Inventor 2013 SP2 Update 5

This update is again, cumulative so go straight to this if you do not have Updates 1-4, but ensure you have SP2 installed.

The download and readme's can be found here:
http://knowledge.autodesk.com/search-result/caas/downloads/content/update-5-for-inventor-2013-service-pack-2.html

Autodesk Exchange Apps for Inventor 2013

Autodesk Exchange Apps is an online resource where you can browse and purchase Apps (including product-specific content such as models, training materials and eBooks) – and is available to several Autodesk Products. You can download some items for free and others for a nominal fee. Purchasing is handled via PayPal at this time. Purchases and downloads can be tracked online, or by using the Autodesk Exchange App Manager that is included with the respective Autodesk product.

Access the Autodesk Exchange Apps website here: http://apps.exchange.autodesk.com/

New Showcase 2013 Task User Interface

The Task UI is a set of controls that appears by default at the bottom of the Showcase viewport.

• 1 = Main Menu Toggle
• 2 = Task UI

The controls provide easy access to all of the features of Showcase. Hover your mouse pointer over each to find out what it does. Click a control to open its related options.

For example, here is what the Task UI looks like when you click the Visual Styles control.

In this example, scroll left-to-right through the available Visual Styles. Click a Visual Style to apply it. Click Library on the right to see the classic Visual Styles interface.

Change the Size of your Inventor 2013 Overflow Menu

The Overflow Menu displays below the Marking Menu. Shorter versions of the Overflow Menu are defined for Inventor to streamline the interface. The original, longer Overflow Menus are on by default.

Use the Marking Menu tab of the Customize dialog box to access the short Overflow Menus.

The options available in the Customize dialog box to control the display of the Overflow are:

• Full Menu
• Radial Menu Only
• Short Menu

Certain Express Tools do not Function in AutoCAD Electrical 2013

This is apparently a known issue in AutoCAD Electrical 2013, whereby some of the Express Tools files are not loaded and maintained on starting AutoCAD Electrical.

 

This means that certain tools, such as Text to MText do not function.
However there is a fix:

• Start AutoCAD Electrical
• Type appload at the commandline
• Click on Contents under Startup Suite
• Hit Add in the Startup Suite dialog
• Browse to C:\Program Files\Autodesk\Acade 2013\Express
• Using CTRL select the following files - sysvdlg.arx, ctextapp.arx, dimsio.arx, leaderex.arx and mocoro.arx
• Click Open
• Now close all dialogs and check the Express Tools which were not working (i.e. Text to MText)
• You can always double check by closing AutoCAD Electrical 2013 and restart to ensure it maintains these files

Turn Off AutoCAD Tray Notifcations

AutoCAD usefully prompts to let you know once a Plot or Publish has completed, but some people find this a distraction.

If you want to turn these prompts off, then simply type traynotify at the command line, then change the default value 1 to a 0.

Find Vault Files where DWF Previews are not Available or Out of Date

Have you ever wanted to find all files where the DWF(x) previews need to be updated? Or files that do not have DWF(x) previews at all?

Well you can, using the system property Visualisation Attachment, you can find all files which have no preview or a preview that needs updating:

Once found you can then select all files in the search result and perform an Update View - Queued Update (Update Locally will only work on a single file).

Note: the search results are only true with the current version of each file.

This is an extract from the Cracking the Vault, Manufacturing Community Blog

Support of SQL Server 2012 with Vault 2013

Autodesk Vault 2013 (all editions) and all previous releases of Vault are not supported with SQL Server 2012.

Possible support of SQL Server 2012 with the next version of Vault will be reviewed.

This is an extract from the Cracking the Vault, Manufacturing Community Blog

Windows 8 Support for Autodesk products

Autodesk intends to support many of the key products on Windows 8 and will add additional products to the list of products supported on Windows 8 as updates and future versions are released. Autodesk Product Support will provide its best effort to assist customers who have issues with products that are not currently supported.

The Autodesk products listed below have been tested and are confirmed as working correctly on Microsoft Windows 8 operating system:

• Autodesk 3ds Max 2013
• Autodesk 3ds Max Design 2013
• Autodesk Maya 2013
• Autodesk MotionBuilder 2013
• Autodesk Mudbox 2013
• Autodesk Softimage 2013
• Autodesk SketchBook Designer 2013

Note: This technical solution will be updated as new Windows 8 compatibility information becomes available.

Copy Drawing Sheet Views in Inventor 2013

In Inventor 2013 you are now able to select one or more views to Copy then Paste on to the same or separate Sheet within the Drawing environment.

To Copy one or more views, simply select (hold Shift to multi select) the view/s you want, then either right click > Copy or CTRL+C. Then to Paste the views, simply right click > Paste or CTRL+V to place copied views.

