IMAGINiT Manufacturing Solutions Blog

Embedding Images in AutoCAD (Avoiding X-Refs)

There are times when an image needs to be included in a drawing. For example, a client logo that needs to be part of the title block. It would be better to convert the logo into a block object by tracing over the image in AutoCAD and applying hatching as needed. But there are some logos that are not so simple and therefore using an embedded image is preferred.

If you have dragged and dropped the image into the drawing or used the OLE method, you realize that file is being referenced (X-REF) and therefore the separate picture file needs to be included when you send the file to the client.  This creates issues when opening files that cannot find the X-REF or when using Autodesk Vault and checking in files.

The process to Embedded an image into AutoCAD begins with opening the file in an image editor.  Since Microsoft Paint is a default application this will be average user’s method of performing an embedding.

Begin by opening the image in Paint with either the Open with or Edit commands from a right click menu.  Once opened in the editor, select some or all of the image to be placed into AutoCAD.  Also consider resizing the image as well for proper placement in AutoCAD.  Lastly, the orientation is not adjustable in AutoCAD so if you need an image rotated 90 degrees then perform those steps in the editor before adding it to AutoCAD.

Use CTRL+C or the Copy button to place the partial image or whole image to the internal clipboard.

Now that the image is copied to the Clipboard, open your AutoCAD file for which this image needs to be placed.

Since the image is in the internal clipboard you may simply use CTRL+V or right click and choose Paste from the AutoCAD menu.  You may also use the Paste Special from the Clipboard Panel in the Ribbon.

The image will come in and be fully adjustable inside of AutoCAD for general resizing (this may distort quality though).  More importantly the file will not create an External Reference (X-REF) for the file which will prevent errors from appearing in regards to missing files when transmitted or moved internally.  When this file is used in Data Management software like Vault it will also not need to search for this reference and allow a cleaner workspace and streamlined file management workflow.

This does increase the file size of your AutoCAD drawing, but the rewards of complete embedding far outweigh the adjustment of file size on disk.  To this point make sure what you are embedding is in itself not so large that it bloats the files dramatically.  Avoid going over 1 MB in size as that will also degrade performance in seeing the image in AutoCAD.

Some additional helpful system variables include:

OLEFRAME: Controls whether a frame is displayed and plotted on all OLE objects in the drawing.

• 0: Frame is not displayed and not plotted
• 1: Frame is displayed and is plotted
• 2: Frame is displayed but is not plotted (default)

OLEHIDE: Controls the display and plotting of OLE objects.

• 0: All OLE objects are visible and plot (default)
• 1: OLE objects are visible and plot in paper space only
• 2: OLE objects are visible and plot in model space only
• 3: No OLE objects are visible or plot

 

 

AutoCAD and Pallet Furniture Coming Together

There are times when a complete digital prototype is more work than it’s worth. This last while, I have been building quite a few things out of broken down pallet wood. Because the pieces are full of nails, I often can’t cut exactly where my Inventor plans call for a cut. So I end up deviating from the plan almost immediately. What I really need is just a simple layout with some rough dimensions to get the ball rolling. I have found AutoCAD is just the ticket for these project. After only a few minutes in the software I’m ready to hit the shop. And when I’m building for someone else, these drawings are usually enough to get sign off on the project.

The following are a few of my past pallet projects where I was able to make use of simple layouts inside AutoCAD and then jump straight into the shop. Since I know all my base dimensions, I end with very few bad cuts and zero wasted wood.
I’ll start with my most recent project. I made these for my wife for Mother’s Day. Only about 15 minutes in AutoCAD and 3 hours in the shop and I was done.



 
A few other times I have found AutoCAD useful is when I put together some barn doors for our church. So far I have made three different sets. Each with a different pattern. I really don’t need to know the exact dimension of each part. All I really need is a simple layout. So back to AutoCAD for a simple layout. I had this rail made locally so it was included in my layout for overall dimensions.

