Tweak UI

Muwahahaha!!!!

http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/fi...escription.html

I don't know why I didn't know about this before since it fixes so many of the things I HATE about XP.

• Turn off baloon notifications.
• Stop apps from stealing focus (i.e.: typing in MS word and another app pops up requesting data and you are now typing in the app that popped up).
• Remove that bluetooth icon from your desktop.

You can change a whole host of other things too.

I'm finally getting revenge on some of the thing that drive me the most crazy in XP.

Bigger programs + bigger files = slow headaches

Seems like more people are running into their programs slowing down. As I mentioned in this post about building a graphics station, you add implement a 3GB switch to run with 4 GB of ram. There are also other things you need to keep in mind with software and the settings in XP. Here are a couple links that give a great write up about them.

System File Swap Settings

Implementing the 3GB Switch

Yes, the above links are targeted towards specific software, but these are principles you can apply to your machine.

Autodesk Architectural Desktop 2007 Features Added for Subscription Customers

Autodesk has delivered a new-features module exclusively for Autodesk® Architectural Desktop 2007 software customers participating in the Autodesk® Subscription program.

“Subscription Module: Spaces and Drawing Compare” provides:

The Spaces feature, which is used to track the area and other data associated with rooms or other spaces in the building design. With the enhancements in this subscription module, Spaces can now update automatically if the bounding elements are changed, saving time while making documentation more accurate. And Spaces definitions can now also include offsets from bounding elements based on pre-set or user-defined rules, enabling area calculations based on various industry standards, including BOMA, DIN, or SIS.

The Drawing Compare feature, which enhances collaboration by using color-coded displays to show items on a drawing that have been changed, added, or deleted by other members of the design team. Changes to items such as styles, fire ratings, or other non-graphical properties are also tracked. Combined with redlining features, such as revision clouds, the Spaces and Drawing Compare features help make communication across the design team clearer than ever.

This module can be downloaded by logging into the Subscription Center and going to “Building Solutions: Product Modules & Add-Ons” near the bottom of the Product Information & Downloads section and clicking where indicated.

Space - The Final Frontier?

Maybe. But you don't have to go far to find some great possibilities. In ADT, Space Objects or Spaces have some of the greatest potential for scheduling and time saving. There are a few different situations you may find yourself in - creating a project with the aid of Project Navigator, working on a small project by yourself without project navigator and dealing with legacy drawings that only have basic AutoCAD linework in it. We'll look at these different situations in a second.

There are obvious things you can do with spaces. Depending on which release you are using these include Area Evaluation, Room tags, Scheduling and Display Themes are some basic ones. What are the benefits of using spaces? Well, it allows you to enter information once and display it in many different places. Think about the different places information about a room appear - tags for the floor plan, enlarged floor plan, schedule tables, door numbers, etc. Those are the most obvious advantages since they are easily accomplished. Anything else you take advantage of are simply added benefits.

Legacy AutoCAD Linework
Don't let this stop you from using spaces. You can still create spaces from the lines, arcs, circles and polylines that you've created. Just set your filter to lines, arcs, circles and polylines when using the space auto-generate tool. Then use the spaces to generate tags and schedules like you're used to. There is no limit to what you can do with the space objects just because you have spaces in a drawing with AutoCAD lines only.

ADT Project without Project Navigator
Just like the above situation, you can still use spaces to achieve your same results.

ADT Project with Project Navigator
This is perhaps the ideal situation since space objects can be tied in with project data such as the level of the building. This helps greatly in numbering the rooms since they will always be referenced to the level they live in. This in turn helps with tagging the doors since they can be tied to the room number which is tied to the floor number.

Hopefully this info will help motivate you to start using spaces if you are not already! Rumor has it that there is a plugin for spaces in 2007 that you can download if you are on subscription for added functionality. Stay tuned for another post on what that entails!

Three Basic Principles for Addressing Wall Cleanup Issues

1. Make sure the wall justification lines meet – check the following items – these will resolve 95% of display issues you may face:· Make sure that at “T” or “L” intersections of walls that the justification lines touch neatly and do not have any overlap.· Verify that all walls that you want to cleanup are set to “Cleanup automatically” on the properties palette.· Verify that all walls that you want to cleanup with each other are using the same “Cleanup group definition” on the properties palette.· Make sure that all walls that you want to cleanup are at the same elevation. Ideally, this should be 0”.
2. Apply or override a cleanup radius– this should handle the remaining 4%.
3. Add a wall merge condition. Before adding this, you need to understand the ramifications of doing this– this will get the last 1% of stubborn conditions. Be selective when using this and try to avoid it at all possible costs. It has a tendency to spread across your drawing and make matters worse than when you started. It typically spreads when others copy a wall that has been merged or something else.

About time...

Service pack for ADT 2007 was released.

Check it out, yo.

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/dl/index?siteID=123112&id=2334435&linkID=2475897

yeah.