Cadalyst - April 2008 - (Page 12)

cadcentral Architectural Cinema Digital moviemakers have discovered new spaces and dimensions to explore much closer to Earth — in architectural visualization. And where they go, software developers follow. With the release of Autodesk’s 3ds Max (part of the 2009 lineup), Autodesk’s popular 3D animation and rendering program leaps headlong into this field, specifically targeting architects and designers. 3ds Max may go up against MAXON’s CINEMA 4D, a 3D product similarly repackaged for the architecture market. CINEMA 4D Architecture Edition ($1,795) comes with the Architecture Extension Kit, which includes u plug-ins for CAD data exchange (for DWG, DXF, Allplan, ArchiCAD, VectorWorks, and other file types), u more than 300 furniture items and 400 materials, and u virtual walk-through tools (with collision detection). These features, MAXON points out, will let you create films with moving objects (such as opening doors, walking people, and moving cars) and QuickTime panoramas (virtual reality for construction clients). For added realism, you can also get the +VB Plant Collection, which allows you to place seaTargeted specifically at the architecture visualization market, sonal vegetation MAXON released its popular 3D software CINEMA 4D in an architecture edition. around the scene. IM-Incorporated Lifecycle Instant messaging (IM), the little pop-up window mostly associated with chatty teenagers, is gradually gaining legitimacy as a collaboration tool. If you’re an engineer using Dassault’s 3DLive, a Webbased graphical interface for exploring enterprise product data repositories, you can consult (or socialize, as the case may be) with your coworkers and suppliers using IBM’s IM, supplied via integration with Lotus Sametime, or Microsoft’s IM, provided through integration with Microsoft Office Communicator Server 2007. When 3DLive publicly debuted at the CATIA Operator Exchange conference (COE) in Las Vegas in May 2007, its display function was limited to Dassault’s file formats only. Six months later, the product entered the multi-CAD phase. In January 2008, Dassault declared, “3DLive can display and navigate product information created in CATIA, SolidWorks, Pro/E Wildfire, Siemens/UGS NX, and Autodesk Inventor.” At the same time, it introduced integration with IBM Lotus Sametime and Microsoft Office Communicator Server. Similarly, Arena Solutions, which licenses software-as-a-service (SaaS) product lifecycle management (PLM) modules, offers integrated voice over IP (VoIP) features via Skype. Siemens PLM Software’s Teamcenter suite provides the same feature by incorporating Microsoft’s IM and Outlook products. Cadalyst contributing editor Kenneth Wong explores innovative use of technology. Running AutoCAD on SharePoint How do you deploy AutoCAD with Microsoft SharePoint? In other words, how do you share your AutoCAD files within the company and let SharePoint manage the external references (xrefs)? The topic has generated a number of discussion threads on forums frequented by AutoCAD users and Microsoft developers, so it was only a matter of time before someone began offering a product to address the demand. The latest one to appear is CADnection ($6,995 per 25-seat bundle; 18% of purchase price for maintenance). CADnection operates within an internally hosted environment. It uses a drop-down menu accessible from within the AutoCAD interface to let you check in, check out, and search for files. Martin Van Der Roest, CADnection’s CEO, realizes AutoCAD users also have the choice to use Autodesk Vault, included at no additional cost with most AutoCAD products, but he anticipates his SharePoint-based solution will find a market among “organizations that have mandated SharePoint as the primary file repository.” If your organization is already using SharePoint to manage other file types, the IT chief may prefer that you manage your AutoCAD drawings in the same environment. In addition, SharePoint is designed for file shuffling between geographically dispersed offices, whereas Vault isn’t ideal for those kind of operations. More News Find breaking and current news at www.cadalyst.com/news. 12 www.cadalyst.com cadalyst April 2008 http://www.cadalyst.com/news http://www.cadalyst.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Cadalyst - April 2008

Cadalyst - April 2008 Contents Editor's Window Cad Central The Summer of BIM Thin Is In — Large LCD Monitors Caligari trueSpace 7.5 — 3D Modeling Software HP Compaq 8710w — Mobile Workstation Autodesk Design Review 2009 — Design Viewing and Collaboration Software Getting Better — What Should You Learn? Technical Uses for Nontechnical Software AEC on Macs Cad Cartoon Issue Indexes Tips Rain Down on Harry

Cadalyst - April 2008

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