On this one I added a bit more detail and was able to get a manual count of boards needed. And it was good enough to get approval on the design. No need for fancy renderings, etc. it’s just a barn door right. My goal here is to get back into the shop as quick as possible.

That’s right… I found some 9’ long pallets. 

Here again is a simple display stand project with the layout all done in AutoCAD. It was also out of the 9’ pallets I broke apart. Really all I needed was the overall dimensions and the rest I could figure out as it went together. Because each pieces has a slightly different thickness, you can run into problems cutting everything at once and then trying to fit them together.



 
I have also made a number of signs using AutoCAD. I’ve been projecting the AutoCAD screen directly onto the boards to trace the letters I need to cut out. (some of us don’t have CNC machines… yet)
AutoCAD's Arc Aligned Text is a tool on the Express tab. Make sure you include the Express Tools when installing AutoCAD. There are a lot of useful tools on that tab that many users miss.


 

 
Because AutoCAD is so fast and easy to use, it is the way to go when planning layouts and concepts. Sometimes a quick layout is all you really need for these quick one-off project.
 

The Nuts and Bolts of PDF Publishing in Vault 2018

One of the most anticipated new features for Autodesk Vault this year was the inclusion of out-of-the-box PDF publishing. This has been the top feature request on the Vault Ideas forum for some time. Now that PDF publishing in Vault has arrived what do you need to know to get it implemented? I have taken a look at the nuts and bolts of creating PDFs using Vault 2018. While it is fairly straight forward there are a few details I want to share so you can navigate the implementation of this new feature smoothly.

PDFs are created in Vault 2018 from 2D AutoCAD or 2D Inventor drawings only, on state changes via the Job Server. Once generated, PDFs can take the Revision number of the source file and can be attached to that file as well. This way the PDF will be included as a child of any operation done on the source files. A full history of PDF files is kept so you can look back at previous versions as you would any other Vaulted CAD file. Finally, the Vault Publish command can print the PDFs in a batch operation, although, they must be selected directly for publishing and not as a linked file like a DWF might be printed by selecting the source IDW file.

PDFs are created on a lifecycle state change only

PDF creation is triggered via a lifecycle state change and uses the Job Server (Job Processor) to generate the file. Two new options exist in the Actions tab of the Transition setup dialog box in the lifecycle editor.

Synchronize properties and update pdf using Job Server

and

Synchronize properties, update view and pdf using Job Server

To configure PDF creation triggers; edit the lifecycle scheme of the source CAD files. You will need to pick a state transition (typically any transition into a Released state) and add one of the two options above as the action for that particular state change. Any lifecycle state transition performed by a user, matching the actions you configure, will add the PDF creation job to the job queue for processing by the Job Server.

Note: If you have not implemented the Vault Job Processor in your environment then this might be the right time. For more information on implementing and using the Job Server you can take a look at this class: Unlocking the Power of the Job Processor from Autodesk University in 2014.

Categorizing PDFs (Lifecycles and Revisions)

You can categorize PDFs however you like; either using the same category as the source files or using a separate category for PDF files themselves. However, if you want your PDFs to attach to the source CAD files and/or take the source file’s revision number then you must have PDFs use the same revision scheme as the source files. If your PDF revision scheme is different, or null, then PDFs will generate but will not be attached to the source file.

So PDFs need to be categorized to have the same revision scheme and a lifecycle scheme and properties applied to them. When you create a categorization rule for PDFs, as long as the Apply rules on object creation is checked, they will be categorized accordingly once created by the Job Server.

My recommendation is to create a separate PDF category that has the same revision scheme as the source file but a different lifecycle scheme with a default state of Released. This way your PDFs can take the source file’s Revision, get attached to the source file and be immediately put in to a released state.

PDF Creation Options

With your triggers, rules and categories set it is time to take a look at the PDF options. These are found on the Files tab of the Vault Settings dialog box. This is where you decide what content to publish in the PDF file and their specific behaviors like whether or not to attach PDFs to their source files, where to save the PDFs and if they should take the source revision number, etc.

Note: if your PDFs use a different revision scheme from the source files then the Add As An Attachment and the Sync Revision As Source options have no affect on the published files.

