Between the Lines

Snaptrude – Innovating the Architectural Design Process

The architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry is no stranger to innovation, and disruption. We have seen new technologies such as Building Information Modeling (BIM), Augmented/Virtual Reality (AR/VR), and 3D printing that have transformed the way we design and build. Now, Snaptrude, a relatively new AEC startup aims to further revolutionize the industry with its architectural design platform harnessing the power of intelligent automation and real-time visualization on the cloud. Read more →

New Autodesk Community Voices Authors

We added 8 New Autodesk Community Voices Blog authors last week, check out the blog, subscribe, tell others, and bookmark it. Read more →

Between the Lines Blog and Coho the Dog Birthdays Today

This Between the Lines Blog is turning 21 years young today! This blog started in 2003 as an experiment, became very popular with thousands of unique page views a day 4389 posts 5389 comments, and over 20 million viewers. I have continually been blogging since launching even when on vacation, sick, sabbatical, or in the Amazon jungle. Thank you to everyone for reading and contributing to this blog over the years. If there is something I can do to improve or make your experience more entertaining, educational, or perhaps and Autodesk topic related guest blog post, please let me know with an email. August 21, 2003 Getting the feel for this Blog. My silver labrador pup named Coho also coincidently turns 1 years old today, at a bouncing playful 99 pounds. Thank you and I hope to see you in a month in New Orleans and Autodesk University 2022. #AU2022 Shaan's AU 2022 Events Notification List Autodesk Community Conversations at Autodesk University 2022 in Person and Online Autodesk University 2022 Free Digital Passes Read more →

Become an Autodesk Community Voices Blog Author

Autodesk Community Voices — a new blog by the community, for the community. It’s your place to connect, share, and learn with the community. The blog will feature product tips, workflows, articles, updates, and more, all shared by members of Autodesk’s global community. The blog was launched just barely a month ago, and is growing fast with 20+ authors and 20+ blog post articles. A few things about the Voices Blog Currently all authors are Autodesk customers that participate in... Read more →

Steelcase Chair Assembly Instructions Powered by Autodesk Forge

Pretty nice implementation example of a browser using the Autodesk Forge platform to present interactive chair assembly instructions. “Powered by Forge, these interactive furniture assembly instructions from Steelcase allow customers to rotate views and step through the assembly process at their own pace.” Check it out live: https://bit.ly/3C9YMK4 Read more →

Motion Graphics Discussions and Beer in Bend Oregon this Thursday

The Bend Oregon MoGraph meetup this Thursday. If you are located in Bend Oregon, love all things 3D graphics, then please sign up and stop on by. ”Bend MoGraph is for anyone who loves motion graphics, design, VFX, 3D modeling and animation, and video production and post! Mostly we get together at a local bar to have a few beers and talk smack about the industry and junk.” https://www.meetup.com/Bend-MoGraph-Meetup/ Read more →

Happy 10th Birthday Tinkercad!

Tinkercad turned 10 years old today. This free cloud-based 3D creative design tool is used by students to retired makers and 3D print hobbyist, and loved by millions from 5-100+ years old. Reflecting on 10 Years of Tinkering as Tinkercad Turns Double Digits Check out what people have made: https://www.tinkercad.com/search?q=tinkercad10 Read more →

AutoCAD Web App Trace Feature

I recently noticed a new feature after opening AutoCAD Web App, a new preview feature of a Trace feature. The new Trace feature works great for non-destructive overlays for markup and edits that don't alter the original drawing. Introducing Trace (preview feature) “Trace provides a safe space to add changes to a drawing in the web and mobile apps without altering the existing drawing. To open the Trace palette, click Traces in the side panel on the left side of... Read more →

Launching the Community Dojo – People Knowledge Tools

Rachel Hartley an Autodesk Customer Community Program Manager, recently announced the new community called the Community Dojo. “Defined as a “place for immersive learning,” the Japanese word “Dōjō” was perfectly adopted for a new immersive learning site launched August 24, 2020, for and by the Autodesk Group Network program. https://www.communitydojo.net/ As the name implies, the purpose of the Community Dōjō is to create inspiring learning opportunities for everyone—employees and customers alike—by connecting them with peers and group leaders; providing easy... Read more →

Happy 17th Birthday to Between the Lines Blog

17! Seventeen years ago I started this blog as a fun side project after a couple Autodesk employees Bill Johnson and Eric Wright approached me about this new thing called Blogs, and I have been throwing words and photos up here ever since. Next year the blog will be 18 years old, and I will have to consider if I am kicking it out of the house since it will be an adult if it were human. Thank you to... Read more →

Explore the Autodesk Forge Showroom

A new online resource Forge Showroom is now available to see what others are building using Autodesk Forge. https://forge-showroom.autodesk.io/ Read more →

Autodesk University 2019 Blogger and Social Media Meetup

Every year at AU we invite active bloggers, social media participants and other “friends” to join us for a little food and drink at AU – a chance for us to meet some of these people face to face and to thank them for their (typically unpaid) efforts around Autodesk products. Read more →

Hard to Believe but Between the Lines Blog Turns Sweet 16 Tomorrow

Sixteen years ago tomorrow I started this blog as a fun side project after a couple Autodesk employees Bill Johnson and Eric Wright approached me about this new thing called Blogs and I have been throwing words and photos up here ever since. Its amazing since my daughter just turned 18 and this blog started when she was barely two years old. I need to think about what I'm going to say on the Sweet Sixteen anniversary of a blog... Read more →

