ASCENT Blog

Copy.. Copy Design.. Design Copy.. Design Assistant! So many choices!

By Jennifer MacMillan

I recently had the need to create a copy of a large assembly. I wanted to create the copy so that a number of components were renamed while others were not, and all of the components were to reference the new copied instance of the top-level assembly.  Initially, my first thought was to use the Autodesk Vault software (my data management system), and then I started to think about the other tools that I could use. I actually didn’t want to have the new design in my vault and was likely to scrap the entire assembly once I tested a few design senarios.

I thought that this summary might be nice to share. 

Copy Design (Vault)

This option is great if you have the Autodesk Vault software installed and work with this data management system to manage your files. The Copy Design option copies the entire assembly structure, preserving all of the relationships. Conveniently, it can also include all related drawings or presentation files. Using this option you can choose which components to copy, reuse, exclude, or replace. You can also define a naming scheme (prefix/suffix) for the files you copy to the new design.

iLogic Design Copy

Initially, I didn’t think that this option would work for me. Honestly I think that this was simply because it had “iLogic” in the command name and the option was located on a panel named iLogic on the Tools tab. But this is not the case! In fact, my files didn’t have to have a single iLogic rule in them and I didn't even have to know how to spell "iLogic". My guess is that a lot of people assume the same thing and haven’t even tried it.  A benefit of the iLogic Design Copy option over Vault’s Copy Design option is that it takes into account any rules that exist in the models that are being copied and enables you to determine whether those rules are copied or not. This is a great way to create a fully configured version of a design where all rules are removed. If no rule exists, the models are simply copied.

To use the iLogic Design Copy option, all files, including the models being copied, must be closed. Once executed, you select a project file to reference and select Assemblies, Parts, Drawings, and Non-Inventor Files in the project to be copied. If a parent file is selected, any referenced child file is automatically selected. Additionally, you can select the destination folder for the models, create a new or use the existing project file, and apply a prefix or suffix to rename the files. The entire set of copied files can be duplicated in a new folder without any references to the source files.

Copy (Assembly environment)

In the Assemble tab > Pattern panel, the Copy option enables you to create a copy of the active assembly and its components. Once active you must select the top-level assembly in the Model browser and then selectively change the status buttons adjacent to all of the component names.
The status options include copying, reusing, or excluding the files. Additionally, you have the option to reuse standard content and factory parts, or not. The key to using this option for duplicating an entire assembly design is to ensure that the Open in New Window option is selected in the Component Destination area. If not, the components are simply copied within the existing assembly design. You can assign the file location directory for the assembly and its components, as well as assign the naming scheme or even enter completely unique file names. All of the copied files are opened in a new window and must be explicitly saved to create the files in the specified directory.

Design Assistant

The Design Assistant is a tool that is available both within and outside the Autodesk Inventor software. To copy files you must access the tool outside of the software. To access it, expand the Start Menu > All Programs > Autodesk > Autodesk Inventor 2014 and click Design Assistant 2014. Once running, open the assembly that is to be copied and select the Manage option. In the Action column for each component, right-click and assign an action of either Rename, Copy, or Replace. The action can be applied to multiple components at once by selecting them all. Additonally, you can change the File Location and Subfolders column to change the path or modify the Name column for the copied files. Unlike the other copy options discussed, you have to manually rename the components instead of assigning a prefix or suffix. Click Save to initiate the copy operation.

I decided on the iLogic Design Copy option but the Design Assistant would have worked for me as well. Hope that this summary helped.

Jennifer

What’s New in the Autodesk® Inventor® 2014 Training Guides - Part 1?

By Jennifer MacMillan

Happy 2014! Yesterday was release day for the latest version of the Autodesk® Inventor® software. ASCENT has been busy over the last couple months updating our curriculum getting ready for launch day. We are pleased that this year we have updated three of our Autodesk Official
Training Guides (Autodesk Inventor 2014 Introduction to Solid Modeling, Autodesk Inventor 2014 iLogic, and Autodesk Inventor 2014 Sheet Metal Design) and they are now available.

Instead of getting into what functionality is new in the software, I wanted to explain what has been changed in these three training guides. The aim is to help those instructors that use our content get ready for their 2014 classes. The following is a summary of the major changes.

