bubbles quickly as needed.

Here are the news:

• AutoCAD 2017 is supported.
• Other minor fixes.

Free trial download is here.

The upgrade is free for customers. If purchase was done via Autodesk App Store the download is available on My Downloads page. Sign in with the same account used when purchasing.

See also our more advanced app, JTB Text Bubble Plus here. For more of JTB World’s software that you might find useful visit our software list. We also offer custom programming services and can help you with both small and large projects where we specialize on the AutoCAD and Revit platforms.

JTB Align Plus 3.7 released

JTB Align Plus for AutoCAD makes it easy to copy and align your text, block or selection of objects at picked point of selected line or curve. Curve can be Arc, Circle, Polyline, Leader or 3D Polyline, in current space as well as nested inside Blocks or Xrefs.

Version 3.7 has these news: 
Fixed bug that did not release highlight entities as well as a minor change.

Version 3.6 had these news: Fixed bug in AutoCAD 2016 when geometry center osnap is ticked. Added support for AutoCAD 2017

Trial download is here.

The upgrade is free for customers. If purchase was done via Autodesk App Store the download is available on My Downloads page. Sign in with the same account used when purchasing.

More about JTB Align Plus here. For more of JTB World’s software that you might find useful visit our software list. We also offer custom programming services and can help you with both small and large projects where we specialize on the AutoCAD and Revit platforms.

JTB Text Bubble Plus 2.3 released

JTB Text Bubble Plus for AutoCAD has been updated.

With JTB Text Bubble Plus you can insert text bubbles to lines, curves, or draw leaders with it, or quickly make a schedule from text bubbles and/or other blocks. Incrementing of numbers or letters is done automatically.

Here are the news:

• Fix leader angle error if drawing unit setting is inches - architecture.
• Add toggling insertion position by press TAB or + key. Position available are end point, middle point and center point. 
• Fix 3D issues in some cases.
• AutoCAD 2017 is supported.

Free trial download is here.

The upgrade is free for customers. If purchase was done via Autodesk App Store the download is available on My Downloads page. Sign in with the same account used when purchasing.

More about JTB Text Bubble Plus here. For more of JTB World’s software that you might find useful visit our software list. We also offer custom programming services and can help you with both small and large projects where we specialize on the AutoCAD and Revit platforms.

JTB CAD Automation Tools 5.0 released

JTB CAD Automation Tools is a batch processing app for AutoCAD that both can be used to create new drawings based on templates or modify existing drawings.

JTB CAD Automation Tools 5.0 news.

• Updated Excel files to handle export when cells contains only . or , characters.
• Fixed issues in AutoUpd Excel files that could cause issues between 32-bit and 64-bit.
• AutoUpd Excel files function to Import from Drawings updated.
• Changed from using .XLS to .XLSM files.
• Excel export supports different language settings for decimal symbol and date formats and other custom formats.
• Digitally signed .XLSM files.
• Some bugs fixed.

The AutoGen command has been used by customers creating instrumentation drawings, loop diagrams (loop drawings), schematics in an automated way based on data in a spreadsheet.

The AutoIns inserts text, blocks or xrefs into drawings based on the control file.

The AutoUpd updates existing drawings based on the control file. In the process text and attribute values can be changed individually on each new drawing.

Download trial or purchase here.

JTB Sheet Set Creator 1.4 for AutoCAD released

JTB Sheet Set Creator 1.4 includes support for AutoCAD 2017 as well as some minor adjustments. Free trial is available.

JTB Sheet Set Creator is an app for AutoCAD (and verticals) that creates new Sheet Sets and Sheets based on an Excel template.

A complementing app from JTB World is SSMPropEditor that makes editing of existing Sheet Sets a breeze.

Here are some more apps from JTB World. If you don’t find what you need we also create custom solution for AutoCAD and Revit.

Tips how to show folder metadata in Explorer

Do you want to see metadata in folders in Windows Explorer/File Explorer as well as be able to edit them?

Copy the text in italics below into Notepad and save it as desktop.ini in the folder(s) of your choice. Change TitleHERE, SubjectHERE, AuthorHERE and TagsHERE to be the metadata you want to see in Explorer.

[{F29F85E0-4FF9-1068-AB91-08002B27B3D9}]
Prop2=31,TitleHERE
Prop3=31,SubjectHERE
Prop4=31,AuthorHERE
Prop5=31,TagsHERE

Then show the Authors, Subject, Tags and Title columns in the parent folder.

To change them just edit the ini file in Notepad.

You can make this ini file hidden too.

Now you can quickly see what’s in the folders and even sort by any of the columns or folder properties.

If you want to make use of other columns there are ways to see them as well.

If you find this useful and want an easier way to work with it contact us and we can create a custom solution based on your needs.

See also our DWG Columns for Explorer.