All in good time. See my earlier post. We'll be working on this also in
the upcoming months but I'll tell you from a developer that when it comes to
commercial software nothing is easy. For Autodesk it's going to have to
work on 6 different operating systems and probably be in at least 7
different languages and also be easy enough for the average person to setup
(since apparently people don't like to read online help manuals).
I personally think Autodesk has taken the correct path in improving the
basic viewing and adding the 3D capability first before using resources to
come up with a general solution for everyone to add intelligence. The
intelligence is there for the people using the more intelligent programs
like ADT but that's because the data that is being extracted is much more
defined than in generic AutoCAD. After all for the intelligent portion to
work properly the basics have to be done first and have to be solid.
Maybe I can use your marketing blurb for our products. Autodesk is very
much relying on companies like ours to help push the DWF by tackling the
other 20% that people need. If they wanted to keep it all to themselves
they never would have published the full API. We run circles around what
Adobe can do with PDF from AutoCAD and we hope to do it with DWF also. But
we luckily don't have to worry about pleasing millions of customers
(hopefully in the future our installed base reaches that) or even going
through planning and approval processes to add in features. If I want it it
goes in once we get the time to do it. Check out our AcroPlot Pro tomorrow
and we'll have the DWF enabled version that can add intelligent bookmarks
based on your titleblock attributtes to the DWF just like we've been doing
for years to the PDF. Contact me in about a month and maybe we'll be caught
up enough to start looking at adding the intelligent data to the DWF also
and I would be glad to listen to how you think it should work. But it'
summertime and I'm only working 60 hours a week now so it may be closer to
6-8 weeks before we can start on it.
--
Rodney McManamy
President
CADzation
-------------------------
rmcmanamy@cadzation.com
-------------------------
518 South Route 31 Suite 200
McHenry, IL 60050
www.cadzation.com
Providing Industrial Strength
PDF & DWF Solutions to the
Global CAD Marketplace.
"Richard" wrote in message news:40f5db60$1_2@newsprd01...
> Hi Ben,
> When we first saw the ADT abilities we looked good and hard at it, so
> we could
> try & replicate & include it in basic ACAD.
> We have not had a great deal of sucess at it however.
>
> Bottom line is ADT gave us a taste of something we have wanted for a
> long time.
> (BTW before ADT we had tried to implement it via "hyperlinks" with
some
> limited success)
> But the ADT experience simply reinforces that Question "how hard can
it
> be to include
> attributes or xdata or fields info in a DWF?"
> We don't really care if the info shows in the DWF properties box or as
a
> tooltip.
> We don't really care if the mouse moves over the objects, or if we
need
> to pick on them and have a dialog pop up.
> We just want "intelligent" publishing.
>
> I can almost see the marketing blurb .....
> "You developed an intelligent design document , now use OUR data
> publishing tools to publish Intelligent and REALLY usable
> documents, Why use theirs & publish just basic information, and
loose
> all your intelligence.?" ummm ...bit harsh maybe ;-)
>
> DWFit => Data With Free InTelligence
>
> $0.02
> (actually I think I'm up to about $2.02 already!.)
>
>
>
>
> "Ben Cochran" wrote in message
> news:40f557e9$1_2@newsprd01...
> > You bring up some very good points about intelligent data. The DWF
format
> > and the viewer support much of this today. As you know ADT has the
ability
> > to publish this data. If you have the time, you might want to check it
> out.
> >
> > Ben Cochran
> > Autodesk
> >
> > "Richard" wrote in message
news:40f54683_1@newsprd01...
> > > Hi Shaan
> > > Yes was aware of that, but not what I'm (and I think Harry) where
> > > looking for.
> > > The point *I* have been trying to make is we don't want PDF
relabled
> > as
> > > DWF
> > > DWF could be so much more. It could be "different" and better so
> > easily.
> > >
> > > Just (honestly) ask yourself what you say to someone who is using
> > > PDF.....
> > > First thing that comes to my mind, is "turning Layers on/off" and
> > > "support for layouts"
> > > Both a great use of CAD "Data" - and by "Data" I don't mean lines
&
> > > circles, I mean the
> > > intelligent info that we all build into our files. Basically the
> > > property or symbol table info, the
> > > stuff that makes CAD , well CAD, rather than just paper (electronic or
> > > otherwise)
> > >
> > > So now imagine a DWF product that does more.....yea sure it
measures
> > > distances with osnaps - great
> > > But "what if" you could pick on a wall and it reports it's length,
> the
> > > colour its painted and its height.
> > > Yes I know that the AEC boys (& Girls) are playing with
this.....but
> > > "what if" something as simple
> > > as picking blocks could show (think tooltip if you like) the
> > attributes
> > > on a block.
> > > eg move your mouse over a point and have the height show, or over
a
> > > piece of furniture or bolt
> > > and have its manufaturer show as the designer documented it.
> > >
> > > Like Harry orig said, what is so hard about this? if Layer data
can
> be
> > > embedded with the objects, why not attributes.
> > > I mean we had Hyperlinks.... And if Attribs work why not
fields,
> > > xdata, xrecords.
> > >
> > > If DWF supported Layers, Layouts and "Intelligent CAD Data" then
PDF
> > > wouldn't even be a consideration IMHO
> > > Right now DWF is an "also ran" in a electronic doc race which has
a
> > > clear (if less suitable) leader.
> > > At least that is the view put to us by our clients, and we see as
a
> > > reasonable point of view.
> > >
> > > However the way some here view DWF, I get the impression we might
> all
> > be
> > > better of going back to emailing PLT's or posting paper.
> > > But some here noted there may be other vested interests at
> > > play.....ummmmm
> > >
> > > Anyhow great for Adesk to jump in. Thanks Shaan.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > "Shaan Hurley, Autodesk, Inc." wrote in
> > message
> > > news:40f540ab$1_2@newsprd01...
> > > > Just adding to the discussion. There is a DWG read-only viewer
> included
> > > with
> > > > the Autodesk DWF Composer Product.
> > > >
> > > > Cheers,
> > > > -Shaan
> > > >
> > > > "Rodney McManamy - CADzation" wrote in
> message
> > > > news:40f4abc3$1_1@newsprd01...
> > > > > Richard,
> > > > >
> > > > > Harry's original post is that he want a real "DATA" viewer. The
> real
> > > Data
> > > > > viewer is AutoCAD or a native DWG file viewer.
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>