|
|
|
Greetings!
Happy Late Winter! There are three things of note in this newsletter - Autodesk has extended the ability to upgrade older Autodesk products until March 6th
- HydraCAD Versions 53.02/52.06 are released
- We are switching to a new download system on March 1st
|
 |
One More Last Chance to Upgrade AutoCADs
| 
Autodesk has extended the option to upgrade your older (2009 and newer) Autodesk products until March 6th. After that date it will no longer be possible to purchase upgrades for any non-current product versions. You must either be on subscription or buy a new seat if you want a newer version.
This means that you should upgrade and get your seats on subscription, if they are not already on it!
Please contact us soon. |
|
HydraCAD V53.02 / V52.06 Released
| 
Note: These two updates are available on both the new and the old update systems
General
- New Guide to Icon Changes added to HydraCAD pulldown. This document shows users which new icons line up with older icons, and where the moved commands went
- HydraTools->Modify->Attributes->Hide Attributes (HAT) no longer crashes on Win8 machines when hiding Riser Nipple text
- All commands now work properly on foreign language versions of AutoCAD
- Document in List of HydraCAD Aliases in HydraCAD pulldown now refers users to location of tool to change aliases of AutoCAD commands
- Ribbon Menu - Process Panel:
A. Drop down created under AutoCalc has Ready Piping for Next Area relocated to it
B. Same Drop down has Schedule Sizing added to it
C. Second Row has new drop down with Listable Dynamic Block, Merge Partial List, and Add Loose Material
- Each time a HydraCAD update is run, the notification dialogs will be reset to display, in order to remind users of important features. Some of the previous notifications have been removed, as they are no long relative or necessary
- Error stating 'Forgot which layer you came from' will no longer appear
- Certain commands will no longer give 'Automation Error' if layer not found - user will be directed to rebuild HydraCAD layers or recreate user template from current HydraCAD template
- The basic input dialog box (below) reworded to make it easier to understand. Changed ' Value' to 'Enter Value' and 'Defaults' to 'Some Choices'
- Pick Unlock (PUL) and Pick Lock (PLK) aliases restored
- Move One Size/Attribute added onto Ribbon, on the Output panel
- Dry Volume (DV) now has table option
Steel
- Size Steel will now allow user to pick lines in any layer, except piping layers. This allows users to add steel sizes (W14, 12J, etc) to steel on drawing from A/E firm
Sprinklers
- Insert Ceiling Height (oval) block now on flyout with Define Drops/Sprigs or Ceiling Height
- Smaller Room - 4 head design now checks for interference with existing objects and asks if heads should be moved, like 3 or less heads does
- Head Schedule now makes it clear only one System Boundary can be picked
Piping
- Inserting a Riser Nipple onto a line or main (not at the end) no longer misplaces pipe sizes
-Inserting Riser Nipple with Hide Text option checked no longer crashes on Win8 machines
- Tee command pipe no longer always gets drawn in the line layer (SPRKDAT2)
- Move One Size added back onto Piping toolbar, in its former location
- Line, Main, Armover and Underground icons changed to include letter so their use is more clear
- Some riser nipple icons changed to be more clear as to their use
- If two different diameters are encountered when using Join Pipes (JP), user will now be asked which diameter to use when rebuilding the pipe
- Using Change Diameter on riser nipples no longer gives fatal error on Win 8/8.1 machines. This option is currently shut off on Win 8/8.1 machines
Calculations
- Checkups will no longer crash while checking heads on certain machines
- Convert Existing Polyline option in Remote Area command now changes width of selected polyline to value entetered in Pline Width entry field
- Hydraulic Reference Points - Could be difficult to use the drop/sprig options when VPs or pipe ends were nearby. Filters option added to ignore sprinklers, vertical pipes or pipe ends.
- Convert Existing Polyline option in Remote Area command now only changes width of selected polyline to value entered in Pline Width field if user drawn polyine has width of zero
- Insert Hydraulic Demand block would mistakenly ask for base of riser point for Compact option - the pressure and flow used are the system totals, so base point is not referenced.