Autodesk Inventor 2014 Introduction to Solid Modeling

• The and   icons are used in the training guides to help identify functionality changes.
• All images that show the Application menu have been updated to reflect Inventor’s new Application Menu branding.
• The sketching content in Chapters 2 and 3 now explains the new sketching tool for slots.
• In Chapter 5, the discussion about Using Existing Geometry was moved until after extruded secondary features. This new location makes more sense in terms of students understanding how to create a secondary feature first and then learning how to reuse geometry as part of those features. Additionally, improved models and images have been included to help explain the Minimum Solution and Taper options that can be used when creating an Extrude.
• In Chapter 6 an explanation has been provided about how you can now create fillets on some edges even if other fillets within the set fail.  This is a nice enhancement!
• In Chapter 7 the new work point creation option for Center of Sphere has been included.
• In Chapter 10 the workflow for creating a section view in parts and assemblies has been updated to reflect the changes in the software.
• The majority of the changes in the training guide occurred in the assembly environment. In Chapter 16, the new workflow for assembling the first component is explained along with the new Symmetry constraint. With the addition of Joint connections to the software, a new chapter (17) was added to cover all of new connection types that can be used to constrain components. Included in this chapter is a new practice to support learning this functionality. The model is of a propeller with engine and in my opinion, looks great and should be fun to work with. This is definitely a larger chapter that will take some time to teach. You might want to evaluate whether you have time for the practices that are marked Optional.

• In Chapter 18, the Free Move enhancements for assemblies have been incorporated into the training guide.
• It is now possible to create and maintain a Raster View in the drawing environment until you explicitly set it as Precise. This reduces view regeneration time when working with large assembly models. This is covered in Chapter 25.
• In Chapter 26, the new functionality to split drawing tables into multiple individual tables is discussed.
• In addition to all of these, small wording changes were made throughout.

 Autodesk Inventor 2014 iLogic

• Other than small wording changes, the only change that occurred in this book was that the Constraints Snippet category is now called Relationships. Additionally, two new functions have been included in this category to create iLogic rules that deal with the new joint connections. All screen captures and references to this newly named category and details on the new functions have been updated in this training guide.

Autodesk Inventor 2014 Sheet Metal Design

• The sheet metal design functionality did not change with the release of the Autodesk Inventor 2014 software. Therefore, no major changes were made to this training guide. 

As always, ASCENT welcomes any comments you might have regarding these or any of our training guides. Please let me know if you have any questions or comments (education@ASCENTed.com).

We still have a few more Autodesk Official Training Guides to release for the Autodesk Inventor 2014 software, as well as guides for other 2014 software products. If you aren’t aware, ASCENT publishes a roadmap with their estimated release dates. Please visit www.ascented.com (under Featured Items) for the latest roadmap.

Jennifer

A logical addition to the ASCENT Inventor lineup!

By Jennifer MacMillan

Drum Roll Please…. ASCENT’s newest title, Autodesk Inventor 2013 iLogic, is now available! I hope that this helps you to learn and teach your iLogic classes. I wanted to share the following few comments about the class:  

• From the opening chapter, the use of iLogic is presented as a progression through a workflow, and to do so I have included flowcharts. In chapters that cover concepts in the workflow, the flowchart is at the beginning of the chapter. This is to help learners see what they are going to be learning.

• The first chapter is an overview with the goal of giving students an understanding of the power of iLogic. When teaching, I always like to get students into the software as soon as possible. The challenge with iLogic is that students really need to know a lot before they can create a rule to drive change in the model. To allow for this, a part and assembly model that already has Rules and Forms has been provided. Using a Form, students drive change in the model. The aim is to have students say “Wow! That’s cool. How do I do that? ”. This exercise can also be shown as a demo, or you can do both.

• The Getting Started with iLogic chapter covers the interface, an introduction to functions, and the entire rule creation workflow. The exercise for this chapter enables students to review rules, run them, and  start creating new rules. The challenge with this exercise was that specific functions have not yet been covered in enough detail. Therefore, I used a simple iProperty function to change the material in the model. More information on iProperty functions is covered in Chapter 4.     
• Chapters 4, 5, and 6 are focused on part, assembly, and drawing functions. Exercises are provided in these chapters to practice using these functions. Chapter 8 also covers miscellaneous functions that did not fit with the flow of the earlier chapters.

• An entire chapter and exercise is dedicated to triggers and forms to teach students how to efficiently execute the rules and make parameter changes in the model.

• The final chapter in the training guide is a Project exercise. It contains three projects to provide extra practice with incorporating iLogic into part, assembly, and drawing documents. Each project provides background on what is required as well as limited instruction. Students are required to use the knowledge that they have obtained in the class to meet all of the specified design intent. Completed models are included with the Class Files. You will definetly want to become familiar with this before heading into a class because there is little to no hand-holding in the instructions.

