HyperPics: Beyond the UI

New AutoCAD Books on the Way to a Shelf (or a Web Site) Near You

I have recently finished up the revision to the AutoCAD book that I had originally co-authored back in 2006 which was based on AutoCAD 2007 and AutoCAD LT 2007 at that time.  The revision to the book is entitled AutoCAD 2009 and AutoCAD LT 2009 All-in-One Desk Reference for Dummies book and should be out on store shelves or will be available for purchase from your favorite online purchasing site such as Amazon.com or BN.com in the next week.  The new book weighs in at 792 pages of AutoCAD goodness, up a bit from the previous edition when it comes to print.

However, one of the things that was done with this edition instead of trying to stuff all the new content in between the covers and tossing out existing content to make room for the new content, a portion of the book has been moved to downloadable content.  The content that was mainly moved to downloadable content is in the area of customization and programming AutoCAD.  To learn more about the AutoCAD 2009 and AutoCAD LT 2009 All-in-One Desk Reference for Dummies book, click the URL below.

http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0470243783.html

In addition to the book that I have recently finished authoring, I have also had the privilege once again to read through the latest edition of the AutoCAD for Dummies series, AutoCAD 2009 for Dummies which is authored by David Byrnes'.  The AutoCAD 2009 for Dummies book is a much more compact version of the AutoCAD 2009 and AutoCAD LT 2009 All-in-One Desk Reference for Dummies book.

The AutoCAD 2009 for Dummies book focuses on many of the key fundamentals of AutoCAD, whereas the AutoCAD 2009 and AutoCAD LT 2009 All-in-One Desk Reference for Dummies book covers the fundamentals of AutoCAD and leads into much more advanced topics like customization and programming of AutoCAD.  To learn more about the AutoCAD 2009 for Dummies book, click the URL below.

http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0470229772.html

There are other AutoCAD books on their way and I will cover some of them later when it gets closer to their publish dates.

Sincerely,
  Lee

20% Discount Offer through Wiley.com

Are you looking for a new AutoCAD, Viz, 3ds Max, or Maya book for that perfect holiday gift?  If you are, Wiley.com is currently running a special pretty much until the end of the year that gets you 20% off the following books through Wiley.com. Some of the books at listed below that Wiley offers, and during check out just enter the discount code 77061 (discount does not apply to journals or encyclopedias). You might need to reference Autodesk University as the convention when filling out the order.

AutoCAD & AutoCAD LT All-in-One Desk Reference for Dummies (0471-752606)
AutoCAD 2007 for Dummies (0471-786497)
AutoCAD 2006 for Dummies (0764-589253)
AutoCAD 2007 and AutoCAD LT 2007 Bible (0471-788864)
AutoCAD 2006 and AutoCAD LT 2006 Bible (0764-596756)
Just Enough AutoCAD 2007 (0470-008784)
AutoCAD: Professional Tips and Techniques (0470-084545)
The Architect's Guide to the U.S. National CAD Standard (0471-703788)

Sincerely,
  Lee

AutoCAD & AutoCAD LT All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies Book is Released

The AutoCAD & AutoCAD LT All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies book has just been released and can be picked up at your favorite local bookstore or on the Internet from a site like BarnesandNobles.com or Amazon.com.  Like other books in the Dummies series, this book gives you the information that you need in order to quickly get up speed on new features if you are an existing user, or if you are a new user to AutoCAD or AutoCAD LT you will find the step-by-step approach helpful in learning the program much quicker.  The book covers AutoCAD 2007 and AutoCAD LT 2007, and weighs in at over 800 pages.  The book is broken down into 10 sub books that cover specific topics which allow you to find the information that you are looking for in a short period of time.

Click on the following links to read excerpts from the book:
Read Excerpt 1 (PDF)
Read Excerpt 2 (PDF)
Read Excerpt 3 (PDF)

Below is a listing of the 10 sub books and the chapters that can be found in each one:

Book I: AutoCAD Basics.
  Chapter 1: Drawing on (and in) AutoCAD.
  Chapter 2: Navigating the AutoCAD Interface.
  Chapter 3: All about Files.
  Chapter 4: Basic Tools.
  Chapter 5: Setting Up Drawings.
  Chapter 6: Precision Tools.

Book II: 2D Drafting.
  Chapter 1: Drawing Objects.
  Chapter 2: Modifying Objects.
  Chapter 3: Managing Views.

Book III: Annotating Drawings.
  Chapter 1: Text: When Pictures Just Won’t Do.
  Chapter 2: Dimensioning.
  Chapter 3: Hatching Your Drawings.

Book IV: LT Differences.
  Chapter 1: The LT Difference.
  Chapter 2: Extending AutoCAD LT.
  Chapter 3: Mixed Environments.

Book V: 3D Modeling.
  Chapter 1: Introducing the Third Dimension.
  Chapter 2: Using the 3D Environment.
  Chapter 3: Viewing in 3D.
  Chapter 4: Moving from 2D to 3D.
  Chapter 5: Working with Solids.
  Chapter 6: Working with Surfaces.
  Chapter 7: Rendering: Lights, Cameras, AutoCAD!