RawR See a T-Rex in Stunning 3D Detail - without being eaten

Yesterday I had the pleasure of speaking with a panel of Smithsonian employees of the Digitization Program Office and they let me know of an amazing reality capture project that went live just yesterday. It is stunning in detail and fascinating information. You can also download the 3D model data and then 3D print your own although at a smaller than life size. Tyrannosaurus rex This T. rex skeleton was unearthed in Montana beginning in 1988. It is posed over... Read more →

Design Automation for Revit - Public Beta

If you have wanted to read, write, and modify data from Revit without installing Revit from within the the Forge cloud platform, then today is your lucky day. The Revit Design Automation API was just launched as a public beta. “Today we’re announcing the availability of Design Automation for Revit as a pubic beta. Using Design Automation, you can create, edit, and extract data from Revit models without a local Revit install. Because Design Automation is a cloud service, you... Read more →

AutoCAD Automation Beta on the Forge Platform

Access many of the AutoCAD objects in an API on the Forge platform as a Design Automation Beta. Automate repetitive and time intensive tasks and save time. Design Automation API (Beta)v3 https://forge.autodesk.com/en/docs/design-automation/v3/developers_guide/overview/ “Imagine you have thousands of DWG files stored in the cloud, and you need them all converted to PDF files. Ordinarily, you would have to download all the files, run a script on them in the AutoCAD desktop software, and then potentially upload them all back to the... Read more →

The AutoCAD Web App

I have been really impressed with the new launched AutoCAD Web App that is included with the AutoCAD 2019 and AutoCAD LT 2019 subscription. I have been using it today on a bunch of drawings to kick the tires. There is nothing to download or install, just launch your web browser and go to https://web.autocad.com/ and log in. Not only can you view and edit drawings, but you can create new drawings using the same AutoCAD DNA as the desktop... Read more →

2nd Annual 3D Web Fest on June 30

Mind blowing visual experience in San Francisco! What: 3D + art + music + tech = one night of jaw-dropping visuals. 3D Web Fest showcases top 3D web creations with live performances by their creators. All proceeds benefit CODAME (ART+TECH projects and nonprofit events, to inspire through experience.) When: Friday, June 30th, 6pm Where: Palace of Fine Arts San Francisco Why: Be inspired, amazed, and maybe disturbed and raise money for CODAME. www.3DWebFest.com Read more →

Premiums Instructables for Teachers and Students

Students & teachers get free premium Instructables memberships! Take online classes & explore educational projects. Examples of Instructables for teachers and students: 100 STEAM Projects for Teachers Instructables for Young Engineers If you are not aware, Instructables is a gem for learning how to make almost anything. With step by step instructions called Instructables you lean how to do everything from science projects to building a boat and even to baking a rainbow layered cake or building a campfire or... Read more →

SketchBook Motion Released for the iPad

Autodesk has just released SketchBook Motion on the Apple App Store which was formerly available as as pre-release Project Draco from Autodesk Research. Now you can easily create compelling web based animations for illustrations or art using your Apple iPad. Read More about SketchBook Motion: http://www.sketchbook.com/blog/motion-new-app-sketchbook-pro-members/ Today, we’re happy to introduce a new app called SketchBook Motion. As its name suggests, it’s all about creating movement, but it’s a little different than your typical animation app. It’s about adding specific... Read more →

Throwback Thursday Ooga Chaka Ooga Chaka

Yes, back in the late 90s there was a creepy Dancing Baby “Baby Cha Cha” that seemed to be all the rage on the young growing Internet. Jon Bell a colleague here in the Autodesk Lake Oswego office has been involved with the Autodesk 3d Max /3D Studio teams since the early beginnings and was able to find the source file for me. I just had to render it in the new 3ds Max 2017 for nostalgic fun and I... Read more →

Who is Nextdoor?

I just finished moving this week into the SW Hills area of Portland and wanted to pass on a great free resource to those living in the US. This is the best way I have ever found to get to know your neighbors and keep the pulse of your neighborhood like any crime, who found a dog, who has furniture for sale, neighbor needing assistance, what is that funky smell, who has extra garden veggies to give away, who is... Read more →

Share 3D in the New Autodesk Memento Gallery

In the past 24 hours Autodesk has launched a new Memento Gallery where you can publish your Autodesk Memento 3D models for others to view or even download. I published models up there to test it and it works very well. How to publish tot the gallery: Create or load a model in the free beta of Autodesk Memento for Windows (Mac version in testing now) I loaded a model of a Sea Cockroach I created from a series of... Read more →

12 Year Blog Birthday

Yes, It seems like only yesterday but it has been millions of hits to thousands of pages of content and comments since this blog was started 12 years ago today. First blog post in August 2003: Getting the feel for this Blog I want to say a sincere thank you to everyone of the readers and my colleagues here at Autodesk! The feedback I receive is why I continue to blog here. I would also like to thank Autodesk management... Read more →

3D Artist Lukáš Hajka Crossing the Uncanny Valley and Freaking Me Out

Some of my Autodesk colleagues sent me into a daytime nightmare feeling simply with a URL to a web page in my email. On the web page in Google Chrome of browser with WebGL you see a 3D shaded head model and as you move you curser the model updates. Slovakian 3D artist Lukáš Hajka developed the shaders and in my opinion a 3D model with this amount of realism is crossing the uncanny valley and truly convinces you it... Read more →