IMAGINiT Technologies Support Blog

AutoCAD 2021 and UTF-8 ZIP Format

By: Jeff Arbogast, CSV | Solution Center Team Lead

Issue:
AutoCAD DWGConvert, Etransmit, and Archive commands. Names do not display correctly after unzip.

Causes:
Autodesk is now using the UTF-8 ZIP protocol which uses the 8-bit form of Unicode which supports extended Font Characters and thus the names will not display correctly if you are not using a ZIP program that does not supports UTF-8 ZIP.

Solution:
Use a ZIP extractor that supports the UTF-8 ZIP
Such as7ZIP

Slow Performance When Editing Hatch and Selecting Drop Downs with Files on the Network Inside AutoCAD-based Programs

By: Jeff Arbogast, CSV | Solution Center Team Lead

Issue:
AutoCAD experiences slowdowns when editing hatch and selecting drop downs. Using files from the Network.

How to reproduce this issue
Editing the hatch you can select the hatch and escape, select the hatch again and escape, and You can see this takes longer each time you select and escape.

Causes:
HP Help utilities specifically MAC Manager which appears to add data to the network packets and causes speed degradation. These are tools that come with most HP systems.

Solution:
Remove HP Help Tools

Deadline Approaching: BIM 360 Design Trial Ends June 30

Important:  Customers who have taken advantage of Autodesk's Extended Access trial of BIM 360 Design and would like to preserve their project data must take action before June 30.

In short, you have two options before the trial expires:

1. Convert your trial site to a paid site, or
2. Download your project data for continued use

A customer who fails to take action before the end date risks losing all project data on their BIM 360 trial site.

You may have received an email similar to the one pictured below notifying you of these options along with instructions.  Otherwise, you can access the instructions at the links provided here:

• Export/Download Data from BIM 360
• Contact sales and/or Account Manager to purchase subscription to BIM 360 Design
• FAQ:  BIM 360 Design Extended Access
  
  

Why Train with IMAGINiT?

How to add fonts to macOS for AutoCAD / AutoCAD LT

Issue:
You need to add custom True Type Fonts (TTF) to your macOS and are unsure how to do this properly, and want your drawings in AutoCAD/LT for MAC to look like your drawings in AutoCAD/LT in Windows

Solution:
Please be aware that the macOS may not support compound TTF files, so while you may add it to your system, AutoCAD (and other programs) may not read them.  So if you are using a compound TTF, you will need to find a very similar font for the macOS that is not a compound font to have your drawings look very similar.

 

So here's how to install fonts on a Mac:
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201749

 

Also, here's on how to add that TTF for only AutoCAD:
https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/autocad-for-mac/learn-explore/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/How-to-add-a-custom-font-file-to-AutoCAD-or-AutoCAD-LT-for-Mac.html

How to extract or remove Custom BMP icons from a CUIX

Issue:
You have a Custom or Enterprise CUIX file, and you have custom button icons in it that the source BMP files have gone missing or you have Custom Button icons that you don't want to use, and want to remove them from the CUIX file.

Causes:
This is because when you save a Custom CUIX (or even save over a generic one with custom icons), they are added into the CUIX file.  If the icons go missing from a support directory, you can generally restore the buttons by changing the Theme from light to dark and vice versa to get the icons back until you close and re-open the software.

Solution:
First thing to do is find the CUIX file that has the Icons in it.

Now here's the steps to follow:
1. Make a copy of that CUIX file somewhere else on your system (I like C:\Temp or C:\Autodesk)

2. Change the Extension of the file from CUIX to ZIP

a. The CUIX file is nothing more than a specialized zip container that has the files needed to show toolbars, menus, etc.
b. NEVER work off the live file, always make a copy and work from the copy, in case you make a mistake

3a. Now if you are removing BMP files from the CUIX:

a. Open the new .ZIP in a ZIP editor (like 7zip, WinZip, or even Windows Explorer zip file viewer)
b. Remove the .BMP file located in the root of the file
c. Exit the Editor
d. Rename the ZIP to CUIX
e. Rename the original file to .old, copy the corrected one to that location.
f. Open Autodesk software and confirm the Custom icons no longer show up in the Editor

3b. If you are Extracting the BMP to place in the Icons folder (or any other support folder)

a. Extract the files from the zip to a new folder

b. Search for all .BMP
c. Copy them to the Icons folder (or other support folder)
d. Relaunch the Autodesk product and confirm all Icons on the toolbars/ribbon are now showing (no clouds)

Where is the download for Autodesk Helius

By: Jeff Arbogast , CSV | Solution Center Team Lead

Issue:
You have looked on the Autodesk website however you cannot find the download for Helius

Causes:
Not listed on any Autodesk site

Solution:
Helius 2019 Download

This version works with 2018 and newer products

Helius PFA Download site
Helius Download site

Get an Autodesk License File

Issue:
Getting a network license file from manage.autodesk.com.

