The H-Factor

If you want to select an intersection, but don't have two lines that meet, what do you do? Many times while training customers, I have noticed hesitation when this comes up. Users will often extend lines so they meet, or try to finagle some other osnap into doing what they want. But, there is an easier way!

In the example below, I want to select the lower right corner as the first point of a Bayspace. Since the two steel structural members don't instesect, I can't pick them outright to get the intersection. But, I can still use the INTersection osnap.

Starting the Bayspace command (or any command you want), pick the INT osnap and then pick one of the pieces of steel. Notice that the tooltip actually says Extended Intersection and it is followed by an ellipsis (…), indicating that it is waiting for more input.

After you pick the first piece, notice that the command line says 'and'. It is waiting for you to select another item from which it can build an intersection.

Now, hover over the second piece, near the imagined intersection. You will see the Intersection tooltip and glyph. Select it. You've got your intersection!

If you have found that some of the commands you used to use no longer have a button, you can add the button back in yourself in most cases, because we did not delete the command, only the button. And, it isn't that hard.

For example, let's say that you want to add back in the Line w/size and Main w/size buttons:

1. Type in CUI to open the Customize User Interface. I highly recommend that you read up on the documentation available on this feature in AutoCAD's Help file.

2. Pick the + next to Toolbars to expand that section

3. Pick the + next to Piping to expand the Piping toolbar

4. Pick the + next to Line to expand the Line flyout (where Line w/size used to be)

5. Now, go down to the Command List and find the Line w/size command. Hint: click on any command and press the letter 'L' to speed your way to the L commands. There will be a pause as you do this and the command is first found

6. Now, click on the Line w/size command and drag it up to the Line flyout. Drop it where you want it

7. That will add that command back in. Notice, however, that the icon is a ? in a cloud. That is because new button images have not been created for this command. If you want to assign an image, pick one from the list in the Button Image section of the CUI editor, or draw your own (showing an LS?) by using the Edit button in that section

Added in V52.4/V53.01, this new feature allows users to specify a central location (drive path) to look for sprinkler head symbols, so that all users have access to the same symbols.

This is done by editing the HCAD_ENV.INI file found in the 50.3/Version53 folder and adding the full path to the head library next to a configuration variable called HEAD_LOC. This variable may or may not be in your file already. If not, add it so it appears in the location as seen in the example, below. Note: The path must be followed by a back slash -again, see the example.

Example: The user wants to store heads in a central location called G:\MyCompanyHeads. This requires that the following line be added to the HCAD_ENV.INI file: HEAD_LOC=G:\CompanyHeads\

Then, the corresponding folder name must be created on the server in its entirety and populated with sprinkler heads, including the flexible sprinkler connections. Our suggestion is to copy the standard HydraCAD head folder and subfolders (C:\HES\HydraCAD\Ver50\Programs\HEADS) to the server or central location and then replace or add heads as necessary. A sample of the INI file is seen below, for reference.

A long time customer of ours (good guy, has poor taste in baseball teams) emailed me a drawing in which he could not explode the bulk of the building. Some research produced a solution – the block was specified to not allow exploding when it was created. This, fortunately, is easily correctable.

A LISTing of the block gives the hint as to the cause:

Notice it says Allow exploding: No

This can be changed by typing in B or BLOCK to bring up the Block Definition dialog box. Then, select the block you want to explode – in this case it is NORTH COMPLEX, as given by the LIST command, above.

Notice that the Allow exploding check box is deselected. Select that box to add the check mark and pick OK.

You will be asked to confirm the redefinition of the block. Select Redefine block.

You will now be able to EXPLODE the block at will

Possibly the coolest new feature of 2015 is the Lasso. This new selection mode lets you freehand a selection set of virtually any shape, quickly and (sometimes) easily. It can be used anytime you are selecting objects.

When presented with the familiar Select Objects: prompt, just hold down the left mouse button and drag the cursor – you will be drawing a Lasso! There are three modes – Window, Crossing and Fence. Hit the Spacebar (as noted at the command line) to cycle through these three choices while lassoing. Let go of the mouse button when done with a lasso and continue selecting (or removing) objects using another lasso or other selection method.

