Issue #156: 1 June, 1999

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ACIS for Linux

Spatial announced the availability of ACIS 3D Toolkit on Red Hat Software's Linux operating system. Spatial says, "the growing LINUX user base will benefit from access to leading edge 3D modeling technology. The fast growing reputation of LINUX in the marketplace as the preferable operating system for Internet operations, along with the growing demand for 3D applications in this framework, will undoubtedly lead to more opportunities for ACIS-enabled products."

The press release mentions just one Linux "CAD" vendor: Fluent, a developer of advanced computational fluid dynamics software, and manufacturer of ACIS-enabled GAMBIT software. The Linux port is due to be released with ACIS 3D Toolkit v5.2 in mid-June.

Solid Edge 7

Unigraphics Solutions unveiled Solid Edge Version 7 on 27 May. The software has XpressRoute, a new tubing design module, along with 250 other enhancements to the mechanical 3D solid modeling CAD software:

Automatic feature recognition software reads a B-Rep solid to create features based on the topology and shape of the solid.
Improved polar and rectangular patterns; enhanced measure command; conical and tangential contact relationships; automated hole chart generation; open and save as IGES or STEP and further DXF enhancements; and Revision Manager.

The JetSend Jini Gateway

CSWL is working toward combining Sun's JINI (enables device federations) and HP's JetSend (a device communications protocol that allows printers, scanners, cameras, etc, to communicate directly with each other). The Jini Gateway for JetSend allows JetSend devices to lookup other devices over a network via Jini.

CSWL has also developed an ActiveX component that allows Windows app to participate in a Jini federation. This makes Windows apps Jini-aware.

Scan2CAD 5

The first low cost (SU$133) raster to vector converter with OCR (text) recognition, Scan2CAD converts scanned drawings from BMP or TIFF to a DXF file. To simplify choices, you select from eight default conversion settings: Architectural, Artwork, CNC shapes, Electrical, Maps, Mechanical, Outline, and Sketches. A working evaluation copy is available from http://www.softcover.com

To train Scan2CAD to recognize fonts, users must purchase an ICR (Intelligent Character Recognition) Training Kit (available in Jul'99) for US$99.

Visio Announces Distribution Agreements

Visio Corp. announced it has have given an exclusive marketing and distribution agreement for the United States to Eagle Point Software for its ArchT architectural software. The agreement is effective immediately; terms were not disclosed. John Forbes, vp of technical products at Visio, said "We believe that ArchT's support for both the AutoCAD and IntelliCAD platforms matches well with Eagle Point's commitment to provide add-on products for whatever CAD engine the customer chooses."

BricsNet has an OEM agreement with Visio to license the IntelliCAD for use in its next-generation architectural CAD modeling software, BricsNet Architect, scheduled to ship 4Q99. The BricsNet Architect design software offers advanced 3D architectural modeling, automatic 2D drawing generation, and built-in cost and quantity analysis. IntelliCAD will add the 2D drafting and DWG compatibility to BricsNet's 3D architectural modeling. Terms were not disclosed.

Z/I Imaging Corp.

Intergraph announced its new wholly owned subsidiary, Z/I Imaging Corporation, is focussed on non-proprietary image acquisition, processing, and distribution for mapping, GIS, and civil engineering. Lewis Graham is the CEO of the new company, a joint venture with Carl Zeiss.

Upon approval of the US department of justice, Z/I Imaging GmbH will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Z/I Imaging Corp; Rudolf Spiller, vp of Zeiss Photogrammetry Division, will be president and COO of the joint venture.

Autodesk Earnings Fall 73%

Autodesk's profits in the three months ending 30 April fell to US$9 million, down from US$33.7 million a year earlier. Revenue fell 13% to US$194.9 million, from US$222.9 million. Autodesk said that AutoCAD accounts for about half its revenue.

