What is New in AutoCAD Civil 3D 2011!!!

Hello everybody!!!... Even though that Autodesk official realize day for Civil 3D 2011 is April 20th, we are able to see all the good things that this realize has to offer, here are two videos that are been took from one of the Autodesk Channel in YouTube... courtesy of CivilFromTheGroundUp...





Hope that you will be as exited as we all are... I am Looking forward to see what else Autodesk can do for us!!!

AutoCAD 2008 and 2009 Based Software and Window 7

Hello everybody is been a while since my last post, but I am back…
Since Microsoft lunch Window 7, we have received a lot of calls asking if they can install AutoCAD 2008 or 2009 based products on their new computers…. Well first of all, it is important to understand that Window 7 is a brand new OS, went you got your AutoCAD Based software 2008 or 2009, Window 7 wasn’t available yet, so it is a “NOT SUPPORTED OS” for this applications by Autodesk.
They only Autodesk Supported Products for Window 7 are the 2010 releases…
Windows 7 Support for Autodesk Products
Known Limitations with Windows 7 for AutoCAD and AutoCAD-based Products
What exactly these mean to us as users… that I CAN or CAN NOT install the software on my new computer?????????
I have being doing some test here at the office; so far we are being really successful installing and running AutoCAD 2009 based software without any mayor complications; Can you run into some weird stuffs?... Probably, I haven’t run yet into weird stuffs. I use regular AutoCAD 2009 and AutoCAD Civil 3D 2009, I have done projects, worked on costumer files and be able to share those with them without any problems…
The same situation with 2008 AutoCAD based software; I only had run into this one, which is NOT an AutoCAD issue… it is a Microsoft error….

"There Is No Disk in the Drive. Please Insert a Disk into Drive \Device\harddisk#\Dr#"

Remember we are on our own, this is an unexplored territory and Autodesk does not support this OS for 2008 or 2009 software’s… we could run into issues, but on the same page, you can count with the AutoCAD online community, and I am sure that somebody like me will help you, so you will never be along….

Have a great day to all!!!

Autodesk University Extension!!!

Hello everyone, for those of you that don't know The Autodesk University (AU) conference held each year in Las Vegas is the world’s largest learning and networking event for Autodesk product users. But not everyone can travel to Las Vegas. So this year thanks to the economy, Autodesk is extending the benefits of AU by sharing classes and content from the event with Authorized Training Centers (ATC®). The result is a new worldwide initiative called Autodesk University Extension and Digital Drafting Systems is participating, we are the only ATC and Autodesk Authorized Reseller on South Florida doing it.
On December 4, 8, 9 & 10 of 2009, we are presenting an Autodesk University Extension event tailored to our community of users. This is a great new opportunity to upgrade your skills and connect with peers and experts without the cost of traveling to Las Vegas.
Our program is FREE and we invite you to join us.

Digital Drafting System’s and Autodesk University Extension Event combines expert-led class content from AU in Las Vegas with face-to-face interaction with our local instructors and other users...
* At our event, you will receive:
- FREE training, including 3 on-line live classes and 5 recorded classes at AU in Las Vegas (see program below)
- 90 days of FREE access to 350 classes recorded at AU, archived on AU Online, and available to you on-demand.
Plus, you may purchase additional training and certification at significant discounts:
- Twenty percent (20%) discount on Autodesk Official Training Guides - Autodesk publishes dozens of titles every year designed to help users at all levels of expertise improve their productivity with Autodesk software.
- Fifty percent (50%) discount on Autodesk Certification Exams (in participating countries) - The competition for the best jobs and projects is fierce. And the ability to demonstrate your expertise is crucial to your success. Validate your Autodesk skills with Autodesk Certification.

** And if you mention that you got to sing in for the link on this blog, we will give you the opportunity to take your certification exam for FREE**

Do not get left out just because you were not able to travel to AU in Las Vegas this year, please join us for 4 days of knowledge and fun.

Civil & Civil 3D 2010 SP2 OUT!!!!

