Autodesk DWG TrueView 2014 is now available in English, Japanese and French. This software is built on the same viewing engine as AutoCAD 2014 but with much less functionality but enough to view, measure on and print drawings or DXF files with. DWG TrueConvert software is also included making it possible to batch convert drawings between different versions.

You find the download here.

Tip

If you don’t want to install and use the Akamai NetSession Interface download manager click on “click here” at the bottom of this dialog box and then in the next dialog box click OK and you’ll be able to download through the browser instead.

System Requirements
32 Bit
Service Pack 3 (SP3) or later of the following:
• Microsoft® Windows® XP Professional
• Microsoft® Windows® XP Home
The following operating systems:
• Microsoft Windows 7 Enterprise
• Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate
• Microsoft Windows 7 Professional
• Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium
• Microsoft Windows 8
• Microsoft Windows 8 Pro
• Microsoft Windows 8 Enterprise

64 Bit
Service Pack 2 (SP2) or later of the following:
• Microsoft® Windows® XP Professional
The following operating systems:
• Microsoft Windows 7 Enterprise
• Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate
• Microsoft Windows 7 Professional
• Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium
• Microsoft Windows 8
• Microsoft Windows 8 Pro
• Microsoft Windows 8 Enterprise

Windows Vista is not supported.

DWG TrueView 2014 requires Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 and .NET Framework 4.0 Update 1.

If necessary, install the following .NET Framework versions on your system.

• .NET Framework 3.5*
• .NET Framework 3.5 Service Pack 1 (SP1)
• .NET Framework 4.0
• .NET Framework 4.0 Update 1

* The .NET 3.5 installer includes .NET 2.0.

Setup

When I downloaded I got the file SetupDWGTrueView2014_ENU_64bit.sfx.exe (334 MB, and SetupDWGTrueView2014_ENU_32bit.sfx.exe is 252 MB) that runs the new Autodesk Self Extract and when ready the actual setup started.

Cleanup after installation

After you have installed you may delete both SetupDWGTrueView2014_ENU_32bit.sfx.exe or SetupDWGTrueView2014_ENU_64bit.sfx.exe and SetupDWGTrueView2014_ENU_64bit or SetupDWGTrueView2014_ENU_32bit folder that the files were extracted to.

DWG TrueView 2014

And here is DWG TrueView 2014 with the budweiser2013.dwg opened.

Notice the new File Tabs 

and Layer sorting that are among the news that came in AutoCAD 2014.

Deploying DWG TrueView

If you want to deploy DWG TrueView silently here is how, just make sure the .NET Framework prerequisites are already installed first and you will be able to script this or deploy using SMS or SCCM.

Here is how to install it the easiest way:
Setup.exe /q /w

alternatively specifying the ini file:
Setup.exe /q /w /i setup.ini

Optionally you can look at the setup.ini to just install what you want to install alternatively edit the ini and remove what you don’t want to include or for example change the installation path by editing INSTALL_PATH=%ProgramFiles%\Autodesk or remove the desktop shortcut by editing CREATE_DESKTOP_SHORTCUT=YES.

To uninstall DWG TrueView locate the GUID for the software. Look up this key in regedit.exe and then search for TrueView:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall

Below is what I found for DWG TrueView 2014 64-bit:
{5783F2D7-D028-0409-0100-0060B0CE6BBA}

So either of these works fine, Passive display option. The installer displays a progress bar to the user that indicates that an installation is in progress but no prompts or error messages are displayed to the user.
MsiExec.exe /x {5783F2D7-D028-0409-0100-0060B0CE6BBA} /passive

Quiet display option. The installer runs an installation without displaying a user interface. No prompts, messages, or dialog boxes are displayed to the user.
Never restart option. The installer never restarts the computer after the installation.
MsiExec.exe /x {5783F2D7-D028-0409-0100-0060B0CE6BBA} /quiet /norestart

DWG TrueView 2014 does not support 3:rd party apps but both Regapp ID Cleanup Utility for AutoCAD 2013/2014 and Scale List Cleanup Utility for AutoCAD 2013/2014 from Autodesk works with DWG TrueView 2014.

Autodesk DWG TrueView 2014 Readme

This readme contains the latest information for Autodesk^® DWG TrueView 2014. For reference, save or print this document.
It is strongly recommended that you read this entire document before you install this product.

Install

• Recommended: Install all Windows Updates before installing the product.

Product Help

• The product Help, the Driver and Peripheral Guide, and the Readme are available in the Install directory Help folder after the installation. You can launch the Installation Help, System Requirements, or the Readme during installation or after the product is installed.

Point Cloud

• You cannot view certain point cloud files in DWG TrueView if your graphics card does not support OpenGL® 3.3 or later. In addition, you cannot view these files in a Windows remote desktop session.

