The H-Factor

Hydratec Learning Resources

We have an ever-expanding repertoire of support options. Here is the menu:

For All Programs:

HydraCARDs: A Knowledge Base of all known solutions to problems users might encounter can be accessed from the HydraCARDs shortcut on the desktop or this link: HydraCARDs

This blog has entries for hundreds of topics on all of our programs, in addition to Microsoft, Autodesk and General Technology topics

Blog: https://hydratec.blogs.com/the_h_factor/

Index of Blog Topics: https://www.hydratecinc.com/topics

Getting the Latest Versions

Note: The Hydratec Customer Area can be accessed from our Homepage. Pick the Login button at upper right. You will then see a button to Login to ShareFile. This blog post covers how to set up an account and use our customer support area: Using the Hydratec Subscription Center

HydraCAD for AutoCAD

Manual: An electronic manual is placed on your computer when you install the software. You can access the HydraCAD manual on the Documentation flyout of the HydraCAD dropdown menu

Tutorials: An electronic set of tutorials is placed on your computer when you install the software. You can access the HydraCAD tutorials on the Documentation flyout of the HydraCAD dropdown menu

Help File: The help file can be accessed from the last item on the HydraCAD dropdown menu. All dialog boxes in HydraCAD have Help buttons which will display the help file pages for that topic

Instructional Videos: These are found in two places. Some videos are placed on your computer when you install the software. You will find these on the Documentation flyout in the How-to Videos on that flyout. Additional, very extensive Instructional Videos are found online in our ShareFile download area. Your company has access to this site and you may allow multiple users to sign up through our website. They are found in the HydraCAD->Instructional Videos folder on that site

How-To-Documents: These are also installed and can be found on the Documentation flyout of the HydraCAD pulldown menu in the How-to Documents and How-to Videos item

Knowledge Base: The HydraCARDs knowledge base of all known solutions to problems users might encounter can be accessed from the HydraCAD dropdown menu via the Support Flyout

HydraCALC

Manual: An electronic manual is placed on your computer when you install the software. You can access the HydraCALC manual from the Help dropdown menu

Tutorials: Five tutorials are found in the above HydraCALC manual

Help File: The help file can be accessed from the Help dropdown menu

Instructional Videos: These are found in two places. Some videos are placed on your computer when you install the software. You will find these on the Help dropdown menu. Additional, very extensive Instructional Videos are found online in our ShareFile download area. Your company has access to this site and you may allow multiple users to sign up through our website. They are found in the HydraCALC->Instructional Videos folder on that site

Knowledge Base: The HydraCARDs knowledge base of all known solutions to problems users might encounter can be accessed from the Help dropdown menu

HydraLIST

Manual: Electronic manuals are placed on your computer when you install the software. You can access the HydraLIST manuals from the Help dropdown menu

Tutorials: A tutorial is found in the above HydraLIST manual

Help File: The help file can be accessed from the Help dropdown menu

Instructional Videos: Extensive Instructional Videos are found online in our ShareFile download area. Your company has access to this site and you may allow multiple users to sign up through our website. They are found in the HydraLIST->Instructional Videos folder on that site

Knowledge Base: The HydraCARDs knowledge base of all known solutions to problems users might encounter can be accessed from the desktop shortcut

 

The HydraCARDs Knowledge Base - Online

A few months ago we went live with our new HydraCARDs Knowledge Base. The former one used a database that was updated and posted monthly. The new one is online and updated and new cards are available as soon as we update or create them!

Accessing

Most of our update and installs now include a shortcut to the web address for HydraCARDs. Further, HydraCAD, HydraCALC and Hydratec for Revit all link to this new database. However, no actual software is required to access the new HydraCARDs. All you need to do is to point your browser at https://hydracards.hydracad.com/

Once there, you will see an easy to read and use Knowledge Base. The most current cards will be featured right up top.