• The iLogic Design Copy tool is covered in an appendix. There is no exercise, but you can use any of the completed class files to demonstrate this functionality.

• This course is meant to be an introductory iLogic training guide. External rules and VB.net training are not covered.  

As always, ASCENT welcomes any comments you might have regarding this or any of our training guides. Please let me know if you have any questions or comments (education@ASCENTed.com).

I hope that you like the course and have fun learning iLogic. It really is a logical choice for design automation. (Yes.. I had to say it!)

Jennifer

Citius - Altius - Fortius

By Elvis R. Sverko

With the start of the Games of the XXX Olympiad today, let’s take a look at a way to make your CAD usage Faster - Higher - Stronger.

With many designers using various 3D solid modeling software packages to create their designs, it would be nice to be able to bring any of them into one package to create 2D drawings. With the latest release of AutoCAD, you can directly import various 3D types of files, such as Autodesk Inventor, SolidWorks, CATIA, Pro/Engineer, NX, Parasolid, Rhino, IGES, and STEP. Simply use the Import button on the Insert tab of the Ribbon. You can then freely modify the data using standard editing tools. It’s a great way to bring models of all different types to play together.

 

To create your 2D drawings Faster, if your design team uses Inventor to design in 3D, you can create the 2D drawings automatically in AutoCAD using the Base View From Inventor command found on the Layout tab of the Ribbon. With this command, you place a base view of any orientation of the 3D model.

Taking this command Higher, you also can select a specific Representation of the Inventor model, and then create projected views (right, top, isometric, etc.) of the same model. All instantly. All automatically. You can even create other drawing views from these initial views, including section views and detail views.

Even Stronger, these drawing views in AutoCAD can be automatically updated if the original Inventor model is modified. Simply use the Update commands on the Layout tab of the Ribbon, and all drawing views (base, projected, section, detail) update to show the modifications, and any annotation updates along with it. Now that’s a win-win for everyone.

Educators and instructors should also be aware of these capabilities with AutoCAD, because your students might come from various places using various 3D design software packages, and these AutoCAD tools, like the Olympics, brings all people together.

With some competitions, everyone is a winner, including all the spectators who are in attendance at some events. Because of AutoCAD, spectators are able to truly enjoy the events at the National Stadium Brasilia, which was designed by Castro Mello Architects using AutoCAD. (I know it’s not the Olympics, but the World Cup is just as much a friendly competition among all countries around the world).

 

So remember to use AutoCAD to make your designs Faster – Higher – Stronger.

“The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well.” - Pierre de Coubertin (founder of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 1894)

 

Why Should Instructors Be Interested in What is New in the Latest Autodesk Software?

By Elvis R. Sverko

With the recent release of the 2013 Autodesk software, there are many great reasons to upgrade to it. But I’m not going to describe the new features in them now. We’ll have other posts for some of that. I’d like to focus on why instructors of the software should be interested in it.

First of all, it’s in the agreement. (Well, something to the effect of not using outdated software, but I’m not getting into the details of it here, if you agreed to it, you should be aware of it.)

Secondly, with the latest software, comes the latest file format. You don’t want to be stuck not being able to read a client’s files because they use the latest version, and your old antiquated version can’t read it. Asking them to save back doesn’t put much confidence in your abilities.

Not to mention, what would a client who is on the latest version of the software, think about learning the old version? They would wonder what they might be missing. Again, doesn’t look very good for you.

But not only the latest version and file format, you can’t forget the latest interoperability with other 3^rd party files. Oh yeah! Many upgrades here. From point clouds, to STL, to updated translators. The list is huge. Your version of the software had better be able to talk to everyone else out there.

With more and more of the software adding and improving the marking menu and mini-toolbar, getting used to and familiar with the user interface is definitely an advantage for you. As an instructor, you need to be comfortable with this aspect, so upgrade soon, so you have more time to get used to it. Your students need to see you as an expert with it.

And who hasn’t heard of Autodesk 360? The latest version of the software is directly connected to these excellent online services. With online document storage, you can teach your class from anywhere. And Autodesk Exchange Apps is also a great resource for apps for the software.

Again, I’m not going to get into any detail on specific software feature upgrades or new commands, but rest assured, there are plenty of them in the latest version of Autodesk’s softwares, that you’ll be well pleased.

