Showing file extensions in Microsoft Windows - It can help a lot!

“When a thing is funny, search it for a hidden truth.”
George Bernard Shaw

It's a simple thing.  But it's a simple thing that is many times overlooked, I think. 

How can file extensions be shown in Microsoft Windows?  There are many out there who know how to do it, but it's also something that can easily get missed.  And it's not easy to find if you're the one who doesn't know how.

But first of all, why even bother to show the file extension?  The icons are often enough to tell someone what the file type is. 

File extensions are currently hidden.  Note the dwf files with *.ipt.dwf extension!

Where I've found it helpful, is when a file needs to be renamed.  I have to do this a lot!  Because of this, I change setting right away. 

To make this change open up any Windows Explorer window, and choose the Organize icon.

Choose the "Organize" icon

Choose Folder and Search Options from the pullout menu.

After choosing this option, a dialog box will appear.  Choose the View tab, and make sure the option to Hide extensions for known File types is unchecked.  Once this is done, extensions for all file types will be displayed.

\

 

So why bother?  As I said before, I change file extensions a lot, and if file extensions aren't shown, it can be done. 

Why?

Without showing file extensions, finding a *,bak file named "Drawing" and tagging "*.dwg" actually changes it to drawing.dwg.bak, due to the fact that the extension can't be seen.  As a result the file won't function correctly.

An example of file extensions shown. Now the dwf file extension is shown!

Only when the extension can be seen as "Drawing.bak" can the extension be changed to "Drawing.dwg" correctly. 

And I've found this to be true in any Windows file affected by this.

So if you need to change file extensions, change this setting!  It will make life a lot easier!

A Review - My Experience with My SpaceMouse Wireless

“The wireless telegraph is not difficult to understand. The ordinary telegraph is like a very long cat. You pull the tail in New York, and it meows in Los Angeles. The wireless is the same, only without the cat.”
Albert Einstein

*****************************EDIT 10-Mar-2014************************************

It appears that I have to perform the metaphorical act of eating crow.  However, I'm also happy to do so.  In my review, I stated that there wasn't a way to customize the buttons per mode in the 3Dconnexion SpaceMouse Wireless.

Thanks to this excellent post by Scott Moyse at Design and Motion, I've been proven guilty of "not looking deep enough".  There is in fact a way to do it!  And I encourage all to check that out!  I know I plan on it! 


My deepest apologies to anyone that I might have mislead.  I do feel a bit sheepish now that I can plainly see what I overlooked! 

And by the way, crow....  It tastes like chicken!

 ***********************************************************************************

A few months ago, I received my 3Dconnexion SpaceMouse Wireless.  And after having an opportunity to give it a good long trial, I'm ready to give it a review.

Having used wired 3Dconnexion devices for years, I'm quite used to them, and a huge fan of them.  I don't use Autodesk Inventor or Autodesk Showcase without it.

As always, I have to put in that disclaimer!  I didn't get compensated in any way for this.  I was just given a SpaceMouse Wireless, and then the freedom to use it as I always have.  Aside from the 3Dconnexion device, I was free to formulate my own opinions. 

First impressions

Out of the box, my SpaceMouse Wireless had the familiar heft that I've grown accustom to out of 3Dconnexion products.  They've never felt cheap to me.  There's a comfortable sturdiness to it.

Two buttons are placed in the "3 & 9 o'clock" positions.  Something I'm used to.

It reminded me of the SpaceNavigator's I've used in the past.  Just without the wire.  So I went ahead, charged it up, installed the driver, and gave it a test drive!

Here it is!  A handsome little devil!

Taking it for a spin

"Cutting the wire" is new for me.  So I wondered, how is it going to perform?  My biggest concern was lag without the wire.  Would it be as quick as the wired version?

I'm glad to say that if there was any slowdown, it was imperceptible to me.  It works just like the wired versions I use.  Performance was great.

Taking my SpaceMouse Wireless for a drive

One of the other things I wondered about was the battery life.  How would it be?  Would it be like my cell phone that only lasts a few hours of heavy use?

I'm pleased to say that the battery life is excellent. I don't use it every day for 8 hours, so I got a couple of months of use out of it.  Heavy users will see less time between charges, of course.

But even then, the charging cable doubles as a data cable, so even if the batter runs dead, the SpaceMouse Wireless will still work just fine as a "SpaceMouse Wired"

But there are a couple of things that I would put on the "wish list".

