Starting with 2008, there is no "Deployment Wizard" any longer, at least as a separate application that you have to install. So how do you build the deployment if there is no deployment wizard? You'll see not long after you insert the DVD into the drive.

The above image is part of the dialog that appears when you insert the DVD. From here, you can install a single standalone copy on the local machine, create a network deployment, or install other tools such as the network license manager. Choose the "Create Deployments" options to build the deployment. The steps are similar to the old "Deployment Wizard".

After a successful build of the deployment, two shortcuts are created. One to install the deployment, and one to modify the deployment.

In earlier versions, if you were scripting the installation of a network deployment, you could use a line like this

\\Server\Software\AutoDesk\Deployments\2006\ACAD2006\AdminImage\deploy.exe "ACAD2006"

...where "ACAD2006" was the name or your deployment.

Now, if you look at the new shortcut that is created, you will see that the target looks something like this.

\\Server\Software\AutoDesk\Deployments\2008\
ACD\AdminImage\Setup.exe \\Server\Software\AutoDesk\
Deployments\2008\ACD\AdminImage\ACD.ini

(...some carriage returns have been inserted in this string for readability, but this is really all one line.) As you can see, "Setup.ini" is being passed to "Setup.exe" now.

If you are scripting your install in a BAT file for example, just use the above line instead of calling "deploy.exe". I have noticed one problem though. Setup.exe ends and calls other .exe files. This is a problem because as soon as "Setup.exe" ends, my BAT file takes off and tries to do the things it needs to do, but the other .EXE files that "Setup.exe" calls are still working...  Still looking for a way around this....

Labels: AutoCAD 2008

If you are planning on upgrading to AutoCAD 2008 32-bit, and you have existing LISP, VBA, or ARX programs, will they work? Generally speaking, yes. You may have to make a minor adjustment to your code, but for the most part there shouldn't be any problems.

If you are planning on upgrading to AutoCAD 2008 64-bit, then you may have some decisions to make and/or work to do...

Either way, I would suggest reading the following documents that describe any required changes and/or suggested alternatives. 

AutoCAD 2008 – 64-bit application migration

AutoCAD 2008 Compatibility

AutoCAD 2008 compatibility

will ACAD keep VBA? (Autodesk discussion group entry)

Labels: AutoCAD 2008

AutoCAD 2008 and AutoCAD 2008 LT trial versions are available for download.

AutoCAD 2008 | AutoCAD 2008 LT | More information

Here is a direct link to the AutoCAD download, in case you want to skip filling out the form.

Oops, looks like Autodesk wants you to fill out the form, they took away the direct download link...

Labels: AutoCAD 2008

If you are in the area and would like to participate, there will be an AutoCAD User Group Meeting at Total CAD on Tuesday, March 27. This month's topic is CAD Management Part II: Batch Standards Checker and Layer Translator

The meeting runs from 6-8pm and there is no cost to attend. Total CAD is a great host and even provides food and drinks. All you need to do is let them know you are coming by clicking here

As far as I can tell, and from what I have been told, the GHAUG (Greater Houston AutoCAD Users Group) has fallen apart. I and others have tried to contact the President, Vice President, and the ghaug.org domain contact several times this year with no reply.

Click for map

Autodesk has created new discussion groups for the soon to be released AutoCAD 2008.

HTML (Browser) access

NNTP (Newsreader) access

There are also other AutoCAD discussion groups that go all the way back to R12.

Labels: AutoCAD 2008

If you are not a regular reader of Heidi Hewett's AutoCAD Insider website, then you need to head over and check out her last dozen or so posts. Each entry covers a new feature in AutoCAD 2008 and includes a short video animation showing the new feature in action.

Thanks to Heidi for providing some of the best material out there on AutoCAD 2008.

Heidi Hewett - AutoCAD Insider

Direct Link to the Videos

Labels: AutoCAD 2008

Have you ever set a system variable and then you are working along and that sysvar is changed to a different value? Many people will ask how or why it "changed itself", which obviously it can't do. Of course what is really going on is a program, whether it be an internally defined command, or a lisp/VBA/ARX routine, has changed it.

So you what if you never typed in SETVAR and changed a variable? What if you made a change to something in the OPTIONS dialog and then it changed "on it's own"?  Many of the settings in the OPTIONS dialog are actually system variables. Look on the Open and Save tab of the Options dialog. If you turn Automatic Save off or change the "Minutes between saves" time, you are actually changing the system variable SAVETIME. On the Drafting tab, changing the AutoSnap Settings changes the AUTOSNAP system variable. There are many more.

So let's rephrase the theme here. You make a change to some setting in AutoCAD, and it doesn't stick. So why is it changing? Let's go back to the Autosave time. You turn it on and set it to 5 minutes, but you check it later and it is turned off. Wouldn't it be nice to be alerted when this setting is changed? Then you would have a pretty good clue as to what is changing it.

Here is some lisp code that will "monitor" a given system variable for changes. In the example below, the sysvar we are going to monitor is SAVETIME. Replace that with the name of the sysvar that you want to monitor, load the code and run the command ALERTME, then get back to work. If and when the sysvar is changed, you will be alerted.

If you want to see this in action, load the code exactly as printed below, run the ALERTME command, and then run the ._PUBLISH command (which changes SAVETIME).

Credit Peter Jamtgaard with this code
;--------------------------------------
(defun C:ALERTME ()
   (vl-load-com)
   (setq VTFRXN (vlr-editor-reactor nil '((:VLR-sysVarChanged . VTF))))
)

(defun VTF (CALL CALLBACK)
   (if (= (strcase (car CALLBACK)) (setq str "SAVETIME"))
 (alert (strcat str " has been changed "))
   )
)
;---------------------------------------

Labels: Tips