The Dirt

Autodesk Unveils Autodesk Seek Web Service for AEC Industries

Autodesk’s New Web Services Empowers Architects, Engineers and Designers to Search, Select and Specify Building Products from within their Design Applications

SAN RAFAEL, Calif., May 7, 2008 — Driving the move to integrate rich information directly into building designs, Autodesk, Inc. (NASDAQ: ADSK) today announced the launch of Autodesk Seek, a groundbreaking web service that allows architects, engineers and designers to search, select and specify building products using Autodesk’s advanced search technology.

Autodesk Seek provides a consolidated online source for building product design information and delivers information-rich results – including relevant design files in multiple formats from within the customer’s design applications. Design files can be easily dropped directly into the designer’s building model or drawing, reducing the need to recreate individual components in the design. This embedded search functionality is now available in the 2009 U.S versions of Autodesk’s Revit-based software applications, as well as AutoCAD, AutoCAD Architecture and AutoCAD MEP. The web service is also available through standard browsers at http://seek.autodesk.com.

“Autodesk Seek enhances designers’ productivity by helping to eliminate the pain of looking for specific building product information and their associated design files, which are often scattered across various sources such as catalogs and online libraries,” said Jeff Wright, director, Content Solutions, at Autodesk. “With this new Autodesk web service, architects, designers and building engineers can now more easily focus on what they do best – creating innovative building designs."

Today’s announcement around search reinforces Autodesk’s push to empower architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) firms by delivering new applications and technology solutions that build on the foundations of building information modeling (BIM), and that support its customers’ need to create, predict and deliver their ideas in increasingly more optimal and more effective ways.

The Autodesk Seek web service connects the millions of designers in the AutoCAD and Revit communities with the building products of manufacturers who understand the value of making their product information available to designers at the right time and the right place – in the design software application. Benefits to users and suppliers include:

· Access – Designers working in AutoCAD and Revit-based applications can quickly access specifications and design files among a universe of building products and insert them directly into their drawings or building models.

· Precision – Designers can find what they are looking for based on key product characteristics (e.g., dimensions, materials or “green” performance criteria) through the Autodesk Seek parametric search engine.

· Standards – Autodesk Seek supports industry data standards and design formats, allowing architects and engineers using any design package to access a breadth of product information from their desktops.

· Reusability – Designers can find and re-use models rather than searching for information each time they begin a new project. Manufacturers’ product information investments can be reused in other online initiatives.

Autodesk Seek is slated to be showcased at AIA Expo2008 in Boston, May 15-17, at Autodesk booth #20121.

In the months ahead, Autodesk Seek content and categories will continue to expand to support new industries and products, with the addition of further building product manufacturers (BPMs) and partners.

About Autodesk

Autodesk, Inc. is the world leader in 2D and 3D design software for the manufacturing, building and construction, and media and entertainment markets. Since its introduction of AutoCAD software in 1982, Autodesk has developed the broadest portfolio of state-of-the-art digital prototyping solutions to help customers experience their ideas before they are real. Fortune 1000 companies rely on Autodesk for the tools to visualize, simulate and analyze real-world performance early in the design process to save time and money, enhance quality and foster innovation. For additional information about Autodesk, visit www.autodesk.com.

Autodesk, AutoCAD, and Revit, are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., in the USA and/or other countries. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders.  Autodesk reserves the right tot alter product offerings and specifications at any time without notice, and is not responsible for typographical or graphical errors that may appear in this document.

© 2008 Autodesk, Inc. All rights reserved.

Trimble Link for Civil 3D 2009

Trimble Link for Civil 3D 2009 is now available.  That was fast!

Vote for the AU Classes You Want . . .

Something new this year—Autodesk would like you to help us select the best 500-plus sessions.

We have uploaded all of the sessions (that were submitted by the deadline) to AU 2008 Session site and we need your input. Topics are organized under 19 tracks, which are either an industry or a product.  If you are considering attending AU, please take a few minutes to vote for sessions that you absolutely want to see.

Over the next few weeks, we will review all those submissions and whittle them down to the number we can actually physically accommodate in the Venetian Conference Center in Las Vegas.

Registration for AU will start on August 15th, and one week earlier for AU members.  Class schedules will be available for review by August 1st.

Thank you in advance for helping us select the most interesting classes. The deadline for voting is Saturday, May 3, 2008

Vote now!

Alaska Gas Pipeline

Check out this PROJECT featured in the New York Times . . . it's likely to become the largest construction project in North America.

