Move all file types with Live Mesh even Outlook PST files

There are some limitations with Live Mesh even though it is a promising product. Some files and folders cannot be shared or synchronized. According to this help document there are limits that I sometimes need to work around as I want to use Mesh to move data from one PC to another.

I need to sync even files with these file extensions:

• .bak
• .lnk (links / shortcuts)
• .pst (Outlook personal folders)
• .tmp

My solution was to zip the folders I needed to move/copy and then I synchronized the zip files. For the zipping I use the excellent freeware 7-zip.

I wanted this to happen peer-to-peer only so for this purpose I stopped synchronizing with the Live Desktop for the folder I used.

The Live Mesh forum is found here.

Purge layers that don’t want to be purged in AutoCAD

Want to clean up you drawings from extra or garbage layers?

The obvious way to purge layers is to use the Purge command but sometimes it’s not enough. Purge might need to be run several times. Make sure to select purge nested items.

I got a request per email and the not so obvious tip that worked was the following:

Try to open the drawing with RECOVER or run AUDIT on it and then run PURGE and select all and also purge nested items and it will probably go away. Sometimes this needs to be repeated several times.

Notice that you cannot purge

• the active or current layer
• layers with objects
• layer 0
• layer Defpoints (It can be purged if you remove all dimensions)
• layers in XREFs (xref-dependent layers)

In the Purge dialog box you can find items you cannot purge.

Layers can exist nested in blocks. They can be used by empty text strings (QTEXTMODE can be used to show these) or lines without length or even viewports that have the layer frozen.

LAYMRG (Layer Merge) or LAYDEL (Layer Delete) might be able to help you either merge the layer to for example layer 0 or if you don’t care what’s on the layer delete it.
LAYWALK is also useful to see what is in each layer and can purge unreferenced layers.
LAYTRANS can also purge layers. In the Layer Translator, right-click in the Translate From list. Click Purge Layers.

To use the filters in the Properties palette (QSelect) can also work but you might need to explode everything several things first.

Another way to generally purge a drawing is to Wblock the entire drawing to a new drawing or use –WBLOCK and * for whole drawing or you can Wblock selected objects.

You can also try to isolate the problem by deleting 50% of the drawing, try to purge and then keep repeating it until nothing is left. If the layer is still there it might be used by some kind of object that is not purged using the plain purge command. It might be something in a vertical like AutoCAD Architecture and then you have to maybe purge using the style manager.

DXF can also help. Save as DXF or use DXFOUT command and open in a text editor and search for the layer to see where it is used.

SmartPurger can help you automate your purging and scripting work.

What is your trick to purge layers?

AutoCAD Architecture on Wikipedia

I noticed that the AutoCAD Architecture page on Wikipedia was really limited so I have edited it. Please head over to the page and add to it or make further changes. If there is anything that is unclear you can add to the discussion page to discuss about the content.

I think I got the release dates correct for ADT v1 up to ACA 2009.

Maybe add something on BIM. Personally I’m among those that think that AutoCAD Architecture is more than only AutoCAD for architects.

Virtual Architecture in Second Life

Interesting concept using among other things a so called "Wiki Tree," a 3D version control and voting system that resulted in Studio Wikitecture won Architecture for Humanity’s Founders Award for their submission; a health facility in Nepal.

Via O’Reilly Radar, The ARCH and Studio Wikitecture

Better PDF functionality in AutoCAD 2009 with SBP2

Subscription Bonus Pack 2 is now available if you have subscription. This is for AutoCAD 2009 only.

If you have complained about the bad PDF output and still don’t use any 3:rd party solution this is great news. File sizes have been reduced. TrueType font support has been added, giving you control over precisely how your fonts are displayed and so that you can search text within the PDF files.

On top of that you will be able to use PDF’s as underlays (xrefs) just like with DWF files and you can snap to lines and objects, control the display of layers, move, scale, rotate, and clip the PDF underlay.

If you are not a subscription customer you can expect these news to be included in the next version AutoCAD 2010.

Update. Shaan also mentions Bonus Pack 3 The ability to prepare and print a 3D model to an online service and get back a 3D print of the model. There is also a new blog “Stoeckel on Subs” that I won’t be able to read as I’m not on subscription. I’m only an Autodesk Developer Network member.

