AutoCADderWednesday, February 11, 2009
AutoCAD 2010 gets more power from your CPU
The new AutoCAD 2010 should use the SSE2 extended instruction set in modern CPUs. This instruction set allows hardware-assisted (read: faster) computations of some mathematical functions and transformations which are quite frequent in CAD applications. Software source-code compilers have usually a simple switch for support of the SSE2 set.
The SSE2 set is supported in Pentium 4, AMD Athlon 64, AMD Opteron and higher processors. There is little chance you install AutoCAD 2010 (or any other 3D CAD) on a PC older than that.
I haven't seen any benchmarks on how much faster will a CAD software run with SSE2 enabled but this is one of the good ways to make a software faster.
But remember - if your AutoCAD installation is refused or you get "The application could not be initalized" erros, make sure you have a CPU with the SSE2 set supported and enabled.
The SSE2 set is supported in Pentium 4, AMD Athlon 64, AMD Opteron and higher processors. There is little chance you install AutoCAD 2010 (or any other 3D CAD) on a PC older than that.
I haven't seen any benchmarks on how much faster will a CAD software run with SSE2 enabled but this is one of the good ways to make a software faster.
But remember - if your AutoCAD installation is refused or you get "The application could not be initalized" erros, make sure you have a CPU with the SSE2 set supported and enabled.
Labels: AutoCAD 2010, CPU, SSE2
Friday, February 06, 2009
AutoCAD 2010 is coming
Yesterday, Autodesk has revealed the secrets of its new flagship product - AutoCAD 2010.
Well, some of the secrets were already known or were expected - see e.g. my posts about the new DWG format, about dynamic blocks, or constraints, plus the usual common practice of embedding the Extensions (Bonus Packs) from the previous version. But this doesn't lessen the fact that the new AutoCAD 2010 (aka "Gator") is fast and bites.
The most important new functionality in ACAD2010 is: freeform 3D modeling, parametric drawings (and blocks, constraints) and raising the PDF format at (almost) the same level as DWF(x).
Freeform modeling opens new options for conceptual modeling in AutoCAD. I like the freedom of arbitrary conversions between solid and surface models, even on organic shapes. Plus you can print your 3D models on a 3D printer - well you probably don't have one, but AutoCAD allows to use a print provider (public service).
Parametrics resembles the Inventor sketch environment. The autoconstrain function will analyze your 2D drawing and applies the detected constraints automatically. You can simply make your drawings parametric using a dimensioning-like procedure. Parametric drawings change their shape just by changing a numerical parameter.
The publishing functionality now mixes the DWF and PDF formats in common dialogs. So you can decide which format you will use. You can now read in (underlay) PDF files and even osnap to their geometry.
There are more new features in customization (context ribbons), hatches, texts, dimensions, viewports, measuring, etc.
AutoCAD LT 2010 will have most of the new functions (except 3D and parametrics) and some older limitations of the LT version will fall (align, attribute extraction, non-rectangular viewports...). But don't forget - Autodesk is not just AutoCAD (and LT). The full "2010 family" of Autodesk products has more than 50 members!
Well, some of the secrets were already known or were expected - see e.g. my posts about the new DWG format, about dynamic blocks, or constraints, plus the usual common practice of embedding the Extensions (Bonus Packs) from the previous version. But this doesn't lessen the fact that the new AutoCAD 2010 (aka "Gator") is fast and bites.
The most important new functionality in ACAD2010 is: freeform 3D modeling, parametric drawings (and blocks, constraints) and raising the PDF format at (almost) the same level as DWF(x).
Freeform modeling opens new options for conceptual modeling in AutoCAD. I like the freedom of arbitrary conversions between solid and surface models, even on organic shapes. Plus you can print your 3D models on a 3D printer - well you probably don't have one, but AutoCAD allows to use a print provider (public service).
Parametrics resembles the Inventor sketch environment. The autoconstrain function will analyze your 2D drawing and applies the detected constraints automatically. You can simply make your drawings parametric using a dimensioning-like procedure. Parametric drawings change their shape just by changing a numerical parameter.
The publishing functionality now mixes the DWF and PDF formats in common dialogs. So you can decide which format you will use. You can now read in (underlay) PDF files and even osnap to their geometry.
There are more new features in customization (context ribbons), hatches, texts, dimensions, viewports, measuring, etc.
AutoCAD LT 2010 will have most of the new functions (except 3D and parametrics) and some older limitations of the LT version will fall (align, attribute extraction, non-rectangular viewports...). But don't forget - Autodesk is not just AutoCAD (and LT). The full "2010 family" of Autodesk products has more than 50 members!
Labels: 3D, AutoCAD 2010, DWG, LT 2010, parametric, PDF
