Network Installations of Civil 3D Unable to Pull a Suite Network License

Any time users are unable to pull a network license for a product can lead to a fairly significant loss in productivity depending on the cause. We got this one in support the other day; luckily it was an easy fix. Read on for more info.

Scenario: A company just cross-graded their Autodesk Civil 3D Subscription seats over to the new Premium Infrastructure Design Suite, it includes products like AutoCAD, AutoCAD Map, Civil 3D and Navisworks. The user then requested a new network license file; properly replaced the existing one, and re-configured the license manager. Afterwards users could successfully pull AutoCAD licenses but could not get a license for Civil 3D, yet there were plenty of seats still available.

Since Civil 3D was installed prior to the Design Suite Cross-grade they were still looking to the regular Civil 3D increment in the license file. However, this shouldn’t be an issue because license files include a feature called “cascading” which automatically points the software to look to another increment if seats are unavailable. The cascading feature exists for all Autodesk Suite products, not just Civil 3D.

For example, a license file has Revit Architecture and a Building Design Suite. When launched, Revit will look to the standard Revit Architecture seat first, if none are available it will automatically roll over to the Suite for a license. More information on the cascading order for Autodesk products can be found here.

Solution: This is actually a known issue. Civil 3D in some instances is unable to cascade to the next product. Autodesk issued a hotfix that gets installed on the end users’ machines.

Luckily this was a simple solution which otherwise could’ve been very costly to troubleshoot.

If it should happen to you, hopefully this will save you some time trying to hunt down a fix!

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Derek Wielkopolski
Technical Support Manager/Application Specialist
Derek holds a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Roger Williams University, Rhode Island. He is experienced working within the AEC industry from concept design through construction administration for both small and large scale projects. As Ideate’s Support Manager he ensures a timely and quality response to support requests and questions. Follow Derek on Twitter: @dwielk

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eLearning with the Ideate Tech Experts - Upcoming Classes

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Each class is designed to give you specific, improved results in a particular topic. You can interact with the instructor right from your own office, while eliminating travel time. Because the class schedule rotates, you can easily select your topics of interest and choose the day which best meets your schedule.

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Position yourself to land dream projects. Tap the full potential of your software solutions. Increase your facility, fluidity and capability to maximize the value of your precision software tools.

Here are a few of the training opportunities Ideate has to offer in the coming days:

7.27-29::Seattle
Revit Architecture Fundamentals
8.1-3::Sacramento
Civil 3D Fundamentals
8.2-3::Portland
Navisworks Fundamentals
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BIM for Contractors

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Revit Structure Question: Where are the Architectural Walls?

Question: Currently I have an architectural model linked into my Revit Structure model. For some reason, I cannot see the architectural walls in my structural model. I have tried all combinations in the visibility graphics, the Reveal hidden elements button, reloading it as an overlay vs. attachment, changing the import categories visibility and nothing seems to be working.

Answer: It’s the View Discipline! In the Properties of the View, change the Discipline to Co-ordination. Coordination combines Architectural and Structural. Setting it to Structural would hide the non bearing walls from the view.

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Shruti Harve,
LEED AP, AEC Solutions Application Specialist
Shruti holds a Master of Science degree in Architectural Computing from University of Strathclyde, United Kingdom and is LEED accredited. Her experience includes working in Architecture and Construction firms in India and the United Kingdom as well as Structural Engineering firms in the Bay Area providing design, 3D modeling and drafting services. At Ideate, Shruti provides training and support for Revit Architecture, Revit Structure, 3ds Max, Ecotect and AutoCAD Architecture.

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Where Are All of My Layers?

While teaching a class at Ideate in Seattle, a question came up regarding the Layers that are displayed in the dropdown list in the Layers panel of the Ribbon.

You may have encountered a situation where the layer drop down list does not display all of the layers in your drawing. This is typically caused by the Layer Filter that you have applied to your Layer Manager. An example of this would be a drawing that includes External References. When External References are attached, an automatic XREF filter is created by the Layer Manager.

Selecting the XREF filter sorts the layer list so it only displays the layers found in the XREF files.

Exiting the Layer Manager with the XREF filter list current leads to the same filter being applied to the drop down list in the Layer panel. Besides the current layer, only XREF layers will be displayed.

This can easily be avoided by verifying that all layers are displayed in the Layer Manager before going back to your drawing. If you prefer that the layer filter not be applied to the layer drop down list, that option can be found in the Settings of the Layer Manager.

To access this setting, click on the Wrench icon at the top right of the Layer Manager, and check or un-check the box for “Apply Layer Filter to Layer Toolbar.”

*In the standard version of AutoCAD, Settings can be accessed by clicking on the Settings button at the bottom left of the Layer Properties Manager window.

If the box is checked, the current filter is applied to the toolbar. If un-checked, the toolbar will display all layers in the drawing, regardless of the filter that has been applied.

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Matt Miyamoto, P.E.
Infrastructure Solutions Application Specialist
Matt is a licensed Civil Engineer in the state of Hawaii. Matt obtained a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and has 7 years of private sector design experience which he applies in his role as an application specialist with Ideate, Inc. His project experience includes residential and commercial site development, private and public sewer, water and drainage systems, harbors improvements, and roadway improvements. While in Hawaii, Matt was involved in multidisciplinary projects for City and County agencies, State Departments, the Army COE and private developers. @MattM_PE

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eLearning – Upcoming Classes

Join the Ideate Tech Experts for eLearning - live online classes that provide your entire organization with easy access to premium education.

Upcoming classes include: 

8.2.11::Network License Manager 101

Each class is designed to give you specific, improved results in a particular topic. You can interact with the instructor right from your own office, while eliminating travel time. Because the class schedule rotates, you can easily select your topics of interest and choose the day which best meets your schedule.

