AecBatchStylesEditor 2009 by CADaption

CADaptation released the newest version of its CAD management software utility AecBatchStylesEditor 2009. The software brings its capabilities for editing multiple AEC styles and definitions in a single batch process to the Autodesk AutoCAD Architecture 2009 and AutoCAD MEP 2009 software platforms. The simplified workflow of AecBatchStylesEditor allows companies and individuals to configure, implement, maintain and upgrade their AEC CAD standards more easily.Features Summary

Most batch style edits performed by AecBatchStylesEditor generally begin with the workflow of: selecting an Object Type, a Source Style, and one or more Style(s) to Edit. Once this step is completed, Users may then configure a batch-edit scenario to be applied to the current Drawing by utilizing the controls of the various tabbed-windows, or "Editor Tabs", that are available in the user interface.

Summary of Features

Property Sets

When editing Property Set Data (PSD), users may:

• Add Style-Based Property Sets, found in the Source Style, to the selected Style(s) to Edit.
• Remove Style-Based Property Sets from selected Style(s) to Edit that do not exist in the Source Style.
• Copy individual (Manual) Property Values from the Source Style, to the selected Style(s) to Edit.

Materials

When editing Materials, users may:

• Change the Material assignments for same-named Components, defined in the Style(s) to Edit.

Classifications

When editing Classifications, users may:

• Copy selected Classification assignments found in the Source Style, to the Style(s) to Edit.

Display Properties

When editing Display Properties, users may:

• Copy selected Display Properties from the Source Style, to the Style(s) to Edit.
• Copy selected Display Properties between Display Representations within each Style to Edit.
• Add Style Display Overrides found in selected Source Display Representations to the corresponding Display Representations in each Style(s) to Edit.
• Remove Style Display Overrides found in the Style(s) to Edit, not found in corresponding Display Representations in the Source Style.
• Select individual Entity & Hatch Component Properties to be included/excluded from the batch edit.
• Customize the copying of display settings across Display Representations.

Preferences

When configuring the user Preferences of AecBatchStylesEditor, Users may:

• Configure optional startup/close options
• Configure event logging options

Three editions of AecBatchStylesEditor software are available for purchase and download, starting at $175 per user. A free evaluation edition of AecBatchStylesEditor 2009 (EVAL) is also available for download to Web site users who register.

Contact Information

Email: info@cadaptation.com

URL: http://www.cadaptation.com

New Autodesk Quantity Takeoff 2009

Link to Autodesk Quantity Takeoff 2009 Brochure

Autodesk Quantity Takeoff (AQTO) software enables cost estimators to gather design data, high-quality images, and precise information from intelligent design applications such as AutoCAD MEP, Revit MEP, and AutoCAD Civil 3D, as well as from “nonintelligent” CAD data and image formats.

Use Autodesk AQTO to leverage property data to automatically or manually measure, count, and price various building objects.Estimators can leverage precise property data to automatically or manually measure, count, and price walls, doors, windows, and other building objects. Results can then be printed, exported to Microsoft Excel, or published to Autodesk DWF, all of which means that Autodesk Quantity Takeoff software supports workflow, from design to cost estimation.

With the integration of 2D and 3D design data, Quantity Takeoff brings drawings and data together seamlessly. The software addresses key requirements for cost estimators by giving users more flexibility than stand-alone design documents, databases, or spreadsheets. The software's open architecture is flexible enough to meet the needs of the multitude of disciplines involved in estimating construction costs.

AQTO sotware is based on Autodesk Design Review software, which provides a complete and all-digital way to view, print, measure, mark up, and revise 2D and 3D designs without the original design creation software. Creating precise and timely cost estimates of 2D and 3D digital design content has never been so easy.

AQTO software has a full set of intuitive manual takeoff tools, enabling you to perform polyline, area, and count takeoffs. Quantity Takeoff also provides more advanced manual takeoff tools for such tasks as backing out specific areas of a measurement, enabling you to account for changes in materials or voids in areas such as atrium space or mechanical chase. AQTO software leverages the data within intelligent objects created in Revit MEP, AutoCAD MEP, and AutoCAD Civil 3D design applications. This enables cost estimators to quickly and easily search for and count similar items across a project using the Search Takeoff feature.

