AutoCAD Electrical 2013 New Features!

http://usa.autodesk.com/autocad-electrical/ 

Getting Started Videos

At start up this dialog will now display until the "Show at startup" box is cleared. The videos are actually done quite well and show what Electrical is really capable of. Hopefully this will cut down on the number of users who simply use Electrical as AutoCAD with a fancy symbol library. Its so much more than that.

Marking Menu

The marking menu has been in some Autodesk software for several releases now. This year it's made it to Electrical as well. What is it? Over certain object you can right click and drag then let go. A mark is made in the direction the mouse is moved and when the right mouse button is released the command in that direction is started. The marking menu also works as a normal right click menu.

In the images below I am using the new marking menu both with and without gestures. 

A video from the AutodeskMFG YouTube channel

Will they be more effective? Once I learned the command locations I felt it was much faster. Here is a case study on marking menus from 1994 by the University of Toronto <<User Learning and Performance with Marking Menus>>

If you don't have time to learn a new right click menu right now, turn this feature off until you do. The AEMM system variable controls the marking menu display. 0 = Marking Menu OFF, 1 = Marking Menu with Icons Only, 2 = Marking Menu with Text Only, 3 = Marking Menu with Icons and Text (Default)

Project Manager Updates

Finally the allowed drag and drop inside the Project Manager! But they didn't stop there, they also included the use of project subfolders. These folders can be selected anytime a project wide utility (Plot Project) is used.

A video from the AutodeskMFG YouTube channel

There are a number of other enhancements as well but these three were at the top of the list. I'll post a few more posts about 2013 including one explaining what's going on behind the scenes for project subfolders.

More new features here...
http://myacade.blogspot.com/2012/04/more-autocad-electrical-2013-new.html

http://www.youtube.com/user/AutodeskMFG

Understanding How the Din Rail Spreadsheet (wddinrl.xls) Works

I ran across this today and thought I had to share it. This is documented very well and is easy to follow.

<<Pat Murnen, Autodesk Manufacturing, AutoCAD Electrical Wiki User Page>>

Getting Rid of the ViewCube

AutoCAD Electrical has little use for the ViewCube. Its really there for 3D modeling. There is a check box in the options that turns it off when in 2D Wireframe but brings it back if you ever change to a 3D visual style.

1. Getting to the options dialog

 

  Press the button in the top left corner (Application Options) and from the menu choose Options.

Options is also still in the right click menu if you have nothing selected in the graphics window.   

                             

In the option dialog go to the 3D Modeling tab and clear the 2D Wireframe visual style check box. If you ever do decide to poke around in 3D the cube will come back as soon as you switch to done of the 3D visual styles.

Circuit Builder Tutorial Video's

These are the best video's I have found so far on Circuit Builder.

This one shows a basic how-to on using it. If your not sure what Circuit Builder is this is a good one to start with.

From the AutodeskMFG Channel

 

This video shows exactly what is going on behind the scenes and is very easy to follow.

From the AutodeskMFG Channel

I'm going to keep this thread updated as I find, or come up with, Circuit Builder videos.