The next three months
Columbus Professional is currently undergoing internal testing and will include a number of important enhancements over the free version which will remain free of charge. Support for some of the latest file formats like MicroStation V8 and Microsoft Office 2002 have been added alongside, scan to TIFF & PDF, document comparison, remote deployment and interface improvements.
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FREW 17.8 has achieved approval by the Hong Kong Buildings Department, and we hope that the latest versions of ADC 7.2, AdSec 7.2, ADBeam 5.7, ADCol 5.9 and AdSec 5.11 will also be approved soon. |
CADrebar has proved more popular than we anticipated with some major companies migrating away from products like "CADS RC". In response to requests from several companies, we have further increased the flexibility of the product by making it easily customisable via settings within the INI files.
We have now taken the decision to sell our Fabric analysis module to GSA. This has been used in Arup for many years but was not offered for sale because it was considered too valuable.
We are currently running pre-release versions of an email filing tool. This works in conjunction with Outlook and allows you to file your incoming and outgoing emails by project. It includes a "Reviewed for Adequacy" facility, and has proved hugely popular with our early adopters.
Users of the DOS version of AdCOL will be pleased to hear that work has begun on a Windows version of the application and that "punching stress" analysis will be included.
Our UNIPAC suites of free software to schools, colleges and universities is also working well, and we have seen the number of universities using the software for their courses double in the last twelve months. If you know of someone who would be interested, ask them to take a look at our UNIPAC scheme.
We have some new resellers in Hong Kong, India and Malaysia so please contact your nearest reseller regarding any of the products we offer.
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Job Opportunities in Oasys
Structural Software Manager
Based in London, the role is suited to a Structural or Civil engineer with the personal and technical skills to act as our representative. Travelling extensively, you will promote our software both inside and outside Arup, providing training and technical advice, and passing on feedback to our software developers. The successful candidate will have a strong interest in software along with the communication and technical skills required to present, train and influence people. The post offers opportunities to become involved in various aspects our work, including development planning, documentation, software design, and marketing. Applications from both graduates and senior engineers will be considered. For further information, please email shelagh.walsh@arup.com
CAD & DM Business Development Specialist
Based in London, the role is suited to a CAD manager with at least three years experience in the construction industry. Travelling extensively, you will promote our AutoCAD based CAD and document management software both inside and outside Arup, providing training and technical advice, and passing on feedback to our software developers. The successful candidate will have a strong interest in software along with the communication and technical skills required to present, train and influence people. The post offers opportunities to become involved in various aspects our work, including development planning, documentation, software design, and marketing. For further information, please email shelagh.walsh@arup.com
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An update to CADrebar, the simple and fast AutoCAD based concrete detailing and scheduling, will soon be available, including support for AutoCAD 2004. |
Included amongst the changes are the following:
- For new drawings, the prefix ARUP has been replaced by OASYS for layers names, block names and entity groups.
- The configuration file CADrebar.ini now supports additional entries. These allow you to set up properties such as: colour, layer, size and type for the different components of a bar range (e.g. line, bar, bobs, ends).
- The text style name used by CADrebar can now be set in CADrebar.ini. If the text style does not exist, CADrebar will create one with the standard default settings.
- When creating a bar range such as alternately staggered, placed or reversed, CADrebar will append a text string like "AS", "AP" or "AR" respectively to the text label. The string can now be set to different values as defined in the CADrebar.ini configuration file.
- A normal size of 50mm has been included on bar size list for BS8666.
- Support for AutoCAD 2004 has been added.
CADplot Tips and Tricks
Configuration
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Project Configurations |
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CADplot can be configured for specific projects. This can be useful when multiple groups are working on the same projects from different geographical locations. Users will see the plotters that are specific to their project.
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Configuration Helpers |
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When configuring CADplot, all the various configuration options can be daunting. Use the following commands to help :
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OasysCADplotDebug
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OasysCADplotDebugOutputFile
- Log output to your temporary directory.
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OasysCADplotDumpMediaNames
- Display media information for all known print devices.
