CADalyst articles from November 2003

CADalyst archives from November 2003

It all adds up.(Editors window: opinions, comments, and predictions)
November 1, 2003... What do you get when you cross an industry leader with an industry leader? I'm delighted to announce that Cadalyst and Cadence are merging in December 2003, and the result will be a broader and more useful CAD management and technical resource....

Speed x 2 dual processors deliver design prower.
November 1, 2003... This is not only the largest workstation roundup that Cadalyst has done in some time, it's also one of the most varied. We evaluate one system based on an AMD Athlon 28001, several systems based on variants of the Intel Xeon chips--one even has...

Xi MTower 2P64.
November 1, 2003... Xi MTower 2P64 @Xi Computer Corp. 5 stars out of 5 High performance scores are not unusual for @Xi Computer, but this time the results are exceptional. The Xi MTower 2P64 has marched well ahead of the pack with its C2001 benchmark...

HP xw6000.(Hardware Review)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
November 1, 2003... HP xw6000 Hewlett-Packard 4 stars out of 5 Even among other compact tower systems, the Hewlett-Packard xw6000 workstation appears small. Housed in a gray and silver case that measures a compact 17.70 3 6.60 3 17.60 (h3w3d), it...

Fusion AMP.
November 1, 2003... Fusion AMP HyperSonic PC Systems 3.5 stars out of 5 The Fusion AMP is the first system Cadalyst Labs has tested from HyperSonic PC Systems, and it immediately stands out with one of the most distinctive cases of any reviewed here....

IBM IntelliStation Z Pro.(Hardware Review)(Product/Service Evaluation)
November 1, 2003... IBM IntelliStation Z Pro IBM 3.5 stars out of 5 Something sleek and solid in the basic design of the matte-black IBM IntelliStation Z Pro series is very attractive. Although the test system measures a compact 17.40 3 6.50 3 19.40...

G64 Enterprise Custom Opteron Workstation.
November 1, 2003... G64 Enterprise Custom Opteron Workstation Monarch Computer Systems 4.5 stars out of 5 Monarch Computer Systems is a vendor new to our roundups, though it has built systems since 1991. Monarch offers a variety of systems and...

PolyStation 940X4.(Product/Service Evaluation)
November 1, 2003... PolyStation 940X4 Polywell Computers 4.5 stars out of 5 Polywell wins bragging rights for the fastest Intel Xeon-based system tested in this roundup. Indeed, this speedy system rated second overall with all factors considered, and...

SYS PowerHouse 3066D.(Hardware Review)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
November 1, 2003... SYS PowerHouse 3066D SYS technology 4.5 stars out of 5 I was surprised when unpacking the SYS Technology system. I'm accustomed to receiving full-size towers from SYS, but this time it sent a compact midsized tower. The SYS...

PowerStation FX.
November 1, 2003... PowerStation FX Tri Cad/Cam Systems 4.5 stars out of 5 The PowerStation FX is a sleek, matte-black, solidly built midsized system. Its attractive quick-access case includes a swing-away door to cover the drive bay, and apparently...

ProMagix Plus.(from Velocity Micro)(Hardware Review)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
November 1, 2003... ProMagix Plus Velocity Micro 4 stars out of 5 Velocity Micro is the third of the three new vendors that sent systems for review. The Velocity ProMagix Plus system is housed in a heavy-gauge aluminum case with a high-gloss black...

I-deas 10 NX series: first-class FEA tools complement design capabilities.(Software Review)(Product/Service Evaluation)
November 1, 2003... I-deas 10 NX, now owned by EDS, is the product's second step in the transition toward a merged Unigraphics/I-deas NX product. Formerly developed by Structural Dynamics Research Corp., I-deas began as an analysis tool in the 1970s. It added...

PhotoModeler Pro v5: create 3D models from digital images.(from Eos Systems)
November 1, 2003... PhotoModeler Pro v5 is a Windows-based digital photogrammetry program that lets you create accurate 3D models of existing objects by digitizing common points in sets of photographs of the objects taken from different vantage points....

Saving your assets: storage issues loom large as data maintains its value longer.(CAD manager: CAD management Strategies)
November 1, 2003... In our annual review of trends and developments in the AEC software industry (Cadalyst, August 2003), we discussed the growing emphasis on BIM, or building information modeling. As BIM products and methods mature and become more ubiquitous,...

Cadalyst's Autodesk University Partners.(Special Advertising Section)(Advertisement)
November 1, 2003... AEC Design Group has revolutionized the Building and Construction Industry with its innovative CADPIPE software for creating design, installation, and fabrication drawings. CADPIPE provides state-of-the-art technology and user-friendly software...

Scan/print/copy combos aid the archiving process.(Western Graphtec CS1000, Oce TCS400. and Ideal Contex Magnum XL 54)
November 1, 2003... Multifunctional devices that scan, print, and copy wide-format documents provide all the hardware tools needed for document archiving and retrieval. WESTERN GRAPHTEC CS1000 Western Graphtec (www.graphtecusa.com) added a 360 color image...

Online AEC resources: Web sites serve up architectural information.(i-collaboration: tools and technologies for collaborative design)
November 1, 2003... This month, I review Web sites of particular interest to architects and others in the AEC industry. Whether you're a seasoned professional, an up-and-coming star, or someone who needs a dream home designed, these sites fill the bill. ...

Insert blocks from a database: AutoLISP routine draws on database listing to place blocks.(Autolisp solutions: reader-requested AutoLISP routines)
November 1, 2003... Sean Serin e-mailed from Switzerland to request a routine that inserts premade blocks into a drawing sheet using information that comes from a Microsoft Access database. The solution is INSBLK.LSP and its dialog-box counterpart, INSBLK.DCL. The...

Irritating icons: and how to keep on the right path with xrefs.(Autocad clinic: auto CAD helpline answers your support questions)
November 1, 2003... I recently upgraded to Map 2004 for Windows 2000 and apart from not liking the new icons--the designs are much less obvious and individual--I find them indistinct and blurry. This is also the case with the toolbars for other applications that I...

Tips from our readers.(hot tip Harry)
November 1, 2003... $50 BONUS WINNER Tricky Trim Tip #1906 [mtrl.lsp] This Trim command enhancement is difficult to explain, but easy to appreciate (figure 1). If you have a number of periodically repeating, equally spaced trimming lines, this AutoLISP...