In a continuing effort to provide high quality products, Autodesk has released AutoCAD Civil 3D 2010 Update 2, which fixes or addresses a variety of issues discovered by customers and by Autodesk's internal testing team.
Before applying this SP, make sure that any customizations made to the user profile (such as, customizations made to the support file search paths, print file customizations, printer support file paths, redirections, custom template settings, and so on) are exported to a secure location, then imported and reapplied after the update has been successfully installed.
AutoCAD Civil 3D 2010 Update 2
AutoCAD Civil 2010 Update 2
Also available and good to know too...
Scale List Cleanup Utility for AutoCAD 2010
Regapp ID Cleanup Utility for AutoCAD 2010

AutoCAD Civil & Civil 3D 2010 Update 1 IS OUT!!!

Hello everyone... In a continuing effort to provide high quality products, Autodesk has released AutoCAD Civil & AutoCAD Civil 3D 2010 Update 1, which fixes or addresses a variety of issues discovered by customers and by Autodesk's internal testing team.
Please before applying this update, make sure that any customizations made to the user profile (such as, customizations made to the support file search paths, print file customizations, printer support file paths, redirections, custom template settings, and so on) are exported to a secure location, then imported and reapplied after the update has been successfully installed. Also remember to refers to the README file prior installation...
- AutoCAD Civil 3D 2010 Update 1
- AutoCAD Civil 2010 Update 1

Google Earth & Civil 3D 2010 on Windows 7 64Bit OS...

Hi everyone… This is something that I was experiencing… But probably it could give you an idea about how to fix or work around some of your issues… I’m running Windows 7 64-Bit, and my Civil 3D 2010 was crashing every time that I was trying to publish or retrieve information from Google Earth, apparently was a none support OS conflict… Well as probably you know by now, Windows 7 and Windows Vista is all about permission, digging into the setting here at the office, we find out that you are able to run some of your software in a Compatibility Mode!!!!...
…After you install the software in your machine, the software create a shortcut on your desktop, if you selected and right click on it, you will find the properties on the new menu listed all the way down as a last option…. On the Application Properties window, you will find a Compatibility Tab, in here you allow the software to run as a compatibility mode in a different OS to the one that you are working on… Awesome!!!... This option will do the trick, just make sure you do it for Civil 3D 2010 and for Google Earth shortcuts… restart your machine… and now you should be ready to rock and roll….
Good Luck… Enjoy and have Fun…

Tricky Stuffs Running Raster Design on Civil 3D with a 64-Bit OS...

Hello everybody…. Well as usual I’m just trying to help…. I’m running Windows 7 64 Bit on my computer and I’m loving it!!!.... Why???.... Well where to start… First of all, I don’t need to deal with the 3GB switch anymore, and second of all I’m able to use more than 2GB of memory ram using my Civil 3D 2010 software, no more out of memory issue…
....Probably you came across with this before, and I’m letting you know because it happened to me, so here it’s a little trick for you to install your Raster Design 2009 and 2010 on your Civil 3D if you are running a 64 Bit OS…
As you should know by now, since 2009 we are able to install Civil 3D on a 64 Bit environment, but “Civil 3D is not a 64 Bit software yet”…. ???? … So how that one plays, well it allows you to install it, but it is installed as a 32 Bit, what this means to you is that you will end it up with two program files folders, the regular program files were all your 64 bit application will be installed and another one called Program Files (x86) were your others 32 bit applications like Civil 3D will be installed.
What happens is that when you are trying to install Raster Design it gives you an error message that said …

“No supported desktops for AutoCAD Raster Design 2009 or 2010 were found…
Please Exit and Install a supported desktop before proceeding”

This error message indicates that the installer was not able to find a 64 bit application.
To correct this issue, you need to redirect the installer to look for 32 bit applications on the 64 bit operating system... I know it sound really complicated, but it is not like that...

Here is what you will need to do:
a) Copy the entire contents of the installation disk to a folder on the hard drive.
b) In the root of this folder, locate the Setup.ini file and open it with Microsoft Notepad.
Under [SETUP], change the x64_IMAGE_PATH=x64 (Original Line), for x64_IMAGE_PATH=x86
c) Save and close the Setup.ini file.
In the root of this folder, run the Setup.exe file and now the installer will look in your 32 bit program files folder and will find yours 32 bit applications on your computer.