Oh sure, the latest version of software might have some bugs. But don’t let that fear stop you. Autodesk goes through much beta testing with many of its users (including me), that those freak occurrences are mostly eliminated. And the new version most likely even fixed some bugs from the older version. But when was the last time a software bug halted the world anyway? Y2k? Yeah, my clock didn’t even flinch.

Students want to learn what is new, and how to use it. Odds are you’re instructing people who already know and use the software, but they want training on the new features. You’d better be ready.

Finally, why would you not want to be teaching the latest and the greatest software?

It’s OK to make mistakes, but don’t make the mistake of not trying something new. Upgrade to the newest version of the software, and get to know what it has to offer.

“Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new” - Albert Einstein

 

By Elvis R. Sverko

 

Inventor Patterns - Why use the expanded pattern options?

By Jennifer MacMillan

I recently was working on incorporating a little more complexity into the Autodesk Inventor 2013 Introduction to Solid Modeling training guide for Rectangular and Circular patterns and thought I would share what I came up with.

The standard options for Rectangular and Circular patterns generally provide you with the required patterned results; however, the following situation is one that I came across lately that required using the expanded additional options hidden at the bottom of the pattern dialog box. Previously we only covered this lightly in our advanced level class and I decided to move it into the introductory level training guide and I incorporated the use of this model as an exercise in the training guide.

 

 

1. Create a sketch that will be used as the curve that the pattern will follow.
   
   
   
2. Create a sketch to represent the circular extrude.
   
3. Create an Extrude feature using the circular sketch to remove material from the model.
4. Create a Work Point on the point that was created in Step 2.
5. In the Pattern panel, click .
6. Click and . Select the circular extrude.
7. Click and select the curve created in Step 1. Ensure the entire curve is selected, not just a single entity.
8. Enter 20 next to for Direction 1.
9. For Direction 1, expand the Spacing drop-down list and select Curve Length. The preview reveals an incorrect pattern.
10. Click to expand dialog box options.
11. Click  in the Direction 1 area.
12. Select the Work Point created in Step 4 as the reference for the Start Direction. This sets the start point for the first patterned occurrence.
13. In the Orientation area, select Direction1 to ensure that the orientation of the patterned holes follows the tangent vector of the curve that was selected as the Direction1 reference.
14. Complete the pattern.
    

As you can see by using the additional options I was able to create the pattern that I needed. Without setting these options the extrude feature would not have followed the tangent vector of the curve at the work point. These options are great to use when the surface that is being patterned on is not planar. Have Fun experimenting with these options! Hope that you like the addition to the Autodesk Inventor 2013 Introduction to Solid Modeling training guide. Be sure and come back and read my next Blog that will provide a high-level summary on the other new things that we introduced into the 2013 Inventor training guides.

Syncing Associative Data: Autodesk Inventor and Autodesk Inventor Publisher data

By Jennifer MacMillan

Those of you that work with Autodesk® Inventor® Publisher know that being able to directly read 3D CAD models enables you to create accurate and timely documentation. A key benefit to working with data from Autodesk® Inventor® is that it is completely associative so that you are always using the most up-to-date and accurate geometry and file property information. When I inserted my first Inventor assembly model into Publisher I assumed that because I was working with Autodesk source data it would automatically update. Luckily because I was wearing both the designer and the documentation “hats” I knew that I had made changes and that they weren’t reflected in my documentation.  The trick as I realized, is knowing how to do this, because this doesn’t happen automatically.

First you have to know whether the source data has changed. There are two methods for determining this:

• Automatic - If changes were made to the source data the  icon displays in the Canvas Browser next to the component’s name when it is opened.
• Manual – You might also want to manually check the file status as you work, if you know that the model’s designer is working concurrently. In this case, you right-click on the component’s name and select Source Files > Check File Status. If the component has been changed the   icon displays in the Canvas Browser next to the component’s name. (TIP: Select individual components, instead of on the top-level Component node, to vary the amount of data that is being checked.)

 
Once you know that models are out of date you should update that data to ensure that you are working with the most up-to-date information. To update:

• To update the data for an individual component, click the  icon next to the component’s name.
• Right-click on a specific component name and select Source Files > Update Component.

 

• To update all of the data in all of the components, right-click on the Component’s node and select Source Files > Update All Components.

 

It is always a good practice to continually check the file status and update the components that are being documented in the Publisher document to ensure that you are working with the most up-to-date data. 

Creativity Using CAD

By Elvis R. Sverko

 

It’s a new year. So Happy New Year everyone!

