Beyond the Paper

Off Topic - Thanksgiving 2008

Enclosed is a short video, reminding us of what the true nature of Thanksgiving history is really all about.

Happy Thanksgiving!

-Volker

Autodesk University 2008 - Autodesk Design Review Roundtable

We will host another roundtable for Autodesk Design Review users at the upcoming Autodesk University 2008. Last year's discussions were so successful that some of the suggested feature content made it into the upcoming release. Isn't that great?!

Details (time/location etc.) of the event can be found at Autodesk University 2008 as well as in the ongoing Autodesk Design Review 2010 Beta project.

I cannot wait to meet our many customers as well as some of my co-workers during the event.

I also make myself available to troubleshoot any problems customer present to me during the event. Please ensure to bring along original design files as well as DWF/x file for any case you may wish to be reviewed. You can contact me throughout by email. Thank you.

Are you ready for Autodesk University 2008?

Video: AU visitors sharing their AU2007 experience.
 

-Volker

Improved Boomless Chameleon Add-in for Autodesk Design Review

The Boomless Chameleon gets its name from the Boom Chameleon that was shown at Autodesk University 2007.

http://labs.autodesk.com/utilities/boomless_chameleon/

If you have a computer and a web camera, you can navigate your designs without a multi-touch wall, Wii remote, or even a mouse.

Using Autodesk Design Review 2009 SP1 and the Boomless Chameleon Navigation Add-in, you simply attach your camera to your laptop, point it at a target, and when you move your laptop, Autodesk Design Reviews navigates your model accordingly. Move your laptop closer to the target to zoom in. Move further away to zoom out. Turn left or right to orbit.

We would love to hear from users who have ventured into this sphere.

-Volker

Disable Help Menu Content in Autodesk Design Review 2009

Some administrators or corporations wish to disable the below shown Help menu content in Autodesk Design Review 2009.

Previous releases allowed administrators or skilled users to disable the content through HTML, however, with the newly introduced UI, that seems no longer possible.

We have created a modified ECompositeViewerRes.dll file, which offers a solution. Simply replace the existing one in the ENU directory under EComposite in the install tree.

Download

-Volker

Autodesk YouTube Channel?

I only learned about this a few days ago and think it is very cool.

A great way to share our own videos with a much broader audience.

Autodesk YouTubeChannel

-Volker

All Star Award for Autodesk Design Review 2009

Cadalyst All-Star awards honor the best of the best — the most outstanding among all hardware and software products that earned Highly Recommended ratings from Cadalyst Labs over the past year. 

"Autodesk combined the best of its DWF Viewer and Autodesk Design Review software into Autodesk Design Review 2009 — and it's free of charge and comes with all major Autodesk releases. Reviewed in April, Design Review 2009 provides tools for you to view, mark up, print, and republish DWF files to share with others or to return to the publisher of the original DWF for revision."

Read more about the Cadalyst All-Star Awards for 2008 here.

-Volker 

Océ Delivers Technical Update

Océ have just announced in a technical update that a new and enhanced version of the Océ Client Tools is available for download.

Océ Client Tools software automates your CAD printing workflow. Batch-process multiple file types, preview them exactly as they will be printed, and then submit locally or remotely for printing.

What’s New in the Océ Client Tools 2.2 Software

• Updated AutoCAD® DWG® and DWF file processing
• Support for 24-bit color files including JPG, BMP & PNG
• New “Direct Transfer” secure remote printing technology
• Compatibility with Océ Repro Desk® Server 1.6 software
• Microsoft® Windows Vista® support (32-bit)

Download

We are happy that Océ have implemented these changes and that DWF is now an integral part of their systems.

-Volker

 

 

CAB Files Present vs. CAB Files Future

Some of you may have integrated CAB files into your websites.

So when your new users (who do not already have a DWF ActiveX control installed) visit your web pages, they will download and install Autodesk Design Review 2009. No action is required on your part.

At this point, users download a setup file that is approximately 40MB in size.

There is a possibility that this may change. Some considerations is given to plans to link the same CAB file to an installer, that would not only download and setup the application but also do the same for all missing pre-requisites.

The advantage of the proposed process would be that users have all pre-requisites as well as the software installed. Disadvantage would be that the installation is likely to take longer.

Only alternative would be to continue to offer to link the CAB file to the MSI (only), but that requires all users to have all pre-requisites on the machine, else the installation will fail.

What would your preference be? Suggestions, comments?

Thank you.

-Volker

The Votes Are In

Our Autodesk Design Review 2010 Beta program launched about 4 weeks ago and it has been yet another very positive experience.

Yes, there are still a number of issues that require tweaking but overall the new-product-to-be has received a great reception. We are currently offering Beta 2, which has well over 500 more issues resolved than Beta 1 did. Beta 3 is expected to be released during the week of November 17th, 2008.

Just look at some of the feedback we received so far:

• "My users are so very excited by this Beta release. They like the ribbon, the highlight tools and they love the secure markup feature."
• "Digital Signatures are a blast."
• "My consultants and reviewers asked for these new features for years!"
• "Thank you for listening to your users."
• Love the ribbon!  Thats a good move guys. No need to struggle with tiny toolbars anymore."

I really wish we had more Beta participants who actively use API functionality. All other features have received a lot of feedback, with API lagging a little behind.

Another first for us is to offer Beta users a so called BootStrapper Installer. This installer will not only download the application but also take care of all pre-requisites you may need, such as .NET. We still offer the traditional *.exe installer but so far the uptake of the BootStrapper Installer has been good.

When are you going to join us?

To enroll in the Autodesk Design Review 2010 Beta please go to: http://myfeedback.autodesk.com and select Sign up from the Active Zone Menu. You will then be asked to fill out a profile. Please use "DANUBE" in the Beta Code field (at the top of the sign up page) and select “Autodesk Design Review” as your product of interest.  You will be emailed a password for the general site once the Beta team has reviewed your application and approved you.

If you are already a member of the MyFeedback Beta community (http://myfeedback.autodesk.com) you do NOT need to sign up. Instead login to the Beta community and click on the User button found at the top of the page.  Please add "DANUBE" in the Beta Code field and click Save at the bottom of your user profile. If you have forgotten your password, you can click on the Forgot Your Password link under Login menu and an email will be sent to you with your password or send an email request to [email protected]

-Volker