New book for AutoCAD MEP 2010

[tobysmith]

Are you looking for additional resources to learn AutoCAD MEP?

Paul Aubin (author of several books for Autodesk products) has just created a new book titled, “Mastering AutoCAD MEP 2010”. Paul wrote this book in conjunction with current and former Autodesk employees. Here’s the link for the book on Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Mastering-AutoCAD-2010-Paul-Aubin/dp/1439057664/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1259710063&sr=8-1

Product Description
MASTERING AUTOCAD® MEP 2010 is the ideal book to provide readers with the skills needed to create construction documents with AutoCAD MEP that are reflective of industry standards and expectations. This book focuses on the rationale and practicality of the AutoCAD MEP process and emphasizes the process of creating projects in MEP, rather than a series of independent commands and tools. Tools are introduced together in a focused process, with a strong emphasis on "why" as well as "how". Both the book and the exercises will provide readers with a clear sense of the value of the tools and a clear indication of each tool's potential. MASTERING AUTOCAD 2010 MEP is a resource designed to shorten readers' learning curve, raise their comfort level and, most importantly, give them real life tested practical advice on using the software to create mechanical, electrical and plumbing designs and calculations.
If you’re at Autodesk University this year, Paul and the rest of the authors are also presenting an “Ask the Experts” session.

Regards,

Toby Smith, PE, LEED AP
AutoCAD MEP Product Manager

[Paul_F_Aubin]

I also wanted to mention that we got a few emails from readers about errors or omissions and as a consequence, we have posted adenda to my blog:

http://paulfaubin.blogspot.com/

Please check there often for updates as we post them. Thanks.

[alan.skipper]

I've just discovered that any U.K. users trying to follow the exercises in imperial units need to load up the U.S. Imperial as well as the Global versions of AutoCAD MEP (or MP with a bit of E thrown in) other wise the imperial Multi View Parts won't load.

Regards

Skipper

[alan.skipper]

Hi elsid

Do the downloadable tutorials on the Autodesk website relate to this book?

Regards

Skipper

[alan.skipper]

Hello Paul

Having just completed chapter 00; I wonder if you could explain why the lineweights on the attached file are so heavy? If I sent this of to any of my clients I would be ridiculed. This file was produced following the exercises word for word, I am not aware that I have changed any lineweight settings, everything is at the default settings.

I know that the stock answer to questions like this is "oh you can change that in the object override" etc but why are the lineweights set so heavy in the first place?

Cheers

Skipper

[Paul_F_Aubin]

Hey Skipper:

Thanks for the file and comments. I don't have the exact answer for you on this issue, but I suspect it has something to do with a mis-match between plot style tables from AutoCAD Architecture and AutoCAD MEP. The background files for most chapters (including 00) where done by yours truly in AutoCAD Architecture. I am pretty sure that the default out-of-the-box plot style tables between the two apllications are not the same, so you are seeing the out of proportion lineweights. Not the best answer, but I must admit that we did not focus on plotting in this book. I did spot check some of the files from later chapters and they plot better, (although the SHX fonts in the titleblock still look kinda bad). All I can say is with your heads-up on this, we will certainly take a closer look at it for the next edition.

Thanks.
paul

[Paul_F_Aubin]

The Autodesk tutorials are not related to the book. Thanks.

[alan.skipper]

Hello Paul
This is a title block that I published by creating a new project using the project manager and creating a new sheet using the default settings; no drawings files, views, constructs etc, everything just default.

I can't believe that this is what we get for our money and that we have to learn how to reprogram the software to make it produce correct lineweights.

I would be very grateful if you could find out why this is.

Cheers

Skipper

[Paul_F_Aubin]

Hi Skipper:

I agree. That last plot does not look good either. I think I figured it out however at least with respect to the titleblock. MEP uses Color Dependent Plotting (CTB). Inside the titleblock, all of the text have their properties set to ByBlock. This means that they use the color/lineweight/linetype settings of the block itself, not their own settings. So the text does not determine directly what settings it uses, rather the block in which the text is contained determines it. So, we look to the titleblcok next. The titleblock object is inserted on layer 0 in the OTB templates. Layer 0 is set to color 7 (Black/white). In the OTB plot style table, color 7 uses a penweight 1.4mm!!! So this explains why it is so bold and ugly.

