We can do better, folks - Salary Survey closes August 19th

http://www.augi.com/surveys/take-the-current-survey/salary-survey-2011/

http://www.augi.com/surveys/salary-survey-results/salary-survey-questions-and-faqs/

As it stands right now, here are the Salary Survey response numbers for the past 10 years.

I realize some participation has probably dropped off due to layoffs, but, with so many AUGI members out there (and people who haven't yet joined), we can surely drum up some more responses before the survey closes tomorrow night.
This has always been a community effort folks, and the 10's of thousands of people who will download these survey results should be participating. As always, results are collected without being connected to usernames, and I am the only person who ever touches the raw data, data will be published in broad groups only.

Here is a snapshot of replies so far, is your industry underrepresented?

Mine is... when I realized how badly, I hit the Facilities Management discussion forums and shot off a few emails, encouraging my peers to take part.

The 10th Annual AUGI Salary Survey closes tomorrow. Please take the survey by tomorrow night (August 19th, 2011) and encourage your peers to do the same.

Thank you for contributing to the community! The results will be printed in AUGIworld Magazine next month.

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10th Annual AUGI Salary Survey

It's already that time again (and I, for one, cannot believe it). The AUGI Annual Salary Survey... and not just any annual... but, our 10th run!

Drafters, Designers, Architects, Engineers, Trainers, Surveyors, etc from all industries can volunteer a little bit of information to give the AUGI community meaningful data for an idea of salaries (pay/wages/rates), benefits, job satisfaction and more.

As reported at the top of the survey form, the results of this survey will be published in the September issue of AUGIWorld Magazine.
If you'd like to know more, please read the AUGI Salary Survey Frequently Asked Questions page.


Click here to take the 2011 survey (sorry, you do need to be logged in, so that we can make sure folks aren't skewing the results by answering multiple times).

Here is a snapshot from the 2010 AUGI Annual Salary Survey , which shows the type of users who participated. Don't think your industry is very well-represented? Please share the link with some colleagues and ask them to take part.

A couple of fast stats from the 2010 survey:

• The number of BIM Managers doubled from 2009 to 2010
• Sadly enough, the number of members receiving a reduction in pay quintupled
• The highest paying industry was Petroleum/Gas/Biofuels
• 74% of respondents felt their job was Secure
• Women make up 16.5% of respondents

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Test version of E-Transmit for Revit

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

Go get it!

This 'technology preview' works with the Revit 2012 platform (Architecture, Structure and, most importantly, MEP).

From the Overview Page:

With eTransmit for Revit, you can:

• Copy and detach a Revit model and associated files to a single folder for internet transmission. This removes the typical error messages when you copy central files using the operating system.
  
• Locate dependent files automatically and include them in the transmittal folder, helping to reduce the possibility of error. All dependent files are automatically converted to use relative paths so the dependent files can be located by the model.
  
• Choose to include related dependent files such as linked Revit models, CAD files, DWF™ markups, decal images, and external keynote files. You can transmit any Revit (.rvt) model that has been upgraded to be compatible with a 2012 Revit software product.
  
• Transmit models that are using file-based worksharing or server-based worksharing. eTransmit for Revit will also work with non-workshared Revit models.
  

Common uses for eTransmit

• Internal archiving
• Sending deliverables to clients
• Model exchange between consultants/partners
• Model cleanup
• Sharing models between disciplines

Availability

The technology preview will operate until December 31, 2011.

Don't forget to give feedback to the developers.

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AutoCAD 2012 - Command Completion

Hi, my name is Melanie... and I'm a Command Line junkie.

In my defense, I started using AutoCAD for classes in high school, release 10, so typing commands in was the fast way to draft then.

The problem, of course, is that the human brain can sometimes stall a bit.

From release 2006 through 2011, your answer to a little brain stall would be to type the first character(s) of a command name and then hit the TAB key to cycle through them all, until you saw the one you wanted.

AutoCAD 2012 makes this command search a little bit easier by introducing AUTOCOMPLETE. Typing in the Command Line window or the Dynamic Input prompt has gotten quick and easy with this little beauty.
Granted, I probably do not need this feature too often because I've forgotten a command name, but, it will save me a few seconds of typing per day.