It will take some practice to get used to the flow of a lasso, so try it out a few times to get familiar with the ins and outs of this option.

There are two ways of doing this. the first involves the Design Center and is, perhaps, the now preferred method:

Design Center Method

1. Open the drawings or template you want to copy from, and to
2. Switch to the 'to' drawing – the one that needs the layout tabs
3. Open Design Center (from the AutoCAD Standard toolbar, or Ctrl+2 or type ADDCENTER)

4. Click on the Open Drawings tab
5. Select the Layouts to be copied from the 'from' drawing (the one that contains the layouts)
6. Select the Layout(s) you want to copy and Right Click on them. Pick Add Layout(s)

Import From Template (or Drawing) Method

1. Right Click on any Model or Layout tab in your drawing. Pick From Template…

2. If you are going to import a Layout from a template, then just select the template and pick Open. To import from a drawing, pick the Files of Type drop down list at the bottom of the ensuing dialog and pick Drawing (*.dwg) and select the drawing you want to pull Layouts from
3. Either way, you will get a list of available Layouts from that drawing. Pick the one you want or use the usual Windows selection keys like Ctrl and Shift to select more than one

This question comes up often. The answer is, it depends. It depends on what the bid documents are specifically asking for and what the Architect/GC/Project Engineer/AHJ is asking for. Right now, there are three basic formats:

1. AutoCAD Drawing – If the concerned party is asking for an AutoCAD drawing, then they will also need the Hydratec Object Enabler (unless they have HydraCAD on their computer) in order to see certain elements of the drawing – ie the riser nipples. The enabler is available to anyone that wants it, and does not require a Hydratec subscription. The party may need our font files in order to see fractions properly. A blog post for this can be found at: Shipping HydraCAD Fonts

2. Navis File – If they want a drawing for Navis clash detection purposes, then create this drawing using the Make Solid Pipes (MSP) command. Be sure to check Show Fittings and Heads, because they probably want those. Also, choose the Solid Pipes and Open Drawing option. Send them the drawing that results. There is a video and help file to be found within this command.

3. Revit Model – Revit calls their 'drawings' models. The create one, you will need to have Revit MEP on your computer (or available through a network license). Use the Create RevitLink to System Model command to create this Revit Model. There is a video and help file to be found within this command, or a video illustrating this can be found at: RevitLink Video

The Slope Entire System command was added to the Piping toolbar (Define Pipe Elevation flyout) a while back, but many still do not know of its existence, or how to use it. With it, you are able to specify a slope for your mains and a (maybe different) slope for your lines and slope the whole tree system with one pick, as in a dry system, for example.

Picking this command gives a series of command line options.

Settings

This one is actually last, but may be the one you usually use first. Use it primarilly to set the Rise and Run of the slope. Type in 'S' and then type in 'M' for Main Set Slope or 'B' for Branch Set Slope and enter your desired slope. Use the Current Settings option at the first command line prompt to set what the defaults are

One Segment

This will allow you to pick one straight run of piping, starting from the end of the selected pipe

All connected pipes

This will place slope markers on all connected system piping starting from the end of the selected pipe. One slope marker will be added for each straight run of pipe. Use a Stop Marker to prevent the slope from continuing

Computer Determined Slope

This will place slope markers on a straight run of pipe (like the One Segment option). The rise/run is set to 0, which tells the computer to calculated the slope based on pipes labeled with known elevations. See related sloping blog entries: Denoting Sloping Pipe (such as in a stairwell) and Letting HydraCAD Figure the Slope of Sloping Pipe for more on this

Insert Stop Marker

This will insert a marker which will prevent the slope from continuing

Current Settings

Displays a dialog box showing the current settings

?

Opens the help file

Need to line up your 3D model for coordination in Revit, Navis or something else? Use the Move Model command from the Collaborate toolbar:

This is a two step process. Pick Denote Basepoint.

Then, pick a window around the section to move and then locate the Match Point. This will become the new Base Point.

Now, pick Move Model from this command. The Base Point has now been moved!