Beyond the Paper
This blog highlights how applications built around DWF can do more than what can be done just using paper. The blog covers the building (architectural/electrical/construction), manufacturing, and infrastructure (e.g., GIS, telecommunications) industries.
YouTube: Publishing to Project Freewheel from Autodesk Design Review
On May 22 Volker posted to the blog that Autodesk Design Review SP1 had been released. This service pack increased the utility of Autodesk Design Review by correcting some of the issues you reported. One question I sometimes get is:
I am using Autodesk Design Review but how do I share my designs with people who don't have Autodesk Design Review?
There is a video on YouTube that shows you the steps.
YouTube: Publishing to Project Freewheel from Autodesk Design Review
Your entire team, regardless of location, regardless of where printouts could be delivered, and faster than FedEx, can share designs using the combination of Autodesk Design Review and Project Freewheel. DWF really does go beyond the paper.
--Scott
Autodesk DWF Toolkit 7.5 Released
The newest version of the DWF??? Toolkit 7.5 provides APIs for reading and writing DWF files, the new Microsoft XML Paper Specification (XPS) compatible DWFx files. This is the first toolkit to support DWFx which many of you application developers have asked for.
The toolkit includes cross-platform support (Windows, Linux) and 32-bit and 64-bit environment support. In addition to the prebuilt binaries, also provided is the C++ source code. This allows you to compile the toolkit for any platform of your choice.
This version of the toolkit handles DWF files generated by AutoCAD 2009 and other Autodesk design software applications. This is the exact same code we use in our own applications.
Download it here.
--Volker
It's Alive in the Lab: Project Freewheel 1.0.3 Now Available
There is a new release of Project Freewheel. Scott has outlined what's in it on his It's Alive in the Lab blog:
Using a combination of Autodesk Design Review plus the 3D/2D ShareNow Add-in for Autodesk Design Review, lets you publish DWF files to Project Freewheel. This allows you to share your designs with those who do not yet have Autodesk Design Review. You can read more about ShareNow at:
Project Freewheel offers a markup capability similar to Autdoesk Design Review. Users can take advantage of it using just their browsers. So an electronic reviuew process based on Autodesk Design Review can be extended to others who might be on Linux, the Macintosh, or even a cell phone.
Sharing designs using applications in conjunction with software as a service solutions is just one of the ways that allow DWF to go beyond the paper.
--Scott
Publishing Made Easy
You can now access step by step instructions on how to publish DWF files from Autodesk design software applications at a single location on our corporate website.
This link will provide step by step instructions for the following
- AutoCAD 2008 Family of Products
- AutoCAD 2007 Family of Products
- AutoCAD 2006 Family of Products
- AutoCAD 2005 Family of Products
- AutoCAD 2004 Family of Products
- AutoCAD 2002 Family of Products
- Autodesk MapGuide 2008
- Autodesk Inventor 2008
- Autodesk Inventor 2007
- Autodesk Revit 2008 Family of Products
- Autodesk Revit 2007 Family of Products
The 2009 series of products will be added shortly to the existing list.
--Volker
Cool New Technology for Autodesk Design Review Collaboration
As much as I hate to admit it, I am a technology geek. I find it difficult to separate myself from my computer, and an internet connection. My wife and I recently switched from a paper calendar to one online, so we could better coordinate our schedules. This has been very effective, except when we find ourselves away from our computers, or the internet.
Similarly, we have customers who do not have computers or connectivity in the field. To help with this situation, there is a great new technology developed by Adapx.
They have created a pen system which will capture hand written redlines, and import them directly into Autodesk Design Review.
You can find a detailed article here.
This is another great example of companies adopting the DWF platform for better collaboration tools. Take a look at this video to see the Adapx pen and Autodesk Design Review in action:
I just need to talk to Adapx about importing hand written appointments into my calendar.
Thank you for sharing this with us, Cliff.
--Volker
Autodesk Productstream & Vault Patches for ADR2009 Users
The Productstream team recently released two patches to aid Autodesk Productstream 2008 and Autodesk Vault 2008 users, when it comes to compatability issues with Autodesk Design Review 2009.
