Visit IMAGINiT Technologies At Autodesk University
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Visit IMAGINiT Technologies At Autodesk University
Now in its 14th year, Autodesk University 2006 will be held in Las Vegas from November 28 - December 1. Come and visit IMAGINiT Technologies at booth 237 to find out what we have to offer and meet some of our Application Specialists who will be instructing classes.
AU 2006 offers:
- Nearly 500 expert-led classes in an ideal learning environment
- Information about our 2007 family of solutions
- End-to-end design, visualization, and collaboration solutions from Autodesk and industry partners
- Face-to-face meetings with leading developers and Autodesk staff and executives
- The collective wisdom of a community of peers and industry leaders
- And much more
To learn more about Autodesk University 2006 or to register visit:
www.autodeskevents.com/au2006/
RAND Worldwide™ Completes Acquisition Of Certain Assets of i-VEK
RAND Worldwide completed its acquisition of i-VEK's Autodesk-related business in early October 2006. i-VEK is an exclusive Authorized System Center for Autodesk and a leading provider of Autodesk software and associated training, consulting, and support services for the manufacturing and media & entertainment industries.
This acquisition will expand RAND's IMAGINiT Technologies division and supports its continuing effort to build business worldwide.
Click here to read the press release
RAND Worldwide To Acquire CAD/CAM Systems Ltd.
RAND Worldwide announced it has entered into a Letter of Intent to acquire certain assets and the Autodesk-related business of CAD/CAM Systems Ltd., from the Atlantic Canada region. This transaction is expected to close in December 2006.
This acquisition will further expand IMAGINiT's geographic reach by instituting a presence in Atlantic Canada. CAD/CAM Systems is a leading provider of Autodesk software and associated training, consulting and support services throughout the Atlantic Provinces.
Click here to read the press release
IMAGINiT Chicago Now Authorized To Sell Autodesk Media & Entertainment Products
IMAGINiT Technologies is proud to announce that our IMAGINiT Chicago offices are now authorized to sell Autodesk Media and Entertainment products to our customers. Autodesk has an exceptional family of Media and Entertainment products for the creative mind. Whether you're creating visual effects, animations, games, or design visualization, let us help you make your visions a reality.
Contact an IMAGINiT Chicago office for more information
Autodesk Announces Topobase 2007
Last month Autodesk announced the new Autodesk® Topobase™ 2007, an infrastructure design and management software built on Autodesk Map® 3D and Autodesk® MapGuide Enterprise software.
Topobase 2007 also makes use of the Oracle® Spatial 10g Release 2 database to power modules for managing infrastructure: water, wastewater, electric, gas, land, and surveying.
The software was originally developed by c-Plan, a European company that
Autodesk partnered with in 1996 and later acquired in 2005.
Learn more about Autodesk® Topobase™ 2007 by visiting:
http://www.autodesk.com/topobase
Autodesk to Acquire Robobat
Robobat of France and Poland develop software for structural design, analysis, and steel and concrete detailing. Over the past several years, Autodesk partnered with Robobat to integrate Robobat's ROBOT Millennium with Revit Structure software.
Autodesk looks forward to growing the Robobat AutoCAD software-based RCAD products (steel and concrete detailing) and the Robobat analysis software, along with Revit Structure. Autodesk plans to continue supporting and enhancing the Revit Structure API for third-party analysis and detailing applications.
Click here to read more about this acquisition
Autodesk has updated DWG TrueConvert for AutoCAD 2007 Service Pack 1, and it is now available for free download at: http://www.autodesk.com/dwgtrueconvert
DWG TrueConvert is a stand-alone application (does not require AutoCAD) for batch translations of any AutoCAD drawing files between the following releases:
- AutoCAD Release 14, 2000, 2000i, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007 versions.
It also converts pen widths to lineweights, and handles page setups.
Giving Revit 3GB RAM
(Applies to Revit 9.x, Revit Structure 3 & 4, Revit Systems 1.)
