AutoCAD 2013 uses a new drawing format. So, what if you have multiple users using different versions of AutoCAD in your office? This should not be a problem on the HydraCAD end, since V50, V51 and V52 were designed to be compatible with each other with no conversion necessary.
AutoCAD, however, is different. Users on AutoCAD 2013 (or maybe 2010 for that matter) may need to save down to an earlier version of the drawing format so other employees can open the drawings. You can do this each time you save the drawing before handing it over, but we recommend using the option in AutoCAD that allows you to permanently set what format the drawing is saved in, regardless of whether or not you rememeber to do so.
Type in OPTIONS, then pick the Open and Save tab. Choose the Save as: format that you want to use. I keep mine on AutoCAD 2007 so that drawings that I mark up and send back to support customers can be opened all the way back to V50.
Occasionally, after a new install, some users report various troubles with HydraCAD/AutoCAD. These can be missing toolbars, missing pull down menus, ? marks on buttons, unknown commands or others. Many of these are caused bythe Support File Search Path being all mussed up. Either there are additional paths in there that conflict with ours, or some paths are missing. One cause of this is allowing AutoCAD to Migrate Settings when running a new AutoCAD version for the first time. We always recommend NOT allowing AutoCAD to migrate settings. Allowing it to do so when running AutoCAD 2013 for the first time, for example, migrates the setting for V51 as well as adds in the setting for V52. This is bad.
So, we often recommend the following steps. They are benign and usually solve the problems:
Step 1 - Reset AutoCAD to its default state (ie, no HydraCAD or other items in the support paths. This is easy.
A. For AutoCAD 2012 or 2013, close AutoCAD. Then, pick the Windows Start button, then pick All Programs, Autodesk, AutoCAD 2012 (or 2013) and Reset Settings to Default.
B. For earlier versions of AutoCAD, enter AutoCAD. Type in OPTIONS as the command prompt. Pick the Profile tab and pick Reset.
Step 2 - Reconfigure HydraCAD. Pick the Windows Start button, then pick All Programs, Hydratec Version 50 Software, Configure AutoCAD for HydraCAD V52 (or V51 or V50). Let this small install run through.
AutoCAD 2013 uses a default setting of the Sysvar OSOPTIONS that makes it impossible to select the intersection of the ceiling grid, or any osnap within any other hatch pattern, for that matter. To correct this, Go into TOOLS->OPTIONS and go to the Drafting tab. Then, uncheck the Ignore hatch objects selection in the Object Snap Options part of the dialog box.
Or, type in OSOPTIONS and enter 2 as the new value.
This topic builds on my previous topic: Creating Drawing Views from 3D Fittings Models using VIEWBASE and is a new command to AutoCAD 2013 as part of the Model Documentation tools Autodesk is bring over from Inventor.
Once you have the parent view inserted (as in that example), you can now create section views quickly and easily.
Starting with that earlier parent view:
You can now create sections:
You will be given an option menu. If you want to include geometry beyond the cutting plane, select Distance and specify the depth to which you want include details. Annotation will let you specify what Identifier to use for the section, and whether or not it should get a label. 'hatCh' will let you specifiy if objects that are cut will be filled with a hatch pattern.
To change the annotations, double-click on them or select their grips and check out the options.
The VIEWBASE command allows you to quickly spawn multiple views of your 3D risers (or any AutoCAD Solids). This technology was borrowed from Autodesk Inventor and is available in AutoCAD 2012 and newer as part of the Model Documentation enhancements.
Open the PUMPROOM.DWG from HydraTools->Tools->Training Drawings. We will use this detail to create our views.
In Model Space, Type in VIEWBASE. This will create the first (TOP) view, from which all other views will be created from. If any usable objects exist which can be used to create the views, then you will be asked to select model space objects. Non-usable objects will not be able to be selected.
Next, you will be asked for the layout name that you want to place the views on. In my case I chose Layout 1. If you are already on the layout tab that you want to add the views to and type in VIEWBASE, then all model space objects that can be portrayed in a view will automtically be selected.
Next, you will be asked to place the base view, which will follow your cursor. Try placing it in the middle of your viewport for this exercise. You will see an option drop list appear. I selected Hidden Lines and told it to show only Visible Lines. Feel free to experiment with other options, especially those under Visibilty and Annotation.
After you place one view, the command will ask you for the placement of the next view. As you move around, you will see the view reorient itself. You can use this or pick Orientation to select the view angle. This command repeats until you press Enter, at which point AutoCAD will generate those views. The below picture is from the AutoCAD Help file:
For the Pump Room example, I chose these four views:
You can change the views later by using the VIEWEDIT command. For example, you could make the view be shaded nicely by choosing Hidden and 'Shaded with visible lines' as the option. I did this with the view on the upper right. You can also click on the view and then pick the blue arrow that appears and change the scale of the view.
VIEWPROJ will create further views - you will be prompted to pick the parent view first.