I do wish the driver provided the ability to program the buttons to perform different functions in different modes of Inventor.  For example, let it do one set of functions in a sketch mode, another in a 3D part mode, yet another in an assembly mode, and so on.

Another thing I would like is some sort of case that would make it easier to carry both the SpaceMouse Wireless and the antennae.

There is a small cardboard case that works nicely, but something, even aftermarket, would be a welcome addition. 

The antennae and charging cable in it's box.

Overall Impressions

The liked!

• Performance is just like the wired devices!

• Battery life is excellent!

I didn't like as much!

• A better carrying case for both the SpaceMouse Wireless and antennae would be nice

• Having the ability to program the buttons to do different functions in different modes of Inventor would be a great addition.

In Conclusion

I liked the SpaceMouse Wireless a lot.  I use it constantly, and have every intention of continuing to do so.  Sure, I think there are improvements that could be made with regard to the driver, and to the carrying case, but I tend to use my device for the orbiting functions, and less for the button functionality.

Naturally, many will have there own thoughts and ideas.  And these are just a few of mine!




 *****************************EDIT 26-Feb-2014************************************

I found out this morning that there may be a way to edit the contextual menus for the SpaceMouse Wireless.  Previously, I didn't think there was a way (and stated this in my review).

I'm currently revisiting this to find what the process is.  I'll post an update once I find out what it is!

*********************************************************************************

Resolving the Error: "Cannot drop the database KnowledgeVaultMaster because it is being used for replication"

“More important than the quest for certainty is the quest for clarity”
Francois Gautier

One thing about working with Autodesk Vault, is it's always got a surprise for you.  There are so many possible configurations, that it can be hard to take all the considerations into account.

A case I encountered, showed me just that. 

The condition I was working in was a replicated environment, where the Vault database and filestore existed on a server in one location, and an additional filestore existed in a completely different location.

It's an environment where I'm constantly learning something from, and this day was no exception.

I was in the process of restoring a backup, after reconfiguring the installation, and this unusual error came up.

Cannot drop the database KnowledgeVaultMaster because it is being used for replication

I was puzzled.  Never in my life had I seen this error before.  But a quick Google search yielded the solution at the Autodesk blog linked here.

It shows the solution as follows:

USE [database]
EXEC sp_removedbreplication @dbname=[database]
GO

Unfortunately for me, I'm not sure where to put this solution into action.

But fortunately, for me, I know someone who likely does, and I "use my life line".

Mike Carlson, Vault Guru Extraordinaire gives me the tips that I'm looking for.  He filled the gaps that I needed filled. 

With his help, here are the steps that I was able to use.

First, I opened SQL Server Management Studio.

Starting SQL Server Management Studio

Once opened, I logged into my Vault.  The default login is SA, with a default password of AutodeskVault@26200 per the Autodesk Advanced Configuration Guide.

Logging into SQL Server Management Studio

Once logged in I was able to find what I needed in the interface.  First, I expand the database folder, find the KnowledgeVaultMaster database, right click, and choose Query.

Starting the Query

Once the Query window is open, I can paste in the following lines, and replace [database] with KnowledgeVaultMaster.



USE KnowledgeVaultMaster
EXEC sp_removedbreplication @dbname=KnowledgeVaultMaster
GO

The command ready to Execute

 Once the query is run, a message acknowledging a successful execution of the command will appear at the bottom of the screen.

The command after clicking the Execute button

After this, the restore ran perfectly fine, and I was back in business!   This seems like an obscure thing to come up, but I'm glad I found the solution, and someone with the knowledge to know what to do with it!

NOTE!

SQL Server Management Studio is needed to run this command.  It can be found on the SQL installation disk.  There is also an Express version that can be downloaded from Microsoft here.

A trip to Mammoth, and Technology Changes My Trip to the Auto Store

We're still in the first minutes of the first day of the Internet revolution.
Scott Cook

This Valentine's Day weekend, I was off in Mammoth enjoying some snowboarding with friends.  So blog posting, well, it just wasn't going to happen.

It was a great weekend, with a storm on the first day, and beautiful scenery the ncxt.4

First, the gondolas swinging in the winds.  It was on a "Weather Hold", due to high winds.



 But then it cleared out nicely the next day!

The views after a storm passed through

So instead, I offer an "Off Topic" observation on technology.