Now, how do we make this new year, a better year than last year? Well, one thing that seems to be a hot topic everywhere I look is “Creativity”, and creativity in anything and everything, ( “Use the Kindle Fire as a Creative Device” from December 2011 from Wired.com;  “Buff Your Brain” from the January 9, 2012 edition of Newsweek; “How to Lead a Creative Life” from the December 2011 edition of Fast Company.)

To make anything new, you need to be innovative. To be innovative, you need to use your creativity.

Most engineers/designers/architects/etc. know they need to be creative to make new products, or make older products better. They have many tools at their disposal, from pencil and paper, to wood or metal, to CAD. But mostly they use their imagination to come up with the new idea, and then use these tools to bring them to life.

But sometimes, it’s not just about using a tool to make something new and innovative. Sometimes you have to use the tools in a creative way.

CAD is no exception. There are specific functions that CAD can perform, from drawing lines and circles, to making 3D solid models, to performing simulation such as Finite Element Analysis. Some CAD packages include libraries of standard parts that you can use in your model (such as with Autodesk Revit, you have a library of types/shapes/sizes of windows to include in your architectural design). There are also standards that in many cases at many companies that must be met. These standards might be in the styles used for drawings, or industry standards that need to be met.

But in many cases, you can be creative in the way you use CAD.

If you need to make a cylinder, you have different methods of doing so. You can extrude a circle, or rotate a rectangle (as shown using Autodesk Inventor below). Or there may be other ways as well. But both of these methods create identical cylinders. The difference is in their method. Your choice may come down to what information you currently have, or may need to change, or it’s just completely up to you. But the point is, you can be creative in how you model something in CAD.

 

It doesn’t have to be in the tools you use, that you can be creative. Sometimes it’s simply in how you look at a model. In many 3D solid modeling CAD programs, you can turn the visibility of objects off, change the view style, rotate, or adjust snapping methods to more easily see and select an object in the model. The point is, there isn’t only one way to perform a specific task using CAD. Use your creativity in the process to make it better.

We’ll look at other creative ideas in using CAD, and CAD training in future posts. But until then, use your creativity in not only what you design, but how you design it, to make this new year a better year.

 

“Creativity is thinking up new things. Innovation is doing new things.” – Theodore Levitt

 

Leading the Way

By Elvis R. Sverko

A couple of weeks ago, I had the honor of attending and presenting at the Project Lead The Way Ohio 2011 Fall Conference at the University of Akron. This conference is designed to inform Ohio educators about the implementation of pre-engineering strands for schools utilizing the PLTW curriculum. These educators are teaching the future engineers of our world.

One major tool that is used in the PLTW curriculum is Autodesk Inventor. Through project based instruction, the educators have their students use Inventor to model various real-world objects to learn how to design them better and solve problems. So as you can imagine, these educators need to understand engineering principles, teaching principles, and how to use Inventor! As they may not be experts in all the functionalities of Inventor, they are sure to have some questions.

And that’s where my presentation came in. However, it was more of a discussion/demonstration of typical issues they see in the classroom, as well as some tips and tricks to help streamline their curriculum. Thanks to Bill Small, PLTW Master Teacher, Timken Regional Campus, for presenting with me. He was instrumental in understanding what types of issues the educators do see, and what types of tips can help them, as he knows the curriculum being taught, and then we teamed up to solve the issue.

Many of the topics we discussed can benefit anyone using Inventor: instructors, designers, and engineers alike. I’d like to share a few of these topics: the ones that seemed to be simple, yet very popular and powerful.

Being that these are educators who constantly teach new students who constantly work on new models, a major topic related to settings. In the Application Options dialog box, there are some settings that can be very helpful. On the Part tab, you can set which origin plane the initial sketch is placed upon new part creation, if any at all. By default, the “x-y plane” is selected to help streamline the modeling process, as most new parts would typically use the same starting plane, but for new students, choosing “No new sketch” is a good idea so the student can understand the process thoroughly, and decide for themselves which origin plane would be best to use for a particular model.

The Sketch tab of the Application Options dialog box also contains a few great setting options. By default, the “Snap to grid” and “Edit dimension when created” settings are not selected. Having these two options selected can be helpful as well. The “Snap to grid” option can assist Inventor novices while drawing a sketch, making it easier for them to be sure that the endpoints of line or arc segments are coincident. While the “Edit dimension when created” option is useful for anyone, as with a typical workflow, initially drawing the sketch to approximate size, and then making the values precise by adding dimensions to them, and having them available to edit immediately upon placement can save a few mouse clicks with each dimension; a huge savings over the course of a single model.

