Using updates with downloaded software.

Network, Multiseat or Standalone – Using Downloadable software for repair, reinstall, clean installs or updates.

Using software downloaded from Autodesk Subscription website entails a little forethought where repair, reinstall, clean installs and updates are concerned. If many users are like me I will download and extract from an executable file, this is an example of one that is downloaded:

Autodesk_Revit_MEP-B_2011_English_Win_32-64bit.exe

When extracting the contents of the executable file, the default folder is usually along the lines of the example below:

C:\Autodesk\Autodesk_Revit_MEP-B_2011_English_Win_32-64bit\RevitSetup\RevitMEP\

Users have the option to point to external drives or the server when extracting the contents of the executable file with the Browse button.

However if I was using DVD media as deliverable source,  for repair, reinstall, clean install or update, the installer would call for the location of the contents of the executable I would have specified the alternate in the Use Source to be:

Autodesk Revit MEP 2011 DVD

Contents remain on the DVD media to be utilized by popping the DVD back into the drive when Repair/reinstalls or clean reinstalls and updates are needed.

With deliverable DVD media replaced with subscription downloads, an installation from the extracted contents folder looks the same as a DVD installation with one exception being path to DVD or extracted media in the Use source field. (see image below)

For other software; there are differences in the path format with name of the software. For Network or Multi-seat deployments; the general idea is to be aware of the path and the fact that user specified path can be defined in such that the server can store the extracted files to make it easier to install on multiple of seats and apply updates throughout the organization. If you use a path of your choosing it should be on a shared folder on the network server.

Single seat users, after installing products, are inclined to delete the extracted files on the local drive to save space. This fine with the exception that when repair, reinstall, clean install and applying updates are needed, the contents extracted to a folder are no longer available to utilize during these tasks when called for by the installer script. In addition to the msi file there may be a need for some of content of the extractions to be available when performing repair, reinstall, clean install and applying updates. So once again, the executable file needs to be extracted to a folder either default or user specified to utilize the Autodesk Revit x64.msi or Autodesk Revit x86.msi file. Just for fun, I have attempted to use a Revit Architecture Autodesk Revit x64.msi file with my Revit MEP update to see if I could get around the need to keep or extract the files on the server or my local drive. This was unsuccessful as it seems even similar named files are structurally different in some way in the code and the Revit Architecture and Revit MEP msi does not work across one another.

Being on subscription allows the benefits of using downloads of older versions, extensions and getting updates. When on subscription regardless if a network, multi-seat deployment or single user, product downloads and extensions are available online and contract management is available online for the company’s contract administrator.  Where ever possible try and use a multi-seat standalone if network license is not an option in the firm. Because a multi-seat standalone allows the use of a single license serial number with deployment image configured at one time. It allows applying service packs to deployment image once and using the deployment on the server for repairs, reinstalls, clean installs and updates. Link to Autodesk Multi Seat Standalone

So to summarize how best to use downloaded executables in three scenarios:

Standalone installation – Extracted content can remain on users own hard drive or the server to use for repair, reinstall, clean installs and updates for more than one seat. This scenario uses a different serial number for each seat. Extracted content can be removed leaving the zipped executable to extract again if needed for repair, reinstall, clean installs and updates.

Multi-Seat Standalone installation – Deployment image can be left on the server to be used for repair, reinstall, clean installs and updates for more than one seat. Deployment image allows a single serial number up to the allowed number of seats licensed.

Network Installation – Like multi-seat deployment, image can be left on server to be used for repair, reinstall, clean installs and updates for more than one seat. Deployment image allows a single serial number up to the allowed number of seats licensed to be administrated by a license server.

If are any questions you can contact us at support@cadsoft-consult.com or call us at (480) 820-0408 and we can help you with your licensing, updates and managing your subscription options.

Using 3DORBIT in AutoCAD

Tips and tricks with 3DORBIT.

The functionality of 3DORBIT has many levels of interaction.

Via contextual menus are defined as menus are tools that can be utilized in any state. Regardless, if in a command or not. 3DORBIT has modes settings that can be utilized via right click contextual menu or keyboard shortcuts.

When 3DORBIT command is active a right-click in the workspace will result in a context menu coming up. Selecting Other Navigation Modes will slide out another menu which of several modes within the 3DORBIT command will give the user options to switch modes. Note the numbers to the side of each mode setting. While in 3DORBIT mode, selecting the number next to the mode setting will enable that mode without having to use the context menu to switch modes.

