Most of you at some point have wished others a prosperous New Year.  As I watched the festivities on TV, and pondered the year in review, and heard the resolution list of others, I wondered what I would like to see in 2005.  I have never been a New Years Resolution kind of guy, but I do have a practice of using milestones as motivators. 

I approach milestones, like a new year, as an opportunity to drive a stake in the ground and start or renew an effort to make progress. A new year is a great milestone for motivation.  It allows me to reflect and plan and prepare to make strides in my efforts in the CAD arena.

Mark W. Kiker, Editor
mark.kiker@caddmanager.com

Table of Contents

2005 Refocus - A milestone well marked

ETransmit - Part 2

Latest CAD News - link to our website

2005 Refocus - resolutions, who... me?

Here are a few areas where every CAD Manager (Leader) should focus, refocus, reenergize and make progress.  Let's get moving!

Repeat after me...  I RESOLVE TO...

1.  Read the book

Most of us got where we are by doing simple things well.  One of which is finding out the answers to the questions that haunt everyone.  We do this by reading much and varied information related directly to CAD and other industries.  I have been able to advance my career and the expertise of my company by reading the manual.  Take it out. Read in your "spare" time.  Read on the train or commute into the office (if you are carpooling and others are driving).  Make notes in the books or highlight the good stuff.  I also use sticky flags to mark the stuff that I want to review later.

I read CAD info and non-CAD info.  I read books, magazines, internet news, and sometimes blogs.  I find blogs to be an annoying way to get information.  They are often just a running commentary and rambling thoughts, but the sites are getting better so I might start one soon.  Should I start a blog?  let me know...

2.  Take Notes - Make Notes

I keep a notepad handy so I can write down those random ideas that pop into my head.  I journal at work.  I keep a document that tracks my ideas.  I write down anything that may pop into my head.  I get a lot of ideas on the commute into work.  If I do not write them down, then they disappear from my mind once I open the office door and get the onslaught of the days CAD emergencies. 

I do not judge them as good or bad.  I just write them down.  I review them from time to time to see if I wrote down anything worth doing or checking into. 

I keep all of my old notes.  I stuff them into a manila envelope after they have littered my monitor or desk for too long.  I review them months after I have stuffed them in.  I have actually used some old ideas that were ahead of their time when I wrote them down, but have become easier to do with technology advances.

3.  Review the Standard

I make a habit of trying to review my CAD Standard at least every 6 months.  At the max I wait no longer than one year or whenever there is a release of an upgrade to the software I use. 

What do I look for?  Outdated standards, old methods, new tools that make me want to refine my guidelines.  I also need to update it for any new tools that the software contains that may need to be added.  Take a look at the Tech Tip about Images below.  It may change your standard.

4.  Get Trained

Training for yourself and your staff (if you have any).  You need to stay up to date on the tools you use.  Your staff needs to get specific training for upgrades.  Don't train others and forget about yourself.  Make sure you sign up for a class also.

Most of you will be training others.  If you don't take the time to get input from outsiders (VAR's, Autodesk, local tech schools, etc.) then you will soon be handicapped by not knowing the latest version.

Now that you are trained pass it on.  Knowledge is to be shared.  Do not start thinking that just by knowing more than the next guy you will lock in your job.  You are hired by your firm to keep others informed.  It is a toxic environment when everyone is hording information on better software use. 

Don't forget to play with technology.  You are most likely the person that will try out the latest software, check out the latest demo, or listen to the latest web cast about tools.  Get on the Autodesk Beta programs http://betaprograms.autodesk.com/ .  Get NFR software for the tools you have not yet purchased.  Whatever you do - don't forget to keep playing with technology.

ETransmit - Part Two

Last month we began to investigate ETransmit...  let's continue...

Entering Notes

You can enter note that you want included in the text file that is created as a transmittal.  The notes you type in will be added to the transmittal under a "Notes:" heading.  You have to type it into this little box to be included.  You have to type it in each time.  If you want the same thing to be added to multiple transmittals you may want to make a notes file.

Creating a Notes File

To create this auto-transmittal text, use Notepad or equivalent text editor and create a file that will be saved to one of AutoCAD's search paths and be named "etransmit.txt".  The name and file extension are critical - don't get them wrong.  The location is not as critical but it has to be in a folder where AutoCAD is likely to look.  You may want to keep these individual files in the same place as the file you are eTransmitting.  The first one it finds is the one that is used.  You could use this file for your Disclaimer.

The default location for this file would be in AutoCAD's Support directory but you can also put it on a Server so everyone automatically gets the same file.  You can also keep separate auto-transmittal notes with project drawings so long as the file is in the same source folder as the current drawing being transmitted.

 View a Report of the current files

 Select a Transmittal Setting file

Note:  Transmittal Settings are stored in drawing file and the Registry.  There is no easy way to share these among users.  If you know one - let me know.

Transmittal Package Type

Lets you specifies the type of transmittal package created.  ZIP, EXE or Folders.  ZIP and EXE will create files that contain the complete transmittal.  Choosing "Folder" will create a folder on your hard drive to store the individual files copied by ETransmit.

File Format

Specifies the file format to which the drawings included in a transmittal package will be converted. You can select an AutoCAD drawing file format from the drop-down list.  Hey - what happened to AutoCAD 14 format?

Transmittal File Folder

Specifies the location in which the transmittal package is created. Lists the last nine locations where you created packages. To specify a new location, click Browse and navigate to the location you want.  If the folder does not exist – it will be created.

If this field is left blank, the transmittal file is created in the folder containing the first specified drawing file. In a sheet set context, the transmittal file is created in the folder containing the sheet set data (DST) file.

Transmittal File Name

Specifies the method for naming the transmittal package. Notice that the displays shows the default file name for the transmittal package. This option is not available if the transmittal package type is set to Folder.

Increment File Name if Necessary

Uses a logical default file name. If the file name already exists, a number is added to the end. This number is incremented each time a new transmittal package is saved.

More to come next month...

CADD Manager Newsletter is a publication of the Core Technology Group. Editor: Mark W. Kiker.
mark.kiker@ctg-web.com © 2005 by CTG.