Adding Symbols to a Schedule in ACA

Here is a useful tutorial Elise Moss has put together on how to Adding Symbols to a Schedule in ACA. The tip was in her latest Email Newsletter CADzette. Step by step you learn how to produce a result like this.

FLEXnet denial reports with JTB FlexReport

If you have configured JTB FlexReport to use the FLEXnet (FLEXlm) debug logs for denial reports but still unable to get any reports this might help.

To be able to access log files on other servers than where JTB FlexReport’s service is running this can be needed.

Open Windows Services and look for the JTB FlexReport service and if you have "Log On As" set to "Local System" you can try to change Log On As to the local administrator account instead as the SYSTEM or Local System account does not have network access. You'll need to switch the service to use either NETWORK SERVICE or a network user account such that you can access the network drive. You might need to change location to the Corporate Domain, to get the ability to choose the Domain Administrator.

 

See the JTB FlexReport documentation for more details.

If you have need for denial reports that includes the server name please contact us.

SSMPropEditor 1.0.1 released

SSMPropEditor has already been a big hit for users that have wanted to edit properties on multiple sheets at a time. Sheets belonging to AutoCAD's Sheet Set Manager (SSM) or AutoCAD Architecture's Project Navigator (PN).

The SSMPropEditor 1.0.1 version fixes a bug related to some particular sheets that could not show the properties.

Contact us to get a time limited license file for free.

Give it a try you too.

This video shows how it works.

Cadalyst CAD Tips

If you look for different CAD Tips you might find one at http://cadtips.cadalyst.com/.

CAD Tips library — formerly Get the Code! — your first stop for AutoLISP and VBA customization code for AutoCAD, as well as tips and tricks for AutoCAD, MicroStation, VectorWorks, and other computer-aided design software.

Via CAD-a-Blog

Autodesk + Bentley Systems interoperability

This is great news and something that we users have wanted for a long time! No more home baked DGN support in Autodesk products like AutoCAD and Bentley products like Microstation will read and write DWG just as good as Autodesk products. Future will tell what will happen with Open Design Alliance as Bentley now is an ODA member.

         

Autodesk and Bentley Systems today announced an agreement to expand interoperability between their portfolios of architectural, engineering, and construction (AEC) software. 

Autodesk and Bentley will exchange software libraries, including Autodesk RealDWG, to improve the ability to read and write the companies’ respective DWG and DGN formats in mixed environments with greater fidelity.  In addition, the two companies will facilitate work process interoperability between their AEC applications through supporting the reciprocal use of available Application Programming Interfaces (APIs). 

With this agreement, the companies aim to improve AEC workflows by enabling broader reuse of information generated during the design, construction, and operation of buildings and infrastructure, and by enhancing the ability of project teams to choose among multiple software sources.

This exchange will improve data quality and benefit their customers, while saving almost $16 billion a year according to a government study.

Related blogs: WorldCAD Access, AECnews.com, Between the Lines, AECbytes.

And the press release

Autodesk and Bentley to Advance AEC Software Interoperability

SAN RAFAEL, Calif. and EXTON, Pa. – July 8, 2008 – At a joint press conference, Autodesk, Inc. (NASDAQ: ADSK) and Bentley Systems, Incorporated, two of the leading providers of design and infrastructure software, today announced an agreement to expand interoperability between their portfolios of architectural, engineering, and construction (AEC) software.  Autodesk and Bentley will exchange software libraries, including Autodesk RealDWG, to improve the ability to read and write the companies’ respective DWG and DGN formats in mixed environments with greater fidelity.  In addition, the two companies will facilitate work process interoperability between their AEC applications through supporting the reciprocal use of available Application Programming Interfaces (APIs).  With this agreement, the companies aim to improve AEC workflows by enabling broader reuse of information generated during the design, construction, and operation of buildings and infrastructure, and by enhancing the ability of project teams to choose among multiple software sources.

Interoperability has emerged as a critical issue for users of design and engineering software.  A 2004 study by the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology found that users bear direct costs of almost $16 billion annually from time wasted due to inadequate AEC software interoperability. By virtue of this agreement, and the interoperable offerings that it will enable, AEC firms will be free to employ software tools of choice from either Autodesk or Bentley to accept or submit either DWG or DGN files.  By improving fidelity of work shared between the two file formats, users will be able to focus on being creative and getting work done, rather than being constrained by file-compatibility considerations.

Through supporting the reciprocal use of their available APIs, Autodesk and Bentley will enable AEC project teams to combine products from both providers within integrated workflows.  For instance, a design team could use a mixture of Autodesk and Bentley software, such as Autodesk’s Revit platform and Bentley’s STAAD and RAM structural products, and simulate and analyze their designs or manage project information using Autodesk NavisWorks software or Bentley’s ProjectWise.