Technology is integrating into our lives every single day.  Sometimes, it sneaks up on me.

Last Sunday, I found myself at my local Pep Boys, looking for an air filter.  I was way in the back of the store, where men communicates in "manly nods" and the occasional grunt. 

For all my life, there was a gigantic "specifications book".  My Dad taught me how to look at the book, find the make, model, and year of our car.  Then you looked up the filter type (air, oil, etc), found a number, then looked at the shelf until I found the right filter.

But this Sunday, looking at the shelves, I saw something I never saw before. 

There was no book! 

So now what do I do?  I stand in the isle and look dumfounded for a while.  Why on earth would they take out the book?!?

But then my eyes fell on a small display that almost looked like an advertisement.  But on closer inspection, it wasn't. 

It was the new "specifications book"!

It was a plastic sign with instructions on how to find the filter I needed via text, internet, or a QR code....

The new "book"

For a moment, I feel like the theme to "2001 a Space Odyssey" should be playing as I stare, somewhat awestruck at the display.

Fortunately, I have a QR Code scanner on my smart phone, so I give it a try.

Soon, a my phone asks me for the make, model, and year of my car. 

I click through choose my options, and the website kicks out what choices I have for air filters.

There' my air filter!

Now, just like I did when Dad taught me how to look things up in the old paper book, I walk to the shelf, and grab my new air filter.

Mission accomplished!

But how, in the end, does this affect those of us sitting behind computers, driving our various CAD products with our mice?

It's technology.  And technology changes, it evolves, sometimes, quickly.

For decades, I've been comfortable with that old, paper specifications book.  I had built more than a comfort zone.  I had set up furniture, a television, and a refrigerator in this comfort zone.

For a moment, I wanted to shake my fist and yell "Why did you change it!"  

Why?  Change is difficult.  I don't always want to do it!

But the fact is, whether I shake my fists and rage, or quietly accept and move on, the paper book I've been so comfortable with is gone.  It's not likely to come back.

And in our world of CAD, change marches on too.  Sometimes it's slow, even glacial, other times, it's a wave that will pull you under if you don't get in front of it.

So as we face technology, and it's unyielding march forward, once again I'm reminded....

Am I ready to adapt to it? 

I think I'd better make sure I am!

Linking Presentation File Colors to Assembly Colors in Autodesk Inventor

“Our work is the presentation of our capabilities.”
Edward Gibbon


Every day, computer software gives me challenges.  Sometimes there small, simple things.

Sometimes they make me feel like Indiana Jones when he's getting chased by that giant boulder in Raiders of the Lost Ark...



This challenge probably fell somewhere in between.

What was the challenge?  How do you get Autodesk Inventor presentation file to match the colors in the assembly, even when the colors change? 

It's actually not very difficult, but there is a trick to it.

When creating the  presentation, make sure to click the Options button, pick a View Representation, and choose "Associative".

Locating the Options to link the views.

By choosing this option, the view in the presentation will now follow the view in the assembly!

If the option is left unchecked, the presentation file colors won't change as the assemblies colors change.  They will be independent.

For the full tour, check out the video here!



One thing I can't say I've found, is how to change it after the fact.  Once committed, it remains the way it is.

If those of you out in the 'Verse out there have found a way, throw out a comment below!

And one last note!

I used view representations I created in this post.  If you're interested in learning more about creating view representations, I have a post for that I created a few years back here.  Take a look! 

A Guest Video - Top Down Design from TheCADSetterout

“(The wins) give us a lot of momentum. We're on top right now, and nothing can bring us down.”
Jamee Juarez

This year, I wasn't able to make it to Autodesk University 2013.  Scheduling with class, work, and budget all conspired to keep me away this time.

I was very disappointed that I couldn't attend.  There was information I missed, and people I didn't get to see.

Fortunately, the classes are becoming available online, so I can at least get the information, if not raise a glass with my friends and colleagues!

One great class that I that is now offered online is MA2604: Drive Inventor with the Top Down: Alternative Assembly Modeling Techniques by Paul Munford of The CAD Setter Out. 

This video is very informative, and well worth watching.  I've already added it to my favorites!  Take a look at it below:



Be sure to check out the other classes that are available too!

Making Use of the OldVersions file in Autodesk Inventor

“Always be a 1st-rate version of yourself instead of a 2nd rate version of someone else.”