Details of the two patches are:
- DL10976013 - Autodesk Design Review 2009 is not compatible with Autodesk Productstream R2008 SP1 and Autodesk Vault R2008 SP1. This update resolves issues allowing the products to be compatible in a side-by-side installation scenario with the R2009 products.
- DL11001380 - Autodesk Design Review 2009 is not compatible with Autodesk Productstream R2008 SP1 and Autodesk Vault R2008 SP1. This update resolves issues allowing the products to be compatible.
Installation Instructions
- Download the hotfix to a temporary directory on a workstation
- Extract the contents of the zip file to a temporary directory
- Double-click on *.msp to install the hotfix
- Repeat installation on all workstations
--Volker
Never Lose Important Redlines from the Field
Whenever I hear the word ???redlines???, I first think of large redlines on my papers from Ms. Rodgers class in Middle school. She liked the fat red pens. Those redlines were usually not good, and I would rather not see them. However, for our customers, redlines are important information which we need to keep track of, as losing them can cost us time and money.
The power of Design Review is the ability to easily track all redlines created in the field, and place them neatly into your native design application.
This movie shows you how easy it is to take redlines created in the field, and track them in your Autodesk design application. This example uses a DWF mapbook published from Autodesk Map 3D, but the workflow is similar for any Autodesk design application.
Steps:
- Publish DWF mapbook from AutoCAD Map 3D
- Open DWF mapbook in Autodesk Design Review
- Use navigation tools or Find to locate object on your map (item which needs repair, or noting a change)
- Add markup noting repair or issue on sheet
- (optional) Change status of markup
- (in AutoCAD Map 3D) use Markup Set manager to overlay markups created in Design Review
- Update Map 3D database of repairs/issues
If you implement this Design Review workflow into the field you may never lose another redline, and might receive a ???gold star??? for saving time and money.
Thank you to Cliff Medling for another great article.
--Volker
Autodesk Design Review 2009 Service Pack 1 Release
The Autodesk Design Review 2009 SP1 has been released and is available for download here
Autodesk Design Review 2009 SP1
Primary issues fixed by this SP include
- Platform and Command Issues
- Display
- DWFx
- Embedded
- Find
- Measure and Markup
- Printing and Batch Print
All of the above and more are explained in detail in the accompanying ReadMe file.
Autodesk Design Review 2009 SP1 ReadMe
--Volker
Autodesk Design Review DWG Import: Microsoft Windows Vista and Windows XP SP2
When I look at the system requirements for Autodesk DWG TrueView 2009 on page:
http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/item?siteID=123112&id=9078738
I see Microsoft?? Windows Vista?? and Windows?? XP SP2.
The requirements for Autodesk Design Review are found on page:
http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/index?siteID=123112&id=10335870
When I look at this page, I see Microsoft?? Windows Vista??, Windows XP Professional or Home Edition (SP2 recommended), and Windows 2000 SP4.
As mentioned many times on this blog (e.g. Does Autodesk Design Review work with DWG files?), Autodesk Design Review allows a user to import a DWG if Autodesk DWG TrueView has also been installed. As such our FAQ page:
http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/index?siteID=123112&id=8412111
lists DWG as a supported format for Autodesk Design Review; however based on the differing supported operating systems for these two applications, this only applies to Autodesk Design Review users who are running on Microsoft?? Windows Vista?? and Windows?? XP SP2.
Download the free Autodesk Design Review 2009
Download the free Autodesk DWG TrueView 2009
--Scott
Autodesk Design Review 2009 API Documentation
Please find enclosed the API documentation for Autodesk Design Review 2009 which is not included in the product install itself.
I have enclosed the documentation as CHM as well as PDF file. Please ensure to save the CHM file to your local disk, else you might experience viewing difficulties - this is a known Microsoft issue, whereas network based CHM files cannot be viewed correctly.
ADR 2009 API Help Reference CHM Version
The PDF file is really a shortcut for those who prefer to view it outside of the "Microsoft Help UI". Please note that we managed to convert all the content correctly, yet you might find some incorrect numbering of the chapters. The actual API content is correct.
ADR 2009 API Help Reference PDF Version
--Volker