Platform

• Installing the 32-bit version of Autodesk^® DWG TrueView 2014 on a 64-bit platform is not supported.

DWG Convert EXE's and ZIP's Fail

• When you use DWG Convert to create an EXE or ZIP file, the file is not created. This usually occurs if you are using multiple languages. The names of the files generated by AutoCAD-based products use Unicode standards and can be shared internationally. However, WinZip and EXE use a technology that is currently not Unicode-compliant.
• ZIP files with non-ASCII characters cannot be exchanged and unzipped between systems with different code pages. That should not prevent using accented or Asian characters that match or are included on the current code page (German characters on English or German operating systems should work. Japanese characters on Japanese operating systems - or where the code page is set to Japanese - should also work).

Opening Damaged Drawings

• When opening a damaged drawing, a dialog box appears asking the user to fix the file with the Recover command. This command is not implemented in TrueView. Instead, use the Check and fix errors option as follows.
  1. Click the DWG Convert button.
  2. Select the damaged file.
  3. Click Conversion Setups.
  4. Select "Standard" and click New.
  5. Name the new setup (for example, Recover).
  6. In the Modify Conversion Setup dialog box, set the Conversion packaged type to Folder (set of files).

     Note: Do not select in-place (overwrite files), as this may cause conversion errors.

  7. In the Action area, select Check and fix errors, and click OK.

Autodesk Design Review 2014 is still not available.

See also the post Autodesk DWG TrueView 2013 Download and Install Tips.

HTools Menu for AutoCAD is a plugin for AutoCAD that adds several useful functions.

Drawing...

• Save Session.
• Load Last Session.
• Purge Folder including Sub Folders.
• Convert Folder Dwg to Dxf.
• Convert Folder Dxf to Dwg.
• Convert Folder Dgn to Dwg (only for 2012,2013).
• Save & Close All Without confirmation.

Text...

• Rotate Texts ByLayer By Angle.
• Replace in Tolerence.
• Strech Text By 2 Point.
• Change Letter Case.
• Count in Texts and wiche Layers.
• Joint 2 Text in one.
• Put Text Index.

Miscellaneous...

• Unit LTS for Type.
• Hatch PolyLines in Layer.
• Dimension To PolyLine on Layer.
• Scale XY-Polyline-Line-Dimension.
• Correct Coordinate z=0 For 2D.
• Calculate Layer Total Length.
• Calculate Layer Total Area.

Object...

• Replace Text in Layers Name.
• Move Object-Color to Layer.
• Move Object-Layer to Color.
• Delete Object by Type-Layer-Color.
• Delete Object by Type-Color.
• Delete ALL OLE Object.

Blocks/Layouts

• Explode All Blocks By Selection.
• Delete All Blocks By Selection.
• Zoom Extents All Layouts.
• Delete Folder All Layouts.
• Bind All External Reference.

More features will be added upon request.

Visit HTools Menu for AutoCAD for more info.

Is my Autodesk 2014 product available?

You find the list of all the released Autodesk 2014 products here as well as the product keys.

Here are the first in the list:

If you are a fan of Infographics there are a few from Autodesk. Some a bit old and some newer but still interesting to review. Click on the images for a larger version.

The first one is about Autodesk Brand & Business Transformation. Not long ago Autodesk’s new logo was launched.

Via Autodesk Labs.

And about 30 years of AutoCAD from 1982 to 2012.

30 Years of AutoCAD

The next about Building Information Modeling for Infrastructure.

The Business Case for BIM for Infrastructure

And Improving Healthcare Buildings with BIM.

Improving Healthcare Buildings with BIM

And finally about Lost Opportunities Without 3D Product Design Software.

Lost Opportunities Without 3D Product Design Software

If you have any Autodesk 2014 product installed like for example AutoCAD 2014 this might be for you.

This update applies to Autodesk 360 desktop companion if your version is 4.0.27.1 to 4.0.32.100.

To see your version of your 360 desktop companion, right-click on the system tray icon and select preferences (the version is listed in this dialog).

Fixes in this live update include but are not limited to:

• Better Inventor file and folder structure support
• Customer Error Reporting Support
• Performance fixes
• Stability Improvements

Download found here.

What is Autodesk Sync? Many Autodesk 2013 products include a desktop software component called Autodesk Sync. It enables you to open documents from and save documents to Autodesk 360 online storage from within the product.
If you don’t want Autodesk 360 installed you can “hack” an ini file before installation of the Autodesk product where it is included or you can uninstall it after as there is no option to deselect it during installation of for example AutoCAD 2014. See details about 2014 deployments.