This will give users the ability to switch modes dynamically within the 3DORBIT command.

Bonus Tip: Using transparent 3DORBIT via keyboard shortcut allows user to transparently enter 3DORBIT with or with no commend active.  Use the shift Key and hold down scroll button to ativate the command.

Another bonus tip: Use 3DORBITCTR command to center the pivot point around a point in the workspace.

Extra Bonus Tip: Use 3DFORBIT to isolate and rotate selected objects. Select the objects first before invoking the command.

Navisworks 2010 Tip; Where the heck is NWCOUT?

Chris Perry and I got a case where a user could not run NWCOUT at the command line. That was the case where the ARX downloaded from http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/pc/item?siteID=123112&id=13947462 was not loaded into his AutoCAD 2010 MEP even after installation. We are not sure why this happened but we were able to duplicate it on a training machine. Using the search on Chris’s machine and a training machine we found out the nwexport2010.arx file was in different folder locations on each machine!

So the procedure recommended would to run a search for the location of the nwexport2010.arx file. Open the AutoCAD seat and type ARX then browse to the folder containing the nwexport2010.arx file to load it.

Displaying the Classic Toolbars in 2010 Products

Recently we have had a few customer support request on how to display their “classic toolbars” in Autocad 2010 as well as the vertical products like Architecture, Civil 3D… and so. Yes, there is an AutoCAD Classic Workspace available out of the box, but only for the platform software and not the verticals. Even though I whole heartedly support the use of the Ribbon; sometimes you have older customization in a toolbar or you just want to use both the toolbars and the Ribbon to ease into the transition. In this blog I want to show you 3 simple ways on how easy it is to still be able to redisplay that hidden content.

First let’s look at the platform product, AutoCAD and its different ways of displaying toolbars.
1.The easiest way is if you liked the old look and feel of AutoCAD prior to the Ribbon then just change the Workspace to AutoCAD Classic and presto and it will have that old appearance that has been around for many versions.
  a. Workspace button located on the Status bar at the bottom of the screen. Just click the dropdown arrow and change it to AutoCAD Classic.

  b. By default the Ribbon is not displayed in this workspace. (Remember that does NOT mean you can’t take advantage of the Ribbon in this old look; if you want to add it also… At the command line just type RIBBON and it will display. When you want to hide it again type: RIBBONCLOSE and it will disappear again.

2. Another way in AutoCAD Platform is to go through the old Menu Bar that used to be the Pull down menus that were replaced by the Ribbon. Aww Yes; you can even reload your old pull downs, but for now we are just showing how to display it so we can get to the Toolbars section through inside it.
  a. The first step is to display the Menu Bar by going to the dropdown options in the Quick Access Toolbar. (Note: the Quick Access Toolbar is not the same as the regular toolbars; it is a whole different menu area and for the most part is always displayed and can either at the top of the AutoCAD Screen or below the Ribbon only. You can Also display the Menu Bars in the Veridical Products; remember they don’t have the Tools pull-down menu that you will need in the next step.

  b. Next you will see the Menu Bar appear above the Ribbon tabs. Go to the Tools pulldown and than Toolbars -> AutoCAD -> (then pick which toolbar you want to display first.

  c. In this example the Draw Toolbar will then display where it was last displayed.  Now here is the good part you only need one Toolbar displayed in order to access the rest the way you used to turn on and off the display of all the other Toolbars. To do so just (right-click) any icon on the toolbar and you will see a list of the rest of the Toolbars in the shortcut menu, just pick the ones you want to display like you have done in the past versions.

3. The Last way is the best way to display a Toolbar, because it works in both; platform or vertical products through the command line.
  a. At the command line type:
      Command: -toolbar
      Enter toolbar name or [ALL]: layers
      Enter an option [Show/Hide/Left/Right/Top/Bottom/Float] <Show>: Show
 
This dash in front of the command name suppress the CUI dialog box and allows you to just type in the name of the toolbar you want. Once you have the first toolbar displayed; refer to step 2c above to display any other desired toolbar you desire.

I hope this helps; Thank you for your time and if you have suggestions for future Blogs that you would like to see? Please feel free to email me at isaac.harper@cadsoft-consult.com.