Overall, the PDF solution in Vault performs well and is not hard to configure. However, as you can see, PDFs do not replace DWFs in 2018. DWFs are still an integral part of Vault and their functionality has not changed. Also, there is no out-of-the-box PDF solution without the Job Server so PDFs can’t be created on a check-in or by ‘Updating’ a view as we have done with DWFs in the past. This also means that you’ll need to be running Vault Workgroup or Vault Professional 2018.

For on-demand PDF publishing in Vault, you might consider the IMAGINiT Utilities for Vault Client. The annually updated utility, with support for the latest Vault version, is typically released towards the end of June. It includes on-demand (and queued) PDF, DXF and DWG creation and additional features like lifecycle state change email notifications, template folder creation, CAD BOM extraction etc. If you’re an IMAGINiT subscription customer these tools are free too!

However you need to create your PDFs, Vault can accommodate your company's workflow. Whether submitting PDF packages with transmittal documentation, publishing/printing PDF drawing packages, or creating PDFs individually for consumption by your production department, there are solutions in Vault 2018.

-DAP

Drawings in Windows Explorer: Inventor or AutoCAD?

Almost a decade ago Autodesk reintroduced the DWG format to Autodesk Inventor in order to facilitate a greater collaborative effort between AutoCAD and Inventor.  New benefits such as adding Inventor views to AutoCAD layouts, creating a format any AutoCAD version 2007 and newer can open, using AutoCAD blocks in Inventor drawings, and opening AutoCAD files in Inventor has opened more available workflows for customers.  With these new features a new type of confusion arose as well.

What program created the DWG???

Since the authoring program of the DWG has to be one that edits the native geometry of the DWG, a user has to know the correct program in which to open the file and make the edits.  For instance an Inventor DWG that contains modeling data will not be able to be exploded in AutoCAD because Inventor contains the modeling and assembly feature data.  Likewise an AutoCAD drawing containing vector geometry should be edited in AutoCAD so that the entities are properly modified or adjusted.

Companies will approach this issue a couple of different ways.  One way is to segregate the geometry into different folders called AutoCAD and Inventor and maintain those files in those folders.  Other methods are not to use Inventor DWGs at all due to this issue of identification thus eliminating the potential benefits of the DWG extension.  The only real ways to discern an AutoCAD DWG file from an Inventor DWG file is to right click on it and see if it shows the Inventor iProperties option through the Windows shell integration or use the Provider field in Autodesk Vault to see the creator of the program.

I know right?  There has to be an easier way!

Well, thanks to a new enhancement to a tool I have used for a long time, we can now see what program created the DWG directly in Windows Explorer and our Autodesk open windows.  This tool will show all kinds of information about DWGs in Windows Explorer such as which version of AutoCAD the file is saved in and a lot of the DWGPROPs in the file.  It will even tell if the file is AutoCAD Mechanical, Electrical, or another vertical of the software.  But most important is the new field to the tool called DWG Created By which will show if a file is an Inventor DWG or and AutoCAD DWG!

What is this tool?  Well, its the same tool created by the company that created many great tools for Autodesk products including an improved license reporting tool for Network Licensing among other productivity tools.  This company is JTB World and you can find this particular set of tools in the Autodesk App Store or from their website directly.  This tool comes in three flavors...Free, Trial, and Paid.  Free will get you only the DWG version and not what we are primarily concerned about in this discussion, the Trial will get you full feature for 30 days, and the Paid version will get you whole ball of wax for all your DWG information needs.

Free: Autodesk App Store Free Version

Trial: Autodesk App Store Trial Version (30 days)

Paid: Autodesk App Store Paid Version

Detailed Info on Company Page: JTB World DWG Columns

This is a must for any company with mixed AutoCAD and Inventor DWG files in legacy or production use around the company.  If you are looking for a large amount of seats there is even a volume discount for your engineering teams.  Go check it out and see the other things it can do as well.  Even for a single seat it is really inexpensive to increase your sanity and productivity.