AutoCAD Automation Tools 4.1 is now publicly released and makes it possible to update text found at a location by defining a rectangle with two coordinates. This is for example useful if a title block contains mtext or text objects not being part of an AutoCAD block object. The installers have also been updated to support AutoCAD 2014.

With AutoCAD Automation Tools multiple drawings can be automatically created from a typical drawing or updated based on a control file that can be created with an Excel template. Make the changes in Excel and let the program do all the work for you. This is a real time saver if you need to make adjustments on hundreds or thousands of drawings.

Existing customers can contact us for a free upgrade.

Software usage and monitoring product JTB FlexReport has been updated to version 7.4.

Downloads here. See also the Upgrade tips. Customers with maintenance have access to this release at no extra cost.

Main news are:

• Added feature description download button to JTB FlexReport Config>Features. Descriptions are taken from this FlexNet features code page that has been updated with Autodesk’s 2014 products.
• Edit functionality for auto report settings.

But there are much more, see the revision history for more details on this release.

Contact us to get a time limited license file for free. You can try it in your environment with your real data for a few weeks with full functionality.
Full support is provided during trial period.

About JTB FlexReport: JTB FlexReport from JTB World is a report and monitoring tool for applications using the FlexNet / FLEXlm (flexlm license manager), IBM LUM (IBM License Use Management), SPLM (Intergraph SmartPlant License Manager), SLM/Sentinel LM/Sentinel RMS, LM-X, Solidworks SNL License Manager, T-Systems license manager product LICMAN, Vertex Systems, MathLM (Mathematica), Primavera from Oracle or 12D software licensing. With Process Monitor any Windows application like Acrobat, Visio, Bentley MicroStation, single licensed AutoCAD or AutoCAD LT can be reported usage of.

See also: Autodesk Network License Manager downloads and Software Vendor Audits are Increasing as well as the guide to the Network License Manager for FlexNet/FLEXlm in general and Autodesk licensing in particular as well as our freeware JTB FlexReport LT.

AutoCAD 2013 SP2 is now available to download here. You don’t need to install earlier SP before installing SP2. If you have AutoCAD LT 2013 the download is here.

I and other beta testers have used SP2 for some time but if you don’t want to be the first to run into any unexpected problems you might want to wait a few weeks. (remember SP1 that quickly was replaced by SP1.1) Other than that there are a lot of fixes in SP2 making it worth installing.

This Service Pack can be applied to AutoCAD 2013 installed as a standalone application as well as AutoCAD 2013 installed from the following Autodesk Design Suites.

• AutoCAD Design Suite 2013
• Autodesk Building Design Suite 2013
• Autodesk Factory Design Suite 2013
• Autodesk Infrastructure Design Suite 2013
• Autodesk Plant Design Suite 2013
• Autodesk Product Design Suite 2013

The following operating systems are also now officially supported for 32-bit and 64-bit AutoCAD 2013 with Service Pack 2.

• Windows 8 Standard edition
• Windows 8 Enterprise edition
• Windows 8 Professional edition

_VERNUM (product version) details:
AutoCAD 2013 SP2: G.204.0.0 (UNICODE)
AutoCAD 2013 SP1.1: G.114.0.0 (UNICODE)
AutoCAD 2013 SP1: G.112.0.0 (UNICODE)
AutoCAD 2013: G.55.0.0 (UNICODE)

As a result of detailed information from customers who used the Customer Error Reporting Utility, a number of problems were identified and fixed. Updates have been made in the following commands and features:

3D Navigation Tools

• Occasional crash related to navigation tools.

Autodesk 360

• Crash with long file path in the Autodesk 360 folder.
• Occasional crash when opening AutoCAD with the InfoCenter off.

Block

• Occasional crash when clicking a block table grip with only one row of values available.

Command Line

• Crash when switching Input Method Editor (IME) after canceling a command when DYNMODE is set to 0 and the command window is docked.

DGN Support

• Fatal error when scrolling the DGN linetype in the Properties Palette.

Dimensions

• Occasional crash when grip-editing annotative dimensions.

External Reference (XREF)

• An OLE Object in an xref was not correctly set before the xref was detached. This crash issue has been resolved by opening the xref before erasing it.

MLEADER

• Occasional crash when using MATCHPROP with multileaders.

OLE

• Occasional crash when closing the application with a drawing that contains an OLE object.

OPTIONS

• Occasional crash when changing or switching profiles in Options.

Plot

• Occasional crash when plotting with a wipeout in the drawing.

PDF Underlay

• Crash when specifying other PDF file from Saved Path field in External Reference palette.

General

• Occasional crash when opening AutoCAD drawings in Windows 8.
• Occasional crash due to using Intersection object snaps on lightweight polylines.
• Some corrupt drawings crash when opened or saved and are not fixed automatically.
• Exiting the Text Editor while previewing text style causes a crash.