Browsing by Program

Picking the Software drop down menu will let you see all the cards pertaining to that program

This will display a page that shows all the cards for that program. The total number of cards is at the upper left. The Page drop down will let you skip ahead. The Next button will go to the next group of cards.

The View button at right will open the error card for that one. Notice that cards can now include graphics and hyperlinks, making these much easier to use.

Saving Your Favorites

If you find a card that helps you, it is really easy to save it so you can find it again. How? 

Notice that each card has it's own URL:

This means you can create a Bookmark folder for HydraCARDs in your Browser, and save your favorite cards in there:

 

 

 

 

 

Installing Hydratec Software Silently

Revised 7/6/22

Many IT professionals like to 'push' installs onto user machines, as they don't want to sit on each user's machine and click the Next and OK buttons repeatedly.

There is a way to record the steps used to install our software, and replay those steps on each user's station.

The Silent Install options for InstallShield installer

Switch	Notes
/s	Silent mode. For an InstallScript project, the command Setup.exe /s runs the installation in silent mode, by default based on the responses contained in a response file called Setup.iss in the same directory
/r	Record mode. In order to run an InstallScript project installation program in silent mode, you must first run Setup.exe with the /r option to generate a response file, which stores information about the data entered and options selected by the user at run time. Running an InstallScript installation program with the command Setup.exe /r displays all the run-time dialogs, and stores the data in a file called Setup.iss, created inside the system’s Windows folder. response file name and location, use the /f1 option, described below.
/f1	Specify alternative response file name and path Using the /f1 option enables you to specify where the response file is (or where it should be created) and what its name is, as in Setup.exe /s /f1"C:\Temp\Setup.iss". Specify an absolute path; using a relative path gives unpredictable results. The /f1 option is available both when creating a response file (with the /r option) and when using a response file (with the /s option)
/f2	Specify alternative log file name and path When running an InstallScript installation in silent mode (using the /s option), the log file Setup.log is by default created in the same directory and with the same name (except for the extension) as the response file. The /f2 option enables you to specify an alternative log file location and file name, as in Setup.exe /s /f2"C:\Setup.log". Specify an absolute path; using a relative path gives unpredictable results.

 

Example: Start the installer silently

Setup.exe /s

 

*Note* - The HydraCAD for AutoCAD and Hydratec for Revit installations actually install three major products. The HydraCALC program is found in a folder in the packet of install files, as the HydraLIST is also found in its own folder. For now, three scripts will need to be recorded and run, one for each. These steps will outline the process:

1. As always, extract the contents of the installation package (.ZIP) to a folder on your hard drive
2. Move the HydraCALC folder out of that folder into another folder
3. Move the HydraLIST folder out of that folder into another folder
4. Run each of the three SETUP.EXE programs (inc. HydraCAD in the original folder) with the proper command line switches and record each one individually
5. Run each of the three SETUP.EXE programs independently with the proper command line switches to install per the recorded file
   
   

Much more information here: 

Running Installations in Silent Mode

Hardware Recommendations for Revit, AutoCAD and Navis

We often get asked about hardware requirements for Hydratec software. We generally follow the Autodesk requirements because AutoCAD, Navis and Revit put the most demands on the computer.

For Revit:

Here is the Autodesk page for Revit requirements: System Requirements for Revit 2021. Other Revit versions can be looked up as well.

Notes: We recommend the Revit 2021 - Performance: Large, complex models specs, with 32Gb RAM or more

For AutoCAD:

Here is the Autodesk page for AutoCAD requirements: System Requirements for AutoCAD 2021. Other AutoCAD versions can be looked up as well.

Notes:

1. Make sure the hardware also meets the Additional Requirements for Large Datasets, Point Clouds, and 3D Modeling section at the bottom part of that page
2. Configure with a minimum of 16Gb RAM for AutoCAD

For Navisworks Manage:

Here is the Autodesk page for Navisworks Manage requirements: System Requirements for Navisworks 2021. Other Navis versions can be looked up as well.

