AutoCAD 2010/2011/2012 DWG Format

[#1]

Hello,

I've been using ACAD 2004 for many years to create, light, apply materials to, and render 3d illustrations of buildings, machinery, furniture, and the like.  I have recently upgraded to ACAD 2012, and am having more difficulty than I expected translating my modeling/rendering skills from the 2004 version to the 2012 version. 

I have been consulting both the 2400-page user guide pdf, and also the on-screen 2012 user help.  Nonetheless, I still find that it sometimes takes me a very long time to figure out how to do a relatively simple 3d maneuver in the new program, and I also find that the 2012 version sometimes does strange things for no apparent reason.

Does anyone happen to know of a relatively simple tutorial that would show an experienced ACAD user like me how to upgrade 3d working knowledge from the 2004 to the 2012 ACAD issue?

Many thanks,

Jay

[#2]

Hi,

I guess there is no "one tutorial" as you might have to many options how you worked with 2004 and there are also to many different ways to work with 2012. So I have no "these 3 steps to go and all is ok"-tutorial, sorry.

But let's start at:

>> it sometimes takes me a very long time to figure out how to do a relatively

>> simple 3d maneuver in the new program

What are the problems you have, at least I would check the settings of the camera, if there is no one I would create one.

Then I would look to the materials (and textures, if there are any) and last but not least the lightning. The lightning may be the most important point as metal ray is working in a complete other way then the old shading models.

>> the 2012 version sometimes does strange things

Do you have samples for that? Or at least a description of what is strange?

You can also look and test the setting of the sysvar 3DCONVERSIONMODE (>>>details<<<) or the command _CONVERTOLDMATERIALS (>>>details<<<) or _CONVERTOLDLIGHTS (>>>details<<<).

- alfred -

[#3]

Hello Alfred,

Thanks so much for your taking the time and thought to respond to my question.  Most of my confusion has been caused simply by the fact that so many many options exist on ACAD 2012 that did not exist on the 2004 version.  Thus I have been spending a large amount of time exploring these 2012 options, and figuring out how to locate them in the program.

Concerning the "strange things" that I mentioned encountering in 2012, one example is that one of my drawing layers, which is turned on and displays just fine in the model space viewport, keeps disappearing when I render the model.  I've tried every setting, and every form of help window query that I can think of, and I still can't make that layer appear in my rendering.

Another problem that I just can't seem to solve involves control of the perspective model's size in its viewport. My 3d model occupies less than half of its perspective viewport size, and I am trying to expand its size so that it would fill the viewport, whose overall size is approximately in the same 16:9 proportion as the final rendered presentation drawing will be.  But every time I try any of the commands related to expanding the model to fill the viewport, the perspective view changes, and I need the perspective view to remain the same while enlarging. 

I have spent tons of time with both the 2400-page Users' Guide PDF and the program's on-screen search and help functions, to no avail on these two issues.  So if you might happen to have any thoughts on either of them I would certainly be most appreciative.

Again, thanks for your responsiveness to my previous query.

With Best Regards,

Jay

[#4]

Hi,

>> displays just fine in the model space viewport, keeps disappearing when I render the model

Can you upload this drawing? At least the parts needed for rendering like lights, camera and this disappearing geom.

>> control of the perspective model's size

Use a camera, then you can change the properties of the camera to control the view and so what you see in the rendered file. If it's 16:9 or anything else is just depending on the file-resolution you specify. If you need a specific aspect ration don't start rendering into viewport, specify the number of pixel in each direction and render to the render-view or to file.

- alfred -

[#5]

Try the web site IFSKILLS.com.  They have tutorials arranged alphabetically and also a search bar.  There are many AutoCAD tutorials.  You may be able to find one doing a Google search also.