Extended File Types for Inventor 2013 Borders

Inventor 2013 gives you the ability to Insert image types BMP, GIF, JPG, PNG and TIF into a title block on a Drawing border. Previous versions of Inventor only allowed BMP or JPG!

To insert an image into a Drawing Title Block, edit the Title Block definition, and click Sketch TAB > Insert panel > Image. Click in the graphic window to place the image, then in the Open dialogue, select an image file, and click Open.

 

Note: By default the Open dialogue will Link to the selected image, not always desirable on a Drawing border. To Embed the image, simply unitck the Link box shown above.

Extension for Autodesk 3ds Max Design 2013

The Extension for Autodesk 3ds Max 2013 software and 3ds Max Design 2013 software delivers new solutions that help you create and refine the look you require, faster and more easily.

Features:

• MassFX mParticles - Create particle simulations that replicate real-world effects with the new mParticles module for the MassFX system of simulation solvers. With Birth operators optimized for MassFX simulations, a preset flow for easier initial setup and two easy-to-use modifiers that enable particles to affect standard mesh objects, mParticles helps you create stunning simulations with less effort.

Inventor 2013 Dynamic Trim/Extend Sketch Geometry

The Trim and Extend tools in Inventor 2013 work in exactly the same way as before, however they now have a nice addition to make them more flexible.

• Create or Edit Sketch. Then on the ribbon, click Sketch TAB > Modify panel > Trim or Extend, depending on the task you want to complete.

Inventor 2013 Suite Workflows

A Suite Workflow is a mechanism for exporting an engineered design from a source Autodesk product to a target product for detailed rendering or animation. Settings in the workflow automatically transform the design objects for presentation in 3ds Max Design or Showcase. For example, the 3ds Max Design as Solids workflow sends Inventor Models to 3ds Max Design as solid bodies. The Showcase Constraint Animation workflow shows a mechanical assembly in motion, converting a range of constraints into animated behaviors. You can use workflows to prepare for design reviews and to create vivid presentations.

Depending on the suite you have, the source product is either AutoCAD, Inventor or Revit. The target product is always 3ds Max Design or Showcase. The workflows supplied with a suite can vary according to the suite level (Standard, Premium, or Ultimate).

A workflow applies pre-selected settings in 3ds Max Design or Showcase to the design data from the source product (AutoCAD, Inventor or Revit). Different workflows are provided with each source product, and workflows can be optimized for specific purposes, such as high-quality rendering or lighting analysis.

Inventor (Product Design Suite) Workflows are available from the main application menu:

Support of .NET Framework 4.5 and Vault 2013

Microsoft recently released the version .NET Framework 4.5.

At this stage Vault 2013 (Server and Client) and all previous releases of Vault are not supported with .NET Framework 4.5. Installing .NET Framework 4.5 is done at your own risk!

Autodesk have already received reports of Vault not working properly after installing .NET Framework 4.5.

This is an extract from the Cracking the Vault, Manufacturing Community Blog

Vault Office Addin Not Appearing After Installing DL19837065

After installing DL19837065 (link no longer available as it has been unpublished), you may notice that the Vault 2013 addin for Microsoft Office applications either stops working (the icons are greyed out) or you may get an error similar to this when trying to run them.

Could not load file or assembly
'Autodesk.DataManagement.Client.Framework.Vault.Forms, version=17.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=aa20f34aedd220e1' or one of its dependencies. An attempt was made to load a program with an incorrect format.

Autodesk have re-released a fix for this issue that includes additional fixes in DL20133057.

So uninstall DL19837065 and install the newer Hotfix.

This is an extract from the Cracking the Vault, Manufacturing Community Blog

New Inventor 2013 Rectangle Sketch Tools

Inventor 2013 brings two new Rectangle Sketch tools, Two and Three Point Center Rectangle, to speed up creation of these shapes. To acces these new tools, start a sketch, then click the down arrow below the standard Rectangle tool to see a list of the new tools.

Colourise Showcase Environment to Allow Model to Standout

In Showcase it is great that you can put your model into a 360 degree HDRI Environment to view from any angle and these Environments can look very good, carrying a lot of detail. However, this might start to distract from the design you are trying to portray.

Vault 2013 Re-Index File Property Improvements

Several controls have been added to the Re-Index File Property tool in the 2013 Autodesk Data Management Server (ADMS) console, enabling Administrators to filter by extension, provider and date range to help reduce the number of files affected by a Re-index operation.

To run a Re-Index File Property, log in to ADMS 2013 console on your server, then expand the Vaults folder to reveal your Vault (name may vary depending on configuration). Select your Vault to highlight it, then go to the Actions menu > Re-Index File Properties.

Fatal Error Applying Service Pack 1 for AutoCAD/LT 2013

You are encountering this issue due to a problem with Service Pack 1 for AutoCAD 2013 and AutoCAD LT 2013. We are actively working on resolving this issue. It is recommended that you uninstall Service Pack 1 until further notice.