Software Review and Free Download | Graphics and Design | Autodesk AutoCAD 2008

» Review Autodesk AutoCAD 2008
(August 2007)  
 

Autodesk AutoCad 2008
Meticulously refined with the designer in mind, AutoCAD® software propels day-to-day drafting forward with features that increase speed and accuracy while saving time.

Features
What’s New in AutoCAD 2008
AutoCAD® 2008 software adds features to help make everyday tasks easier. Annotation scaling and control of layers by viewport minimize workarounds, while text enhancements, multiple leaders, and improved tables help deliver an unmatched level of aesthetic precision and professionalism.

Annotation Scaling
AutoCAD 2008 software introduces the concept of annotation scale as an object property. Designers can set the current scale of a viewport or model space view, and then apply that scale to each object and specify its size, placement, and appearance based on the scale set for the viewport. In other words, annotation scale is now automated.

Layers per Viewport
In AutoCAD 2008 the layer manager has been enhanced to allow users to specify color, line weight, linetype, or plot style as an override for an individual viewport. These overrides can be easily turned on or off as viewports are added or removed.

Enhanced Tables
Enhanced tables now give users the option to combine AutoCAD and Excel tabular information into a single AutoCAD table. This table can be dynamically linked so that notifications appear in both AutoCAD and Excel as data is updated. Users can then select these notifications, allowing instant updating of information in either source document.

Text & Table Enhancements
The enhanced MTEXT editor now provides the ability to specify the number of columns required and flows new text between those columns as users make edits. The space set between each column of text and the edge of the paper is also customizable. All of these variables can be adjusted to specific values in the dialog box, or adjusted interactively using the new multicolumn text grips.

Multiple Leaders
The new multiple leader panel on the dashboard has enhanced tools that automate the creation of multiple leaders and the orientation of the leaders (tail or content first) with the notes.

Features Benefits
New features for AutoCAD 2008 include:
New and improved functionality in AutoCAD 2008 enables you to annotate your drawings with greater flexibility - for example, the new annotation scaling features allow text heights to be set according to printed output and AutoCAD will then automatically adjust them for different scales.
New, comprehensive paragraph formatting functionality has been added to the multi-line text command.

A "2D Drafting and Annotation" Workspace environment has been included to give a familiar look and feel for users migrating from earlier releases.

An updated Dashboard facility now includes more 2D functions including layers - and is user customisable.

Attach Microstation V8 DGN files to your AutoCAD LT drawings and manage them as externally referenced underlays or import DGN data directly into an AutoCAD LT drawing. You can also now export DWG files to Microstation V8 DGN format.

Enhanced tables now give users the option to combine AutoCAD and Excel tabular information into a single AutoCAD table. This table can be dynamically linked so that notifications appear in both AutoCAD and Excel as data is updated.
The Layer Properties Manager and the new Layer panel in the Dashboard offer many enhancements to simplify the process of creating and managing layers.

Enhanced 3D material textures and real world lighting effects based on photometric data.
Support for Windows Vista, Direct3D graphics acceleration and a 64 bit environment.

The addition of annotation scale in AutoCAD helps users avoid the creation and management of multiple text, leaders, hatch patterns, blocks, linetypes and multi-line leaders across multiple layers. It avoids duplication of information that can lead to errors as the drawing is updated over time.

The new text editing tools enhance the use of standardized notes, making both their creation and editing faster and easier.
Setting layer properties in a viewport enables users to present a design anyway they choose. Avoiding geometry duplication minimizes not only the work of creating and editing the duplicate geometry, but also a potential source of error as the geometry is modified.

Lack of data synchronization is a key source of error in AutoCAD tables. By making it a more automated process, users can help to decrease costs caused by errors and omissions in the final set of drawings.

The new material texture and photometric lighting features enhance the ability to communicate 3D design information from AutoCAD and from those industry solutions based on the AutoCAD platform.
 

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