SSMPropEditor 2.1 beta

Would you like to try out this SSMPropEditor beta in your environment within the few next days?

What has been improved in this version is the locking of the Sheet Set. If the Sheet Set is locked you can open it Read Only in SSMPropEditor and if it is not locked SSMPropEditor will add a lock on it so you cannot modify it within AutoCAD even though you can open it. The aim is that it should play more nice with AutoCAD this way.

Please contact me either as existing customer or if you just want to give it a try.

Microsoft Office Web Applications and Windows Live

Some of the recent news from Microsoft.

Microsoft Office Web Applications will work on iPhone and work best with Silverlight, might be available for free and more in this FAQ.

 

Windows live announcement Windows Live – Keeping your life in sync talks about ONE contact list for Hotmail and Messenger. Read the post as it is quite extensive.

Windows Live Essentials will soon be out of beta (to be installed on your PC The Essentials include Messenger, Photo Gallery, Movie Maker, Mail, Writer, Toolbar, and Family Safety).

Live SkyDrive is adding space. This post describe some news like 25 GB of free online storage. (Mine is still at 5 GB so far though)

Some quotes on Torres Talking blog

And finally a link for the developers. http://dev.live.com/ Describing Live Framework

Posted using Live Writer that also have got a new icon.

Side-by-side configuration is incorrect solution

I found this problem after upgrading a C# application from Visual Studio 2005 to Visual Studio 2008 and wanted to share the solution.

When running the application after compiling it in 2008 I get this error:

The application has failed to start because its side-by-side configuration is incorrect. Please see the application event log for more detail.

The application event is:

Event ID: 10

Source: SideBySide

Activation context generation failed for "D:\Sample.exe".Error in manifest or policy file "D:\Sample.exe.Config" on line 2. The application config file root element must be configuration.

Here is line 2 in the Config file:
<configuration xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/.NetConfiguration/v2.0">

The solution is to change this line to:
<configuration>

2.5 GB space online at Mozy for your backups

Mozy has been extended this special offer to end of November.

See 2.5 GB backup space for Free on Mozy for more info. Notice that it’s not just space it includes a great software that handles the backup for you.

On the topic of online backup systems see this post on Obsessable that talks positively about Elephant Drive. I have not tried that one myself so far though.

Error -125,147 using LMTOOLS.EXE explained

LMTOOLS.EXE>Server Diags Perform Diagnostics is not working if you have Autodesk 2009 products like AutoCAD 2009.

Knowledge Base document: Error -125,147: This license cannot be checked out because: A PACKAGE component must be specified

IKEA using computer generated and rendered images

IKEA is in the 2009 furniture catalogue having 25% of the pictures being modeled in Autodesk 3ds Max and rendered with V-Ray for 3dsmax.

It would be interesting to know and see what pictures are not real photos.

Via Teknik360 (Swedish site)

Network licensing error [1.5.-4] when starting AutoCAD

Have you got this error message when you start AutoCAD?

The network license manager was not able to get a valid license. If this problem continues, please contact your system administrator. Error [1.5.-4]

This error indicates that no network licenses (FLEXnet/FLEXlm) are available to be checked out. All available licenses are either reserved for other users or are currently in use.

Knowledge Base document: Network licensing error [1.5.-4] when starting the software

Leaning towers

First Leaning Tower of Pisa (3.97 degrees) then Puerta de Europa (15 degrees) and now Capital Gate (18 degrees).

When complete, Capital Gate located in Abu Dhabi will be 160 metres and 35 storeys tall and leaning 18 degrees. It look like a bit more than 30 meter overhang. Will it become Guinness Book of Records' most inclined tower? “ADNEC, the developers, and RMJM, the project’s architects, have submitted a joint application to the Guinness Book of Records to recognise the tower as the 'most inclined in the world'”

 

Via Teknik360 (In Swedish)

JTB FlexReport 4.3.3

JTB FlexReport 4.3.3 is now available. It is important that you upgrade if you have a 4.3 version installed as it fixes issues with borrowed licenses not being saved to the database and a minor problem in the detailed report.

See the Revision History for all details and download here.

Request your free trial right now and give it a try.