Norbert Young, FAIA, president of McGraw-Hill Construction and former chairman of the International Alliance for Interoperability in North America, said, “This groundbreaking agreement directly addresses many of the critical issues detailed in the October 2007 McGraw-Hill Construction study on interoperability in the construction industry (http://construction.ecnext.com/mcgraw_hill/includes/SMRI.pdf). I applaud both companies for their foresight and leadership.”

Added Patrick MacLeamy, FAIA, CEO of global architectural firm HOK and a founder and current chairman of the International Alliance for Interoperability (IAI), “As a longtime advocate of interoperability, I welcome this agreement as an important step toward enabling AEC information to be more broadly shared, increasing the value of BIM to our clients.” 

“Autodesk recognizes that many customers use our products in mixed environments, and this agreement will help to better support these firms,” said Jay Bhatt, senior vice president, Autodesk AEC Solutions.  “As part of our commitment to provide technology that improves productivity and efficiency across the AEC industry, we’re pleased to enter into this agreement with Bentley Systems – Autodesk’s largest development partner – and together help customers design, build, operate, and maintain the world’s infrastructure.”

“Bentley and Autodesk share a goal of enabling the creation and operations of better-performing infrastructure,” said Greg Bentley, CEO of Bentley Systems.  “Realizing that our mutual users bear unnecessary costs resulting from lack of interoperability, we came together to finally make information reuse the norm. By raising its sights beyond file format issues, the resource-constrained AEC community can better serve us all.”

SSMPropEditor 1.0 released

Do you use AutoCAD's Sheet Set Manager (SSM) or AutoCAD Architecture's Project Navigator (PN)?

Have you wanted to change sheet properties like a revision, date or name on two or more sheets at the same time?

If you answer yes on these two questions SSMPropEditor is for you or your users.

 

Contact us to get a time limited license file for free.

Lisp 50 years

I’ve only programmed Lisp or rather AutoLISP for 19 years and Lisp has been around for 50 years now and still going strong.

In October 1958, John McCarthy published one in a series of reports about his then ongoing effort for designing a new programming language that would be especially suited for achieving artificial intelligence. That report was the first one to use the name LISP for this new programming language.

Lisp's 50th Birthday Celebration will be on OOPSLA 2008 and the Lisp creator John McCarthy will be there and give a talk.

Some other LISP related links.

• History of LISP.
• Evolution of Lisp.
• 1992 HOPL-II talk by Guy Steele and Richard Gabriel.

Did you know that Lisp was initially designed for writing artificial intelligence programs?

Via Lambda the Ultimate.

FLEXnet Licensing End User Guide and FLEXnet downloads

I several times get questions where to find the FLEXnet documentation and downloads.

Useful links are:

• Documentation and download and Information Page for lmgrd.exe, lmutil.exe, lmtools.exe and Utilities on Acresso’s site
• Latest version of the FlexNet License Administration Guide documentation.pdf
• The Acresso site for FLEXnet Publisher
• For version 11.6 (not available longer):
  • License Administration Guide (for both lmgrd and lmadmin)
  • License Server Manager (lmadmin) Installation Guide
• For version 11.5: License Administration Guide (not available longer)
• For version 11.4.x: FLEXnet Licensing End User Guide (not available longer)

For the difference between FLEXnet and FLEXlm.

JTB FlexReport and JTB FlexReport LT are reporting solutions for products using FlexNet/FLEXlm.

Adobe Reader 9 is released – to install, or not to install

Adobe Reader 9 is released but wait a minute before you go ahead and install it.

Although you can install Adobe Acrobat 9.x or Adobe Reader 9.x on a computer that contains an installation of previous Acrobat versions, it is not recommended.

Adobe Technical Support does not recommend or support having multiple versions of Acrobat or Adobe Reader installed on the same machine (for example Acrobat 8, with Adobe Reader 9 or Acrobat 7 with Adobe Reader 8)

This KB document on coexisting installations and version interoperability  has a great chart that is useful if you need to have multiple versions of Adobe Reader/Acrobat products installed.

News in Adobe Reader 9 and possible benefits of installing:

• Enhanced general performance and, in particular, reduced launch times with Adobe Reader 9.
• PDF Portfolios.
• Native Adobe Flash support.
• Acrobat.com (beta).
• Security enhancements.
• New PDF Standards Pane, improved CAD and geospatial functionality and accessibility enhancements.

Download Adobe Reader 9 (33.5MB) or distribute Adobe Reader 9 in your enterprise or bundle it with a CD or computer. Adobe Reader System Requirements.

