Beginning AutoCAD 2002 Episode 13 potx

Volo View ExpressIf you have access to Volo View normally loaded when AutoCAD 2002 is installed then: 1 Open Volo View with the taskbar sequence Start-Programs-Volo View Express-Volo Vie

353Figure 48.11 Part of the screen display with search data.

‘Electronic’ AutoCAD

AutoCAD 2002 allows the user to generate electronic drawing files, these files being in

Drawing Web Format (DWF).These DWF files can be opened, viewed or plotted by third

party persons having access to Volo View or Volo View Express

In this final chapter, we will investigate several of these electronic generating devices

Creating a DWF file

DWF files are ‘at the heart’ of AutoCAD’ electronic generation, and to demonstrate how

these are created:

1 Close any existing drawing files

2 Open any of your saved AutoCAD activities, e.g ACT30

3 Menu bar with File-Plot and:

prompt Plot dialogue box

respond activate the named tab and set as detailed:

A Plot Device tab active

1 Plotter configuration name:

DWF eView (optimized for viewing) pc3

2 Plot to file:

File name: TRIAL Location: named folder – dialogue box similar to Fig 49.1

B Plot Setting tab active

1 Paper size: ISOA3(420x297)

2 Plot area: Extents

3 Drawing orientation: Landscape

4 Plot scale: Scaled to fit

5 Full preview and:

prompt Preview of activity drawing

respond right-click and plot

4 The command line will display ‘normal plot’ information

5 Menu bar with File-Save As and:

a) alter file name to ACT30(ET) – for future use

b) ensure saving as a *.dwg file

c) pick Save.

6 Now exit AutoCAD

Chapter 49

Volo View Express

If you have access to Volo View (normally loaded when AutoCAD 2002 is installed) then:

1 Open Volo View with the taskbar sequence Start-Programs-Volo View Express-Volo

View Express (or similar sequence)

2 Menu bar with File-Open and:

prompt Open dialogue box

respond 1 scroll and select your named folder

2 scroll and select Drawing Web Format (*.dwf) file type

3 dialogue box similar to Fig 49.2

4 pick TRIAL then Open

and screen should display the saved activity ‘drawing’

3 Menu bar with View-Zoom-All

Figure 49.1 The Plot dialogue box (Plot Device tab) for creating a DWF file from a DWG file.

Figure 49.2 The Open dialogue box for Volo View Express.

4 Why use Volo View?

a) Volo View is ‘tool’ which allows third parties to view AutoCAD drawings without the

need for the full AutoCAD draughting package to be loaded on their system This isuseful to managers and also saves money as Volo View is cheaper than AutoCAD

b) With Volo View, it is possible to add text and sketch This could be notes relating to

a wrong dimension or suggestions to improve the design Again this is a useful toolfor managers, designers, marketing, etc

c) The Markup menu bar item in Volo View allows the user access to the text and sketch

e) Figure 49.3 displays a ‘screen dump’ of the ACT30 drawing opened as TRIAL in Volo

View with annotations (text and sketch) added

f) Markup ‘drawings’ can be inserted into existing AutoCAD drawings with the menu

bar sequence Insert-Markup.

g) Note:

1 I found it impossible to insert a Volo View markup drawing into an existingAutoCAD drawing – perhaps it was ‘my system’

2 I found that if I opened a Volo View saved DXF file in AutoCAD it was then possible

to insert an AutoCAD drawing Figure 49.4 is an opened Volo View DXF file withACT30 inserted, with the suggested moifications

5 If you have tried this exercise, close Volo View and return to AutoCAD with the openedactivity (ACT30) displayed

This exercise is now complete

Figure 49.3 Volo View screen with text and sketching added.

eTransit allows the user to create a set of AutoCAD drawings (only DWG or DWT

formats) which can be posted to the Internet or sent to others as an e-mail attachment

The process generates a report file which allows the user to add notes and a password

if required The files to be transmitted can be stored by the user:

1 in a named folder

2 in a created self-executable or zip file

We will demonstrate the concept by example (which you should only attempt if you have

e-mail access), so:

1 Close any existing drawings then open ACT30(ET)

2 Menu bar with File-eTransmit and:

prompt Create Transmittal dialogue box

respond 1 Notes: add as required

2 Type: Self-extracting executable (*.exe)

3 Browse: pick Browse and:

prompt Specify self-extracting executable dialogue box

respond 1 scroll and pick named folder

2 file name should be ACT(30)ET).exe

3 pick Save

and dialogue box similar to Fig 49.5

respond pick OK

3 The command line will return the message:

Transmittal created: folder\ACT(30)ET.exe.

4 Exit AutoCAD, open Windows Explorer and:

a) Navigate to your named folder

b) Arrange the icons by name

c) Right-click on the new ACT(30)ET icon and pick Properties from the displayed

Shortcut menu

d) Note the dialogue box display similar to Fig 49.6 then Cancel

Figure 49.4 ACT30 with Volo View details inserted.

