DBUG> Early Bird Editorial from Cheap Tricks December 2009 Issue

[Cheap Tricks Newsletter]

Early Bird Editorial from Cheap Tricks December 2009 Issue

From the Editor:

Last week at the annual Build Boston Conference and DBUG's 22nd Anniversary
Users Group Meeting, we got our first in-depth look at the next major version of
DataCAD. This version is named DataCAD X3 -- "X3" being a "lucky" way to write
DataCAD 13! It was indeed fortuitous for the 50-some users who came to see the
presentation by DATACAD President & CEO Mark Madura. Not only did they get an
appetizer of delicious chocolate cake, but they got a full meal with much food
for thought in seeing the concepts that will form the foundation for DataCAD X3.

In this issue, we cover the basics for many of these concepts (see Architips),
but in a nutshell, DataCAD X3 will take us further down the "smart" road with
view dependent symbols (see Architips), further down the production road with
scale independent text (see Architips), and further down the 3D modeling road
with 3D covered polylines (see Computerese) and easy jumping to work directly in
any construction plane. Smarter, more productive, and better at 3D is the
headline banner for DataCAD X3.

Certainly, there a host of other niceties also in DataCAD X3, such as a Layer
Manager dialog that can remain open and usable while working in your drawing
file (you dual monitor folks will love that!), a sun study and shadow utility
that looks pretty spiffy, automatic and refreshable hidden line removal of GoTo
Views (imagine your elevation views updating as you work on your 3D model),
symbol browser folder improvements, along with yet more features to come.

For the many of you just now getting used to DataCAD 12, don't worry about
having to deal with another big learning curve. In many ways, DataCAD X3 seemed
to be just like DataCAD 12 � but just more of it. The interface looks identical
as far as we could tell (only the Sun and Shadow Study utility looks
"different") and your very same tools will just seem to be more flexible and
usable.

The first question in many minds upon seeing and hearing about DataCAD X3 is
"When?" but Mark just laughed when he heard the question. He probably felt like
Robert Frost, who wrote "I have many promises to keep, And miles to go before I
sleep." But Mark did go so far as to say that the BETA program for testing
DataCAD X3 will begin this winter. But it portends well that this first preview
was enthusiastically received by this very savvy audience of DataCAD users.

Now, for those of you, who haven't yet taken advantage of the huge value of the
"CADD for Clunkers" program to upgrade from any version of DataCAD to DataCAD 12
for only $295 and an old dongle (or old version CD), don't put it off. Remember,
you can even use this offer to get another brand new copy DataCAD 12 for a
colleague, consultant, or student! You still have a month left before the clock
strikes midnight and the ball comes down on Times Square when this deal is
officially over. Believe us when we quote Bogie in saying, if you don't upgrade
now, "You'll regret it. Maybe not today. Maybe not tomorrow, but soon and for
the rest of your life." So, don't wait to the last minute, do it today. Go to
<www.datacad.com/trade-in> for all the details.

Want a hoot? Take a look and the very first Cheap Tricks issue (Dec. 90)
published exactly 19 years ago as kindly scanned by DATACAD for their Time
Machine at <datacad.com/time_machine>. It is not only an interesting commentary
on how far DataCAD and our knowledge of it has come, but how far the ease of
desktop publishing has come. We sweated blood to get some of those funny
illustrations in that first issue. And who knows, there may still be a valuable
cheap trick or two that you can glean from that very first issue!

So, as we close out the 2009 year, we can't say it's been the best of times, but
at least the worst of this economic recession looks to be over. We look forward
to a much better 2010, and thank all of you for your continued support as we
start our own 20th year of publishing Cheap Tricks and printing all the news
that's fit to print for the DataCAD community. +
-- Evan H. Shu, FAIA

Also in the Dec 2009 Issue of Cheap Tricks
(to be posted for subscribers by 10 am on Dec. 1, 2009):

* 3D Roofing Alternatives: learn the major alternatives to working with 3D roofs
in DataCAD, the key to overall good modeling.

* Covered Polylines: what are they and why will they become increasingly important.

* Self-XREFs: they sound oxymoronic, but they are proving to be of great
utility. Find out why.

* RoofIt vs. Roof Builder Tools. What's the difference between these two DataCAD
roofing macros and why you may need and want both.

* Quick Tips on SketchUps roofing script, open other programs from DataCAD, the
add 1 layer command, multiple symbol placement, contour site maps, project
scheduling, and webcam modeling.

* Q & A on Roof Voids, Snad Grid Snafus, Stretching Associate Dimensions,
converting AutoCAD hatches, partial erase leftovers.

* DataCAD X3: Learn why View Dependency will be a keystone concept in the next
major version of DataCAD, along with scale independent text.

* Plus all the news from the DataCAD community and a special CTW flyer on 3D
modeling macros.

For more information or to subscribe, please go to http://CheapTricksNews.com or
e-mail us at <eva...@comcast.net>.


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