The H-Factor

Reducing Entropy

Recent Posts

Unblocking a Group of Files

After downloading a file, it is often Blocked. You must right-click on it, pick Properties and then check the Unblock item: But doing a dozen or more files gets old, real fast. I just learned a way to Unblock a batch of files at once. It involves using PowerShell, a Microsoft tool that is a…

Adding Hanger Types to HydraLIST

If you want to use a new type of hanger, or are a fab shop that gets a job from a contractor that uses a hanger type that you do not have, it is easy to add that new hanger type to your own machine. A hanger is an assembly, and an assembly is just…

Welcome

Recently our previous blog service (Typepad) ended their business – so, we have a new home. It will take a bit to get images back and displaying properly, but we are working on it! Final pageview count of original Typepad blog: 387,232

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Author: art

  • Each object in 2011 also has a Transparency property.To adjust the Transparency of an object(s) select those objects and then pick the Properties command or pick the Properties button on the Home Tab of the ribbon menu and use the slider to adjust. Valid settings are between 0 and 90 percent transparency.

  • An index to H-Factor topics can be found here: Index of H-Factor Topics To get notified when new topics are posted, subscribe to this blog by picking the link at left. In your MyYahoo page you can pick Add Content then pick Add RSS by URL and then enter http://hydratec.blogs.com/the_h_factor/index.rdf as the location.

  • This is the second in a series of posts on how to self-diagnose errors you may encounter while elevating your drawing to 3D or while running AutoCalc or AutoList. HydraCAD includes a number of tools to assist you with the diagnosis and correction of these errors, and these post will review some of them. Sometimes…

  • The next new feature is Isolate or Hide Objects. A new property that has been added to each entity is its Visibility. You can Hide or Isolate Objects individually, or by selecting a bunch of them. Say you have an area of a drawing that is particularly crowded, and you want to be able to…

  • Another new feature in AutoCAD 2011 is Selection Cycling. Ofttimes, you have two objects at the same place, and you may have difficulty selecting the correct one. That is where Selection Cycling is a big help. Turn Selection Cycling on by picking the Selection Cycling toggle on the AutoCAD Status Line: Note: If you have…

  • Select Similar does just what it's name implies. Select and object just by clicking it. Then right-click and pick Select Similar from the ensuing popup menu. All objects of the same type and layer will be highlighted. If you pick a block, then only the same block will be highlighted. You can now do whatever…

  • This is the first in a series of posts on how to self-diagnose errors you may encounter while elevating your drawing to 3D or while running AutoCalc or AutoList. HydraCAD includes a number of tools to assist you with the diagnosis and correction of these errors, and these post will review some of them. The…

  • A feature added to both HydraCAD V50.4 and V51.4 allows you to break a head or riser nipple into a branch line automatically. Note the prompts when you pick Insert Head or Insert Riser Nipple: "Pick insertion point. Pick any point besides endpoint to break into pipe". Try it out using the NEAR Osnap or…

  • Q: How do you view Revit files without buying Revit?  A: From Autodesk – Download the Revit program and run it in Demo mode. Demo install can function as a viewer with no expiration. Demo mode allows all features of Revit, but you cannot save, plot or export your project after changes are made. Demo…

  • From a longtime customer – Joe O.: Here is one I just noticed in Vista and I was not sure if you knew about it…   With Vista, if you highlight multiple files to change the name, the name will change but each file will retain their respective extensions.  This is very handy if you…