What was new in DataCAD 13?

Where to find the new feature
Helpful hints

DataCAD 13 introduces new scale-independent and view-dependent settings for text, arrows, and symbols so these items can update automatically whenever you need to change the scale of your drawing.

Contract documents come in many shapes and sizes. As a designer you need to present floor plans, elevations, and details for various purposes. The format, scale, and level of detail in your drawings needs to vary accordingly. Each time you change the scale of your drawing, elements such as text and arrows need to be resized so they are legible on paper. In other words, they always need to plot 1/8" high, regardless of plot scale. DataCAD 13 can do this for you automatically.

With DataCAD 13 you can also control the level of detail that appears in symbols when they are viewed or printed at various scales. You can even control which layers display in 2D and/or in 3D views. This allows you to place a single detail in your drawing that will display and print hatching at 3" scale, but not at 1/4" scale. A symbol of a chair can appear as a simple rectangle in plan and completely 3D in a perspective or rendered view. We've included more than 1,100 2D/3D symbols with DataCAD 13 and you can use your existing libraries to create your own.

We've eliminated the need for manual updates in other areas of DataCAD 13 as well. You can now link multi-scale plotting details to GoTo Views so the detail will update automatically whenever you update the corresponding GoTo View. XREF layers can be turned on or off based on GoTo Views. So you can use a single XREF in multiple views. You can lock the angle of text in symbols so it will still be readable after you rotate the symbol.

I’m confident new DataCAD 13 will provide a boost to your production drawing efficiency.

In addition, here are some of the DataCAD 13 new feature highlights…

An all-new, OpenGL®-based Sun Shader provides you with sun angles and shadows based on location, date, and time. A three-dimensional representation of the sun path from sunrise to sunset can also be displayed around your model for illustrative purposes. An animation toolbar allows you to see shadows cast from sunrise to sunset using a play/pause interface. You can also apply a color tint to shadows to differentiate before and after conditions. The current view can be saved to an image file in resolutions up to 4096 pixels or higher depending on your display adapter.


Sun Path and Trajectory


Shadow Study Results Dialog


Shadow Study Settings Dialog


Model Displayed in Sun Shader Window


Shadow Animation


Shadow Tint Illustrating June, September, and December Shadows

Choose Sun Shader from the View pull-down menu.

DataCAD 13 provides direct support for SketchUp 8 files.

Select SketchUp from the Insert pull-down menu and choose the SketchUp file you want to add to your drawing.

A number of new toolbars and a set of pull-down menus have been added to the Object Viewer interface to improve ease of navigation and provide quick access to frequently-used options. In addition, the Object Viewer now supports saved views, similar to GoTo Views in DataCAD.





New Object Viewer Toolbars


o2c Lights with custom color settings

Use the Eye / Focal Point toolbar to set your view point precisely where you want it.

The Layer Manager can now remain open while you are working in DataCAD.When you turn layers on and off, the result is shown immediately in the drawing.

Check "Keep Layer Manger Open" in the Layer Manager Dialog.

In addition to the standard, built-in arrow styles, you can now define your own symbol-based arrow heads. Smart Arrow leaders are polyline-based so they can be curved. The printed size of arrow heads can be locked so they always appear the same size, regardless of plot scale. When you stretch a smart arrow, the arrow head orientation is updated automatically based on the new angle of the leader.


Arrow Properties Dialog

Go to Text, Arrows, Style and select Symbol to define a custom arrow head.

You can now assign view and/or scale dependency to layers inside symbols. A symbol may contain layers which only display in plan, layers which display only in three-dimensional views, or layers which always display. In addition to being view dependent, symbol layers may also be scale dependent. This allows you to assign minimum and maximum scales at which symbol layers will be shown.

With DataCAD 13, you can use the same detail at multiple scales. At larger scales, you can display and print more information such as material thicknesses and hatching. At smaller scales, you can choose to show a simpler outline without hatching. You can merge your 2D and 3D symbols so one instance can serve multiple purposes; 2D plan, 3D wireframe, and rendered views.

DataCAD 13 includes more than 1,100 smart symbols you can add to your drawings.
Access the Layer Manager while editing a symbol to set view and/or scale dependency settings.

The size of text entities can be locked so they always appear the same size, regardless of plot scale. This allows you to plot a particular drawing in a range of several scales without having to edit the size of each text entity. Text entities with this property enabled will automatically change their height accordingly based on the current plot scale.


Scale-independent Text

Enable Text Scale and Lock Size via the Text menu.
You can also access this setting via the Text Properties Editor.

XREFs have been enhanced so you can control the on/off state of their layers based on GoTo Views. When this option is enabled, DataCAD will save and recall the on/off state of XREF layers when you save or recall a GoTo View.

A new option, "Hide", has been added to the XREF context menu. When you enable this option, DataCAD will perform a hidden-line removal on the selected XREF and store the results as a symbol. The XREF is automatically replaced with the symbol based on the current view projection. You can select "Update Hide" to update the hidden line image based on any changes you have made. You can also choose to "Unhide" the XREF to restore it to its original representation.

XClips and SClips that are defined in nested XREFs can now be merged with the parent XREF. When this option is enabled, the top-level XClip will take precedence over nested XClips and SClips.

Select Remember Layer Settings for GoTo Views from the Reference File Management pull-down menu.

A new option, Hide GTV, available in the Hide menu allows you to create hidden-line symbols based on GoTo Views.

Select Hide GTV from the 3D Hide menu.

Polylines created via the 2D Curves menu may now be rotated off the ground plane. You can use the 3D Rotate command to rotate them about the X, Y, or Z axis. You can also create them in any parallel view projection. A new Push/Pull option has been added to the Polyline, Edit menu so you can dynamically stretch the top or bottom of a polyline.

Multi-View Windows now support custom names. Their names are saved on a per-drawing basis, so they may be unique from one drawing to another.


Named Multi-View Windows

Details you create based on GoTo Views can now be "linked" to any future changes you make to the GoTo View.

Enable Linked prior to placing a GoTo View on a Multi-scale Plotting Sheet.

Bézier and B-Spline curves may now have up to 20 control points instead of only 8. In addition, you may now apply a Z-Height in order to extrude them for 3D purposes.


Bézier and B-Spline Enhancements

- Added "Favorites" and "Recent Folders" to the Symbol Browser
- Added a "Lock Angle" option to the Insert Symbol menu to keep text inside a symbol locked to its creation angle
- Added a "Flip Normal" option to the 3D Polygon, Edit menu
- Added a "Normal Up" option in the 3D Polygon, Horizontal and Rectangle menus
- The File, Save As dialog now includes DataCAD 11 (AEC) and DataCAD 12 (AEC) options in the Files of Type drop-down list
- Added "Paste as Symbol" to the Edit, Paste menu
- Added a "Layer Color" toggle to the Move, To Layer and Copy, To Layer menus

More information about the improvement history of DataCAD