Aligning Attributes in AutoCAD & AutoCAD Electrical

This is a follow up to the Aligning Components in AutoCAD Electrical post a few weeks ago. I ran across this script some time ago that aligns attributes.

The comments show that it was written by Steve Kemp. I just tested this in Electrical 2017 and it still works great. Once the LISP is loaded the command is AATTR. It works pretty much the same as the Align Components command does. Select a master attribute and then select the attributes to align to it.
There is a Horizontal/Vertical option available for selection before selecting the master as well.

 
Here I selected the first terminal number as the Master. Then the terminal numbers two – four were selected as the second selection.


Very slick tool. Well done Mr. Kemp.
Download the LISP here...

AutoCAD Block Attribute Tips

While AutoCAD’s attributes are extremely powerful, they can also be quite confusing. Here are a few tips when working with Attributes inside of AutoCAD blocks.

Synchronize Attributes
Because attributes can be modified per block instance, modifying attributes in existing blocks can be confusing. Even deleted attributes will still be in block instances that were placed before the unwanted attribute was removed. Attributes need to be synchronized to the block instance after changes have been made to the actual block definition. Do this using the ATTSYNC command. This command is on the Block panel after it’s expanded.

 
 
Attribute Order
When creating the block, the order that the attributes are selected is the order they will appear in the Edit Attribute dialog. When simply windowing the entire block, attributes and all, the attributes tend to appear in a random order. If the block is already created and you want to modify the order. Try the BATTMAN command.

This command allows you to change the order of the attributes. Once the order is right, WBLOCK it back out over the existing block and the order will be right the next time you use that block on another drawing.

 
 
Attribute Properties
Attributes can be set to a fixed position, invisible, constant, contain multiple lines, and more. While building the block, select an attribute and then open the Properties Palette. Here you can change all of the properties that make up an attribute.

 

Data Extraction
Attribute values can be extracted to a table on the drawing or to an external Excel file. This requires an addional data extraction file with a .dxe extension. This file can be created using the Extract Data command. It is on the Insert tab on the ribbon.

 
Using these three blocks as my example extraction, I’ll walk through the steps to creating the data extraction file. These blocks contain hidden attributes with random values in them.

 
Starting the Extract Data command will walk you through the steps to extracting only the data you want.
Step 1 creates, or references and existing, .dxe file.
Step 2 allows multiple drawings to be selected in the extraction. The current drawing is automatically added.
Step 3 shows all objects in the drawing. Filter the majority of the objects from the list by changing the bottom options to only show blocks with attributes.

Step 4 allows even more filtering as we remove all properties but the attributes themselves.


 
Finally we see the extracted data in Step 5. Here the table can be edited as needed. Also note that the identical rows can be combined and then counted. The columns can be renamed as well here. Simply right click on a column header and Rename Column is one of the choices.

 
Step 6 has you pick what type of output is desired. The data can be exported to an Excel file or placed on the drawing in a table.
I went with Excel and here is the data hidden in the attributes on the three blocks. Turns out that a small square costs far more than a small egg or tent.

 

Editing Attributes
When the enhanced attribute editor came along it replaced the simple attribute editor. However 99% of the time I only want to change the values of the attributes NOT the justification, layer, color, ect. Also the simple editor allows easy tabbing or shift+tabbing around the cells on the dialog. Where the enhanced dialog require the use of the mouse.

Enhanced Attribute Editor

 
Simple Attribute Editor

 
You can modify this double click preference by typing CUI on the Command Line. That opens the Customize User Interface dialog.
Expand the Double Click Actions and then the Attribute Block line as well.
Then over on the right, remove the E from the Command Display Name and from the Macro fields. Then Press OK.

 
From now on when you double click on an attributed block you will see the ATTEDIT dialog instead of the more complex EATTEDIT one.
 
I hope some of this was of use to you. If you have other attribute questions feel free to comment below.