One thing that I think is little known about Autodesk Inventor is the OldVersions folder. 

For those of us that have used AutoCAD before, it's similar to the *.bak file in AutoCAD.  That is, every time a file is saved, a copy of the previous file is saved

In the case of Inventor, the file is placed in a subfolder of the source file's directory.  The subfolder is named "OldVersions", and the filename is Filname.XXXX.ipt, for example. 

The OldVersions folder creates backups of all Inventor file types, and it's done every time the user hits the save button.

Example of the OldVersions Folder

The XXXX part of the name is an number that increments up, starting from 0001.  By default, it only saves back one version.  Older versions are deleted (more on changing that later).

But what if the time comes to restore an old version of the file?  Maybe I've made a huge mistake, and it's easier to grab that old versions file than try to undo everything.  Or maybe, a file got corrupted and this may give a better shot at saving it? 

How do I employ that file from the OldVersions folder? 

I just open the file, and let Inventor take care of the rest.

Below is an example of a piston I created.  Let's imagine I've made a mistake, and the mistake is so dire, that it's easier to grab that old versions file than edit all the features.

I have an old version in my OldVersions folder, all I have to do is open it.

The previous version of the file, in the OldVersions Folder

When I open the file, a dialog box will appear asking what I want to do with the file.  In this case, I want to make the Old Version the Current Version.

Restoring the old version

Choosing OK opens the file, and it will now become the current version. I can now start using the file from that point in time.

The old version restored!

There's one other thing that's worth noting.  The number of OldVersions kept can be changed inside the project file. 

First edit the project file from the getting started tab.

Once in the Project Editor, locate the project in use.  In the Options section, there's a setting for Old Versions to Keep on Save.

Right Click to edit it, and it can be changed to any number I want!  If I change it to -1, it will keep all versions of the file.  It will never purge a single one!

So that's a tip on using old versions!  I hope you never need it, but it's a good resource to have if you do.

And for more, here's a video!

Autodesk Remote..... How it Saved Bacon.... Where Bacon = Time

“Extraordinary creature! So close a friend, and yet so remote.”
 Thomas Mann

My Dad had a saying.... "That really saved our bacon."  I heard him say it countless times. 

Earlier this week, I had reason to heard that quote echo in my ears.

I was faced with a big challenge.  I needed to install Autodesk Vault Professional on a computer in our training room, restore a filestore and database, perform some testing, and upload the data when it was all done.

And while one of the training machines was an ideal place to do this, the problem was that there was a class using that training room for three days!

Three days!  So what to do?  I didn't want to lose three days waiting for the room to free up!  And staying late?!?  No way!

So, I turned to a solution from the Autodesk Exchange:  Autodesk Remote.   Important note!  You have to be on subscription to use it!

So what exactly is Autodesk Remote? 

From the Autodesk Exchange Website...

Autodesk® Remote is a stand-alone application for Microsoft Window 7 and 8 and is compatible with all Autodesk products. It lets you drive Autodesk software installed on your primary computer from a remote computer for fast access to native design data over standard networks. To use it, simply install Autodesk Remote on the PC you want to share. Install it again on the machine you want to connect from and start your connection. Note: dual monitor support is the #1 request from early adopters. We’re listening and actively working on it for the next release.

In short, it lets you run one computer from another via your Autodesk ID.   Then you drive one computer, from another.

Remoting to one machine from another

 I can hear everyone now "That's just like (insert name of app)".  And you're probably right.  There are a ton of tools both free, and not free, that will do exactly what Autodesk Remote did. 


And if you're happy with your app... Use it!  I'm not writing this to create a mass exodus from your app off choice.

So why am I writing a post about this one?

Because it filled a niche, when I needed it.  It was the perfect tool at the right time, for exactly the situation I was facing.

So what did Autodesk Remote do that was worthy of heavenly lights and voices singing? 

First, what problems was I facing?

I had to...

1. install Vault Professional 2014
2. configure a license file to run Vault Professional 2014
3. restore a backup to Vault
4. test data once Vault was configured
5. upload data to an FTP site once the tests were over
6. I had to do all of this without being able to access the machine I was using as a server

Autodesk Remote saved me by...