VIEWUPDATE will update your views to the current state of the drawing detail you are modeling (i.e. the 3D Pump Room)
Play around and enjoy this cool little tool. My next post will cover how to create sections from these views!
My IT director wife showed me this one. I am often doing screen captures to illustrate blog entries, instructions manuals or support emails. I have been doing a Print Screen or Alt+Print Screen to send the entire screen or active window (respectively) to the Clipboard so I can get what I need. However, while the Alt+Print Screen does not often need to be further edited, I always have to paste the full Print Screen to Paint and then clip off just what I need.
All Programs->Accessories->Snipping Tool takes care of this. It even lets you annotate the snip and/or email it.
Once you launch the tool, you can pick New to start the tool. The New button/list has four options, depending on the shape of snip you need. The Options button lets you control more. Once you pick new, you are in snip mode and will not be able to do anything except snip or cancel unless you minimize the snipper first.
Once you pick what you want to snip, the snip goes to both Clipboard and to the snip editor, where you can highlight and annotate the snip.
This is a really simple, really cool, tool. And it has been around since AutoCAD 2007. It will create a model space 2D block of the 3D objects found in your drawing. You can insert that block into your drawing, replace one that is already there, or create a new drawing file of that block. I used the PUMPROOM.DWG from HydraTools->Tools->Training Drawings.
Type in FLATSHOT:
Select you options and pick your objects. In the example below, I chose to not show obscured lines. I set my current view at SE Isometric and did one FLATSHOT. I then went to a TOP Isometric view and did another FLATSHOT. This created two blocks of my pump room that I could annotate or add dimensions to.
It's easier than you think. And we need it to upgrade your seats or put them on subscription.
Type in ABOUT at the AutoCAD command prompt – you will get a dialog box that has the serial number in the upper left corner.
Need to 'hide' pipe diameters or lengths for a pre-approval plot? How about hanger lengths?
HydraTools->Modify-AttributesHide Attributes (HAT) can be used to turn off all kinds of things associated with HydraCAD - just look at the option on the dialog box:
After choosing your option, you will be able to select which items to apply the hide to, that way you can have a mix on your drawing
To show them again, just pick Unhide and repeat.
From a customer: On occasion I use the program at my home computer (this has helped in doing the tutorials). Most of the time I need to use only my Autocad 2012 without HydraCAD, but the system looks for the lock. Is there a solution to this?
The way to do this is to create separate profiles for HydraCAD and AutoCAD. The V51 shortcut already points to our profile, so all you need to do is create an AutoCAD profile.
4. Pick Export. Choose a folder location for the profile name. I previously created a \Profiles folder for this purpose. Give the profile the name of 'Default AutoCAD' and pick Save
5. Locate the original AutoCAD shortcut on your desktop (not the HydraCAD one) and right-click on it. Pick Properties and pick the Shortcut tab. Locate the Target item on that page
6. Add the syntax -p C:\Profiles\Default AutoCAD to the end of the Target string, adding a space first. This assumes that C:\Profiles is the location chosen for the profile. Your AutoCAD profile is now saved and the shortcut created for that
7. Now, you need to reset AutoCAD to look at HydraCAD one last time. Pick the Windows Start button, pick Programs/All Programs, pick Hydratec Version 50 software, then pick Configure AutoCAd for HydraCAD V50/V51 and run through that short install/configuration
You now can run both AutoCAD in its original state and HydraCAD in its preferred state. These steps should be able to performed to run HydraCAD side-by-side with any 3rd party product or flavor of AutoCAD. Just configure OPTIONS for the product you want and Export it and follw the steps above.
I found this while googling for a solution to a customer problem - whenever he selected an object, all objects touching that object were also selected. I did not know AutoCAD had such an option, but they call is 'fast selection'. Click here for most of what you see below Ways to use AutoCAD Object Selection and also check these out: Selection Options in AutoCAD 2012, Object Selection in AutoCAD and Use all of your selection options
Listed, they are:
You can pick single object when AutoCAD ask you to select objects.
You can define a window selection by clicking at two points. Click first point on the left side, and 2nd point on the right side. This will select all elements inside the window.
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This action will select: (dotted circles are the selection) |
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If you pick your points right then left, then it will be cross window selection (will be explained next). This two are the default window selection.
If you want to activate window selection, type W then [enter]. Type it when AutoCAD ask you: select objects…
Even you pick points from right then left, it will be window selection.
Basically if your window selection defined from right to left, then it will be cross window selection. It will select all elements inside and touching the window.
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This action will select: |  |
You can override to activate cross window selection by typing C then [enter].
You can select drawing elements by defining ‘a fence’ that touched objects you wanted. Just type F then [enter] to activate it. After you finish defining your fence, press [enter] to select.
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This action will select: |  |
This option behave as window selection, but you can define unlimited points for that window. Just type WP then [enter] to activate it. All elements inside the window will be selected.