The profit numbers exclude acquisition-related amortization charges. In the last quarter, Autodesk had purchase Discreet Logic (visual effects software) for US$421.3 million, and Vision Solutions (mapping software) for US$26 million. Allowing for the acquisitions, Autodesk lost US$17.1 million. Autodesk share were immediately downgraded by:

BB Robertsson Stephens: from LT Buy down to LT Attractive
Merrill Lynch: from NT Accumulate to NT Neutral
USB Piper Jaffray: from Strong Buy to Buy

Wanted: Geometric, Rule-based and Visually-Extensible Environment

"I'm looking for a product for the CAD environment that allows users to create and edit n-dimensional geometry, and also the following:

Parameters are ideally be user-associated -- uni- or bi-directionally linked -- to reference forms such as grids or points, axes or lines, bands or regions, zones or planes, spaces or volumes. Editing a form changes an object. And editing an object, depending on the link, allows changes within restrictions given by the reference form.
Such an application allows linking objects to user-defined rules, much like cells to equations in spreadsheets. Rules can be fuzzy or crisp logic, numeric and mathematical equations, topological and spatial relationships, or about visual aspects or their graphical representation. The whole purpose of the rule is that editing it, or some variable, changes an aspect of the object.
Extending the tool is done primarily through a visual environment. Though CAD users are visual thinkers and graphically oriented, most tools or languages for customization or development are accessed through a text interface. A visual environment would be an extension of the rest of the tool."

-- Diego Mathó, Manager of Academic Computing, Boston Architectural Center

CAD and Computer News Summaries

Adaptive Media
Release 4 of Envision3D (Web-centric, dynamic 3D streaming software) adds SharedVision, which allows users to simultaneously access 3D CAD models via the Web and -- in real time -- review, redline, and discuss them. The new navigation features enable any user to "drive" other users through the model.

Altek
ColorScanner III scans images up to 36" wide, unlimited length, up to 400dpi (optical) and 36-bit color at up to 3.2 inches per second.

Bentley Systems
Bentley released the SupportModeler-PDS Interface, an extension to PlantSpace SupportModeler that gives users of both Bentley's PlantSpace and Intergraph's PDS a more efficient pipe support modeling system.

Graphisoft
Effective immediately, Graphisoft USA no longer directly sells ArchiCAD upgrades, nor add-on products, such as modeling, rendering, utilities, and libraries. These products are now sold only through ArchiCAD resellers. In addition, Pay Per Use keys will no longer be sold after 31 May'99.

Proxim
The Symphony Cordless Networking card now includes a PCI adapter for desktop PCs to be available this summer for US$149.

PTC
CGTech's numerical control (NC/CNC) simulation and verification software technology is being added to Pro/NC, giving it three new options: NC Verification for the verification of post-processed data; NC Optimization for tool path optimization; and NC Machine Simulation for machine kinematics simulation.

Share Prices

Intergraph has promoted Manfred Wittler to the newly-created position of president and chief operating officer of Intergraph Corporation. He reports to ceo and board chairman Jim Meadlock.

The WorthWhile Web

http://www.ozemail.com.au/~penbrush
Pen and Brush Publishers
MicroStation Academic VAR

Letters to the Editor

Re: Autodesk no longer allows license transfers.
"So let me get this straight: Hypothetically, I start a business and purchase, ummm, say, three computers and subsequently three seats of AutoCAD. The going is good for the first while but suddenly business starts to slacken off (because I live in BC) and I'm facing bills that I don't have the income to continue paying. So I decide to cut back. I can sell the hardware, but I'm stuck with the software because Autodesk has this new policy?"
-- Richard Weiner

"Your ezine is great. We found some very useful info, like TurboCAD's $9m loss. Like many of the guys at IMSI, I am an ex-South African. I wrote the original TurboCAD manual in SA in the early 80s. Quite a few CAD products had their origin in SA."
-- Steve Hannath

"Subscribe upFront. Saw ad in TurboCAD's online help. Thank you in advance."
-- Frank Wollner

"Thanks for the great newsletter; we really enjoy it around the office."
-- Geoff Vandegrift

"Keep up the good work, particularly the objects stuff!"
-- Darren Brooker

Spin Doctor of the Moment

"That [2010 Olympic games broadcast live over the Internet] would be the first unless there is some technological breakthrough that allows the Internet to be restricted to a particular territory.''
-- Dick Pound, vp International Olympic Committee

Notable Quotable

"When you know something is wrong and you don't challenge it, you have become part of the bureaucracy."
-- Arthur Blank, cofounder The Home Depot

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