By comparison, what work I've done in Visual Studio has benefited greatly from the autocomplete feature, because I'm not very familiar with the ins-and-outs yet (free version here).

Of course, with AutoCAD, what's a new feature without some settings, eh? Depending on your level of use and personal preferences, you might want to tweak some of these.

To access the options, you can Right + Click in the command line window or type AUTOCOMPLETE.

The options, as explained in AutoCAD Help files:

• Append - Controls whether commands and system variables are automatically completed as you type.
   
• List - Controls whether a list of valid commands and system variables is displayed as you type.
   
• Icon - Controls whether the corresponding icon for a command is displayed in the list. The same icon is used for all system variables.
   
• System variables - Controls whether system variables are also included with the Append and List features.
   
• Delay - Sets a time delay in seconds before the Append and List features take effect.
   
• On - Enables the operation of the AUTOCOMPLETE features that are currently turned on.
   
• Off - Suppresses the operation of AUTOCOMPLETE features without changing their settings.

You can see Heidi Hewett demo this feature in this short YouTube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8hgnurpPBM 

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AutoCAD 2012 - What's missing?

AutoCAD 2012 was released this spring. Most of the talk is, understandably about the features that are new to the program. But, sometimes, we have to talk about the things that are now missing.

If you visit the Online Help for AutoCAD 2012, try doing a search for "deprecated". This should take you to the Command and System Variable History, which contains new and updated system commands and variables. However, if you scroll to the bottom of this page you'll see a list of "Deprecated Commands and System Variables."

Commands

• BLIPMODE (a temporary marker that shows where you've clicked)
• DSVIEWER (an aerial view window that shows where your view is zoomed in)

System Variables

• BLIPMODE
• MATERIALSPATH ("Specifies the path of the materials libraries.")
• MATSTATE ("Indicates whether the Materials Editor is open or closed.")
• SCREENBOXES (indicates the number of boxes in the screen menu, if it is open)
• SCREENMENU (legacy menu display interface)
• TRACEWID ("Sets the default trace width.")

Let's be honest, most people do not even use these anymore. I do have a running jab every year where I assure people that the SCREENMENU is still in AutoCAD (because no one uses it and it's demise has been rumored for many years).

However, this release... it really is gone.
Or, is it?
Over on the CADnauseam blog, Steve Johnson (and Jimmy Bergmark) points out that not all of these commands are *really* gone yet. Some of them are just turned off by default, and will likely be removed in future versions.
To turn back on (screen menu, ds viewer, blipmode or trace) use the REDEFINE command. After you have redefined the command, call up the applicable system variable and set it to "1" (default is 0).
If you are interested, read the comments section in the link above, they address customization and other changes.

(click image to enlarge)

This screenshot shows AutoCAD 2012 with the ScreenMenu on the right and the Aerial Viewer depicting my view of the drawing file (which happens to be my husband, Mike's sketch of the new native plantings he is currently installing in our back yard).


You might also want to check out Steve Johnson's post on 'putting things back to normal', so that your new release looks and acts a bit more like the older versions.

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AutoCAD Bible Winner - Tips and Tricks

The winner of the AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT 2011 Bible is: Nancy Eaton!

A photo of the impartial party drawing the winner from the names of the tipsters:

Thank you to all who participated! I hope everyone enjoys your tips.

Tipster: Nancy Eaton

Product: AutoCAD

For polylines I change the command string in the tool properties to make the appropriate layer current (command CLAYER) so I don’t have to pick the tool again to draw another polyline. Notice that “Use flyout” has to be set to “No” otherwise you can’t change the command string:

^C^C_CLayer;layername;_pline

If the layer isn’t in the drawing or you end up using a lot of drawings that have old standards you can make the layer and set the layer color in the tool properties command string:

^C^C_layer;make;layername;color;color;layername;;_pline

Tipster: Shaoib Azeem

Product: AutoCAD

Today I would like to submit a Tip which is my favorite and I use it mostly. This tip is about Embedded Images.