Another fantastic Inventor Application Option tip for educators is the exporting and importing of options that are set for Inventor. You can setup a single computer with the settings that most benefit the students, and then save them via the Export button at the bottom of the Application Options dialog box, where all the settings are saved in an XML file, that you can then Import on all the other students computers, to match.

Well, there are definitely many more topics that we can discuss, but maybe I’ll save them for another post.

Again, thanks to Project Lead The Way for allowing me to present and share these helpful Inventor tips, thanks to Bill Small for presenting with me, thanks to Cindi Meier from IMAGINiT for presenting an overview of how the curriculum can be used by the educators, and also thanks to all those educators who attended my session. It’s great being able to teach those who are teaching others.

“To learn, read. To know, write. To master, teach.” – Hindu proverb

 

 

Tips for Working with Autodesk® Inventor® Publisher

By Jennifer MacMillan

On Nov 29^th my AU virtual class (MA4475) “From Concept to Published Document: Tips for Working Effectively with Autodesk® Inventor® Publisher” goes live. Over the last few weeks I have been polishing my scripts, demos, Power Point presentations, and Camtasia skills and it has all been uploaded and will be ready for you AU virtual attendees.

I thought with this posting I would provide some favorite tips that I will be discussing in the 45 min virtual class.

 Inventor Publisher Tips (in no particular order)

1. Specify the Import BOM View Type option when importing an Inventor assembly file. This is set through the Import options. This specifies the level to which the Bill of Materials can be displayed in the Autodesk Inventor Publisher file. The Parts Only option displays all of the parts but no subassembly structure and the Structured option enables you to display the subassembly structure. If this option is not set properly on model import it cannot be changed. The file must be recreated. 
2. When working with 3D data you can specify a Faceting level on import. It controls the model’s edge tessellation. Smaller faceting values result in smoother edges but larger file sizes. Large faceting values result in coarse edges but smaller file sizes. Once a file has been imported with a selected type you can further control the edge tessellation using the View Fidelity slider in the View tab. This is ideal if you experience reduced computer performance and need to lower the fidelity value to improve system performance. Controlling View Fidelity with the View tab is application specific. Once changed, the new setting is active until the slider is explicitly changed again. Consider reducing the setting while working in the file and then increasing it again before publishing.
3. Whenever possible, leverage the use of your Inventor data. Because of the associative nature of Inventor data within the Autodesk Inventor Publisher software, changes are passed through to your publisher file. Additionally, you have the added benefit of having access to all of the iProperty information from the Inventor file.
4. If iProperties are not listed in the Associative Property drop-down list, ensure that your callout’s leader references a component in the file. If the leader is placed so that it is not referencing a component, the drop-down list is empty. To verify the reference, select the callout. If the grip on the leader is red it is not referencing a component. Select the grip and drag it onto the necessary component. Once moved, the grip should display in green indicating that it is referencing the component properly and the iProperty drop-down list should now be visible.
5. All snapshot settings, such as its name, description, appearances, and duration can be saved so that any new snapshots use these settings. Set these values for the first snapshot, right-click on the snapshot and select Set as Default Setting. This does not modify the settings on snapshots that have already been created; the settings are only used for new snapshots.
6. When using the Move command, you can use a triad to move selected components. By default, the triad displays at the first selected component’s origin. To explicitly change the triad’s location, hover your cursor over the icon that displays with the triad, select Align, and then select another reference point in the model. To move the triad to a point in space, press and hold down the Space Bar (to temporarily disable movement) and select and drag the central gray dot to the required location.
7. Scope Editing is a great command to use as you return to existing snapshots and begin to refine a project by changing component placements, appearances, explode positions, etc. There are a total of eight options that can be used to determine how the change will propagate to other snapshots or storyboards. The key thing to remember with this tool is that the scope setting must be set before you make the change for it to propagate. The Scope Editing options are located in the right-click menu of a snapshot by selecting Set Affected Snapshots.
8. The Extract Camera option enables you take the camera view from a source Snapshot and copy it to the active Snapshot. This is perfect once you have a storyboard created and need to make viewpoint changes in the snapshots. Using Extract Camera you can ensure that every Snapshot’s viewpoint is identical by ensuring that the zoom, pan, and orientation settings of the source Snapshot are automatically updated in the active Snapshot. Combining the use of Extract Camera and the Scope editing tools enables you to apply the same camera position to multiple Snapshots. Just be sure that you set the scope editing option before you use the Extract Camera command.

For more information on AU virtual go to the following link:
http://au.autodesk.com/?nd=auv2011_event