The H-Factor

Slicing up Piping to Fit in an Elevator

Our friends in New York asked us for a tool to cut piping up into a given length (usually 7') so that it can fit in a jobsite lift.

The command for this is Cut Into Pieces (CIP). It is on the coupling toolbar on a fly-out with Custom Coupling:

The dialog box is:

The tolerance is there so that you do not end up with a 1" piece of pipe because a piece 7'1 was sliced up.You will then be asked to select which pipes should be cut.

MTEXT - Missing the Toolbar?

In earlier (2008 and older) versions of AutoCAD, when you started the MTEXT command you would get a toolbar popping up that had all the formatting options that applied. In 2009 and newer - no toolbar. Instead you would get a ribbon panel for MTEXT editing.

This was something that was bugging me all along, but because of a customer problem, I had just dealt without it.

How to fix it? Set the MTEXTTOOLBAR setvar to 1 (just type it in)

From the AutoCAD help:

Mechanical Tees - Fitting Size or Hole Size?

This entry updates one I did a few years ago. The method for specifying whether HydraLIST should use the hole size or the fitting size has changed.

If you want to spec the fitting size, then just keep listing the 'usual way'. If you want the hole size then right-click in the Fitting column adjacent to the pipe you are working on. Pick Hole from the fitting class list and then pick the fitting type you want

To look at or alter the hole sizes, pick the Utilities pull down menu and pick the first item: Alter Popups. Then pick MTHole.dat and change that file to your liking. The outlet sizes are on the left and the hole sizes are on the right.

If you are auto-listing, then run the job through as usual and then use the HydraLIST Wizard (Utilities pull down) and change the fittings from what they are to what you want.

Denoting Sloping Pipe (such as in a stairwell)

There are two ways to mark sloping pipe in HydraCAD V5x. Both require the use of the Define Sloping Pipe command on the Pipe Elevation flyout of the Piping toolbar. The alias is DSP.

In Case One you can just label the pipe with the slope you want to denote. Only the upper (or lower) connected pipe needs a pipe elevation:

In Case Two you can label the pipe with a slope of 0 over 0. A pipe elevation is required on the pipes connected as both ends. A similar case was discussed previously in Letting HydraCAD Figure the Slope of Sloping Pipe:

Locking up Your AutoCAD Drawing so no one else can change it

A user called to ask if there was to secure a drawing file so no one else can change it. Seems the AHJ is demanding a DWG file, so sending a PDF or DWF won't cut it.

One of my coworkers (George) found this app by googling: CadVault

Has anyone tried this? There is a free demo, so we are going to check it out.