3/27/14 - Autodesk announced today the release of their latest version - AutoCAD 2015.

Due to extensive changes in the architecture of AutoCAD, Hydratec will be releasing a new version of HydraCAD, Version 53, on or about April 11th. We have virtually all of the programming done, but want to test it fully to ensure that customer disruptions are kept to a minimum.

Customers who have their AutoCAD licenses on Subscription can go into the Autodesk Subscription Center and download AutoCAD 2015 immediately, or they may request a DVD from that same site. We cannot do this for you. Remember, you may install it, but it will not be compatible with Version 52.

Customers who purchased an AutoCAD 2014 but did not put it on subscription can still put it on subscription for a very short time (until around April 20th) and save about $2350, versus the price after that date. Please contact us immediately!

Customers who do not fit into the above categories can buy the AutoCAD 2015 upgrade directly. The price for the upgrade from 2009 through 2014 is $2900 and includes a free year subscription if ordered before April 24th. AutoCAD 2008 can no longer be upgraded.

Note: AutoCAD MEP 2015 has also been released. Building Design Suite/Revit/Navisworks will be released in April.

This new version of AutoCAD adds more drafting and manipulation tools to AutoCAD, and alters the layout of the desktop and the associated graphics.

The drawing format is the same as 2013 and 2014.

AutoCAD 2015 will only work with Windows 7 and Windows 8. Windows XP and Windows Vista are not supported.

A new version (Version 53) will be required in order for HydraCAD to work with AutoCAD 2015. This version will be out in the next two weeks and will be available for download to customers on our updates plan. Others may call for a quote.

There is now an ability to preview command outcomes, such as offset, fillet, chamfer, trim, extend and match prop. You can see how the action will appear afterward, potentially reducing time spent undoing and retrying to obtain the desired result

There is now a Launch Screen when opening AutoCAD, which is similar to Revit's launch screen. This is actually a slider page, so, it has two screens:

Create Page
- new file (open files or sheet sets)
- recent files (can pin)
- Connect section

Learn Page
- new features
- getting started videos
- tips & online resources (including The Hitchhiker's Guide to AutoCAD, check this out if you haven't already)

The Ribbon now has preview galleries. Users can see thumbnails of blocks and annotation styles (text, dims, mleaders, table & table cell styles)

Don't know where a command button is on the ribbon? Now there's a 'find' link in the Help file, click & it pulls up the appropriate tab and an arrow highlights it

Smooth line display can be adjusted as needed. Try this out to appreciate how angled lines aren't as jagged in appearance as they used to be

Highlights as you drag a crossing window, so you can see what will be selected

Hold down and drag - you can lasso select (hit F for Fence option or hit Spacebar to cycle between selection options)

Cursor badges - Like command preview for trim shows an X when hovering over a line to be removed. These match the command icons as closely as possible, like move and copy.

Lengthen will now retain options across uses

Command preview makes the Break command much easier to use

Model space viewports - more flexibility than the old tilemode
Can save the custom configuration

MTEXT -

• Height/width drag to resize at once
• Bullets & numbering (how configurable are Sublists when tabbing?)
• Stacked fractions are easier & more flexible (diagonal, horiz, off, stack options dialog accessible immediately)
• Buttons for subscript & superscript
• Paragraph dialog in MTEXT - modify button 

Can now fillet polyline arc segments

Pline - when drawing an arc segment, hold CTRL to make the arc go in the opposite direction

 3d orbit - New variable called ORBITAUTOTARGET (default set to 1) - orbit around entire model
Set to 0 to not auto target - whenever you hold middle mouse button while orbiting, it orbits around where you've pressed

 Status bar