The solution is naturally edit the titleblock and modify the settings. I suppose Autodesk assumes that most foks will have their own custom titleblock and will do this. However, I do not work for Autodesk and I cannot speak for Autodesk myself. This is only my guess.

Hope that helps.

[alan.skipper]

Paul

So are you telling me that Autodesk have spent time and money deliberately creating title blocks that are unusable? If so I would be very upset to know that my subscription fee is being used in this way. (I hope someone from Autodesk is reading this).

My line of business is producing working drawings (on paper) etc for electrical contractors plotted in black and white, as you can imagine lineweights and line types are very very important. Any thing that is too thick just turns into a black blob. I generally only use two lineweights, default (0.25) and 0.00. Typically, I set the architectural building layout and anything I need to see but is not important furniture etc to 0.00 and then all the electrical stuff and any other stuff that the guys on site need to know about is set to 0.25.

Anybody from Autodesk, please comment.

Regards

Skipper

[Paul_F_Aubin]

Hi Skipper:

I would not say it that way. "deliberately" implies that it was intentionally done this way. I think it was more of an oversight that has not been caught till now because most firms create their own titleblock. So unless you are planning to use the out-of-the-box titleblock with the Autodesk logo, I suspect that it will be a non-issue for most.

On the larger issue of lineweights and which ones to choose, this is always a challenge because few people agree on what the ideal lineweights are. In general, most lineweights I believe are based on the US National CAD Standard, but I am not 100% certain on this. We would need someone from Autodesk to confirm that. (However, I personally think that the NCS lineweights are often too dark, thus proving my point on folks rarely agreeing... 🙂

Your best bet is to open the default CTB file and edit the Lineweights to match your preferred standards. You can also check the default template file and Layer Key Style file and change any settings hard coded in there as well.

[ElSid1]

As Aubinwan stated ... the autocad tutorials are NOT related to the book. I suggested them because they are all in Metric. I bought the book to learn the neuances of setting up MEP. Will get started reading tonight! Unfortunately, everyone seems to ignore MEP and is focusing on Revit. More than I need or want to deal with with networking, hardware, and backwards compatability if vanilla Autocad.

BTW, does anyone know if revit object can be imported into MEP. Several manufacturers are starting to create revit items (i.e. pumps) and I would like to use them in MEP.

[tyler]

I've been reading the comments here and felt compelled to offer my opinion of this book. I have read all but two chapters of the book and found it to be very complete and well organized. I read the chapters and sat back down at my workstation and got straight to work...with a thorough understanding of the MEP concepts and not just the syntax. I also appreciated that the authors did not distract from the core MEP content with a ton of recycled vanilla AutoCAD info. Most of us have read that 1000 times already and it's easy to spot a rehashed AutoCAD book. This is indeed an AutoCAD MEP 2010 book.

On the page binding issue mentioned above, my book did not fall apart at all. In fact, I've found it to be a very high quality book in both physical and content quality.

In short, great book. I just wish I had a kindle/pdf version so I didn't have to lug it around.

[Paul_F_Aubin]

Hi Tyler:

Thanks very much for the very kind review. We are pleased that you like the book. We worked hard on it and are thrilled to know that it is meeting a need out there. As for the kindle, I a totally agree. I forwarded your message to my publisher. Hopefully they will consider adding it, but the actual process they use to decide which go to Kindle is a little beyond my comprehension... 🙂

thanks again.
paul

[ElSid1]

PDF would be great!. Not everything is in the index and a word search is invaluable. My $0.02

[simonrwhite]

I've just started working through the book but I cannot find out how to install imperial tools in the Calalog Library. The MEP 2010 DVD doesn't appear to have the option of re-installing the software with imperial tools & I cannot find any on the Autodesk Subscription website.

Regards,

Simon White

[gregg.stanley]

Simon,

You can download the trial version of AutoCAD MEP with the US Content Pack on the autodesk website, which contains US Imperial. You may be able to point your installer to this set of files instead of the DVD when Windows asks for the location. Please be aware i have not tested this. You can also install the 30 day trial on another machine to use for the book.

Link for trial version:
http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/pc/index?siteID=123112&id=11002374


HTH

Gregg

[simonrwhite]

Gregg,

Thanks for that - I'll download the trial version.

Regards,

Simon