3DConfig Setting For Civil 3D

I am in Dallas at Autodesk Tech Camp.  I just spent 10 minutes with the guys from Nvidia video cards at their booth.  My Dell Precision M90 laptop has one of their cards in it so I wanted to know if they knew any tricks for speeding up video performance, etc.

What I learned I have to share . . .

1. At the command line in Civil 3D type 3DCONFIG.
2. Toggle off ADAPTIVE DEGRADATION
3. Select the Manual Tune button
4. Toggle on HARDWARE ACCELERATION
5. Pick OK twice to exit the 3DCONFIG command

Now enjoy the difference.  It made such a big difference on my laptop I had to run up here to room to make this post.  Thank you Willy Ortiz with PNY.  3D Orbit and the Object Viewer are once again a pleasure to use!

Forgive me if this is old news and I'm the last to know - that has happened before.

A New Role for the Technical Evangelist

OK, I lied.  I may keep the blog up for a while.  I guess I have underestimated The Dirt's significance - so we'll keep it up and running.

I can now share a bit about my new position here at Autodesk.  The official announcement:

Pete Kelsey’s contribution over the past two years at Autodesk as worldwide evangelist for Civil 3D has provided him a unique perspective on customer needs and the transition challenges to model-centric workflows.   He contributed mightily to the success in building worldwide awareness of Civil 3D.   In his new role as AEC Key Accounts Technical Manager Pete will focus on the top AEC firms within North America.  With the adoption rate of Civil 3D really accelerating it is clear that Pete’s focus should now shift from evangelizing Civil 3D to helping some of Autodesk’s biggest customers maximize their return on investment.

Pretty exciting (and slightly terrifying) - eh?

BTW - Thanks for all the well wishes and the "commentary" on my recent haircut - some of it was hilarious!  Here's my favorite:

"When I recently saw pigs flying outside my office window I was totally baffled having no idea what the significance could be.  Now I know why."

One Last Post . . .

I know, I know . . . I'm long overdue for a posting.  Much has happened in the last six weeks.  Here are the highlights:

I fought and beat cancer

Not much fun.  I had two surgeries and five weeks of interferon therapy.  But I'm cancer free with an excellent prognosis and oh so happy to be back to work.  I was lucky that I caught it in time.  Any rumors of my demise are in fact exaggerated!

The Easter Island Project continues

Check out the site:  www.autodesk.com/easterisland  There is a lot of new material up there now and more to come.

I have a new job here at Autodesk

I have been asked to keep the details of this move under wraps until my orientation / training is complete . . . so I cannot share details.  I will say I am excited about it!

I cut my hair off

Yup, it's true - and it's all good too except now I have to go and get a new driver's license, passport and Autodesk ID.  They all have photos of me with long hair and a goatee . . . I keep getting questioned about my ID in the airport!

My last post

It's true.  My new job forces me to shut down the blog.  This will in fact be my last post.  My thanks to you all for your tuning in for the last two years.  It's been fun - truly.  A HUGE thank you to my editor Sandy for making me appear smarter than I am. Surround yourself with VERY smart people - I always have.

See you out there!

Pete

Filtering Large Point Files

Here's a Civil 3D tip from Sean Twomey's blog, forwarded to me by Aaron Gathright with CVIS.  It illustrates a complicated (although innovative) way to filter large point files down to reasonable size for DTM creation, etc.

Pretty cool trick!

The First vClass

Some friends of mine are offering web-based, Civil 3D training in two weeks.  It's free and I don't have to leave my desk, so I'll be tuning in!  Here are the details:

Title: AutoCAD Civil 3D 2008 Surfaces - vClass

Date: Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Time: 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM EST

System Requirements:

For PC-based attendees:

• Windows® 2000, XP Home, XP Pro, 2003 Server, Vista

For Macintosh®-based attendees:

• Mac OS® X 10.3.9 (Panther®) or newer

Space is limited. Reserve your Webinar seat now at:
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/153142973

Cement Production and Greenhouse Gases

Check out this article from New Scientist.com:

"CEMENT kilns contribute more to the world's output of carbon dioxide than aircraft and could soon be responsible for 10 per cent of all emissions of the greenhouse gas. New calculations by an industry scientist reveal that cement manufacturers already produce 7 per cent of global CO2 emissions—almost three times previously published estimates—and that CO2 output is increasing faster from cement works than from any other industrial source."

Thank you, Sandy, for the sending this to me!  Got an interesting story, bit of trivia or a cool Civil 3D tip or trick?  Send it to me.