Operating systems control the amount of total memory that any single application/process can use. In Windows XP, the default value for total memory is set to 2GB. In Windows XP with SP2, users can "flip" the 3GB switch to increase the total amount of memory an application. Typically, it does not need to be enabled for Revit. However, there are some circumstances where Revit may benefit from the increase in total memory.
In Revit, the size of a model determines the amount of memory required. If you are designing large models, you should consider enabling the 3GB switch. If Revit crashes frequently at unpredictable times is an indication that the 3GB switch is required.
(To determine whether a recent crash is due to memory issues, open the journal file that corresponds to the crashed Revit session. Journal files can be found in the Journals folder in your Revit program directory. Look for the lines that reports memory statistics at the bottom of the journal file:
' System Memory Statistics:
' Total RAM: 2095192 Kb
' Available RAM: 1183664 Kb
' Total VM: 2097024 Kb
' Available VM: 79072 Kb
Total VM (virtual memory) represents the Windows XP VM hard limit that is allowed for Revit. Available VM is the amount of VM that remains before Revit hits the hard limit. In this example, Available VM is running low, and it is likely that the hard limit will be exceeded.)
Identify how much memory is being used for Revit by following these steps:
- Open your Revit project.
- Right-click on the Windows Task Bar at the bottom of the screen. Click Task Manager.
- In the Windows Task Manager, click on the Processes tab.
- If the VM Size column is not displayed on the Processes tab, click Select Columns on the View menu.
- In the Select Columns dialog box, select the Virtual Memory Size check box. Click OK.
- Sort the processes by clicking on the VM Size column header. Locate the Revit process.
Note the VM Size for the Revit process. If this number is close to 2GB at the beginning of a Revit session, enabling the 3GB switch will greatly reduce the chance that the 2GB ceiling will be reached while you are using Revit. If this number reaches 2GB, the Revit session will be terminated automatically. Enabling the 3GB switch will not eliminate the possibility that Revit will crash due to memory shortages. However, the chances of a crash occurring will be reduced.
You need to verify that the paging file size is optimized for your system. The paging file should at least be the size that is recommended for Windows and at most the size should be two times the amount of installed RAM. Follow these steps:
- On the Start menu (Windows), click Settings > Control Panel.
- In Control Panel, double-click System.
- In the System Properties dialog box, click the Advanced tab.
- Under Performance, click Settings.
- In the Performance Options dialog box, click the Advanced tab.
- On the Advanced tab, under Virtual Memory, click Change.
- In the Virtual Memory dialog box, change the Initial and Max values to 4092 (2 * 2GB) for a 2GB machine.
- Click Set.
- Click OK to close each dialog box.
Enabling the 3GB Switch
- Right-click My Computer. Click Properties.
- In the System Properties dialog box, click the Advanced tab.
- On the Advanced tab, under Startup and Recovery, click Settings.
- In the Startup and Recovery dialog box, under System startup, click Edit. The Windows boot.ini file will be opened in Notepad.
- Save a renamed copy of your boot.ini file somewhere on your computer in case you need to revert back to your original version of the file. Note: Boot.ini files may be different from computer to computer.
- Highlight the following line in the boot.ini file:
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect
(The exact text string may be different from the text string in this document. So be sure to copy the text string from your boot.ini file, not the text string shown here.)
- Copy (Ctrl-C) and paste (Ctrl-V) the line just below the original.
- Modify the copied line to include “ /3GB”, as shown in the example below. Note: Do not overwrite any existing lines.
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional 3GB" /3GB /fastdetect
- Save the boot.ini file and close Notepad.
- Click OK to close each dialog box.
- Reboot your computer.
- During startup, select the 3GB option. If you do not select the 3GB option, the system will default to the 2GB total memory setting.
If there are problems at startup, you may need to update some of your drivers.
Verifying that the 3GB switch is enabled
- Start a Revit session.