Click here for class descriptions, times and registration link. Questions? Contact education@ideateinc.com

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Here are a few of the training opportunities Ideate has to offer in the coming days:

7.20-22::Sacramento
AutoCAD Fundamentals
7.27-29::Seattle
Revit Architecture Fundamentals
8.1-3::Sacramento
Civil 3D Fundamentals

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What is That? Seeing Stars in AutoCAD MEP.

What is this? That is a common question for a trainer. We all like to think we are perfectly knowledgeable of all our core programs. Sadly, I had “a learning experience” the other day.

I’ve seen those yellow stars in the properties palette in AutoCAD MEP, but I’ve never really taken notice of them. So, I told the student I would research the question.

I looked and looked, but how to search something I don’t even know the name of? It is hard to Google “those yellow stars in AutoCAD MEP.” Well, one secret of research is just like life, it’s all about who you know. And in this case it’s all about who the person I knew, knew.

I reached out for help, and my question ended up being answered by Bill Johnson, BIM Manager of TEECOM Design Group, in Oakland, CA. Thanks, Bill. 

So what are those yellow stars?

These icon symbols represent what can be “set” or changed during “adding” duct/pipe – and will not be available in the “properties” palette once the item is drawn.

I learned something new today – I guess that why blogs are great, we all learn stuff we should know.

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Lana Gochenauer, LEED AP,
MEP Solutions Application Specialist
Lana has a wealth of real world experience, having used Autodesk products on projects from hospitals to universities, restaurants to corporate office headquarters, from strip malls to tenant fit-up. Most recently she focused on coordination drawings/models with MEP contractors, and fabrication from the model. Lana successfully ran her CAD business and worked as the CAD manager for an international MEP engineering firm in Seattle. Lana is a Certified Autodesk Trainer and NECA certified electrical estimator. Currently pursuing her MBA in Sustainability and based in the Ideate ATC in Seattle, Lana provides training and services for AutoCAD MEP, Autodesk Revit MEP and Autodesk Navisworks. @LanaGMEP

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Click here for class descriptions, times and registration link. Questions? Contact education@ideateinc.com

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Array in AutoCAD 2012

Check out the new AutoCAD 2012 array command. New to this release is the ability to array objects along a path. As seen in the video, a tree block is arrayed along a spline curve. In addition to arraying along a path you can also make the arrayed objects associative to the path element. The arrays can be divided evenly along the path and mathematical expressions written for the total number of items arrayed along path created.

Once the array settings have been applied, you can adjust the path and because the elements were associated to the path the arrayed items update. In addition to all of this cool stuff, associative arrays can also be edited through the Edit Array command. Tools such as the number of items, being arrayed, the number of rows offset from the path, and the elevation of the items can be modified through the edit mode.

So check it out, there are a lot of cool settings that be applied to arrays making this a much more functional design tool.

Watch the video on YouTube.

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Ron Palma
AEC Solutions Application Specialist
Ron has 23+ years of experience in the AEC industry as a designer, lead project designer, trainer and CAD manager. His instructional background includes Autodesk Certified Instructor, trainer, support technician, educator at Portland Community College and Clackamas Community College, and a U.S. Army certified instructor. Follow Ron @RonPalmaAEC.

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7.13-15::San Francisco
Revit Structure Fundamentals
7.18-20::Seattle
Civil 3D Fundamentals
7.20-22::Sacramento
AutoCAD Fundamentals

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Revit Parts Tool for Material Schedule

The new Revit Architecture/Structure 2012 Parts tool can be used to split up Layered elements (Walls, Floors, Roofs, Ceilings, and Structural Slabs) into individual “Parts”/pieces that can be subdivided with different materials applied for scheduling purposes. Interior Designers, look into this tool for use with floor and wall materials applied to the “parts” for use in Material Schedules.

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Ron Palma
AEC Solutions Application Specialist
Ron has 23+ years of experience in the AEC industry as a designer, lead project designer, trainer and CAD manager. His instructional background includes Autodesk Certified Instructor, trainer, support technician, educator at Portland Community College and Clackamas Community College, and a U.S. Army certified instructor. Follow Ron @RonPalmaAEC.

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Underlay: Revit Links

Have you noticed the ‘Underlay’ check box in the ‘Revit Links’ tab of the Visibility Graphics dialog box in Revit 2012?

Checking this box will now allow users to set the links in Revit to halftone and at the same time NOT OBSCURE new lines and edges drawn on top of the link!

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Shruti Harve,
LEED AP, AEC Solutions Application Specialist
Shruti holds a Master of Science degree in Architectural Computing from University of Strathclyde, United Kingdom and is LEED accredited. Her experience includes working in Architecture and Construction firms in India and the United Kingdom as well as Structural Engineering firms in the Bay Area providing design, 3D modeling and drafting services. At Ideate, Shruti provides training and support for Revit Architecture, Revit Structure, 3ds Max, Ecotect and AutoCAD Architecture.

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Classroom Training - Open Classes + $200 Off Training with Ideate

Know It. Ideate Training.

Position yourself to land dream projects. Tap the full potential of your software solutions. Increase your facility, fluidity and capability to maximize the value of your precision software tools.

Here are a few of the training opportunities Ideate has to offer in the coming days:

7.6-8::San Jose
AutoCAD Fundamentals
7.11-13::Portland
Revit Architecture Fundamentals
7.11-12::San Francisco
Revit Architecture Beyond the Basics
7.13-15::San Francisco
Revit Structure Fundamentals

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Know It. Savings.

Ideate subscription clients who have or renew their Autodesk software subscriptions are eligible to save $200 on training on one Fundamentals or Advanced class. Training must be purchased by 7.31.2011. Course must be completed by 12.16.2011. Read all the details here.

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