- Checkups now turns on Calculations layers after running checkups
- Hydraulic Demand icon changed to be more distinctive
- AutoCalc dialog box - chosen Equivalent K state saved as default for next use
- Figure Head Area - this command will now work with flexible hose connection sprinkler heads
Couplings
- If two different diameters are encountered when using Remove Blocks (RB) command, user will now be asked which diameter to use when rebuilding the pipe
- Line Couplings - Multiple changes made:
A. Offset distance now defaults to 21' (252 inches) / 6000mm
B. Option added to specify if lines are sloped. If so, and values entered, then the offset and location distances will be adjusted for the slope
C. Number of offset lines needed now automatically calculated from point picked for other end of line. Keep ORTHO on when picking this point, as the distance (and angle) are expected to be perpendicular from the first guide line
D. Offset option no longer asks for offset side, as that is calculated from point picked. See Item C, above
- Ell/Tee and Single Coupling now leave pipe size and length in previous location, if it was already moved off pipe for clarity (cleaned up)
- If a pipe(s) does not have a size, and Largest or Smallest is specified as the desired fitting diameter, the pipe would be given a 1" diameter fitting. User is now prompted to pick a diameter
Hangers
- Autohang now rotates hanger according to pipe angle, if that option was chosen in Hanger Setup
- Create Trimble file in Create 3D Hangers will now use hanger cut lengths if they exist
- Lay Out Hangers now has option to hang multiple lines
- Steel Hang (STH) now has option to use inserted steel sizes (if inserted using Size Steel command) and hanger insertion is set to Bottom. If this option is selected and steel without a size is selected, no hangers will be inserted on that steel
- Sleeve command now has option to hide sleeve info upon insertion
- Sleeve command will now put in floor sleeves if riser nipple is selected
Listing
- Start AutoList no longer gives errors if pipe layers were turned off
- List Dynamic Blocks message box updated to explain usage in better detail
- Fab numbers or 1 and 2 added to Fab Type selections for reference
- Fitting Mapping and Listing Cleanup Tools icons changed to be more clear as to their use
Build 3D Risers
- Inserting 3D Details no longer causes errors
- Insert Legend Tags now defaults to Medium text size and check box for Show Quantity is pre-checked
Cleanup
- Reflected Ceiling Plan would appear to not work, on occasion. The problem was that older heads were created in the SPRNKS layer, while in 2011 our heads were re-created in Layer 0, allowing this command to function. Older drawing have the older heads, so it does not work properly. Error message will appear if this is the case, along with instructions to fix the problem
- Blocks of 3/8 and 1/2 scales added to HydraCAD tool palette (Drawing Details button)
- Pretty Pipes would not cut back properly on FireLock 009 EZ-Coups
- Cross Section tools added back onto toolbar, and drawings redistributed
Elevation
- Check Elevation tool no longer errors out if a bad TOS defline was present
Collaborate
- The Persistent Model in the Navis Toolkit no longer causes problems if not in 3D Model
- Hyperlinks now work with Navis 2015
- Create Submittal Pack (Bundle PDFs) now switches drawing to 3D mode and requests a save if not already done. Furthermore, it reports the folder location of the created submittal pack
...and many more (nearly 100 changes in total). Check the text document link next to the HydraCAD downloads for a complete listing or, as always, pick the HydraTool pulldown and then pick Recent Changes in HydraCAD.
|
|
New Customer Download System
|  On March 1st we will be switching over to an entirely new download system to be used by Hydratec subscription customers. This system will give us and you much greater flexibility and reliability for downloading large files and allow you to access older installs, too, if necessary.
We will be utilizing an entirely new mechanism for logging in, one which requires an email address and password instead of the current username and password. You will have the ability to change your password immediately and you will be able to reset it by email if you forget it. For this reason, the email address needs to be a legitimate one, as you will need to verify it as part of the access process.
Because of this, every user will need to set up a brand new account - the old accounts will not carry over. Furthermore, in order to verify that users actually work for the company they say they do, we will be verifying their employment with known contacts within their company, if the email address used is not known to us.
The form to create a new subscription account is now live! Go to the Subscription Login/Hydratec Login page to create your new account and to enter both the old and new systems.
|
|
Enjoy Daylight Savings in Just Two Weeks!
Sincerely,
Arthur Dove
Hydratec, Inc. |
|
|