For All Three:

It is imperative that the video card you get is approved by Autodesk for the application and version you will be using. Autodesk has a page where you can check that out: Autodesk Certified Hardware page. Gaming cards are not acceptable for CAD work!

In general, AutoCAD demands the most RAM while Revit demands the most processors. Navis does not require as much as these two. So, a Quad-Core Processor with 16 to 32 GB of RAM should cover all three products.

Manufacturers 

We currently use the Dell Precision series for desktops and Latitude series for laptops. We recommend the ones found in the Small Business section of Dell's website.

We also now use Boxx computers as well. These are designed specifically for CAD applications. We use the Apexx series for desktops and the GoBoxx SLM for laptops.

Critical Update: AutoCAD / AutoCAD LT 2018.0.2

We received an urgent notice from Autodesk today:

"Autodesk discovered a mistake with the AutoCAD 2018.0.1/AutoCAD LT 2018.0.1 release that will cause the software to expire and no longer start on June 1, 2017. The issue was quickly resolved by releasing the AutoCAD 2018.0.2/AutoCAD LT 2018.0.2 update; however, we believe approximately 5,000 customer accounts have not installed the fix.

To avoid any unnecessary product or service interruption Autodesk is taking immediate action by reaching out to affected customers. We strongly encourage you and your organization to become familiar with this situation (and the fix) by reading the customer email that was sent to you. Updates must be installed before June 1, 2017."

This is not much notice! But, here is the text of the fix email for your information:

Critical Action Required: Install AutoCAD 2018.0.2/AutoCAD LT 2018.0.2 Update

You are receiving this email because either you or one of the AutoCAD users in your organization has been identified as the user of the AutoCAD 2018.0.1 or AutoCAD LT 2018.0.1 Update.

A few weeks ago, we explained a mistake that was made with the 2018.0.1 Update and quickly resolved the issue by releasing the AutoCAD 2018.0.2/AutoCAD LT 2018.0.2 Update*. As this update fixes a defect that would cause the product to not start, it is critical for users who installed the initial 2018.0.1 Update to install the AutoCAD 2018.0.2/AutoCAD LT 2018.0.2 Update as soon as possible and before June 1, 2017.

Here’s how to do so in three easy steps:

Step 1: Sign in to your Autodesk Account
Step 2: Choose Product Updates on the MANAGEMENT page.
Step 3: You will see the option for the AutoCAD 2018.0.2 or AutoCAD LT 2018.0.2 Update. Pick the option that is applicable to your product, download and install it. The AutoCAD 2018.0.2 Update applies to the products listed below*.

Important Notes:
The 2018.0.1 version is listed in About dialog for AutoCAD 2018 and AutoCAD LT 2018 as version O.61.0.0. Once updated to the 2018.0.2 version, it will be shown as O.72.0.0.
If you do not install the AutoCAD 2018.0.2 Update by June 1, 2017, the product will not start and will display the following pre-release product error message:

 

Windows 10

Good news! HydraCAD Versions 52 and 53, along with HydraLIST and and HydraCALC work great with Windows 10 Preview Edition 64-bit. I did not test the 32-bit version of Win 10, however I don't expect there should be any difficulties with that version, with the exception that V53 already does not support 32-bit platforms, by design. If users run into any unforeseen difficulties with Win 10, they are encouraged, as always, to bring them to our attention.

With Windows 10, Microsoft seems to have put in some real effort to make it compatible with existing software, and that is always a good thing (and greatly appreciated).

I have not switched over, and won't even consider doing so until the release version is out at the end of July (having been burned with the dead-end that was the Win 8 Preview version), but I think I might actually be up for upgrading to Win 10 from the Win 7 I am using now.