1. installing quickly.  Class started at 8:30am.  I installed around 8:20am, and was done in less than 5 minutes
2. Connection was fast. I had no problems connecting.  It took me more time to walk back to my desk than to make the connection
3. allowing me to completely run steps 2 and 3 from my desk, in another room
4. because I was able to accomplish tests 2 and 3, steps 4, 5, and 6 were done at least a full day than if I had to touch the computer

So if you do work remotely with computers in your network on a regular basis.  Take a look Autodesk Remote.  The bacon you save might be your own...

Saving time.... saving bacon....

It's also important to note that Autodesk Remote that let you remote to your computer from an iPad as well.  However, I didn't use it with my iPad.  Just my laptop.  

If anyone has use the iPad app, feel free to share a comment!

I Forgot to Add Express Tools to AutoCAD! Now What?

“There is a way in which the collective knowledge of mankind expresses itself, for the finite individual, through mere daily living... a way in which life itself is sheer knowing.”
Anonymous

One thing that can easily happen when installing any version or flavor of AutoCAD is to forget to install the Express Tools.

It's easy to miss them, but if they need to be added after installation, it's not hard at all.

Here's the steps to do it!

The first thing to do, is locate Add/Remove Programs in the Windows Control Panel.   Find AutoCAD, and right click on it.  Choosing Uninstall/Change. 

I'm using AutoCAD Mechanical 2014.  Keep in mind you may have a different version or flavor of AutoCAD!

Choose "Uninstall/Change" from the control panel

AutoCAD's installer will start.  Choose Add or Remove Features on the first screen that appears.

Choose "Add or Remove Features"

Click through the screens until a list of AutoCAD Features appears.  If Express tools has a red 'X' on it, check the box so it has a green arrow like in the image below.  Once Express Tools is selected, click Update.

Make sure to select Express Tools and choose update.

 AutoCAD will update.  Let it run, finishing when it completes.

Updating the feasture

 Once the update is complete close the installation dialogs and start AutoCAD.

If the Express Tools don't load, there may be one more step that has to be done.

Type CUILOAD at the AutoCAD command line.  Choose browse and locate the file acetmain.cuix.  The default location in Windows 7 is:

 C:\Users\<username
>\AppData\Roaming\Autodesk\AutoCAD Mechanical 2014\R19.1\enu\Support\acetmain.cuix. 

But bear in mind that the location can vary slightly with different versions of AutoCAD, and system configurations.

Click Open to close the first dialog box.

Choose , followed by Close to load the *.cuix file and then close to dismiss it.

Loading and closing the menu

After these steps are done, the Express tab should appear in your AutoCAD installation, and you're ready to go!

Ta Da!  There it is!

And for a video showing the above procedures, take a look below!





****************Edit 31-October-2014 HAPPY HALLOWEEN! ************************

Just yesterday, I used this very technique to add Express Tools to a users machine.  And while all the toolbars were added successfully, I received a "Unknown Command" warning when trying to execute one of the Express Tools functions.

Fortunately a quick Google search found the following result on the Autodesk Website

The steps I used was to type OPTIONS, and on the files tab, choose the Browse button.

 Browse to the path

Navigate to the following directory \Program Files\Autodesk\AutoCAD 20XX\Express, and choose the Add button to add the path to the support directory.

The path added in

Once I had done that, the Express tools were working just fine!

Using Raster Views in an Autodesk Inventor Drawing

“There's no sense in being precise when you don't even know what you're talking about.”
John von Neumann

One of the new functions in Autodesk Inventor 2014 is creating a drawing view as a raster view, and allowing the user to make it precise at the time of their choosing.

For starters, what's the point of starting a view as a raster image, then making it precise later.

Simply put, it lets the user to defer the full calculation of drawing views until later.  Imagine this on a large drawing view with a lot of calculations involved.  Now extend that across multiple projected views.  It can take quite a while!

Placing the views as raster views lets the user quickly place the views initially, then choose which views to make precise when needed.  The "hit" on calculation can be spread out over time.  Make one view precise, and work on it?  Going to a meeting?  Calculate another view while you're gone!  Going to lunch?  Make another view precise, and so on! 

So that's the purpose of it!  Now, how does it work.


When creating a base view on a drawing sheet, there's a check box to Raster Views Only.  With this check box selected, the views will be placed quickly.

Checking the Raster Views Only checkbox

Aside from selecting that check box, placing views is the same.  Once the views are placed, there will be green brackets around the views that are being represented as raster views.

