The ECN No Name Newsletter is no longer being published. This is an archived issue.
[previous article] [next article]AutoCAD is a interactive design and drafting program for use on engineering workstations and desktop computers. Autodesk, Inc., the manufactures of AutoCAD, AutoSolid, AutoShade, Animator and other computer graphics software, recently announced the development of AutoCAD Release 11 which will be available for the Sun, Apollo and Mac II platforms by January of 1991. AutoCAD Release 11 will supersede Release 10 and sports several new features that will be of interest to general users, applications developers, network users, and solids modeling users.
=========================
AutoCAD Development System (ADS) ADS is a new advanced programming environment that will link C language programs and AutoCAD. As a result, applications developers will be able to interface AutoCAD with other software applications such as spreadsheets, database, and GIS programs that are written in C. Furthermore, applications developers will be able to attach application-specific information to AutoCAD entities and extract or manipulate entity data via another new AutoCAD feature called Extended Entity Data (EED).
=========================
Network Authorization Network Authorization will allow network administrators to set the maximum number of users authorized to access a network configuration of AutoCAD at any one time. For example, if a network "ABC" is licensed to run twenty copies of AutoCAD, then ANY twenty workstations on that network can run AutoCAD concurrently. Network Authorization will greatly reduce the administrative overhead associated with maintaining AutoCAD configuration files for individual CPUs and will greatly enhance the availability of AutoCAD to all users of a network.
File locking File locking will prevent network users from writing (updating) an AutoCAD drawing file currently in use - even though they may have write permission on that file. This will eliminate a long standing problem on some networks where "He who writes the file last, wins."
(Advanced Modeling Extension) =========================
Advanced Modeling Extension (AME) AME is an optional, but fully integrated modeling tool that will allow AutoCAD Release 11 users to create solid objects from primitive shapes such as boxes, spheres, cylinders and cones. Users can edit these solid entities using standard AutoCAD commands (e.g. move, copy, scale, array, rotate, etc.), perform boolean operation such as union, subtraction, and intersection on them, as well as calculate their mass properties. AME is an ADS application developed by Autodesk from their AutoSolid constructive solid geometry (CSG) modeler.
==========================
User Aliases Users will now be able to assign their own abbreviations (aliases) for any AutoCAD command, user-defined LISP function or ADS command.
Improved Data Entry Users will now be able to enter fractional values, alternative angular units, and cylindrical/spherical coordinates in response to AutoCAD prompts.
Dimensioning Improvements Users will now be able to assign colors to dimensioning sub-entities and be able to select a new position for dimension text. Users will also be able to store and restore groups of dimensioning variables setting by name. In addition, ordinate, or datum point dimensioning will be supported.
Text Editing Dialog boxes that utilize scroll bars will allow users to more easily edit AutoCAD text entries.
==========================
AutoCAD Release 11 will retail for $3500.00 per license. The Advanced Modeling Extension will retail for $495 per license. Purdue has had a purchasing agreement with Autodesk, Inc. that provided an over 80 percent discount on AutoCAD.
==========================
Autodesk, Inc. is currently considering Purdue as a test site for a new educational marketing program that will allow students and staff to purchase their own copy of AutoCAD at a discount of approximately 80 percent of suggested retail price. Students and staff would be entitled to free software upgrades so long as they can prove their student/staff standing. When a student (or staff member) is no longer associated with Purdue, they would then be required to pay to Autodesk the current suggested list price (less the student/staff discount price initially paid) for AutoCAD before any further upgrades of their copy would be allowed.
HTML