The following defects have been fixed:

3D Navigation Tools

• Zoom speed varies with 3Dconnexion device in perspective view.

3D Modeling

• Issue with the MASSPROP command with sliced 3D solids.

Block

• Issue with the display of the Block Property Table cascading menu.

CUI (Customize User Interface)

• Missing checkboxes in the Customize User Interface (CUI) dialog box when NET 4.5 is installed.

DGN Support

• Issues with exporting files to DGN, even after exploding contents of file.
• Import of a DGN arc as an Ellipse.

Dimensions

• Radial dimensions for regions can become associated to wrong arc.
• Dimension text background fill cannot be reset in Properties.
• Jogged radial dimensions in paper space may reflect the wrong value of an extruded cylinder in model space.

Image

• MONOCHROME BITMAP attached in DWG file is not shown correctly.

INQUIRY

• MASSPROP reports an incorrect mass and centroid for a solid swept along a planar spline.

MLeader

• Multileader scale is not always updated when multileader style is changed.

Model Documentation - Detail View

• Changing the Hatch property of a Detail view derived from a Section view sometimes causes AutoCAD to hang.

Modify

• Ellipse is sometimes distorted during stretching.

MTEXT

• The font doesn't match the setting in -STYLE command in Windows 8.

Plot

• There is a black stripe when plotting some drawings with a clipped image.
• A printer cannot be added after adding multiple driver folders in the Options dialog box.
• Drawings cannot be plotted with the oversized paper size and transparency on.

Selection

• Grips for attributes of blocks are not automatically made hot upon sub-selection.
• Selection preview is reset to off when IntelliMouse^® zooming is ended.

Visual Lisp

• DCL files whose code page matches the system but not the product are not recognized and loaded properly.

General

• Saving some DWG files that contain 3D solids is slow.
• A UCS other than the World UCS results in an incorrect location for the wipeout frame.
• Prompts to save are not displayed when closing a hyperlink drawing that has been changed.
• Performance is slow when saving the drawing created with Release 2010 and earlier.

Fixes in the previous AutoCAD 2013 Service Pack 1.1 are included.

See also more details in the posts AutoCAD 2013 SP1 & AutoCAD LT 2013 SP1 and AutoLISP and VBA Security Controls in AutoCAD 2013 SP1.

AutoCAD WS has been renamed to AutoCAD 360 and is from now on formally a member of the Autodesk 360 cloud based family. AutoCAD 360 offers viewing, editing, and sharing of CAD drawings (DWG), simplifying on-site redlining, as-built documentation, and design review and approval. But it has not only a new name…

A new mobile app update available at iTunes App Store or Google Play. In the mobile app the new “Smart Pen” will make it much easier to sketch with. If you sketch a circle it will be able to turn the rough circle into a real circle for example.

There are new AutoCAD 360 Pro mobile app plans and here are the top 12 reasons to get a Pro plan.

1. Create New Drawings - Easily create new drawings from scratch; perfect for initial layout sketching in the field.
2. Large File Support - Open and work on larger drawings with support for files up to 30MB with a Pro plan, or up to 40MB with a Pro Plus plan.
3. Third-Party Storage - Easily view, mark up, and edit drawings directly from popular cloud storage solutions, including Dropbox, Box, Egnyte, Buzzsaw, and custom WebDAV connections.
4. Advanced Layer Management - Advanced layer-management tools provide more control over your drawing. Quickly add, rename, isolate, invert, and lock layers for easier viewing and editing.
5. Properties and Attributes - Easily view object properties such as layer, length, and area. Also view, edit, and add block attributes data while you're in the field.
6. Block Libraries - Easily drag and place blocks onto a drawing directly from the drawing's block collection.
7. Drawing Coordinates - View the coordinates of points in a drawing, and use them to draw with more accuracy.
8. Added Drawing Tools - Added Arc and Arrow drawing tools help you draw and call out notes in drawings.
9. Faster, More Accurate Editing - More editing tools such as Extend Vertex, Offset, and Mirror help you edit drawings faster and with more accuracy.
10. More Measuring & Dimension Tools - Accurately measure lines, radius, and angles in your drawing. Also, additional dimension tools help you document drawings using line, radius, diameter, and angle dimensions.
11. Priority Support - Receive top-priority support and get quick problem resolution and fast answers to your questions.
12. Increased Storage Space - Take all of your drawings with you! AutoCAD 360 Pro plans afford you plenty of added storage space—up to 25GB with a Pro plan, and up to 100GB with a Pro Plus plan.

And here, you can compare the AutoCAD 360 Pro mobile app plans. The Pro plan is at $4.99 per month or $49.99 per year while the pro plus is at $99.99 per year.