This is not a full review on my part, but a few things I liked instantly with Win 10:

1. The return of the Start Menu (and an improved one at that). It seems to seamlessly blend both the Win 8 Metro interface with the classic Start Menu of days of old. Notice the All apps button at the bottom left (circled in Red). That is the former All Programs that was so missed in Win 8/8.1

Another nice new feature (especially for power users) is the new menu that comes up when you right-click on the Start Button. You can do almost anything you want from this screen, and I, for one, really like it:

I even have to say that I like the new, crisp look of File Explorer

You may have heard the Internet Explorer is dead with this release, and that is true. That does not mean that no browser is installed with Win 10, however. The new browser is code named Project Spartan, which is a not-too-subtle hint on the simple design philosophy behind it. The official release name for Spartan is Microsoft Edge, by the way.

Ensuring Delivery of the HydraNEWS Newsletter

The most recent HydraNEWS (just two weeks ago) newsletter was blocked by over 200 subscribers due to spam blocking software, their ISP or their IT by department. Usually, these are entire companies that cannot receive the newsletters. Some things you can do

1. Add [email protected] to your safe senders or whitelist. How to do this: Check Here

2. Check here if you suspect your spam filter or IT department

The list is growing, please add us so you can get the newsletters!

Determining OS, IP and System Information

This little link does a lot - click it to determine all kinds of things about your computer. Try it.

Support Details

Index of Topics and Subscribing to this Blog

An index to H-Factor topics can be found here: Index of H-Factor Topics

To get notified when new topics are posted, subscribe to this blog by picking the link at left. In your MyYahoo page you can pick Add Content then pick Add RSS by URL and then enter http://hydratec.blogs.com/the_h_factor/index.rdf as the location.

Speeding up when Booting up

When I first got my computer and booted my machine, I went go get a cup of coffee from the kitchen here at the office. When I came back, i could use the computer. Now, after a few years, I feel like I could get to Colombia and back with a cup of coffee before I get to do anything.

One way to speed up the boot is to reduce the number of programs that load upon booting. some programs, like AOL Instant Messenger and Windows Messenger have options to disable a load at startup. With Quicktime you need to tell it to not load the icon into the system tray.

However, many more programs configure Windows itself to launch themselves. To see these and eliminate them from bootup, do the following:

1. Pick the Start button

2. Pick Programs or All Programs

3. Find the Startup folder.

4. Delete any items in that folder that you do not want auto-started. Deleting them here will not remove them from your hard drive.

One more thing - The list of Programs is often jumbled. To list them alphabetically, right-click on any one of them and pick Sort by Name. You may need to do this once a month or so.

For the old timers out there (like me) - 30 Old Computer Ads

It is always fun when a new technology comes out because, well, everything is new. And,there are always a lot of choice until Darwin whittles them down to the survivors. Plus you young punks think you know it all but you really missed out on all the fun :)

30 Old Computer Ads

Take the Franklin Ace1200 special features:

Apple II-compatible
128K of RAM
Built-in floppy disk drive
80 column card (note: no monitor included)
Serial interface
Parallel interface
Upper and lower case (sounds like an infomercial - "You get your upper AND your lower case keys - not just one!)
Numeric pad

I miss the fun of the first three color game, or first game with sound...

Autodesk Announces an Assistance Program

I don't imagine this will help too many sprinkler designers out there, but Autodesk has announced the following program:

• Free Software License*: Any student license of AutoCAD®, Revit® Architecture, Autodesk® Inventor® Professional, and/or AutoCAD® Civil 3D® software.
• Free Online Training: On-demand training available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
• Reduced-Cost Classroom Training:  Many Autodesk Authorized Value Added Resellers and Autodesk Training Center (ATC®) partners are offering classroom  training at their training facilities for free or for a significantly reduced fee.  (Offerings will vary, please check with your local reseller or ATC to get details)
• Certification: Certification preparation and exams available at discounted rates.

Complete details are at: Autodesk Assistance Program.

One Warning - Drawings produced by the Student Version will have an Educational Stamp written across every plot. There is no practical way to remove this, since Student versions are not to be used for commercial work.

About the New Data and Backup Files Created by the V50 Install

If you choose to install the new databases for HydraLIST and HydraCALC – here is where the existing files get backed up to:

 

Note the two Backup folders, one under each program.

