AutoCAD Architecture 2009

AutoCAD Architecture 2009 has some cool new features. I believe users will be excited to see the new enhancements. Here are a few of my favorites.

Wall Endcaps

Now AutoCAD Architecture 2009 makes it easier to create custom wall endcaps. While previous releases had this ability, enhancements to key “grip-edit” functionality makes the process more intuitive and streamlined.

Additionally, it’s easier than ever to modify endcaps using the “Auto-Calculate” feature and the integration of AEC Modify Tools.

Because of this, it’s now possible to extend, trim, and even merge wall components with AutoCAD linework, allowing you to create the endcap condition that you want… in fewer steps!

Match Properties Update

If you’re an AutoCAD user, you are probably aware of the Match Properties feature, commonly referred to as the “Paintbrush tool.”

Now, in AutoCAD Architecture, the “Paintbrush Tool” has been extended beyond AutoCAD entities to also work with AEC objects, such as walls, doors, and windows. The object matching paintbrush will allow users to match the style and graphic properties of one object to like objects in a drawing.

With this update, you’ll be able to quickly make design revisions to linework and objects, so that you don’t have to learn a separate set of revision commands!

Multiline Tags

Another feature around construction documentation is the ability to annotate with multi-line tags.

Now you can have more control over the way text appears in your construction documents by specifying text wrapping, rotation, and alignment in its tags with intuitive grips. With these tools, you’ll find it easier to communicate your design intent clearly.

These are just a few of the improvements. I believe the users will be happy with this release.

Welcome to Revit Architecture 2009

It's that time again! Time get excited about what the new features are in the up coming release of Autodesk products. My favorite time of the year!

Revit Architecture 2009 will be here soon. Inside of it will be new features and enhancements that will make your work easier. Here is a sneak peek at a couple of my favorite enhancements.

Dimension Enhancements

Revit Architecture 2009 makes documenting your designs even easier. With new dimension capabilities, users can dimension to intersections and arc centers. New dimension text formatting enables users to apply common text effects, such as bold, italics, and underline, to their dimension text.

A second new addition to dimensions is the ability to override dimensions with text. While this feature enables users to override dimensions with text such as “Varies, See Stair Plans” or “11” MIN” and thereby achieve new flexibility in their documents, the feature helps to maintain model integrity by disallowing user overrides that misrepresent actual dimensions. For example, users cannot make a 14’ 4” dimension read 14’ 6”.

Revision Enhancements

The new revision enhancements allow architects and designers achieve the various revision styles that they demand. New flexibility enables revision tables to build from the bottom up or top down. Also, numbering sequences can include and be sorted by numbers or letters. A new field called “Issued By” helps revision tracking.

New flexibility for revision layouts includes an ability to rotate the schedule on a sheet and to set revision schedules to fixed or variable size.

The added control and flexibility over revisions makes the differing standards in various regions around the world easy to meet.

Pretty cool! More to come soon.