Finally there is a new, free AutoCAD 360 web app beta. It’s a ground-up redesign of Autodesk’s AutoCAD WS web app that was based on Flash but now is based on HTML 5.

This is what the web app looks like right now with drawing, editing and annotate tools.

Here’s the Welcome to AutoCAD 360 video.

More info on the subject:

• Autodesk 360 for BIM
• Autodesk 360 for PLM
• AutoCAD for iPad, iPod and iPhone - AutoCAD WS
• AutoCAD WS Mobile in Apple App store for free
• AutoCAD WS plugin for AutoCAD and more subscription packs
• Free DWG to PDF conversion with AutoCAD WS
• AutoCAD WS with 3D, GPS and Print functionality
• Autodesk 360 in AutoCAD 2014

RSA 2013 to RSA 2014 Pro network license issue

Autodesk customers already owning Autodesk® Robot™ Structural Analysis 2013 will be automatically upgraded to Autodesk® Robot™ Structural Analysis Professional 2014.
For the network installations under subscription, as usual once upgraded, you will need to get a new license file. The new license file will be valid for the current and prior 3 version of the product but, this concerns the Professional versions only.
In fact, if you previously had an Autodesk® Robot™ Structural Analysis 2013 network license, you will not be able to get a license from the new file.
You have to request a combined file that integrates both the 2014 Professional and the 2013 (http://www.autodesk.com/licensesupport).
Note: combining the files that you own won’t work as they have different issue dates.

If you upgraded from Autodesk® Robot™ Structural Analysis 2013 Professional version everything is fine with the new license file.

Via Up and Ready’s post.

For more about Autodesk Network License Manager (FlexNet) and usage reporting using JTB FlexReport.

Are you using AutoCAD 2013 verticals? If so, here are some Service Packs you might want to install.

AutoCAD Architecture 2013 Service Pack 2
AutoCAD Electrical 2013 Service Pack 2
AutoCAD Mechanical 2013 Service Pack 2
AutoCAD MEP 2013 Service Pack 2

Windows 8 operating systems are officially supported for these products with SP2.

In this post AutoCAD 2013 Service Pack 2 is described and is also included in the above service packs. If you have not installed SP1 it is included in SP2.

Fixes for AutoCAD Architecture 2013 are:

• Occasional crash related to drawing compare.
• Occasional crash related to geometry sharing.
• Crash when saving an image in the object viewer while the steering wheel is enabled.
• Occasional crash related to the Project Navigator.
• Occasional crash when double-clicking drawing nodes in the Project Navigator.
• Occasional crash related to slab and roof slab.
• Occasional crash when adding tags to objects.
• Crash when modifying space geometry type.
• Some doors or windows with custom blocks do not display their frame values correctly.
• If a drawing has an Xref Xclipped using the Invert Clip option, the opposite part is actually Xclipped after Export to AutoCAD.
• Elevation labels defined in world UCS display zero after applying Service Pack 1.
• When copying elevation labels with user defined UCS from one drawing to another, the text value of the copied labels fail to be modified.
• Objects may not show correctly during 3D orbit.
• In certain cases, List Definitions cannot be modified.
• Failure to create projects on WebDav servers.
• Some schedule table lines fail to be turned off through display system.
• Area calculation may be incorrect for some irregular trapezoid spaces.
• Enhanced column grid labels cannot be modified under some circumstances.

_VERNUM is a command line command that can verify what the product version is:

AutoCAD Architecture 2013: _VERNUM = "G.55.0.0 (UNICODE)"

AutoCAD Architecture 2013 Service Pack 1: _VERNUM = "G.114.0.0 (UNICODE)"

AutoCAD Architecture 2013 Service Pack 2: _VERNUM = "G.204.0.0 (UNICODE)"

JTB FlexReport license and application usage monitoring tool has got some bugs squashed in version 7.4.1. No new features are added. You may see it as a service pack 1 for version 7.4. See the revision history for what’s been fixed. Here are the downloads and upgrade tips.

Contact us to get a time limited license file for free. You can try it in your environment with your real data for a few weeks with full functionality.
Full support is provided during trial period.

Have you problem with DWG files that have become bloated while copying and pasting from DWGs containing DGN linetypes of MicroStation origin or after using DGNIMPORT?

AutoCAD DGN Clean-up Tool can be downloaded here and help you out.
UPDATE: The download is not available as Autodesk is working on a bug fix.

This Hotfix applies to AutoCAD 2013, Autodesk AutoCAD 2014, and related vertical products.