 

Also note the folders named Standard Data under each. Regardless of whether or not you choose to replace the data, a copy of the new data ALWAYS gets put in these folders. That way you can always copy over the new data yourself.

Where are the Hydratec data files?

This question was posed by a customer and frequent blog reader. Here's the list

HydraLIST:

\HES\Hydlist\Ver50\Data\Setup - If you take the whole folder (not subfolders), you will always be safe. If you are the one doing the editing and want to copy these to another machine, then sort by date and just take the ones most recently changed

HydraCALC:

\HES\HydraCALC\Ver50\Data\Setup - The MASTER.DAT file in this location covers all the pipe types and equivalent fitting lengths. This file is usually all you need. If you create your own loss (backflow) curves, then take any *.HDT files that are dated when you created them

HydraCAD:

There are no files that need to be transferred unless you are creating your own overrides or listing instructions. Contact use for these file names of you need them

Converting Office 2007 Files

If you are like me, you haven't had time to upgrade your Microsoft Office to the 2007 version. But that hasn't stopped people from emailing you 2007 files with extensions like docx and xlsx. What to do?

I Googled on a colleague's recommendation and found this: Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint 2007 File Formats - just download and install it and you can open whatever you need.Double-click on the files with the new extension to open them. They will not open from within the various applications. The files will then be converted.

Google Tips

Some great Google stuff from Joe Oliver:

Google Is a Calculator

When you can’t be troubled to reach over and pick up the handheld calculator sitting on your desk, you can use Google as a high-tech web-based calculator. All you have to do is enter your equation or formula into the standard Google search box, and then click the Google Search button. The result of the calculation is displayed on the search results page; it’s that simple.

You can use the standard algebraic operators to construct your calculations—+, -, x, and / for addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, accordingly. For example, to add 2 plus 3, enter **2 + 3** and press Enter. To divide 10 by 2, enter **10 / 2**, and so on.

And Google’s calculator isn’t limited to basic addition and multiplication. It can also handle more advanced calculations, trigonometric functions, inverse trigonometric functions, hyperbolic functions, and logarithmic functions. Just enter the proper formula into the search box, and wait for Google to display the answer.

Constants

In addition to performing calculations, Google also knows a variety of mathematical and scientific constants, such as pi, Avogadro’s Number, and Planck’s Constant. It also knows the radius of the Earth, the mass of the sun, the speed of light, the gravitational constant, and a lot more.

For example, if you’re not sure what the value of pi is, just enter
**pi** into the Search box and press Enter; Google returns 3.14159265, as it should. How about the speed of light? Enter **speed of light**, and Google returns 299,792,458 m/s. It’s amazing what Google knows.

Google Converts Units of Measure

Another surprise is that Google’s calculator also handles conversions.
It knows miles and meters, furlongs and light years, seconds and fortnights, and even angstroms and Smoots—and can convert from one unit of measurement to another.

The key to using the Google calculator as a converter is to express your query using the proper syntax. In essence, you want to start with the first measure, followed by the word "in," followed by the second unit of measure. A general query looks like this: /*/x/*/** firstunits in secondunits**.

For example, to find out how many feet equal a meter, enter the query
**1 meter in feet**. Not sure how many teaspoons are in a cup? Enter **1 cup in teaspoons**.  Want to convert 100 U.S. dollars into Euros? Then enter **100 usd in euros**. And so on and so forth.

Google Is a Dictionary

Want to look up the definition of a particular word, but don’t want to bother pulling out the old hardcover dictionary? Not sure of a specific spelling? Then use Google as an online dictionary to look up any word you can think of. It’s easy—and there are two ways to do it.

The first approach to looking up definitions is to use a ´All you have to do is enter the keywords **what is** in your query, followed by the word in question. (No question mark is necessary.) For example, to look up the definition of the word "defenestrate," enter **what is defenestrate**.