Funtime with Uncle Rusty - Rendering for VR - Stereoscopic Rendering with Autodesk Navisworks

Navisworks and VR Rendering

Most designers utilize Autodesk Navisworks to visualize and interact with their design before they commit to construction.  The digital mockup functionality of Autodesk Navisworks allows us to experience our largest designs with real-time fly-through and walk-through capabilities.  But, sometimes the flat “computer screen” interaction is not enough.  We want to actually step into our design and experience it as if we were actually standing in the digital environment we created. 

With the impressive advent of Virtual Reality this is now possible.  If you have the time and budget to commit to the project, you can utilize the advanced software supplied by Autodesk to load your Navisworks design into VR.  You could purchase a sophisticated and expensive VR rig complete with motion tracking controllers, a VR headset, and a beast of a computer to run it all.  But what if you don’t have the time or money to commit to the VR experience?  Don’t worry.  Navisworks offers a simple method to visualize your design in VR without missing a deadline or breaking the bank. 

Navisworks now allows you to render your design to a Stereo Panorama.  If that term is new to you don’t worry.  A Stereo Panorama is simply two spherical renders positioned slightly apart.  One sphere is dedicated to your left eye, and the other is dedicated to your right eye.  When you view this image through the proper optical headset, the effect makes your brain think you are viewing the design as if you’re actually standing in the model. 

Figure 1: A Stereo Panorama – Dedicated Rendering for Each Eye

 

Creating a Stereo Panorama with Autodesk Navisworks

To generate a Stereo Panorama with Navisworks is actually fairly simple.  You simply utilize the Render in Cloud command on the Render tab.  This will activate the cloud rendering dialog where you can define the type of render you want. 

Figure 2: Render in Cloud Command

Steps for Generating a Stereo Panorama:

• Navigate to the desired position in one of your Navisworks scenes.
• Start the Render in Cloud command located on the Render tab.
• In the Render in Cloud dialog…
  • Set 3D View to Current View
  • Set Output Type to Stereo Panorama
  • Set Render Quility to Final
  • Set Exposure to Advanced
  • Set the Width to the Maximum Value
  • Check the Email me option
  • Click Start Rendering
• Open the resulting render on Rendering.360.autodesk.com
• The Render on this page has a link to access the image on your smartphone.

Note:  This process does cost you some Cloud Credits but the result is really worth it. 

 

Viewing a Stereo Panorama – Google Cardboard

You don’t need an expensive VR rig to view these amazing stereo panoramas.  You only need to acquire a simple inexpensive Google Cardboard viewer.  The stereo panorama is viewed on your smartphone and your smartphone is inserted into the Google Cardboard viewer.  You can use an android or apple device, it works on both. 

The Google Cardboard viewer and your smartphone, allow you see your Navisworks design in clear 3D, as if you were inside the model.  The pan and tilt capabilities of your smartphone allow you to move and turn your head allowing you to view the 3D scene in every direction. 

You might be thinking that there is no way a smartphone and some cardboard goggles can deliver a virtual reality experience, but you will be pleasantly surprised when you try it for yourself.  To convey the quality and immersiveness of this experience in a simple blogpost is almost impossible.  But I will admit to being slack jawed the first time I stuck my face in this viewer and looked at one of my layout designs.  To actually (virtually) stand amongst the models I arranged and designed was a truly amazing experience.

Figure 3: Google Cardboard

Sharing your VR Experience

The Stereo Panorama can be downloaded or accesses via link from Rendering.360.autodesk.com.  If you need to share your VR experience, all you have to do is simply email the link to your customer or collaborators. 

Figure 4: Links to your stereo panorama can be easily shared with anyone.

Conclusion – What Are You Waiting For?

The VR experience is much easier and affordable to have than you think.  So Grab yourself a Google Cardboard viewer and get to rendering on the cloud.    

I have included a few links to stereo panoramas that I have created.  Enjoy!