Here’s the most important parts from the readme:

Installation and Execution Instructions

1. Close all software applications.
2. Download the Hotfix (AutoCAD_2013_2014_DGN_CleanUp_Tool.exe) to a location on
your local computer.
3. To install the fix, double-click the ZIP executable and save the file to the product
installation folder (for example C:\Program Files\Autodesk\AutoCAD 2013).
(My comment: As far as I can see the DLL don’t have to be in the product installation folder, I tried to put it in c:\temp and it worked just fine)

To Execute This Hotfix
1. Start up AutoCAD.
2. Netload DgnLsPurge.dll.
3. Open the affected drawing file.
4. Run the DGNPURGE command to make the elements purge-able.
5. PURGE.
6. Repeat steps 4-5 if needed.
7. Save the DWG.
8. Repeat steps 3-7 for other affected files.

Here is what it can look like when running DGNPURGE:
Command: DGNPURGE
Purged 18 unreferenced complex linetype records (of 20).
Purged 155 unreferenced strokes (of 157).

But the current version of DGNPURGE seems to be affecting lines that are using DGN linetypes too in some cases. Compare with the image above.

Autodesk is now aware of that compound linetypes are not handled properly and is working on an update of the tool.

If you want to purge many drawings our SmartPurger can be used to automate the work. Here is an example of what the AutoLISP code would look like. Note that even though SmartPurger runs a purge the LSP is loaded after so we need to run purge through the LSP instead. If you like you can change the number of times this is repeated. Right now it is 3 times. Edit the path as needed and remember to use \\ instead of \.

(command "._NETLOAD" "C:\\Temp\\DgnLsPurge.dll")
(repeat 3
  (command "._DGNPURGE")
  (command "._PURGE" "_A" "*" "_N")
)

For technical details around purging traces from DGN linestyles see this post on Through the Interface.

Complex DGN linestyles – that presumably cannot be mapped directly to standard AutoCAD linetypes – have entries in their Extension Dictionaries named “DGNLSDEF”. These objects contain references to objects in the “ACAD_DGNLINESTYLECOMP” dictionary (which is inside the root Named Objects Dictionary).

The objects in this dictionary represent the “strokes” in the linetype. They might be simple (in the case of STROKE1, above) or more complex. Complex strokes can refer to each other and also to anonymous blocks in the Block Table.

UPDATE: Details about the issues found in the first release and source code for the fix.

This new version of JTB FlexReport license report solution solves the following issues:

• Fixed an issue with the Get Feature Descriptions in JTB FlexReport Config where it just did not work to get the descriptions.
• Fixed a bug in the Access database table tblAppName that causes feature and description to be padded with up to 255 spaces causing among other things issues with some of the reports. Running JTB FlexReport as normal after upgrading to 7.4.2 on a problematic database will automatically fix the issue.

Note that it is only JTB FlexReport Core that is updated to 7.4.2. Uninstall existing JTB FlexReport Core and install the new one. Here are the downloads and upgrade tips.

If you use SQL Server there is no need to upgrade between 7.4.1 and 7.4.2.

Previous release: JTB FlexReport 7.4.1

Contact us to get a time limited license file for free. You can try it in your environment with your real data for a few weeks with full functionality.
Full support is provided during trial period.

Inventor Fusion import and editing functionality was removed from AutoCAD 2014 and in the meantime there has been a beta program of Autodesk Fusion 360.

A couple of days ago Autodesk Fusion 360 was released. It is free for the next 90 days, and upon expiration of the 90-day initial offer will be available for purchase from the Autodesk e-store for $25 per month, per user, based on annual contract commitment. Special pricing is available for students and entrepreneurs.

“Autodesk Fusion 360 brings together capabilities typically found in separate mechanical, industrial and conceptual design tools into one, easy to use cloud-based service. Fusion 360 offers a radically intuitive user experience, secure access to design information and integrated social collaboration features. Customers can design faster, work anywhere and share with anyone.”

Today it was announced that Autodesk Fusion 360 and AutoCAD 360 will be available on GrabCAD Workbench. “Autodesk and GrabCAD have teamed together to bring you the power of Autodesk Fusion 360 and AutoCAD 360 with the convenience of GrabCAD Community and Workbench.” AutoCAD 360 is already there and Autodesk Fusion 360 is coming soon.

Autodesk AutoCAD 2013 Practical 3D Drafting and Design by João Santos.

JTB World is together with Packt Publishing having a give away of this new book for 3 lucky winners that have the chance to win eBook copies of the book.

Who is this book for? Anyone who wants to create accurate 3D models in AutoCAD, like architecture, engineering, or design professionals, and students. Only basic understanding of 2D AutoCAD is needed.

If you’re next step is to learn about how to create 3D shapes and models, view and navigate a 3D model, understand 3D coordinate systems and even lighting and materials so you can create photorealistic images this book could be a good help.

