The H-Factor

Reducing Entropy

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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

Using a Non-Standard Pipe Type in HydraCALC

A customer called today asking how to enter a 1″ black plastic underground pipe for the calc. This particular situation sounded unique enough that I did not tell him to add that pipe type to our database, as I would have if he expected to see this pipe type used repeatedly. I told him to…

Using the Hydratec Software Download Area

Hydratec uses ShareFile to distribute our software installs and updates. New customers, or those without access, must request access to be able to get at these downloads. Access is only available to customers with a Hydratec subscription or those on an update plan. You can access the download area and request access by picking the…

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Author: art

  • I am sure everyone in the world knew this except for me, but if you want to resend an email to someone, just open it, and pick Other Actions off the Ribbon toolbar and pick Resend Message That is all

  • This one from Robert at Elite Fire who posed the question AND found the solution: Problem I have a problem with bloated scale lists when you plot which have ton of extra scales listed that look like " 1/8" = 1'-0" XREF_XREF_XREF_XREF_XREF_XREF_XREF_XREF_XREF_ They seem to really bog down the drawing when attaching XREFS or copy/pasting…

  • Way back since AutoCAD 2000 or something, it has been possible to select objects using a non-rectangular window. When you use MOVE, COPY or whatever, type in WP or CP (for Window Polygon or Crossing Polygon). You will be able to select using a selection 'box of almost any shape, juse pick as many points…

  • Somewhere around 2003 the internal diameters of CPVC pipe changed, based on manufacturer. Prior to 2003 our database had CPVC dimension published by IPEX Blazemaster  (.884, 1.109, 1.4, 1.602)   In 2003 we updated the database to match data published at the time by Tyco, Spears & Harvel (.874, 1.101, 1.394, 1.598) Looking online today…

  • My coworker Paul noticed yesterday that his files were not getting sorted in Explorer like he was used to seeing them. Those that started with numbers were no longer in numerical order, at least not the way he wanted them. He dug around and found a Knowledge Base article on the Microsoft website. Sort Order…

  • If you are requested to submit a 3D model that is highly detailed, there are two ways: Preferred – If you have NavisWorks, after you make the model of the sprinkler system, type NWDOUT at the command line to export a detailed NWD files -Or- Use the Make Solid Pipes command and choose the option…

  • Two subscription bonus packs have been uploaded to Autodesk website for AutoCAD 2009. These are available for all users who have a subscription with AutoCAD. The link is here: Subs Bonus Packs There are three videos explaining the contents of the bonus packs, which mainly cover PDF enhancements and 3D printing enhancements.

  • Yep – Windows 7. Microsoft even has a web section for it: Windows 7 Vista is so popular it is already being replaced. When? Word on the street is one to three years. yay – more for all of us to have to deal with. Vista is the new Windows ME

  • HydraCAD has had a couple of pretty useful commands on the Cleanup toolbar that many are not aware of: 1. Change Item Colors: If you have a need to differentiate piping as New or Existing , you can do it with this command. Run Pretty Pipes first, then pick the color or linetype you want…