 

Bottle Factory - http://pano.autodesk.com/pano.html?url=jpgs/24353576-5047-44b6-a3a3-84f4fcc15ce2

Factory Floor - http://pano.autodesk.com/pano.html?url=jpgs/effba9a7-c291-46df-b6f4-2a33ab10021a

Chess Board - http://pano.autodesk.com/pano.html?url=jpgs/d5e3b8d3-e46b-4bf5-8faf-aeb607116ca5

Exhibit Floor - http://pano.autodesk.com/pano.html?url=jpgs/d0db5129-1e66-401a-a583-891c05b3de8f

Sub Bridge - http://pano.autodesk.com/pano.html?url=jpgs/e369ac19-495d-493f-bf37-5f37c983f924

 

 

Insert Block Into AutoCAD From Vault

I had a user trying to find a way to insert a block into AutoCAD directly from their Vault. They were having trouble because there is no command that does that yet.

I found threads on the Autodesk forums going back to 2008 on this topic. And it's on the Idea Station as recently as 2015. If you need this, give it a kudos to push its priority up a bit.
http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/vault-ideas/insert-block-from-the-vault/idi-p/5796810

That said, here is a potential work around. 

Open the XREF panel by typing XREF.
Attach the desired block from Vault

Place it like you normally would place the inserted block.

Next right click on the XREF and select Bind.

That will bring up this dialog.

Using the Insert option will cause all the XREF layer names to be removed and the XREF will then be as if it was inserted as a block.

Inventor Fun Time with Uncle Rusty - Illustrated Views of your Inventor Models

Do All Your Renderings Look Alike?

If you have been working in Inventor for a while, you may have noticed that all your renderings tend to look the same.  I am sure they look great, but these days I am beginning to feel like one photo-realistic rendering tends to look like the next.  Sometimes I find myself reminiscing about the old days when an actual artist would take your design and develop a hand-drawn illustration depicting the final design.  This got me thinking how could we generate "old fashioned" illustrations from our modern Inventor designs?

First Stop - Autodesk Product Design Collection

Usually the first place I turn for any design challenge is Inventor and the members of the Product Design Collection.  There are so many options for image generation and illustrated views. But I was pretty disappointed with the results and the complex processes for generating illustrated views using the the collection tools.

AutoCAD -  I think my best results came from the AutoCAD "Sketchy" visual style, but it took a while to modify all the options to achieve an image.  I also had to print this image via AutoCAD to generate the graphic.

 

 

3DS Max - I used the preset Stylized setting in 3DS Viewport to generate an illustrated image.  3DS is usually thought of as the "King of the Hill" when it comes to image visualization.  Given enough time and effort I am sure I could have done better, but I really want a quick and easy process for generating hand drawn images.  

Showcase - I have always thought of Autodesk Showcase as a simpler and easier version of 3DS Max.  Showcase has some preset visual styles for illustration generation.  The one I settled on was called Toon Color.  My issues here are pretty simple.  The visual styles in Showcase cannot be edited and the results still look more computer generated than hand-drawn.

Autodesk Inventor - Ugh!  I hate to say anything bad about my beloved Inventor application, but the preset visual styles dedicated to Illustrations leave a lot to be desired.  I used the Water Color and Sketch Illustration styles for these images.  

Close, But Not Good Enough

As you have seen above, each of the Autodesk applications is capable of producing an image that is similar to a hand drawn illustration, but each falls short in one way or another.  All Autodesk illustrations have edge lines that are obviously generated by a computer and not a person.  Several of the examples above obviously appear to be computer generated.  In other words, they are too perfect.  These examples lack the hand drawn artistic touch that real sketch illustrations have.  I know these criticisms may seem harsh, but the point must be made.  When it comes to sketch illustrations, the Autodesk Product Design Collection comes up a little short. 

 

Going Outside the Autodesk Box

If our Autodesk applications are letting us down, where can we turn?  Don’t worry.  There is a simple and inexpensive answer to this issue.  Simply pull out your smart phone or iPad.  That’s right.  One of the most popular capabilities of smart phones and iPads is the conversion of photographs to hand drawn pictures.  Whether you are using an Android or Apple device, your app store is full of applications dedicated to this process.

