AutoCAD 2010 – Sneak Peek

Here is a quick outline of what I think my be significant items that will be part of AutoCAD 2010 for the CAD Manager to consider.

Online License Transfer: This replaces the portable license utility.  You can export a license or import one from a standalone copy of AutoCAD.  You have two choices: Public and Private.  Private can be used only by the person who exported it.  The Public license can shared between users as long as they have the same version installed and the smae serial number.  It appears that this is a mechanism for moving standalone install licenses around without having to uninstall and reinstall.

Action Macro Manager: A new Action Macro Manager allows you to copy, rename, modify, and delete action macro files from a centralized location. You can get to it from the Options dialog box.

CUI Changes: In AutoCAD 2010, the CUI file is replaced with the new CUIx format. A CUIx file is a package file format that helps to improve performance when working with the CUI Editor. The CUIx can contain images used in commands.  It is an expanded format.

Drawing File Format: AutoCAD 2010 introduces a new file format that offers improved save times, especially when saving files with lots of annotative objects, along with several new features.

The Ribbon: The ribbon has been updated to provide greater flexibility, easier access to tools, and consistency across Autodesk applications. You can drag a ribbon panel off the ribbon to display it as a sticky panel. Sticky panels remain displayed, even when selecting a different tab, until you select the option to Return Panels to Ribbon. If you are new to the ribbon, this may be a major change for your users.