Figure 49.6 Properties dialogue box for ACT(30)ET New icon

Figure 49.5 Create Transmittal dialogue box.

5 To demonstrate how an eTransmit file is ‘unpacked’, double left-click on the ACT30(ET)

executable file and:

prompt eTransmit dialogue box

respond 1 pick Browse

2 scroll and pick a new folder for extracting the file

3 pick OK

prompt eTransmit dialogue boxsimilar to Fig 49.7

respond pick OK

prompt % display of extraction status

then eTransmit dialogue box similar to Fig 49.8

respond pick OK and Explorer screen returned

6 a) From Explorer, scroll and pick the named folder to which the eTransmit was extracted

(in my case the folder was named CMG) The display should be similar to Fig 49.9

b) Double left-click on the ACT30(ET) text file and Notepad will display the Transmittal

report similar to Fig 49.10 Cancel the text file

c) Double left-click on the ACT30(ET) drawing file and AutoCAD will be opened and

display the transmitted file

7 AutoCAD files can be attached and send as a e-mail, and Fig 49.11 is a typical e-mail

screen with two attachments:

a) the ACT30(ET).dwg file

b) the ACT30(ET).exe file.

8 While an AutoCAD drawing file can be sent as an attachment, the file may be very large

and this can cause ‘problems’ when it is being ‘opened’ by the receiver An exe (or zipped)

file may be easier to send electronically

This exercise is now complete

Figure 49.7 eTransmittal dialogue box with folder name for extraction.

Figure 49.8 eTransmittal dialogue box at end of extraction.

Figure 49.10 Part of the ACT(30)ET text file.

Figure 49.11 Sending files by e-mail.

Figure 49.9 Expansion of CMG folder.

Publishing to the web

AutoCAD 2002 allows the user to create web pages of existing drawings To

demonstrate the concept:

1 Start a new metric drawing from scratch to display the typical AutoCAD 2002 blank

screen

2 Menu bar with File-Publish to Web and:

prompt Publish to Web (Begin) dialogue box(as Layout dialogue box)

respond 1 pick Create New Web Page

2 pick New

prompt AutoCAD messagesimilar to Fig 49.12

respond 1 read the message

2 pick Cancel

3 Now open any drawing, e.g ACT28, then menu bar with File-Publish to Web and:

prompt Publish to Web (Begin) dialogue box

respond 1 pick Create New Web Page

2 pick New

prompt Publish to Web (Create Web Page) dialogue box

respond 1 Web page name: enter MYPAGE

2 Note parent directory

3 Add any suitable description – Fig 49.13

4 pick Next

prompt Publish to Web (Select Image Type) dialogue box

respond 1 select type from list : DWF

2 pick Next

prompt Publish to Web (Select Template) dialogue box

respond 1 select a template type, e.g Array plus Summary

2 pick Next

prompt Publish to Web (Apply Theme) dialogue box

respond 1 scroll and select an element, e.g Ocean Waves – Fig 49.14

2 pick Next

prompt Publish to Web (Enable i-drop) dialogue box

respond activate i-drop then pick Next

prompt Publish to Web (Select Drawings) dialogue box

with your opened ACT28 drawing listed

respond 1 Layout: select Model (probably active)

2 Label: alter to GEAR

3 Description: enter to sent

4 Pick Add →

and GEAR added to list

respond Pick the ( .) at Drawing

prompt Publish to Web dialogue box

with *.dug file type

respond 1 Scroll to named folder

2 Pick another drawing or activity

3 Layout: Model

4 Label: alter to suit

5 Description: alter to suit

6 Pick Add →

then Pick ( .) and select another 2 or 3 drawings and repeat the above six responses

and Pick Next

prompt Publish to Web (Generate Images) dialogue box

respond 1 Regenerate images for drawing (etc.) active

2 pick Next

prompt Plot progress information displayed

then Publish to Web (Preview and Post) dialogue box

respond pick Preview

and Internet Explorer with Images of drawings – Fig 49.16

respond 1 view your images

2 close the Internet to return to AutoCAD

and select Finish

4 You have now create a web page which can be:

a) edited to your requirements

b) posted to the Internet

5 Note:

a) I hope that in this chapter the user has realised that AutoCAD 2002 has uses other

than drawing The web page creation is very useful and relatively simple to create

b) Figure 49.17 is a detailed listing the the web page data MYPAGE and it is surprising

the information required for a simple web page creation?

This exercise is now complete and it is the end of the book

Figure 49.12 The AutoCAD message screen.

Figure 49.13 The Publish to Web (Create Web Page) dialogue box.

Figure 49.14 Publish to Web (Apply Theme) dialogue box.

Figure 49.15 Publish to Web (Select Drawings) dialogue box.

Figure 49.16 Preview of web page design with drawings.

Figure 49.17 Listing of the saved MYPAGE web data.