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This action will select: |  |
Similar to cross window selection. CP
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This action will select: |  |
When AutoCAD ask you to select object, type ‘FS then [enter]. We use ‘ for transparent use. Pick your object, then all objects touching it will be selected.
Select objects: ‘FS
Use ‘FSMODE to control chain selection.
FSMODE = OFF
Select touching object: 3 object(s) found. 3 found, 7 totalSelect objects:
Exiting Fastsel
FASTSEL is an express tool. So if you don’t have express tools installed, it might not work.
This selection is controlled by FSMODE system variable.
FSMODE = OFF (default), it will select objects touching your picked object only.
FSMODE = ON, it will select objects touching it, and all objects touching them too.
If you have many overlapped drawing elements or close to each other, and you are too lazy to zoom in, you can cycle between them by pressing [shift] + [space]. Hold your [shift] key, and press [space] several times until you found your object. Release your keyboard key, then click your mouse.
Did you ever want to select your previous selection? Easy, just type P then [enter] when AutoCAD ask you to do selection!
What about last object created? Either the last drawn or result from modify operations such as copy. Type L then [enter]!
Sometimes it’s easier to select all elements then remove some of them from your selection set. You can do this by holding [shift] and select object you want to exclude. OR, you can type R then [enter] to switch to remove mode.
To activate add objects, type A then [enter].
You can undo your last object selection by typing U [enter] while your selection set is still active. This only undoing your last selection.
Type in ALL to get all objects that are thawed and unlocked
AutoCAD has hundreds of variables. Many use the SYSVAR command to list the variables and then they try to guess at the one they need (myself included). Instead, try the SYSVDLG to get a dialog box of all of the Sysvars, their settings and their values. You can even export the settings to compare them to a different machine:
In AutoCAD 2012 certain command have been 'deprecated'. That is a fancy programming term for 'no longer available the obvious way, but still available to those who know the secret way'. BLIPMODE is one of those. It controls whether you see a 'dot' everywhere you pick or no dot at all. Personally, they annoy me:
In 2012, use a dot before BLIPMODE (.BLIPMODE) to get at the old command and turn them ON or OFF, accordingly.
AutoCalc assigns reference points and arranges piping in a certain order. After a while, you get an idea of it's logic and how things are set up. But, you don't need to do that.
1. Start a new job and rRun AutoCalc on our HydraTools->Tools->Test Processes->Autocalc job.
2. When HydraCALC opens, switch over to HydraCAD (leave HydraCALC open!)
3. Pick the Show Flowing Paths button on the AutoCalc Setup dialog box:
4. This will bring up theAutoCalcing Interface:
5. Pick the + (plus sign) next to 'System'. This will expand the tree into the hydraulic 'paths' that make up the hydraulic input. If you alt+tab back to the hydraulic input you will notice that the paths there correspond to those in the AutoCalcing Interface. Futhermore, you will notice on the drawing that all of the piping that makes up the 'System' is highlighted in dark blue.
6. Now, pick the + next to REMOTE HEAD TO SUPPLY or double-clik on it to expand that path. You will see all of the groups of pipes that make up that path, including their reference points:
7. Expand the group of pipes named 21 - TASR by double-clicking on it. On the drawing you will notice that group is now highlighted in dark blue and yellow leaders point to the two ends of the group. You will also see that the top section of this dialog tells you some information about the path:
8. Select an individual pipeto get more information about that pipe. Today the Flow, Friction Loss (Pf) and Velocity are not filled in. A future update will add that information.
9. You can see how this tool can help you decipher the layout and arrangement of the hydraulic input. When you are done, Pick the X at the upper right corner to close this box and bring up the previous AutoCalc Setup dialog and resume you calculations
Object Tracking/OTRACK - What is it? It is a way to insert or move things by hovering over other objects and 'silently' referencing their insertion points.
Let's say you want to insert a sprinkler into the lower left area of this room, and you want it aligned with the other two heads, to make a neat triangle:
1. Set an object snap to use, in this case, Insertion
2. Pick the OTRACK button on the AutoCAD Status Bar or press F11. If you have not previously set an object snap, then you will be asked to select one here
3. Pick the Insert Sprinkler button. Move your crosshairs over the sprinkler on the upper left until you see the Insertion glyph:
4. Move your corsshairs down a few feet to see the Object Tracking begin:
5. Now, drag your crosshairs over the sprinkler on the lower right. Again, until you see the Insertion glyph. The track will temporarily disappear:
6. Now, drag your crosshairs to the left a few feet. You will see both tracks come together to an intersection right where we want the head:
7. Pick this point and your head will be inserted right there:
Unbeknownst to many, HydraCAD has a series of training drawings (templates, actually) to help users learn to draw and to give examples of common drawing situations. They are accessed by picking the HydraTools pulldown menu, pick Tools and pick Training Drawings:
We add new drawings every now and then. The current list is:
If there are other situations you wish to see, please let us know and we will create them.
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