If you are trying to install Vault 5 client, and you already have DWF Viewer 7 installed, the Vault install will stop at the point where it tries to install DWF Viewer. Why? I don't know. But if you UNinstall DWF Viewer 7, the Vault client install works fine, installing DWF Viewer 6.5 along the way.

IMO, the Vault 5 client install should either UNinstall the current version of DWF Viewer and install 6.5, just let 7.0 be, or at least inform the user as to why the install fails.

Note: If you want to REinstall DWF Viewer 7 and be able to use it with Vault 5, then you will need this hotfix

Labels: Vault

This sort of goes along with my customization post from a while back.

Here is an example of how to set your support file search paths using ACAD.LSP. By doing it using this method, you don't have to worry about profiles, .ARG files, etc. Your users are free to customize anything not controlled by this startup routine. If something gets messed up, just restart AutoCAD, and everything reloads.

(vl-load-com)
; This sets a reference to the install path of your product
(setq acadloc
   (vl-registry-read
      (strcat "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\\" (vlax-product-key))
   "ACADLOCATION")
); This sets a reference to the files portion of the acad preferences
(setq *files* (vla-get-files
   (vla-get-preferences (vlax-get-acad-object))
))
; This builds the string of support file search paths
(setq sfsp
       (strcat
  "\\\\SERVER\\CAD\\SUPPORT;"
  "\\\\SERVER\\CAD\\LISP;"
  "\\\\SERVER\\CAD\\FONTS;"
  (getvar "ROAMABLEROOTPREFIX") "SUPPORT;"
  acadloc "\\SUPPORT;"
  acadloc "\\HELP;"
  acadloc "\\EXPRESS;"
  acadloc "\\SUPPORT\\COLOR;"
  acadloc "\\LAND;"
  (getvar "LOCALROOTPREFIX") "SUPPORT;"
  "C:\\Program Files\\Common Files\\Autodesk Shared\\GIS\\FDO\\2.0;"
  "C:\\Program Files\\Common Files\\Autodesk Shared\\GIS\\FDO\\2.0\\Oracle;"
  "C:\\Program Files\\Common Files\\Autodesk Shared\\GIS\\FDO\\2.0\\ArcSDE;"
          "C:\\Program Files\\Autodesk Land Desktop 2006\\Land;"
          "C:\\Program Files\\Dotsoft\\Toolpac\\;"
  "C:\\Program Files\\Dotsoft\\XL2CAD"  
       )
)
; This actually applies the above string to the current session of AutoCAD.
(vla-put-SupportPath *files* sfsp)
; Here are some examples of setting other things
(vla-put-TemplateDwgPath *files* "\\\\SERVER\\CAD\\TEMPLATE")
(vla-put-PrinterConfigPath *files* "\\\\SERVER\\CAD\\PLOTTERS")
; Release the object
(vlax-release-object *files*)

You should place this in your ACAD.LSP file, not ACAD200x.LSP.

Where do you put ACAD.LSP? In the directory that is at the TOP of your support file search path. In the above example, this one would go in

\\SERVER\CAD\SUPPORT

Labels: Programming

The NDA has been lifted, so let the discussions begin.

Here is the official Autodesk web page on AutoCAD 2008.

I'm sure there will be dozens of reviews starting to appear in the near future at your favorite blog/website.

Here's are the first ones I have seen.

Lynn Allen, It's official - AutoCAD 2008 is here

Heidi Hewett, AutoCAD 2008... The one you've been waiting for!!!!

My favorite new features?

1. Layer properties per viewport. This means you can set the color, linetype, lineweight, etc. on a per-viewport basis.
2. Data links to Excel. It's a great start, just don't get rid of your XL2CAD yet.
3. Multiline attributes
4. Ability to split a table. This is a huge benefit for SSM users whose sheet list tables were taller than one sheet.