Green brackets indicate these are raster views

At some point, however, it will become necessary to make the views precise.  To do that, right click on the view, and choose Make View Precise.

Calculating the views into precise views.

The green brackets will disappear, and the view is now precise.

One view is precise now.  The others can be calculated later, when needed.

Other views can be made precise later, when they're needed.  The views don't have to be calculated at once!

And for a video description of the steps!  Take a look below! 



And for even more information on this tool, take a look at the Autodesk Online help video at the link here!

Controlling Component Participation in an Assembly Level Feature in Autodesk Inventor

As an artist, I've always wanted to participate in the dialogue of art with other artists.
Jeff Koons

I've always considered assembly level features a bit of a specialty tool in Autodesk Inventor.  That doesn't mean I don't think it's a valuable tool.  It just means that it seems like there are users who really use it, and there are users who never touch it, with very little middle ground.

When I'm playing around with wood working projects, I use it a lot.  It's perfect for creating things like dowel holes and hinge slots.  These features are typically creating in components that are already assembled together in wood working.

 Today, I was slowly building a Pie Safe in Inventor from plans I found in a Fine Woodworking article, and the time came to add the hinges to the doors.

A 'Quickndirty' rendering I created in Autodesk Showcase

The hinges need to have clearance cut for them, which is pretty common, even expected.

A typical hinge pocket.
Image courtesy Fine Homebuilding

 Since the door would be assembled by this point in the construction, I reached for my assembly feature, created my sketch, and extruded my cut.

And something happened I had forgotten about.  Inventor cut the slot alright!  But it cut right through the hinge too!  The assembly feature cut everything in it's way!

Doh! That's not what I wanted!

At first glance, one might think that this tool isn't very helpful if it's going to blindly cut everything that gets in it's way.  But Inventor does give us the ability to control what the assembly feature cuts.  All that's needed are a couple of clicks.

The first thing I need to do, is locate the assembly feature in the browser.  Expand it, and a list of the components that are "participating" in the extrusion appear.  In this case, it's the component making up the edge of the door (2013-22-27:3) and the two hinge leaves (Generic Hinge1:1 & Generic Hinge2:1).

Components participating in the feature

 What I really need to do is tell Inventor not to have the hinge leaves participate in the extrusion!

I do that by selecting each hinge leaf, and choosing "Remove Participant". 

Removing the participants

Once the hinge leaves are removed from the feature.  Everything looks as it should!  My design intent is truly captured!

So that's how to tell Inventor not to include components in an assembly level cut.  If you're using this tool, I think this could be an important aspect that could get easily overlooked. 

And as one last tip, what if a component needs to be added to the assembly level feature, that is told that it needs to participate?

If that's the case, right click on the feature, choose "Add Participant" and select the components you wish to add.  Give it a try!

Participants can also be added to an assembly level feature

And for a video on the steps I showed above, take a look below!



And one final note, more information on the assembly level feature can be found in the Inventor help system here!

A Review - A Look at Infinite Skills "Learning Autodesk Inventor 2014"

Back near the end of 2013, I was asked to review Learning Autodesk Inventor 2014 video based training created by Infinite Skills.  So I took some time, dove deep.  I wanted to not just take an overview.  I wanted to dig into it and really understand it.

Before starting anything, I think it's important I say that I didn't get compensated in any way for this.  I was just given a link to download the files, and then the freedom to take a look at the files.  Beyond being supplied training files, I was free to formulate my own opinions.

With that out of the way, I'd like to start out with how I see video training.  Personally, I'm a big fan of video based training. I've created several videos myself, and I use them whenever possible. 

However, having instructed several courses myself, I've always thought that they couldn't replace class based training.  I've just thought it's too hard to replace the interaction, and experience of live instructor.  I guess you can say I'm a little biased that way.

But it's time to set my biases aside and take a good look.

What I liked!

The first thing I did, was take some time to get used to navigating the viewer.  I found that it's easy to get used to and simple to use.  There was also a pretty good help system if I had a question on the navigation. 

The videos are organized into fairly short segments, most of them a few minutes long.  I thought this made it easy to take them in small increments and avoid getting overwhelmed.

And example of the videos organized

 Plunging into the videos, starting with Inventor's interface, I found the instructor, Adam Cooper, to be easy to listen to.  He wasn't monotone, but he wasn't "over the top" trying to be entertaining.  He was the right amount of giving the information in a engaging, and interesting way.