I have Adobe Acrobat 8 installed on my Vista machine and I have no compelling reasons to upgrade it but I will give it a try to also install Adobe Reader 9. Let’s see what kind of problems that can create.

During the installation My Adobe Reader 8 was uninstalled and then I got this Error 1311. Source file not found: C:\Users\JTB\AppData\Local\Adobe\Reader 9.0\Setup Files\READER9\Data1.cab. Verify that the file exists and that you can access it.

Sure enough Data1.cab did not exist. I tried to download again and as I had the folder in question opened I noticed that Data1.cab and some other files where added.

I get a dialog box asking me to close Adobe Download Manager and when I do that I noticed that the only file left in the READER9 folder is Setup.exe and therefore the installation will fail again. Stupid!

One irritating thing is that if I close Internet Explorer with the “Adobe Download Manager powered by getPlus®” box the Adobe Download Manager also is closed.

So I try one more time and this time I will try to Ignore to close the Download Manager as well as Internet Explorer. Ignoring seems to help, the setup continues and returns to the Download Manager that has reached 92% but seems to got stuck. It seems like most of the installation is ready. The desktop shortcut for Adobe Reader 9 is there. After waiting some more minutes I’m confident that it has hanged. I close the Download Manager and tries to start Reader. It works. I’m also able to start Adobe Acrobat 8 with no problems.

Wondering what should happen after the 92%. What am I missing. What problems will I have. Time will tell.

I tried to continue by clicking on the desktop shortcut for the Download Manager and this time it did run to the end. Will I be safe now?

First thing I tried was File>Create Adobe PDF Using Acrobat.com…

Adobe Reader started Internet Explorer twice. One that is empty.

And one with two tabs started like this.

Enough for today's exercise.

Share your experience if you dare to try install version 9.

Via Adobe Reader Weblog.

How to add Blogger Star Ratings to a customized template

Star Ratings has been added to Blogger in Draft. If you have customized the template you might find that the Star Ratings does not show up on your blog.

Go to Blogger in Draft>Layout>'Edit HTML' and select 'Expand widget templates'.

Search for this row:

<p class='post-footer-line post-footer-line-3'/>

Replace it with the following:

<div class='post-footer-line post-footer-line-3'><span class='star-ratings'>
  <b:if cond='data:top.showStars'>
    <div expr:g:background-color='data:backgroundColor' expr:g:text-color='data:textColor' expr:g:url='data:post.absoluteUrl' g:height='42' g:type='RatingPanel' g:width='180'/>
  </b:if>
</span> </div>

Search for something like this:

<b:widget id='Blog1'

Now continue searching for the end of this widget:

</b:widget>

You will find two rows like these:

</b:includable>
</b:widget>

Before these two rows the following should be placed

<b:if cond='data:top.showStars'>
  <script src='http://www.google.com/jsapi' type='text/javascript'/>
  <script type='text/javascript'>
    google.load(&quot;annotations&quot;, &quot;1&quot;);
    function initialize() {
      google.annotations.setApplicationId(<data:top.blogspotReviews/>);
      google.annotations.createAll();
      google.annotations.fetch();
    }
    google.setOnLoadCallback(initialize);
  </script>
</b:if>

Preview to make sure it works. If you are unsure make a backup before you save it.

Release an AutoCAD Raster Design network license

You can release an AutoCAD Raster Design 2009 network license without restarting AutoCAD using the command IUNLOAD. Worth learning your users or even add a button on a toolbar or on the Ribbon for easy access.

Releasing an AutoCAD Raster Design network license

Expression Web 2 is not available with Empower MSDN subscription

I have MSDN access through my ISV Empower subscription and noticed that I could access Expression Web 1 but not Expression Web 2. Version 2 was greyed and not available. I got confirmed from Microsoft that this was the case and that this media is only available for Certified Partners and in other MSDN subscriptions. Too bad, have to go back to version 1 again as my trial period of version 2 has ended.

Participated in setting a Guinness World Record

 

http://www.spreadfirefox.com/en-US/worldrecord/

Guinness World Record for the most downloaded software in 24 hours. From 18:16 UTC on June 17, 2008 to 18:16 UTC on June 18, 2008, 8,002,530 people downloaded Firefox 3

Fix for some Autodesk 2009 products in JTB FlexReport

A customer found that some features like 60500PNID_2009_0F (AutoCAD P&ID 2009) and 67700PNID_F (the package feature for P&ID) did not show up in the reports in an older version of JTB FlexReport.

We found that lmutil.exe version in the JTB FlexReport folder was 10.8.0.1. When upgrading lmutil.exe to 11.4.100.0 or higher it started to work.

Download for lmutil.exe 11.4.100.0 and lmutil.exe 11.5.