My Review

I think João has done a good job to cover the subjects in an digestive manner. It is easy to follow along and there are good pictures throughout the book that helps to understand how each task is done. You will also find the exercises easy to follow so you can put theory into practice. Example files are available for download.

With the help of this book you will learn most everything that is worth knowing about 3D modeling, drafting and design in AutoCAD. It covers versions of AutoCAD up to AutoCAD 2013. Reality Capture and Point Cloud functionality is not covered though.

The 374 pages book is available both in print and in electronic formats like PDF and you can get it from Packt Publishing as well as from some other online stores. Visit this page for all details, table of contents, sample chapters and to purchase.

How to Enter this give away?
Head on over to the book page (http://www.packtpub.com/autodesk-autocad-2013-practical-3d-drafting-and-design/book) and look through the product description of the book and drop a line via the comments below this post to let us know what interests you the most about this book and why you would find it useful.

Deadline:
The contest will close on 7th July 2013 and 3 winners will be selected randomly. Winners will be contacted by email, so be sure to include your email address when you comment or in addition to the comment you can email me your email address in case you don’t want it to be seen in the comment!

Having VBA code like this can cause troubles.

Set objBlock = ThisDrawing.ModelSpace.InsertBlock(Point, "C:\demo.dwg", 1, 1, 1, 0)

With this error: Error description: “Filer error”   Error number: -2145386445

For some reason it is inconsequent because sometimes I found it working and sometimes it doesn’t. I first thought it had to do with the case of the file name did not match. I tried "C:\DEMO.DWG" and suddenly it worked but then again it didn’t. Not sure but it seems to work fine the first time AutoCAD is launched and after that it just don’t work longer.

I have only tested this in AutoCAD 2014 64-bit and Windows 8 so it might work differently with other setups but after I run into this I found that other have had similar problems in older AutoCAD versions too.

The workaround is to use a variable for the block name.

blockName="C:\demo.dwg"
Set objBlock = ThisDrawing.ModelSpace.InsertBlock(Point, blockName, 1, 1, 1, 0)

This hot fix addresses a vulnerability that could lead to an arbitrary code execution when loading specifically crafted DWG files. The vulnerability has a Common Vulnerabilities Exposure (CVE) ID CVE-2013-3665. For more information, please visit the CVE dictionary at http://cve.mitre.org. This Hotfix works with supported versions (see readme) of AutoCAD 2011-2014, AutoCAD LT 2011-2014, DWG TrueView 2011-2014, and associated verticals. Download it here. Files affected are acdb18.dll, acdb19.dll, AcSignCore16.dll and AdApplicationFrame.dll.

Note that when the script is run it will kill explorer.exe and restart it when ready.

But I got problem to run this.

Windows Script Host displayed this error:
---------------------------
Script:    C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Local\Temp\BufferOverrunHotfix\Hotfix.vbs
Line:    556
Char:    5
Error:    Permission denied
Code:    800A0046
Source:     Microsoft VBScript runtime error
---------------------------

Afterward Explorer had to be started manually.

I looked at the log file %temp%\BufferOverrunHotfix.log and found this as the last row:
Applying Hotfix file AcSignCore16.dll from: C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Local\Temp\BufferOverrunHotfix\files\19.1.75.0\x64\ to: C:\Program Files\Common Files\Autodesk Shared\

I then used Process Explorer and searched for AcSignCore16.dll and found that the process KeePass.exe used it so I killed it and after that I successfully could run the complete hotfix.

If you want to distribute this hotfix on many computers run it on a test computer and then grab the files found in %TEMP%\BufferOverrunHotfix. HotfixLauncher.vbs and Hotfix.vbs can be edited as needed.

Autodesk has released Revit 2014 Update Release 1:

Revit 2014 Update Release 1

Revit Architecture 2014 Update Release 1

Revit Structure 2014 Update Release 1

Revit MEP 2014 Update Release 1

Revit LT 2014 Update Release 1

This update may be applied through the Live Update system. The Autodesk Revit installer allows you to download and include the update with an install of the original version of Autodesk Revit 2014. Also, InfoCenter, within Autodesk Revit 2014, allows you to apply the update.
Note: If Autodesk Revit 2014 is not closed during the install of Update Release 1 it is required that you restart your PC to ensure that the update has been installed properly.

Scale List Cleanup Utility is now available for AutoCAD 2013 and AutoCAD 2014. Download it here.

If you run into this Fatal Error: "Unhandled Access Violation Reading 0x0000 Exception at bcbdad73h" there is a solution found here. I suggest first to update the drivers for the video card.