Labels: AutoCAD 2008

If your interested in the early history of Autodesk (and you have a few hours....), check out this site. For a quick fix, go straight to the Autodesk Trivia Quiz.

Labels: Reference

If you have a need to toggle the AutoCAD background color between black and white, try this lisp routine. I switch to white for screen captures and then back to black using this frequently.

(vl-load-com)
(defun c:TBC (/ pref col)
  (setq pref (vla-get-display
        (vla-get-Preferences
                  (vlax-get-acad-object)
               )
      )
  )
  (setq col (vlax-variant-value
       (vlax-variant-change-type
  (vla-get-graphicswinmodelbackgrndcolor pref)
  vlax-vblong
       )
     )
  )
  (if (zerop col)
    (progn (vla-put-graphicswinmodelbackgrndcolor
      pref
      (vlax-make-variant 16777215 vlax-vblong)
    )
    (vla-put-modelcrosshaircolor
      pref
      (vlax-make-variant 0 vlax-vblong)
    )
    )
    (progn (vla-put-graphicswinmodelbackgrndcolor
      pref
      (vlax-make-variant 0 vlax-vblong)
    )
    (vla-put-modelcrosshaircolor
      pref
      (vlax-make-variant 16777215 vlax-vblong)
    )
    )
  )
  (vlax-release-object pref)
  (princ)
)

Labels: Programming

The "AutoCADder" posted about a good tip regarding the use of Microsoft's speech engine in AutoCAD. I found a thread on the same idea over at the Swamp.  The code is fairly simple.

(setq sapi (vlax-create-object "Sapi.SpVoice"))
(vlax-invoke sapi "Speak" "This is talking AutoCAD" 0)
(vlax-release-object sapi)

Head over to this thread at the Swamp for some discussion and more ideas with code samples.

For you CAD managers, put this in your networked "acaddoc.lsp" and watch the phone start ringing at your desk.

(defun mySpeak (str)
  (setq sapi (vlax-create-object "Sapi.SpVoice"))
  (vlax-invoke sapi "Speak" str 0)
  (vlax-release-object sapi)
)
(mySpeak (strcat "Welcome " (getvar "loginname")))

Labels: Programming

Scott Sheppard has an excellent post on how to perform a silent install for Design Review 2007 on his Beyond the Paper blog. I've been installing products like AutoCAD, Land Desktop, Toolpac, and others silently for a while now. The MSI interface makes it pretty simple. Here is a list of all the command line switches for MSI.

What is strange about this one is that in Scott's tip, the string includes the required serial number and something about a silent license. I had jumped the gun early and created my own install for this without these additional strings and mine has been working just fine. How it bypasses the need for a S/N, I don't know.

Feel free to try this in addition to Scott's tip. I would be interested to know if this works everywhere.

MSIEXEC /i "\\server\share\SetupDesignReview.msi" /l*v %temp%\DesignReview.log /qb!

The /i tells it to perform an "install" (as opposed to a repair or uninstall)

The /l*v tells it to log all information in a verbose manner (the log file ends up being about 3.5mb)

%temp%\DesignReview.log is the name of the log file. It will be written to the %temp% directory.

The /qb! tells it to do a silent install and remove the "Cancel" button from the model dialog, preventing users from cancelling this install.

Labels: Programming, Tips

Now that Autodesk has made Design Review available for free, you may be wondering, "do I need this?", "what is it?", "what does it do?", "why is it all of a sudden free?", "where can I get it?", etc.

I found an excellent review of this product at "Stress Free" that should answer all those questions and more.

Take a look at Reviewing Autodesk Design Review

Labels: DWF

According to some reports, Autodesk Design Review (formerly DWF Composer) is now free. This Autodesk web page agrees. Other Autodesk web pages (here and here) do not say. I wonder why this is not being announced on the Autodesk DWF blog "Beyond the Paper"?

Oh, yea, do we get our $199 back that we spent on Design Review prior to today?

Labels: DWF