The H-Factor

Reducing Entropy

Month: March 2011

  • Thanks to a long time customer, I now know about the AutoCAD command for tuning up your 3D performance. It is 3DCONFIG. This brings up the 'Advanced Degradation and Performance Tuning' tool (sounds futuristic, eh?). From here you can tweak this or that to speed up 3D, but some of the highlights are as follows:…

  • This is an annual question – it comes up every time AutoCAD releases a new version. The fact that so many people ask us what their serial number is speaks to serious flaws in Autodesk's system for notifying users, but I can't do anything about that. What I can do is tell you a number…

  • Say you want to add a loss curve for a new device. Here's what you do: 1. Open HydraCALC2. Pick the Utility pulldown menu and then pick Alter Pipe/Fittings3. Go to the bottom of the table and you will see other curves here (all are defined as a Z fitting)4. In the first open line,…

  • Sometimes, it seems like things take a big step back. This is a good example: try to search for text inside a file in Windows Explorer using Windows 7. It can't be done by default. There are two ways, from Wikihow: 1. In Windows Explorer, Press Alt button –> go to Tools –> Folder options…

  • Are your drawing getting really, really big and slowing down the raising up of your drawing and the AutoCalc and AutoList processes? Are you carrying around huge background drawings? XREFing in the background drawings doesn't help. But there is something that does: Plot the background drawings to a DWF and then XREF the DWF in.…