Here are details from Autodesk’s FAQ about software rentals. It’s a pity that network licenses are not available to rent. Many years ago on an engineering company I worked for we rented software like PDMS from AVEVA and could change it quite often based on current need and with the help of JTB FlexReport it was easy to make sure we had just enough licenses. This was great as we used consultants to handle the ever changing ups and downs.

But if the terms fits your needs it can be a great way to get access to AutoCAD, Revit and other Autodesk software.

What is an Autodesk software rental plan?

A software rental plan is a term license with associated benefits, which enables you to license Autodesk software on a short-term basis to meet a variety of business and budget considerations.

What is the difference between perpetual and rental plans?

Traditional perpetual software licenses grant license holders the right to use the version of Autodesk software that is purchased for as long as they want.  Rental plans grant license holders the right to use the software for a specified period of time.

Rental plans offer many of the same features and benefits as a perpetual license of Autodesk software and Autodesk Subscription.

What are the benefits of Autodesk rental plans?

• Pay when you need it: Pay for access to software only when you actually need it, giving you the flexibility to control costs.
• Stay up to date: Get access to the latest software releases and product enhancements at any time.
• Scalable licensing: Add and remove licenses to easily manage a variety of temporary staffing needs like the addition of consultants, interns, and part-time employees.

What are the technical support benefits of rental plans?

Rental plans include access to technical support.

Is Autodesk Subscription available for rental plans?

No. Autodesk Subscription is not applicable for rental plans but rental plans do provide similar benefits, including technical support, software updates (if available), and access to cloud services for certain rental plans.

Will rental plans be made available for Education versions of Autodesk software?

No. For more information on purchasing Autodesk Education software see http://usa.autodesk.com/education/.

When does a rental plan begin?

The rental plan begins once you receive your order confirmation email. For example, if you place an order on August 31, 2013 and receive your order confirmation on the same day, the rental term begins on August 31, 2013.

Does the software license which comes with my rental plan sit in the cloud or on my desktop?

Software licenses which are part of rental plans are installed on your desktop; however, many of the rental plans include access to cloud services which are not installed on your desktop.

Does the software that comes with my rental plan have to connect to the Internet to work?

The desktop software will work when offline for up to 14 days, at which point you must connect to the internet for the software to continue working. An Internet connection is required in order to access cloud services that are part of the rental plan.

Where do files created with the software license that comes with my rental plan reside?

Files and projects saved with the desktop software licenses which are part of my rental plan are saved locally on the desktop. Although an actively licensed rental plan or perpetual software product is required to open and edit files, you retain your data on your desktop.

Are files created using the software license which comes with my rental plan different from those created in a perpetual license of that software?

No. There is no difference in files created. They are 100% compatible with each other.

What happens to data stored in the cloud after a rental plan is not renewed or terminated?

Cloud services entitlement continues until the end of the billing cycle, at which point all documents stored in Autodesk 360 Storage remain available for a further 30 days (25Gb). If your rental plan has expired, you can continue to access and view existing design and documentation files during this period, but you will not be able to edit or add information to the files. After 30 days, your Autodesk 360 account will revert to the free offering and storage limitations will be reduced from 25Gb to 5Gb.

How do I renew my rental plan?

The renewal process for a quarterly rental plan purchased from a partner and directly from Autodesk is the same as the Subscription renewal process. You will receive renewal notifications at 45, 30, and 4 days prior to expiration and 10 days post expiration.  The renewal process for monthly plans executed through the eStore is automatic unless and until you cancel your automatic contract for your monthly rental plan. Your credit card will be charged each month per the rental agreement and a confirmation sent to you.

What is the Return policy for rental plans?

Quarterly rental plans purchased directly from Autodesk can be returned within 30 days post purchase. Customers should contact their reseller for details of the reseller’s returns policy in relation to returns of quarterly rental plans purchased form that reseller. Customers can view the returns policy relating to purchases of monthly rental plans on the Autodesk Store.

Can I convert an existing perpetual desktop license to a rental plan?

No, you cannot convert a perpetual license to a rental plan.

Can I convert a rental plan into a perpetual license?

No. You cannot convert a rental plan into a perpetual license. You will need to cancel your rental plan and place a new order for a perpetual license.

Can rental plan customers purchase cloud credits?

Yes. Rental plan customers can purchase cloud credits through their partner, eStore, or directly from Autodesk. See our cloud credits FAQ for more details about the procurement and use of cloud credits.

Can I purchase a combination of rental plans and perpetual licenses?

Yes. You may purchase a combination of perpetual licenses and rental plans on separate contracts, through separate orders.

Will network licenses be available under rental plans?

No. Rental plan licenses are named user licenses; each license can only be used by one named end user, who accesses the rental software and associated benefits of the rental plan with his or her individual Autodesk ID.

Will rental plans include previous version usage rights?

No. Access to previous versions is not available at this time.