LD Assistant 2012 Tip - Nudge Objects

Move selected objects quickly by nudging. To nudge selected objects in orthogonal increments, press Ctrl + arrow keys. Snap mode affects the distance and direction in which the objects are nudged. * Nudge objects with Snap mode turned off: Objects move two pixels at a time; movement is relative and orthogonal to the screen, regardless of the view direction or the UCS orientation. * Nudge objects with Snap mode turned on: Objects are moved in increments specified by the current snap spacing; movement is orthogonal to the X and Y axes of the current UCS and relative to the view direction.

Featured LD Assistant Rendering by Kevin Denzel

Autodesk News

Autodesk ForceEffect Version 2.0 Now Available! by Pawel Piechnik & Tomasz Fudala - Autodesk ForceEffect is a free app available for Apple iPad and iPhone from the iTunes App Store that allows engineers including structural engineers to model and simulate concepts. Real time solving capabilities provide immediate feedback on the performance of a design, enabling you to bring engineering to the point of the problem. The version 2.0 brings a set of great functionalities. One of them is ability to add a load evenly distributed along an existing element at any angle. Thanks to this you will better simulate conditions like snow on rooftops or wind loads. Click here to keep reading

Introducing the Design Feed – AutoCAD WS 1.5 Available Now by Daniel The first thing you need to know is that the latest update for AutoCAD WS is available now. You can download version 1.5 of the AutoCAD WS Mobile App now on the App Store or from Google Play. The web version of the app will be automatically updated the next time you log in with your browser at www.autocadws.com. The second thing you should know is that this is no ordinary update. We have taken the best things about the social web and infused them into the design process. We recognized the need to provide tools that help you collaborate with your team on your own time in an intuitive and streamlined way. Click here to keep reading

Articles & How To

Mix up your AutoCAD Ribbon Panels - by Micro Concepts - The whole AutoCAD interface is highly customisable, but mostly requires users to delve into the CUI (Custom User Interface) to make changes. An easy, quick change that everyone can use is to move Panels off the Ribbon when you need certain tools or even move Panels onto a Ribbon TAB where you use them more often (more of a drag and drop affair). Click here to keep reading

Hatch a Plan - By Elvis R. Sverko - Every software package has a number of features and commands that can be used. Some commands are used excessively, and some are rarely utilized. Some commands are quick and easy, while others may be complex with multiple options. But regardless of how often or how difficult a command is, in order to successfully use the software, you should know how to use them all, or at least be familiar with them.. Click here to keep reading

AutoCAD WS for Facilities Management – Part 4: by CAD Speed - Managing Your Move to AutoCAD WS - AutoCAD WS is available on PC (as the AutoCAD plug-in) and Mac (as the AutoCAD for Mac plug-in) and as a full cloud application via your web browser. It is also available as an app on the iPad and iPhone and all appropriate Android devices (both phones and tablets) using the App Store and Android Market respectively. The major benefit here is there is no capital software cost involved as AutoCAD WS is free to download. Click here to keep reading

5 Ways AutoCAD WS Helps Improve Your Productivity - by Daniel - Let us never forget that AutoCAD WS is more than just a web and mobile app version of your favorite CAD software package. AutoCAD WS is also a key weapon in the battle for optimum personal productivity. So just to remind you here are five great ways that AutoCAD WS can save you time as you go about your every day work.. Click here to keep reading

Construction or Reference Objects We Rarely Use - By Edwin Prakoso - Harold Reuvers shares he loves XLINE and he created a macro to create horizontal and vertical XLINE quickly. Al Popovich shares his favorite object: point. They remind me about AutoCAD entities/objects I rarely use. I often create elevation views by projecting a floor plan, but I don’t use XLINE! I literally draw lines by clicking a point from referenced object and another point at where I want the line ends. Let’s see these objects/entities that we can use for creating quick reference or construction. Click here to keep reading

An AutoCAD Hip Tip on Speeding up the Break Command - by Lynn Allen - We often use the BREAK command to karate chop an object (break it in the same spot twice). The AutoCAD ribbon takes an extra step to do this (and we hate extra steps - don't we?). Check out my video that shows you the super speedy means of doing this as well as how to add this handy tool to the ribbon! . Click here to keep reading

AutoCAD – Color Change – WHY? by CAD-a-Blog - I can’t tell you why the background color of AutoCAD always changes with each release, but it does. You can change it back to black, or any color, very easily. Open your OPTIONS window (type in OP at the command line) and go to the DISPLAY tab. Click here to keep reading

Hardware for the CAD Professional

Xi MTower PCIe Workstation By: Art Liddle - Beefy desktop machine delivers top CAD performance. For more than 20 years, @Xi Computer has been designing workstations for CAD users, and during that time the company has developed a reputation for delivering real value. The latest Xi MTower PCIe workstation reviewed in Cadalyst Labs holds true to that tradition. System Features Large and unusual-looking tower cases are popular among desktop workstations of late, and this Xi MTower PCIe workstation is a prime example. The all-black CM Storm Trooper Quiet High Ventilation tower measures 9.5" x 23.75" x 22.5" (WxHxD) — the largest we've seen in Cadalyst Labs — and is visually striking, with a motif suggestive of Star Wars. As its name implies, it is quiet, despite the fact that it is cooled by three dedicated fans, including one monster fan (7.5" diameter) on top. All six sides of the tower feature metal mesh for ventilation. A sturdy, integrated handle lets you get a firm grip on this 44-lb unit. At the heart of the Xi MTower PCIe sits an Intel i5 2500K quad-core processor (3.3 GHz; 6-MB L3 cache) overclocked to 4.5 GHz. A Corsair silent, sealed water-cooling system, which includes its own fan and mini-radiator, keeps the CPU cool. In keeping with its large case, the Xi MTower PCIe includes a Corsair TX850 Ultra-Quiet power supply (minimum 80% efficiency). The whopping 850 watts of power it provides should handle virtually any add-ons you might require. Click here to keep reading