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OasysCADplotDumpDefaults
- Display CADplot configuration file information. This is especially useful when configuring check and issue plot settings.
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Scaled Plotting
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Paper Space |
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Since CADtools 1.06, and CADplot Server 2.2, CADplot can plot paper space layouts to scale. Scales can be either preset in Types.ini or dynamically modified. CADplot Client is especially flexible with regard to scaled paper space layouts.
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Imperial Units |
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When CADplot Client detects an imperial plotter configuration, it uses scales and units appropriate to drawings configured with imperial units. The units and scales used are compatible with AutoCAD.
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Client
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Installation |
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Did you know, for ease of administration, CADplot client can be installed remotely on any number of desktops using Oasys Software's Enterprise Deployment Tool.
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Shell extension |
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Did you know drawings can be selected for plotting using Windows Explorer? Either use the explorer context menu to select drawings to be plotted, or drag drawings from explorer onto an existing session of CADplot.
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GSA fabric analysis now available to Oasys customers
For many years GSA's fabric analysis capability (aka Fablon) has been preserved for exclusive use by Arup. Using the dynamic relaxation solution technique, the GsRelax solver is able to analyse fabric structures that typically rely on deflection and pre-stress to achieve equilibrium. This much sought after tool is now available to Oasys customers as an option in the GSA package.
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Structural Tips & Tricks
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Online Help Tip: Locate |
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Having found a section in the help via the index or by searching you can use the 'Locate' toolbar button to locate the section in the contents making it easier to read around the subject.
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Compos Tip: Update Member Properties |
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Ever wondered what the 'Data | Update Member Properties' command does? When 'File | Preferences | Calculate and Update | Update' is set to 'Manual' the 'Data | Update Member Properties' command has to be executed in order to update changes to the member properties. When the preference is set to 'Automatic' this command has no effect.
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Compos Tip: Analyse |
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If you have ever been frustrated by not being able to view the composite section or moment diagram etc. simply because the member has not been analysed then set 'File | Preferences | Calculate and Update | Recalculate' to 'Analyse'. The member will now be analysed automatically when it is clicked in the Data Manager window.
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Compos Tip: Beam Properties Tabs |
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If you don't like the scrollable single row of tabs on the Beam Properties dialog you can change to multi-row by selecting "Allow multi-row property sheets" in 'File | Preferences | Miscellaneous'.
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GSA Tip: Flip Elements |
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The sculpt 'Flip Elements' command is useful for reversing the direction of 1D elements and flipping upside-down 2D elements. Releases and offsets are preserved at the original position in global space.
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GSA Tip: Scale of Printed Graphics |
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The scale at which the structure is to be drawn in printed output can be specified in the Graphic Settings dialog.
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GSA Tip: Experimenting with Constraints |
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You can compare the effects of applying a Rigid Constraint to a model with the unconstrained condition by putting the Rigid Constraint in an Analysis Stage that includes all elements in the model.
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GSA Tip: View Specific Menus |
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The menu that appears at the top of the GSA window differs for each view type. So, for example, the Sculpt menu is only displayed when a Graphic View is the active view.
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GSA Tip: 2D Elements are an 'Advanced Feature' |
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Before entering data relating to 2D elements such as Quad or Tri elements, 2D element properties or 2D element loading, the 2D Element Analysis feature must be checked in 'Options | Preferences | Advanced Features'. Opening a model that contains such data implies to GSA that the feature is enabled.
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GSA Tip: Rapid Creation of 2D Elements |
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To quickly create a wall or slab made up of a number of 2D Elements:
create one 2D element defining the boundary of the wall or slab;
- select this element;
- split this bounding element into the required number of component elements via the various split commands under 'Sculpt | 2D Element Operations'.
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GSA Tip: Quad 8 Elements Versus Quad 4 Elements |
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The GSS solver treats the Quad 4 as a 4-node finite element. This element should be used with caution as the element has some non-stiff modes of deformation, which can lead to hour-glassing problems. The 8-node element is recommended for use in the GSS solver.