It means all the inserted images can be parts of a drawing without using external reference.

1 - Open your drawing in which you want to insert the image.

2 - Go to the Main menu then click on "insert tab" it will give you drop down menu then  go to OLE Object,click it.

3 - Here is a box which shows you many options. Select "bitmap image" under Create New radio tab button.

4 - After selecting that "paint" will open.

5 - Click "edit" then click "paste from" and select your desire file.

6 - Save your file as "24 bit bitmap" format.

This image will be a permanent part of your drawing without using external reference.

(click to enlarge image)

Tipster: John Loudermilk

Product: AutoCAD

Use the "@" symbol to get the last point (i.e. while using the line command).

Tipster: Dan Crimmins

Product: AutoCAD / Map 3D

When one of your standard drawing templates will not quite do for the drawing you are starting, try creating your new custom Layer Names as follows:  

Open Layer Manager.  

Rt-Click on any existing layer name and select, “New Layer”. I find that this approach is faster and easier than using the “Create Layer” icon at the top of the pane.  

Next, type in the name of the new layer and hit “enter” twice.  

The double “enter” will  1. save your new layer name, then 2. shift down a line for entering the next new layer name.

Tipster: Jason

Product: Unspecified

I've used a nostromo speedpad for years. It allows me to have multiple key configurations. 

One is set to standard asdfg etc. another is set to snap points, and the third is for running uncommon commands. 

For instance, stretch polygon is one button. Its a bit of an investment, but pays for itself rather quickly in the time saved when drafting.

Tipster: Mark

Product: Unspecified

Use SNAPSTYL and the F5 key with ORTHO on to draw nice 2D isometrics.

Tipster: Greg Silva
Product: AutoCAD

Have you ever wished your block had multiple insertion points?

You can create the block or edit the block with the bedit command.

Use the point parameter from the Block Authoring Palette and insert one at each location you would like an extra insertion point.

Close the bedit workspace and now when you insert that block you can use the Ctrl key to switch between insertion points.

Tipster: Greg Silva

Product: AutoCAD

Have you ever needed a list of all the layers in a drawing? Maybe just to create your standards.

Well there is a very easy way to get an excel spreadsheet of your layers and their properties.

Bring up the layer dialog box anyway you want (for me it's still typing "layer" at the command prompt. Sorry, I am old school).

Make sure you select something in the layer dialog box to make it active and use the ctrl "A" to select everything. All the layer names and properties should now be blue.

Now use the Ctrl "C" to copy everything to the clipboard.

Start Excel, select the first cell and use Ctrl "V" to paste the contents of the clipboard into the spreadsheet.

You now have a complete spreadsheet with all the layer names and properties of each layer.

Tipster: Randal Fernandez ("Randal of the Hill People")

Product: AutoCAD (and verticals)

When using a vertical product such as Map, Civil 3d, Architectural, Utility Design (and probably the others as well), the default install typically doesn’t have the menus you want. The plain vanilla toolbars and menus are likely missing. Sometimes there is a workspace pre-configured to “Classic” or similar, but I like to customize. I want my menus, my way. Here’s a short description of my process:

1: Using the Customize User Interface (CUI), on the Transfer tab, create a new custom CUI file on the right side. On the left side, use the open button to locate acad.cui (the location varies by product and OS).

2: Copy your favorite menus, toolbars, and (maybe) ribbons to your new CUI file. *IMPORTANT: I rename the menus (A-File, A-Modify, etc) so I know which menus come from my cui file, and to prevent duplicates and general weirdness. Save the new CUI file.

2a: You can open other CUI files to copy menus into your new CUI file. With Civil 3d, I have some Design and Survey menus available at all times with a D- and S- prefix.

3: On the Customize tab, on the left side choose the “All customization files”. At the bottom of the list, right-click “Partial CUI Files” and choose “Load Partial Customization File…”. Select your newly-minted CUI file, and it will load at startup.

4: Finally: create a new Workspace and choose the menus, toolbars, and ribbons you want active; obviously you want everything from your new CUI file, and maybe a few other things. Save that workspace, set it current, apply, and close.