- Open the new journal text file that was created. The Journals folder can usually be found in the C:\Program Files\Autodesk Revit Building X\Journals directory. ( If you are using Revit Systems, the folder will be named "Revit Systems.")
- Near the beginning of the journal, check to make sure that the TotalVirtualMemorySize equals approximately 31456000.
While the 3GB switch will help achieve a boost in Revit productivity for some users, it is important to note that in the majority of scenarios this will not be beneficial. So you should use discretion when you are trying to decide whether to enable the 3GB switch or not.
Click here to learn more about the Revit 3GB switch
Design Assistant Doesn't Identify What Files Need To Be Resolved
(Applies to Inventor Pro 11, Inventor Pro DWF Extension 11, Inventor Series 11, Inventor Series 11 DWF Extension)
Autodesk has released a hotfix for the issue in Inventor 11 where the Design Assistant does not identify which files need to be resolved and a Database ID error occurs when doing a rename.
Click here to download the hotfix
Handling Special Printing Needs
IMAGINiT Builder 3D offers some useful printing options to help you create hard copies of your work. Check out this months tip and see how you can produce prints on a paper size larger than your printer can handle and how to select alternative viewing options for printing drawing sheets.
Click here to learn about Builder 3D's printing options
Vancouver Employs Autodesk Design Review Software
The City of Vancouver's Engineering Services Department recently deployed Autodesk's DWF-based Design Review software to provide field workers with mapping information and documentation of equipment repairs. Crews now repair emergency water leaks as much as 50 percent faster.
The City of Vancouver covers 114 square kilometers with a population of 545,000. The engineering department wanted to make up-to-date maps and drawings accessible to water leak detection and service field crews, most of whom have little experience with design software. Until now, city maps were reprinted every two years. Field and emergency response crews typically wrote and circulated comments on paper printouts.
Now each truck is outfitted with Design Review running on a laptop. Crews can access current 3D infrastructure maps from a central database. They can view and print the information they need.
When new potential leaks are identified, crews digitally markup maps, flagging problems for leak detection teams. Comments from the field are sent back to the engineering office, who then overlay the changes on top of original maps and drawings for revision.
The City of Vancouver also uses Autodesk Map 3D, Autodesk Civil 3D, and Autodesk Land Desktop software on its projects.
Click here to read more about Vancouver's integration of Autodesk software
Upcoming User Group Meetings
User Group |
Location |
Date / Time |
Register |
November 28, 2006 6:00PM - 8:00PM |
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December 4, 2006 6:00PM - 8:00PM |
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December 21, 2006 5:00PM - 8:30PM |
Featured Webcasts & Test Drives
IMAGINiT Technologies continues to host webcasts featuring your favorite Autodesk family of products. Webcasts include AutoCAD® Electrical, AutoCAD® Mechanical, Autodesk Inventor®, Autodesk® Revit® Building, Autodesk® Civil 3D®, and Autodesk Map® 3D 2007.
Try your hands on your preferred Autodesk product during a test drive of your and see how you can get your designs created faster.
Click a product below to find a webcast* or test drive** near you:
Upgrade To AutoCAD For Architects Promotion
From November 1, 2006 through January 19, 2007, you can upgrade your AutoCAD 2005, 2006, or 2007 software to Autodesk® Architectural Desktop 2007 at a special promotional price. Customers who do not have their AutoCAD license on subscription must also purchase one year of subscription for the Autodesk Architectural Desktop 2007 license(s).
Contact your local IMAGINiT office to act on this promotion
AutoCAD LT Users Save Up To 62% On Selected Autodesk Software
Take advantage of the AutoCAD LT crossgrade promotion to step up your productivity and design capabilities! Until January 19, you can crossgrade eligible AutoCAD LT 2004/2005/2006 software to AutoCAD® 2007 or to an industry-specific solution for $1,995 USD- a savings of $2000 USD.