When you use a "what is" search, Google returns a standard search results page (typically with several useful definition links in the list), as well as a definition section at the top of the page. This section includes a short definition of the word and two useful links.

The first link, disguised as the result title, is actually a link to other definitions of the word on the web. The second link, Definition in Context, displays an example of the word used in a sentence.

Google Is a Glossary

Even more definitions are available when you use the Google Glossary feature. Google Glossary is what Google calls it, anyway; really, it’s just another advanced search operator that produces some very specific results.

The operator in question is **define:**. Use this operator before the word you want defined, with no spaces between. So, for example, if you want to define the word "defenestrate," enter the query **define:defenestrate**.

When your query includes the **define:** operator, Google displays a special definitions page. This page includes all the definitions for the word that Google found on the web; click a link to view the full definition.

And here’s something else to know. If you want to define a phrase, use the **define:** operator but put the phrase in quotation marks. For example, to define the phrase "peer to peer", enter the query **define:"peer to peer"**

Google Lists All the Facts

When you’re looking for hard facts, Google might be able to help. Yes, Google always returns a list of sites that match your specific query, but if you phrase your query correctly—and are searching for a fact that Google has pre-identified—you can get the precise information you need at the top of the search results page.

What types of information are we talking about? Fact-based information, such as birthdates, birthplaces, population, and so on. All you have to do is enter a query that states the fact you want to know. For example:

· To find the population of San Francisco, enter **population san Francisco**.

· To find where Mark Twain was born, enter **birthplace mark twain**.

· To find when President Bill Clinton was born, enter **birthday bill clinton**.

· To find when Raymond Chandler died, enter **die raymond chandler**.

· To find who is the president of Germany, enter **president germany**.

The answers to these questions are displayed at the top of your search results page. You get the precise answer to your question, according to the referenced website. Click the associated link to learn more from this source

 

Matching Gold Keys to a Computer

If you forget which gold keys go with which computers it can be frustrating when it becomes time to uninstall them. There is a way to figure this out, however by using Windows Explorer.

First, you must make sure the Hidden Files and Folders are shown in Windows Explorer (its in the Tools->Folder Options-View area). Then locate the BASIC2C folder on your hard drive. In there you should see one hidden folder that begins with GK and is followed by six numbers. that is the serial number of the gold key that is installed on that computer.

Create PDF Printouts of Calcs and Stocklists

Art had a pretty busy week with five posts in five days, so I thought I'd chime in to give him a bit of a break.

A question I often get asked, is from users who would like to share their HydraCALC and HydraLIST printouts with non-Hydratec users.

HydraVIEW offers the option to save the transmittal as an .HVUF file, which can then be emailed to another user and viewed in HydraVIEW.  This is similar to the .HLPF file which HydraLIST automatically creates after processing your stocklist.  Again, these files are fine if the person you're emailing the file to has HydraVIEW.  But what happens if they don't?

A simple solution is to install a PDF Writer application to your computer.  This acts as another printer on your computer, but instead of it being a piece of hardware, it's a software application which creates a PDF file of your printout.  Instead of printing to your HP Printer, you select to print to the PDF writer, give the printout a filename, and voila, it's created a PDF file to share.

Adobe Acrobat Elements is the gold standard of PDF creators, but you can find some inexpensive and shareware applications as well.  A quick Google search finds many to choose from.

Wood Splittin' Time

This past weekend was spent splitting and stacking firewood for next year. I was hoping for close to 3 cords, but alas, 2.07 was what we have... I am going to cut some more this week and get to 2.5 cords, which is what we used this past year, more or less. The good news is we used less than a tank of heating oil from Oct - April

Here is The Operation:

.

And this is the result of half of it stacked. I stacked the rest the next day but haven't got a picture yet:

Firefox and Multiple Windows

Quick Firefox Tip of The Day -

If you are on a website and want to open another browser window when you click on a link rather than having your current window switch to that content, click on the link using the middle mouse button. That will open the linked page in a new tab