Book VI: Advanced Drafting.
  Chapter 1: Playing with Blocks.
  Chapter 2: Dynamic Blocks.
  Chapter 3: External References.
  Chapter 4: Organizing Your Drawings.
  Chapter 5: AutoCAD Utilities.

Book VII: Publishing Drawings.
  Chapter 1: Page Setup.
  Chapter 2: Sheet Sets without Regret.
  Chapter 3: Print, Plot, Publish.

Book VIII: Collaboration.
  Chapter 1: CAD Management: The Necessary Evil.
  Chapter 2: CAD Standards.
  Chapter 3: Working with Drawing Files.
  Chapter 4: Sharing Electronic Files.

Book IX: Customizing AutoCAD.
  Chapter 1: The Basics of Customizing AutoCAD.
  Chapter 2: Customizing the Interface.
  Chapter 3: Customizing the Tools.
  Chapter 4: Delving Deeper into Customization.

Book X: Programming AutoCAD.
  Chapter 1: The AutoCAD Programming Interfaces.
  Chapter 2: Using Custom Programs.
  Chapter 3: Introducing AutoLISP.
  Chapter 4: Visual Basic for AutoCAD.

This book was an absolute joy to write for my first published work through a publisher, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did writing it.  Now what are you waiting for, go grab a cup of Starbucks (or a favorite drink of your's) and get a copy of the AutoCAD & AutoCAD LT All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies Book.  After you pick up a copy of the book, it would be great to hear from you.

Sincerely,
  Lee

New AutoCAD 2007 for Dummies Books

I just got my copy of the AutoCAD 2007 for Dummies book that covers AutoCAD 2007 and AutoCAD LT 2007, so which indicates that the book is coming to a store near you (or website if you like shopping online).  The AutoCAD 2007 for Dummies book is about 400 pages of easy reading on AutoCAD, which itself is not by the far stretch of the imagination a lightweight topic.  I was the technical editor once again on this project and enjoyed reading it from cover to cover.  There are not many technical books that I read from cover to cover, but this is one of them and I do think it is worth picking up a copy of the book.

Well of course you could always wait for the AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT All-in-One Desk Reference for Dummies to come out in the next few months.  The All-in-One book covers both AutoCAD 2007 and AutoCAD LT 2007, and is about 800 pages of pure AutoCAD bliss in the Dummies format.  The latest edition of the AutoCAD Bible by Ellen Finkelstein is also coming out soon as well.  All of these books are published by Wiley Publishing, Inc.

Update (8/16/06): Both the AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT All-in-One Desk Reference for Dummies and the AutoCAD 2007 and AutoCAD LT 2007 Bible are both now available for purchase.

Sincerely,
  Lee

Autodesk Offers AU Discount to All

Autodesk is offering a discount of 20% off all of is Autodesk courseware purchased through the eStore from now until December 15, 2005.  This was an offer that was introduced at this years AU and has been extended to include everyone.  There are many great titles that are being offered through Autodesk courseware and I can personally say that many of them are not just something that you will toss in the corner of your workstation and forget about.

Check them out on the Autodesk website.

Use the Promo Code "AU2005" when ordering.

The courses cover a wide variety of products that Autodesk offers including...
AutoCAD 2006
AutoCAD LT 2006
Autodesk Inventor 10
Autodesk Vault R4
Autodesk Revit Building 8
Autodesk Revit Structure 2
and others...

Sincerely,
  Lee

New Tool Palettes eBook

I have just finished a new eBook titled "Streamlining Design through: Tool Palettes for AutoCAD".  It is available for purchase at the eBook Center on the HyperPics website.  The book sells for $10 USD and in addition to the PDF copy of the eBook you will have access to a private forum for posting questions and comments directly related to the book.

So what is in the eBook you might be wondering?  Below is an overview of the contents of the book.

Table of Contents:
Introduction
What is a Tool Palette?
Working with the Tool Palettes Window Interface
Working with Individual Tool Palettes
Working with Tool Palette Groups (AutoCAD 2005 or later)
Working with Tools on a Tool Palette
Taking a Look at the Different Tools Individually
Sharing Tool Palettes Across a Network
Walk-Through: From Tool Palettes thru Tool Palette Groups
Miscellaneous Tidbits of Information about Tool Palettes

Page Count:
97 pages of content (104 total pages)

Sincerely,
  Lee

AutoCAD 2006 and AutoCAD LT 2006 Bible Available

Wiley Publishing and author Ellen Finkelstein have released the latest copy of the AutoCAD Bible for AutoCAD 2006 and AutoCAD LT 2006. This is a very easy to follow book weighing in at around 1200+ pages packed full of tips and great examples. I had the honor of participating in this project as the Technical Editor for the both AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT content, and after reading it from cover to cover; there is no wondering why this is one of the top selling AutoCAD books on the market. There are not too many books out there that cover the material as well as Ellen explains it. To learn more about the author Ellen Finkelstein, who is a very nice individual, visit her web site at http://www.ellenfinkelstein.com. You can also purchase the book online at Amazon.com or at a chain store like Barnes and Nobles. I would recommend this book to anyone that uses AutoCAD 2006 or AutoCAD LT 2006.

New AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT 2006 books

This year I have had the privilege to take a look at two very different books on AutoCAD 2006 and AutoCAD LT 2006.  These books have something to offer every user of AutoCAD and are both excellent resources to learning basic 2D to advanced 3D concepts. I am sure I will read plenty of other books on the new release yet this year, but these are the two that I have read so far.

AutoCAD 2006 for Dummies (available in May 2005)
The book is written by Mark Middlebrook and David Byrnes.  It is great for those that are new to AutoCAD or are casual users of the product.  It is a great follow up to the AutoCAD 2005 edition.  To learn more about the book, visit the Wiley publishing website.

AutoCAD 2006 and AutoCAD LT 2006 Bible (available in Sept. 2005)
The book is written by Ellen Finkelstein.  It is by far one of the best AutoCAD books that I have read from cover to cover, and is written for those that are both new and old users of AutoCAD.  Yes, I did say cover to cover - I have no life other than AutoCAD so what do you expect.  The book is one of the best on the market that covers just about every feature in the product and makes the features easy to understand and apply.  It is a great follow up to the AutoCAD 2005 and AutoCAD LT 2005 edition.  To learn more about the book, visit the Wiley publishing website.

If you are currently, using AutoCAD 2005 you might consider picking up those editions of the books as they provide many great tips that can help top make you more productive in your everyday drafting.

Sincerely,
  Lee

Chapters 11 - 13 all wrapped up

I have finished putting the final touches on Chapters 11 - 13 for my VBA book this past weekend.

Chapter 11: Storing & Retrieving Data for Future Use
This chapter focuses up working with System Variables, Windows Registry, XData and XRecords.

Chapter 12: Modifying Objects in a Drawing
This chapter focuses up on modifying objects that are already in a drawing.  It covers things like Mirroring, Copying and many other methods that are used for modifying objects.

Chapter 13: Formatting with Colors, Linetypes, Lineweights and Layers
This chapter focuses on formatting properties of an object.  These include work with True Colors along with Layers, Linetypes and Lineweights too.  I also take a look at Layer States and how they can be used to help working on drawings.

I will give an update on what is going on for the next chapters once they have been completed.  As you can see the chapter outline has been revised compared to the original list of chapters that I put together.  As I was working through many of the chapters, things came up before they were talked about so I had to revise the order of some of the content.  If you have any questions or comments just let me know.

Sincerely,
  Lee

Chapters 1 - 10 are Complete

I have completed the first 10 chapters of the VBA book that I am working on.  This month has been very busy with the new addition to my family and some other things going on.  Below is a breakdown of what is in the first 10 chapters that span almost 200 pages, 198 pages to be exact.

Introduction

Chapter 1: AutoCAD Commands for VBA
Covers the commands that are available in AutoCAD for working with VBA projects.

Chapter 2: Visual Basic Editor
General look at the various tools that are in the Visual Basic Editor (IDE)

Chapter 3: Code Modules
A breakdown of what you can find in a code module and what a code module is.  You will learn how to work with procedures, variables, data types and general error handling.

Chapter 4: UserForm (Dialog Boxes)
You will learn how to add controls to a UserForm and how to manipulate both controls and the UserForm at design-time.

Chapter 5: Basic VBA Functions & Conditional and Looping Statements
A look at some of the most widely used functions that VBA has to offer.  These include string and data conversion procedures, and working with mathematics.  The chapter also covers working with While and For loops, among much more.

Chapter 6:  AutoCAD Entities - Part 1
A look at some of the basic entities that can be added to a drawing and are found in the AutoCAD Object Library.  These are objects like AcadObject and AcadEntity which are the base for objects that can be added to a drawing file.  Then it starts covering objects like Lines, Circles, Arcs and many others.

Chapter 7: AutoCAD Entities - Part 2
A continued look at entities that can be added to a drawing, but these are the complex entities.  Objects like Polylines, Hatches, Splines and many others can be found in this chapter.

Chapter 8: Document Object
This chapter focuses on the Document object which represents the Document window and the database objects that hold the contents of an open drawing file.  It also takes a look at the preferences of the Database, Drawing Properties, File Dependencies and how to work with collections.

Chapter 9: Application Object
This chapter focuses on the Application object which represents the actual AutoCAD session and allows for accessing all the open drawings.  You can also find information about the application preferences, which normally you find under the Options command of AutoCAD.

Chapter 10: User Input Outside of a UserForm
You can find information on how to get information from the user at the Command Line in this chapter.  I have also included some information that I have gathered through out the years to help improve the process of working with the Command Line based input methods.

I should be complete with the next three chapters over the next couple of days and will post an update after they are complete.  Thanks to everyone that has posted comments or have sent me an e-mail on what they would like to see included in the book, so keep the information and concerns coming.

Sincerely,
  Lee