You can crossgrade to the following products:
- AutoCAD® 2007
- Autodesk® Inventor™ Series 11
- AutoCAD® Mechanical 2007
- AutoCAD® Electrical 2007
- Autodesk® Architectural 2007
- Autodesk® Architectural Desktop
- Autodesk® Revit® Building 9
- Autodesk® Revit® Structure 3
- Autodesk® Building Systems 2007
- Autodesk Map® 3D
With this special offer you will benefit in several ways including boosting productivity, reducing repetitive tasks, and saving on new Autodesk software.
*AutoCAD LT 2007 not eligible for this offer
Click here for more information on AutoCAD LT crossgrades
Legacy and Retirement Promotions
If you didn't upgrade your AutoCAD R14-2002 software by the March 15th cutoff date, you can still upgrade at a discount:
- Between August 1 and January 19, 2007 -- save 40% with the purchase of a subscription (35% without).
Qualifying products include applications based on AutoCAD 14 through 2002, as well as VIZ and 3d Studio.
Click here for more information on the Legacy Promotion
As of March 15, 2007, Autodesk will be retiring AutoCAD 2004 based software and Autodesk Inventor Series 8. You can upgrade now to receive the following discount:
- Until January 19, 2007 -- save 10% with the purchase of a subscription.
Click here for more information on the Retirement Promotion
Discontinued Software and Upgrades
As of October 1, the following Autodesk software could no longer be purchased:
- AutoCAD® 2004, AutoCAD® Electrical 2004, AutoCAD Mechanical 2004 / 2004 DX, and Autodesk® Inventor™ Series 8
As of November 1, the following software titles are no longer available for purchase:
- Autodesk® Raster Design 2004, Autodesk® Architectural Desktop 2004, Autodesk Map® 2004, Autodesk® Land Desktop 2004, and Autodesk® Survey 2004.
As of October 1, you can no longer upgrade from any product to the following packages:
- AutoCAD 2006, AutoCAD Mechanical 2006, AutoCAD Electrical 2006, Autodesk Inventor Series 10, and Autodesk Inventor Professional 10.
And as of November 1, upgrades are discontinued for the following:
- Autodesk Raster Design 2006, Autodesk® VIZ 2006, Autodesk Architectural Desktop 2006, Autodesk Map® 3D 2006, Autodesk® Civil 3D® 2006, Autodesk® Land Desktop 2006, and Autodesk® Survey 2006.
Contact your IMAGINiT Technologies office for more information
IMAGINiT Is An Autodesk Educational Reseller
IMAGINiT Technologies specializes in providing software and services for Vocational, Technical, engineering and animation programs for K-12, post-secondary Community and Technical Colleges and Universities. Contact an IMAGINiT Educational Representative today to find out how they can serve your educational needs.
Click here to learn more about IMAGINiT Technologies academia
Fall 2006 Technical Training Course Catalog And Class Schedule Available Soon
The Fall 2006 training course catalog has been distributed. If you have not received yours, contact your local IMAGINiT office. Course descriptions and registration are available online for your convenience.
If our course calendar conflicts with yours, we are able to arrange alternative course scheduling. Please contact your local IMAGINiT office to make arrangements.
Brigham Young University Integrate Autodesk Software
Brigham Young University has integrated Autodesk's Manufacturing software into their Mechanical Engineering curriculum. Autodesk® Inventor™ 11 is now required by BYU for the freshman-level computer-aided design course.
“After evaluating Autodesk Inventor against the three software packages we were teaching, we were impressed with how well it performed,” says professor Jordan Cox. Partnering with Autodesk provides an opportunity for students to download a free copy of Inventor for use on their own computers.
Autodesk recently launched its Student Engineering and Design Community. Students in the fields of mechanical engineering, architecture, construction and civil engineering have free access to the software they need. Any student or faculty with a valid education e-mail address is invited to participate in the community.
Join the Student Engineering And Design Community at: http://students.autodesk.com