Cost estimators working in 3D with Quantity Takeoff software can perform intuitive, interactive walkthroughs for examination and estimation of all object details. By utilizing 3D DWF files imported from applications build on the Revit platform, they can perform an entire model takeoff of all 3D design objects with a single click. Object visibility and transparency are adjustable according to building section or component type.

New Autodesk Subcontractor 2009

Stop wasting time searching through folders, three-ring binders, and spreadsheet logs. Autodesk Subcontractor project documentation software helps specialty and trade contractors increase productivity and improve processes and accountability. Manage documents and generate reports from one central location to save time and identify crucial issues, and reduce risk. Spend your time managing your projects—not your paperwork.

Link to Product Brochure

Autodesk Subcontractor is a project management documentation solution that increases productivity and improves processes and accountability. With Subcontractor, clients can track Requests for Information (RFIs), submittals, change orders, emails, correspondence, pay applications, and more.

Autodesk Subcontractor is designed for all specialty and trade contractors, who use are solution to optimize, standardize and automate their business processes. Clients include all of the following specialty contractors: electrical, mechanical, plumbing, painting, drywall, concrete and many others.

If you enter a job into Autodesk Subcontractor, other users in your company will be able to see it. As long as you are accessing a centralized database, that is, from a server on a local network, you can access information from other jobs, as well as run reports across projects.

You can restrict what projects and modules a user sees. Each user is assigned to specific projects, ensuring security on the project level. Module access is assigned on a user-by-user basis.

You can email and fax documents directly from Autodesk Subcontractor. If you use Microsoft Outlook, Outlook Express, Lotus, or Groupwise you can email documents directly from Autodesk Subcontractor. You can also fax these documents using the Subcontractor internal internet faxing service.

Autodesk Subcontractor is a document management application that helps subcontractors better manage their projects. At this time, it is not specifically designed to track project costs beyond payment applications, change orders, and purchase orders.

Microsoft® .NET is a database solution used for the back-end database of Autodesk Subcontractor. .NET provides speed, connectivity over a VPN (virtual private network) connection, no need for mapped drive paths, it also will allow for Webpage interface if setup with Autodesk support. You can connect to Autodesk Subcontractor through VPN or a terminal server connection.

The Divisional Database option gives you the opportunity to separate project and company information among multiple company divisions. It allows for different logos, company addresses, and maintenance table setup.

Displaying Duct and Duct Fittings Only at Various Elevations in AutoCAD MEP 2009

Setting the Global Cut Plane and Display Range



Elevation-based display components control the display of ducts and fittings when all of the following conditions are met:

• The display components are enabled
• The current view is Top (plan)
• The current display configuration uses 1-Line or Plan display representations for ducts and fittings

When you configure a display configuration, you can specify a global cut plane and associated display range.

In Top (plan) view, AutoCAD MEP uses the cut plane settings for the current display configuration, in conjunction with the elevation of a duct object, to determine which display component (Below, Low, High, or Above) is used to display the object.




To set the global cut plane and display ranges for a display configuration

1. Access the global cut plane settings Click Format menu ->Display Manager.
2. In the left pane, expand Configurations, and select a display configuration.
3. In the right pane, click the Cut Plane tab.
4. Select a display configuration that uses a 1 Line or Plan display representation in Top (plan) view. The elevation-based display components determine display only in these display representations and in this view.
5. For Cut Height, enter a height. The values you enter for Display Above Range and for Display Below Range are not relative to the cut height. They are absolute height values calculated from the WCS origin.
6. For Display Above Range, enter a height.
   Duct objects above this range are displayed using the Above display components. In plan display representations, these are the Contour - Above, Insulation - Above, and Rise Drop - Above components. Duct objects at or below this range, but above the cut height, are displayed using the High display components.
7. For Display Below Range, enter a height. Duct objects at or below the cut height, but above this height, are displayed using the Low display components. Duct objects at or below this height are displayed using the Below display components.
8. Click OK.

Overriding the Global Cut Plane for Ducts and Fittings

You might need to use different cut planes and display ranges for AutoCAD MEP ducts and fittings as opposed to AutoCAD Architecture objects.