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GSA Tip: Graphical Selection of Node and Element Lists |
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When nodes or elements are selected in a Graphic View the 'Edit | Copy' (Ctrl+C) command copies the selected items onto the clipboard in list format. This list can then be pasted into any field that expects the respective list type.
Note that the reverse is also true: Copy a list from a table and paste this into a Graphic View when in the corresponding selection cursor mode will result in that list of items being selected.
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FREW 17.8 gains Hong Kong Building Dept Approval
The latest version of FREW (v17.8) was approved by the Hong Kong Building Department on 28 February 2003.
The details of the approval are as follows:
- Program Title: Oasys FREW (Version 17.8)
- BD Reference Number: G0128
- Valid until: 27 February 2006
New GEO Brochure
We have just produced a new GEO brochure for use at exhibitions, presentations and even with your submissions. If you would like a copy, please send an email to Oasys.
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Columbus & Columbus Professional
We shall soon be offering an enhanced "Professional" version of Columbus along side the standard free version. Features will include:
- Support for MS Office XP, AutoCAD 2004 and Microstation V8.
- The Enterprise deployment tool can remotely install or update Columbus Pro on any networked PC - a real time saver.
- A new scanning module - scan directly to PDF or TIFF without purchasing additional software, plus much more.
- Compare drawings - you can now accurately and quickly identify those unrecorded changes.
- File conversion - convert .plt files to .dwg etc.
- Low cost
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Drawing Comparison
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Archetype
New features in Version 6
Incoming email
The Archetype Inbox together with the project email modules provide a means for creating and managing email in a project orientated environment. Using these modules ensures that all project emails together with their attachments are filed under the appropriate project.
Project Reports
The reports module is used to compile data from all the projects, to select projects using a filter and to then print out selected project information e.g. List all commercial projects with a contract value over £500,000 in the last two years where a particular contractor was used.
Drawings
Xref revision control - When revising a Xref, Archetype can automatically highlight all the drawings which may be affected by the change.
Multiple layouts
The drawing register can now handle drawings containing multiple title blocks.
If you are looking for a simple tool that manages drawings, documents, emails and document issues, Archetype may just be what you need. If you need something to manage resources, track print and postage costs, create door/window/lintel schedules and simplify production of instructions, then you really must take a look at Archetype.
Demonstrations
Seeing is believing with this package and a demonstration is highly recommended. Contact us for a demonstration.
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Reminder of changes to the UNIPAC scheme
In our 25th year, we have decided to make our structural, geotechnical and CAD software FREE for academic use in teaching and research. Free annual academic network licences are available to bona-fide educational establishments for the following programs:
This development is aimed at creating mutually beneficial relationships with academic establishments - true industry/academia links. In return, Oasys hope that academia will contribute their ideas to ongoing development of the programs so that these continue to be the definitive state-of-the-art leaders in their particular fields.
In response to recent feedback from universities, we have made a number of changes to our UNIPAC scheme as follows:
- UNIPAC licences will be set to expire on 30 June rather than 31 December. Licences issued this year will be set to expire on 30 June 2004.
- Our offer is to supply free annual academic network licences for up to 50 concurrent users. We will also supply a limited number of standalone licences free-of-charge for use by course tutors.
- Students are able to purchase a 3-year standalone licence for £25 + VAT. We will charge a further £25 + VAT if the licence needs to be transferred to another machine.
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AEC Design Computing Exhibition and Conference - 1 & 2 October 2003
Oasys will be attending the AEC Design Computing 2003 exhibition and conference. To be held at Lords Cricket Ground, St Johns Wood, London on 1st and 2nd October 2003.
The event offers two highly focused days of cutting edge case studies and a major trade services exhibition, providing an essential market update for CAD Managers, CAD Directors, IT Managers, IT Directors and other senior representatives from the major UK architectural practices and engineering firms. This event has been designed around a two-day multi-stream conference, with an interactive format, and a series of niche workshops.
We will be exhibiting and are currently planning to present at one of the conferences and workshops. Further details will be posted on our website nearer the event.
The three products we will be demonstrating on the stand are Archetype, CADtools and Columbus Professional.
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