Meeting Notes for January DBUG at Signature Architects

January DBUG Meeting Notes

Host: Signature Architects, Chelmsford, MA

January 17, 2012 at 6 pm

DBUG started off its 25th year hosted by Signature Architects in Chelmsford, MA with about 15 architects and designers in attendance. In a hopeful sign for the local economy, Signature Architects has had a busy year and hopes that its workload keeps up.

After introductions, Evan Shu announced plans to meet at the BSA's new building near South Station with a standing reservation for the 4th Wednesday of every month that DBUG does not meet at an outside site and the importance of registering for committee notifications at <www.architects.org>. He needs a few more hosts to volunteer for the coming year. A number of people said that they had difficulties with the process, so Evan will follow-up with more detailed instructions from the BSA.

Mike's Hobby

Mike Smith opened the meeting with a presentation on the progress of his home-built Sonex kit airplane, which he started 3 years ago and is, perhaps, one year away from completion. His photos <http://www.mykitlog.com/mikesmith> showed that the parts are now coming together to look much more like an airplane.

DataCAD 14 Special Topics

The next presentation was a step-by-step look at how to utilize the softlock security now standard for DataCAD 14 in terms of deactivating a license on my computer and activating the same license on another computer. He also put together a FAQ on the operation (see attached handout) along with some pointed questions of DATACAD on various worst-case scenarios.

Mike also reviewed the new pricing structure for DataCAD for its Subscription and Priority Service Plan. Feature updates can now only be downloaded by those who have purchased this plan at $300 per year. It is hoped that this new economic model will help DATACAD survive the current recession.

Finally, Mike reviewed the "Remember Layer Settings" in XREFs and Goto Views in recent DataCAD updates and how this feature can be used for speed and productivity, particularly in using MSP sheets. He also showed how to save MSP sheets to DWG format (see handout).

SketchUp & DataCAD Tiltup Method

After a short refreshment break, the next presentation was given by Bill Huther, who showed how you can use DataCAD and SketchUp in tandem for various rendering methods. He recommended getting Sketchup Pro as it has more sure import formats. His particular impressive technique was to export interior elevations from DataCAD into SketchUp and then to use a "tilt-up" method to place these elevations on the interior side of a 3D room. Then using these elevation lines as 3D template outlines, he is able to push/pull and rotate them into real 3D forms that render very convincingly.

Along the way, he demonstrated the following tips, tricks and techniques:

- using groups, ignoring layers;

- using styles menu, using color to show front vs. back plane orientation;

- using the Outliner (drag n drop) for better control of the model separations;

- shortcuts to System preferences;

- color by axis;

- purge unused;

- follow me tool; and

- advanced camera tools.

It was an very impressive display of using the precision of DataCAD drawings in tandem with the great modeling tools of SketchUp.

The meeting adjourned at 9:30 pm.

-- Meeting Notes by Evan H. Shu, FAIA