To accomplish this, you can specify a global cut plane and display range in each display configuration, and then override those settings as needed for one or more object types in the drawing default settings, or for a system, a style, or an individual object.

To apply a cut plane override to ducts and duct fittings

1. If you want to apply the override to the default drawing settings for all objects in the duct domain, namely, ducts, flex ducts, duct fittings, and custom duct fittings then Click HVAC menu-> HVAC System Definitions. In the left pane of Style Manager, select any system definition, and in the right pane, click the Display Properties tab. Select the 1-line or Plan display representation to which you want to apply the override (of the default drawing settings), and click the properties button . Accessing and configuring a display representation in this way automatically applies the changes to the same display representation for all objects in the duct domain (ducts, duct fittings, custom duct fittings, and flexible ducts). You can achieve the same results by configuring the display representations using Display Manager, but this requires you to configure the display representation for ducts, repeat the changes in the same display representation for duct fittings, repeat them again for custom duct fittings, and so on.
2. If you want to apply the override to a duct system definition then click HVAC menu -> HVAC System Definitions. In the left pane of Style Manager, select the system definition, and in the right pane, click the Display Properties tab. Select the Style Override check box that corresponds to the 1-line or Plan display representation to which you want to apply the override.
3. If you want to apply the override to a duct style, then select the duct or duct fitting, right-click, and click Edit Duct Style. In the Duct Style Properties dialog, select the Style Override check box that corresponds to the 1-line or Plan display representation to which you want to apply the override.
4. If you want to apply the override to a duct object, then select the duct or duct fitting, right-click, and click Edit Object Display. In the Object Display dialog, select the Object Override check box that corresponds to the 1-line or Plan display representation to which you want to apply the override.
5. Click the Cut Plane tab.
6. Apply the desired override for the display configurations that use this display representation:
   If you want to override the value for Display Above Range, then select Override Display Configuration Display Above Range, and enter a height.
   If you want to override... the value for Cut Height, then select Override Display Configuration Cut Height, and enter a height.
   If you want to override...the value for Display Below Range, then select Override Display Configuration Display Below Range, and enter a height.
7. The values you enter for the Above and Below ranges are not relative to the cut height. They are absolute height values calculated from the WCS origin.
8. Click OK twice.
9. You can also use the Display tab of the Properties Palette during design to enter the override values.

ThomasNet - Source for downloading 3D Manufacturer Equipment

ThomasNet - Source for downloading 3D Cad Models

I found this website where you can insert specific manufacturer equipment as solid objects into your AutoCAD MEP dwg directly from the website. Once the dumb 3D solid is inserted, you can create an MvPart from it, and add electrical, hvac or plumbing connectors to it so that it can be used to perform as it would in the BIM Model. You can add property set data to the part as well completing the convertion from a dumb 3D solid; to a rich, data filled working part.

You can also download them in the following formats:
DXF 3D, Step, Acis, Iges, jpg, bmp, png, tif, xml

The ACIS solid will allow you to insert the 3D solid into a Revit MEP family template so that you can add either electrical, hvac or plumbing connectors to it and make it more intelligent and more useful in your BIM Model. You'll be able to add various parameters to this ACIS solid once you convert it to a Revit Family so that you can generate tags and schedules for the equipment.
The advantage of these solids is that they have all the various model sizes and options that the manufacturer provides which is almost unlimited. The drawback is that you can end up creating millions of parts because they are static in size and shape. One of the advantages of drawing them in Revit MEP or AutoCAD MEP instead is that you can create parametric solids that can flex based off of dimensions that can be driven from the users input, or a table. That way you only need one model to drive all the various sizes a part can come in.

It's not exactly what we're looking for in the industry, but it's a start. This gives you the ability to finish the 3D solids yourself and create your own manufacturer specific MEP content in either AutoCAD MEP or Revit MEP. There is 2D content there as well, but that old technology is really worthless in this new age of BIM.

Some day, manufacturers will not only provide their equipment in 3D, but also with all of the needed connectors, data, and also make them parametric so that they can easily be modified on the fly.

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