An example of the lessons on screen.

I also noticed that he pointed out things that he did out of his preference.  Not because it was a "better" way to use Inventor.  Just that he liked a setting, or this approach, and why he does it.  It shows his experience, and an understanding that there are many approaches that work, and each user can choose which they like at their discretion.

 I also quickly noticed was the depth of information that was included in the videos.   Far more information that I felt I could give in a lecture.  That level of information would be too overwhelming in a lecture format. 

An example of depth of information.  Talking about Application Options

The nature of having the lessons in a video format, with the ability to bookmark them, made for a much easier mechanism to take in the information being provided.

Which brings me to what I found to be another useful feature.  The bookmarks.  At any point a video can be bookmarked so it can be returned to at a later time.  So if a subject of particular interest is found, it can be bookmarked, complete with a title and description, for later reference. 

The bookmark page.  VERY useful!

What I didn't like so much

While my overall impressions were very good, nothing is perfect.  And while I won't say there's something "bad", there are some things that I wish were better.

To begin, as much as I liked the amount of information being, I think there's a chance the information could become "drinking from a fire hydrant" for the new user.  I would certainly recommend reviewing the videos and using the bookmarks to their full advantage

And this one is a pet peeve of mine, pure and simple.  Every once in a while, the key strokes came through on the video.  While the information is all good, and it in no way impacts the quality of the information, I would have been a happier not hearing them.  Granted, I was using a headset with the videos, which makes the keystrokes more prominent.  Yes.  It's a minor thing. But as I said, a peeve of mine.

My conclusion?

I like the Infinite Skills Inventor 2014 videos.  I think they're an excellent learning resource for someone looking for some self paced learning, at home, or on the job.  The videos are well structured and have all the information needed to provide someone a solid foundation using Autodesk Inventor.

The amount of information provided is very thorough.  I like that.  I like the ability to see the different settings and approaches for tools in Inventor.  Being someone who likes to see the options and choose one I like the best, I like the depth of information that was provided. 

At the price point of $99.95 USD, the investment isn't going to "break the bank", especially when compared to the time lost and frustration of the "hunting and pecking" method of learning software. Money spent on good training will save time when the software is used "in the wild".

My ultimate conclusion?  I think this is an outstanding learning resource!

Making the Right Selection - Selection Tricks in Autodesk Showcase

Design is not making beauty, beauty emerges from selection, affinities, integration, love.
Louis Kahn

Once again Marion Landry has come through with a great post on selecting objects in Autodesk Showcase. 

While selecting objects in Showcase isn't a difficult task, there are always tricks that will make it even easier.

Check out some of Marion's tricks that make selecting objects Showcase a snap!

WHAT DID I JUST DELETE?!? - Recovering a Deleted File from Dropbox

I am prepared for the worst, but hope for the best.
Benjamin Disraeli

Over a year ago, I created a "poor man's" Autodesk Vault backup scheme using my Dropbox account. 

In short, my Vault Data is backed up to a folder that syncs to my Dropbox account, creating a simple cloud backup. 

Information on how I did that are found in my post here.
 
I've been using it for a year, and it's worked great.  I've never had a problem with it.

That is until now....

First, this wasn't a problem with the scripts, my internet connection, or Dropbox. 

Each one of these tools worked flawlessly. 

It was the user (that's me!) who screwed this up!

So what did the user do? 

I had to restore a different Vault Database and Filestore for a customer test.  I ran the backup, which actually failed because I didn't have enough disk space. 

But that, is a separate issue.

The rub? I neglected to make sure I had a safe backup of my own Vault data in a safe place. 

So what happened?

My scripts ran just like they were set to.  They removed the data from my dropbox folder, in order to make it ready to be replaced by a new backup....

Which was never made due to the failed backup of customer data...

And my cloud Vault backup was destroyed.

Had I really just effectively killed all my personal Vault data? 

Thankfully, no.  Lucky for me, Dropbox has a way to restore lost data.

First, browse to the folder where the data was, and choose "Show Deleted Files"

A list of the deleted files will be displayed.  Now right click on the files to be restored, and choose "Restore"!

Now the files are resurrected, and all is good again! 

Needless to say, that backup is now residing in a safe, safe place!  

For the full instructions on recovering a file deleted from Dropbox, check out their help at the link HERE!  There's more than one way to do it!