5: Spend the next 15 minutes rearranging the toolbars where you want them, then save your workspace again, overwriting the current settings. I also might go back into the CUI window and streamline the menu commands a little, deleting unnecessary or duplicate menu items. Again, SAVE YOUR WORKSPACE every time you make changes, or Save As if you want to test out changes temporarily.

You still have the factory-set workspaces in case your manager says “why doesn’t your screen look like everyone else’s?”, but then you can turn it back so you can get your work done faster.  :-)

Tipster: Angela

Product: Any

I was taught, during my time at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, to save my AutoCAD projects as a PDF. 

Do this by pressing the print button (or CTRL + P), and where it asks for which printer you want to use, you would scroll down to 'PDF' and select, then print.

If PDF is not one of your printer options, download a program like PDFCreator for free.

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OT: Lord of the Rings Pickup Lines

Undeniably, the most popular post on my blog is the one entitled Geek Pickup Lines. Strangely enough, one of the top searches that brings people to my little corner of the interwebs is "Lord of the Rings Pick up Lines". Due to my mention of the books in my profile. =>

Yes, that is sort of sad, given that this blog is dedicated to the serious and the professional... ~pause~ Okay, maybe not entirely. One reason I take so much pleasure in my work is that my colleagues enjoy a good laugh (see also: "You Might be a CAD Diva if...").

So, I think to myself... "Self, give the people what they want!" And, the people obviously want some Lord of the Rings Pickup Lines! So, I hit Google and found that, while there might be much innuendo, there were few one-liners of the type for which I was searching.
At the bottom of this post, I pasted in some of what I found, but, first, I'm going to try my hand at crafting a few original Lord of the Rings pickup lines:

• You don't need One Ring to find me.
• Baby, you're hotter than the cracks of Mount Doom.
• Your rejection would destroy me like an Ent destroys Isengard.
• So, hey, how about that Weather... top?
• My love for you is deeper than the lodes of Mithril in Khazad-dum.
• Speak, friend, and enter... your number in my phone.
• I'll be your Isildur and you can be my bane.
• I couldn't help but notice all of these losers circling you like Nazgul... why don't we get out of here and go back to my Mathom-house?
• No, we haven't met, unless you count in the Mirror of Galadriel.
• Your beauty has pierced my heart like a Morgul Blade.
• I'm not usually this forward, but, you've broken down my barriers like Grond.
• ~offering the Red Arrow~
• Was that a Middle-Earthquake? or did you just rock my world?
• I've heard about a great new club... want to go There and Back Again?
• You've got beautiful eyes, they sparkle like the Mirrormere.
• I'd climb the Endless Stair to be with you.

Well... what do you think? If you can do better (and I am sure you can), please leave a comment below.

http://forum.barrowdowns.com/archive/index.php?t-12304.html

• "If you are not Luthien, then you walk in her likeness."
• Sauron: "I've only got Eye for you"
• "Pardon me, but are you elvish? You've been running through my mind without pause!"
• "If loving you is El-Rond, I don't wanna be El-Right!"
• Thorondor: Going my way?

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=13200722300

• If you were an orc, I'd be sting. When you're near me, I glow!

http://people.rit.edu/kjm7425/iweb/midterm/bookLOTR.html

• If you like it then you shoulda put a ring on it, precious.
• Are we in Lord of The Rings? Cause I swear you're my precious... 

http://www.dorkly.com/article/15910/6-lord-of-the-rings-pickup-lines

• You shall not pass... without giving me your number.

http://ca.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090601184318AA4iGsL

• Certainty of death, *small* chance of success... What are we waiting for?
• "Why couldn't Tom Bombadil hear the telephone?"
• "Because the ring had no effect on him."
• "Give me a ring later."
• "What's a nice elf like you doing in a place like this?"
• "Didn't we meet at the orc siege the other night?"

http://www.minastirith.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=16;t=000054;p=

(/\ please note, this thread contains a lot of innuendo, only click if you don't mind that sort of thing)

• Sauron: "I've had my eye on you for a long time, baby."
• Gollum: "Want to see my precious?"
• Denethor to guard: Come on baby, light my fire.

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