Solution:
1. Log into https://manage.autodesk.com as Contract Manger or Software Coordinator and go to “All Product and Services”.

2. Choose a product and down at the bottom left you will see “Quick Links” choose “Quick Links”.

3. Choose Generate network license file.

4. Choose Single server (if you have 1 server) and then click select.

5. Put in the server name and the MAC address of the license server. Select products you would like the license file for. The recommended option here is to choose all the products. Select Get License File.

6. You can download the license and email the file. I recommend doing both, download the license file and email the license file.

 

 

Download and Install Autodesk Network License Manager (LMTools or FlexLM)

1. To download for the Windows OS, click this URL:
https://knowledge.autodesk.com/search-result/caas/downloads/content/autodesk-network-license-manager-for-windows.html

2. Click this URL to download the MacOS, or Linux OS version:
https://knowledge.autodesk.com/customer-service/network-license-administration/get-ready-network-license/download-the-network-license-manager

3. The Autodesk Network License Manager can be installed on the following Windows operating systems:

• Microsoft® Windows® Server 2019 64-bit
• Microsoft Windows Server 2016 64-bit
• Microsoft Windows Server 2012 64-bit
• Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2 64-bit
• Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 64-bit
• Windows 10 (32-bit and 64-bit)
• Windows 8 / 8.1 (32-bit and 64-bit)
• Windows 7 (32-bit and 64-bit)

4. Please download the correct 32-bit or 64-bit Autodesk License manager that pertains to your Windows Server OS. If you need help finding out if you’re running 32-bit or 64-bit, go here: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/13443/windows-which-version-am-i-running

5. If you are updating the Autodesk License Manager, go to Control Panel > Programs and Features and uninstall the old Autodesk License Manager first.

6. Go to the location on your computer where you downloaded the Autodesk License Manager and start the install.

7. Start the install of the Autodesk License Manager and follow the process below. The default install location is recommended.

The default location to install the Autodesk License Manager is recommended:

8. After the install of the Autodesk License Manager you should see the LMTOOLS Utility icon on the desktop. Click on the icon to open LMTools and start the setup.

9. After opening the LMTools Utility, click on the “Config Services” tab at the top

10. In the “Config Services” portion of LMTools you can either add your own “Service Name” at the top or leave the default “Flexlm Service 1”. This “Service Name” will be the name of the Windows Service that the License file will use in Windows to handout licenses.

11. Click “Browse” by the “Path to the lmgrd.exe file” to browse to the default location if used: C:\Autodesk\Network License Manager and click on lmgrd.exe

12. Click “Browse” by the “Path to the license file” to browse to the default location if used: C:\Autodesk\Network License Manager click on NameOfLicenseFile.lic

13. You can either leave the default location of the “Debug” log file or move it to C:\Autodesk\Network License Manager. If you leave the default location move on to #15.

14. If you would like to move the Debug log file to “C:\Autodesk\Network License Manager” to keep everything in one place, click “Browse” by the “Path to the debug log file” and create a Debug log file.

15. Check both boxes at the bottom by “Use Services” and by “Start Server at Power Up”. These do exactly what they say. We want to use a “Windows Service” for LMTools to give out licenses and we want the service to start when the server is powered up. Then click the “Save Service” button.

16. Go to the “Start/Stop/Reread” tab and click “Start Server”

17. After the server starts, it should say “Server successfully started” at the bottom, click the “Server Status” tab. Click on the “Perform Status Enquiry” button to see if the service started and licenses are available.

Troubleshooting Autodesk Software Install Failure

Issue:
Your Autodesk software failed to install and would like assistance from IMAGINiT Technologies to troubleshoot.

Causes:
Common errors are due to anti-virus, lack of admin rights, and using the Install Now option to install from your Autodesk account.

Solution:
It is very helpful for our support representatives to have a copy of your installation log files along with a system NFO file. These documents may help determine what caused your Autodesk install to fail.

1. Open File Explorer and type %temp% into the address line to access your temp folder.

Sort the by Date Modified and look for log files. There may be many log files besides the Setup.log.

Copy all associated log files so they can be sent over to be reviewed.

2. A copy of your system NFO file may also provide needed information about your system that could help troubleshoot your installation problem or performance issue.

Go to Windows Start and type MSINFO32.

When System Information opens, go to File and Save the System Information file.

Once you have a copy of the installation logs and your System Information (NFO) then please send this information, along with a detailed description of what program you are installing and the problem you are experiencing, over to our support department.