For this example I will be utilizing my iPad and an application called Pencil Sketch 2.  I downloaded this app a few weeks ago and purchased the Pro version available as an in app purchase.  $1.99 in case you are wondering.  Of course, there are hundreds of photo apps that produce similar results.  You should feel free to explore as many of them as you like before settling on your favorite.   

 

The Process

The process for generating a quality sketch illustration from an Inventor model is actually quite simple.  You simply generate a screenshot or rendered image of your Inventor Model and transfer it to your phone or iPad.  Then you open the Pencil Sketch and import the image.

Process

• Open your Inventor Model.
• Orient your model to the desired viewpoint or position.
• Turn on the shadows and reflections as desired.
• Generate the screenshot / Publish the image.
• Transfer the image to your mobile device.
• Open the Pencil Sketch App.
• Import the picture.

This image shows the simple screenshot created from Inventor open in the Pencil Sketch app.

Options, Options, Options

Now for the fun part.  There are so many different kinds of sketch illustrations effects to choose from.  From a simple pencil sketch to a comic book illustration.  It’s all up to you and your artistic vision.  It is important to note that many of the Autodesk applications have Visual Styles dedicated to illustrations but many of them do not allow you to alter the style at all. That is certainly not the case here.

A few sketch illustrations examples are included below.

A360 and Pencil Sketch - Process

The process can be augmented allowing you to have complete control of the model position, orientation, and perspective all on your mobile device.    To do this you simply save your Inventor model to your Autodesk 360 account as a DWFx file.  There is an A360 application for your mobile devices that allow you to review your Inventor models on the go.  The app allows you to pose the model in any orientation and save a picture of the model to your camera roll.  These pictures are then imported into the Pencil Sketch app and converted to sketch illustrations. 

Process

• Save a copy of your Inventor model to DWFx.
• Upload the DWFx file to your A360 Account.
• Use the A360 app on your mobile device to view the DWFx file.
• Pose the 3D model adjusting the position, orientation, and perspective.
• Use the Snapshot option to save a picture of the model to your camera roll.
• Open the Pencil Sketch app and import the picture
• Adjust the settings to produce the sketch illustration.

Conclusion – What Are You Waiting For?

Sketch illustrations are still a viable method of communicating your design vision and they have never been easier to create.  Combining the 3D capabilities of the Autodesk Manufacturing collection and a simple Pencil Sketch app on your mobile device gives you the capabilities to easily generate any sketch illustration you desire. 

 

Video Link

 

 

 

 

 

Autodesk Vault Custom Objects

Custom Objects were introduced into Autodesk Vault in 2014, but they are hidden and you have to know how to use them correctly.  A Custom Object can have its own customised object definition security, assigned properties, and participate in life cycle changes.  This is great because you can attach file links to a custom object.

In this example lets create a Vendor Record Custom Object that will hold Vendor information.

First log into the Vault and click on Tools > Administration > Vault Settings

Then select the Custom Objects Tab and the click on Configure:

In the Configure Custom Objects Dialog box select New and enter the following information:

 **Note: you can create a icon by saving an image to an ICO file.  

You can create your own custom object definition security by clicking on the Configure and then assigning the permissions as necessary.  

Once you are done click on OK and then log out of the Vault Client, and log back into the client. (The new object will not be visible until you log off and log back into the vault)

When you log back into the Vault you should see the following Vendors in the Home Tab.

 

 

Now on the back end you can create Properties that will be specific to the Custom Object, and you can create lifestyles that control the custom objects.

Properties:

Properties can be mapped by going into Tools > Administration > Vault Settings > Behaviours > Properties.  Once in the Properties dialog box make sure to select the Custom Objects in the Associations.  

Also the you can change the Categories which will control the life cycle and which properties you want to display. 

To create a new Vendor in our example you can click on the Vendors tab and click on New which will create a new Vendor.

 

This will create a new Vendor in the Vendors tab.  Now you can assign links from files that reside in Vault and paste them as links into the custom object.

Now you can give Custom Objects a try.

For more information visit:

Autodesk Vault Custom Object