AutoCAD Tip: New in 2025 are Tech Previews – Try the latest Block Object Detection

AutoCAD Tip: New in 2025 are Tech Previews – Try the latest Block Object Detection

by | Sep 4, 2024 | AutoCAD, Tutorial

Tech Previews

Tech Previews, also referred to as technical or technology previews, offer you the opportunity to access new features in AutoCAD before they’re officially released. By participating in Tech Previews, you can explore and test out the functionality of these new features and provide valuable feedback to the AutoCAD product team.

During a Tech Preview, the preview features are fully functional and ready to be used. Since these features are still under development, additional capabilities and improvements may be available for testing. This provides you a chance to evaluate how these features can benefit your workflows and projects.

Unlike Beta programs, Tech Previews are open to everyone, allowing active participation and contribution to the ongoing improvement of the feature’s capabilities. Your feedback is important in shaping the final version of the feature.

AutoCAD is dedicated to continuously improve and evolve the preview feature until it reaches a stage where it’s ready to be released as a regular feature, thereby transitioning out of the Tech Preview phase.

AutoCAD 2025 includes a technology preview that uses machine learning to scan your drawing for objects that can be converted into blocks.

When you start Object Detection, the drawing’s geometry is sent to the AutoCAD machine learning service for recognition. Once the service has analyzed the drawing, the palette will notify you if any objects have been detected that can be converted to blocks. To further inspect and assess the identified instances, click Review Objects.

In review mode, the Detection toolbar is displayed at the top of the drawing window. This toolbar provides various options for navigating and managing detection results. The detection results are grouped into sets of similar objects. A set represents a group of similar detected objects that can be converted into instances of a single block.

Within each set, the primary instance (outlined by a blue border) serves as the block definition when converting into a new block. Alternatively, if you choose to convert into an existing block, the primary instance is used to define the insertion scale and rotation.

You may encounter incorrect sets or instances during detection review. In the following example, a similar object is not detected and included in the set. You can report this error using the Detection toolbar. By reporting errors, you contribute to improving the overall performance and accuracy of the machine learning service.

Key Considerations

Object Detection is a technology preview, which means that the detection capability and functionality will be further enhanced and improved over time.

It’s important to note that Object Detection is optimized for plan-view drawings. The types of objects that AutoCAD can detect are continuously expanding. Currently, Object Detection is best at recognizing the following objects:

  • Single-swing doors
  • Double-swing doors
  • Toilets
  • Bathtubs
  • Urinals
  • Generic lighting symbols
Note: Object Detection relies on machine learning algorithms, so the results may not always be completely accurate or comprehensive.

To optimize detection accuracy as we continue to improve the machine learning algorithm, it’s recommended to set your drawing to real-world units before you start the detection.

While in review mode, the following commands are temporarily blocked:

  • BEDIT
  • COMPARE
  • COUNT
  • COUNTLIST
  • PLOT
  • PUBLISH
  • REFEDIT
  • TRACE
  • XCOMPARE
Use ETransmit to send files to AutoCAD files

Use ETransmit to send files to AutoCAD files

by | Feb 21, 2024 | Autodesk, Tutorial

If you need to send your AutoCAD drawings to someone else, use ETransmit to bundle up your files and include references (XREFs).

In AutoCAD with the drawing open that you want to ETransmit.

1. Save the drawing.
2. Enter ETRANSMIT at the command line and hit enter.
3. On the Create Transmittal dialog check or uncheck the items you do not need or want to package up.
4. Click to edit the “Transmittal setups…”
5. Click Modify.
6. On the Modify Transmittal Setup dialog insure it’s set to ZIP for a smaller file size
7. Click the ellipses “…” button the change the folder the .zip file will be saved into by default.
8. Click the dropdown so it will “Prompt for a filename” if desired.
9. Select the radio button to “Place all files in one folder”.

There are many other options too, however I do not recommend using the bind option as it can create one very large file that may be terribly slow.

Click Ok and close out of the dialogs and get back to the ETransmit dialog

 

Migrating AutoCAD Settings | Using the AutoCAD Migration Tool

Migrating AutoCAD Settings | Using the AutoCAD Migration Tool

by | Nov 2, 2023 | Autodesk, Tutorial

In this tutorial, we’ll cover how to migrate your AutoCAD settings using the AutoCAD Migration tools. Whether you are upgrading to a new AutoCAD Version or transferring to a completely different system, keep your workflow going by migrating your current settings.

The AutoCAD Migration Tool allows you to migrate custom user settings from an older release year of AutoCAD to a newer release year of AutoCAD on the same machine. The old release year must be on the computer when the new install is opened for the first time.

When to use: SAME COMPUTER. SAME VERSION. NEWER RELEASE YEAR OF AUTOCAD

Example: AutoCAD 2019 is already in use, and you are now installing AutoCAD 2020 on the same machine.

Migration Utility Process:

  • Download, install and open the software
  • When the settings migration wizard pops up, it will ask if you want to migrate your custom settings. You will see check boxes next to multiple customization elements that are able to be migrated. Make sure there are checks in the boxes next to the items you want to migrate. Uncheck any items that you don’t want to migrate. When your migration settings are all set, click the checkmark button on the bottom/right to proceed with the migration and follow the prompts on the screen

 

Other options if the wizard does not pop up or if it is accidentally skipped:

  • Open the start menu, go into the all apps, open the Autodesk folder with your new AutoCAD version and release year and then click the button that says “Migrate from a previous release” and follow the prompts on the screen
Access Twinmotion for Revit 2023 and 2024

Access Twinmotion for Revit 2023 and 2024

by | Mar 14, 2023 | BIM, Revit, Tutorial, Twinmotion

Recently included in all Revit subscriptions is access to Twinmotion. With a new partnership between Autodesk and Epic Games, all Revit subscriptions now have access to this real-time visualization tool to produce high-quality images.

Download Twinmotion:

  1. Access your Twinmotion subscription (included now with all Revit subscriptions) from your Autodesk Desktop App or access your Autodesk Account page.
  2. Click on the Twinmotion tile to get access to the Twinmotion installer webpage. You may have to accept their End User License Agreement to continue.
  3. Locate the downloaded .zip file (typically in your downloads folder) and right-click and choose Extract All
  4. Open the extracted folder, and double-click on the .msi file to startup the installer.
    Follow the onscreen prompts to complete the installation.

Exporting your Revit project to Twinmotion:

  1. Open Revit and open any project file.
    You must be within a 3D view to open Twinmotion.
  2. In the View tab > Presentation panel, click on Twinmotion then Open in Twinmotion.
  3. When Twinmotion opens, select New Project and click OK.

Updating your Revit model, and Synchronize back to Twinmotion:

  1. Open Revit again without closing Twinmotion.
  2. Modify your file, such as add new elements, change an element’s properties, etc.
  3. In the View tab > Presentation panel > Twinmotion, select Direct Link Synchronization.
  4. You do not have to save your file before you synchronize.
  5. Switch back to Twinmotion and you will see the changes occur immediately within the file.

Don’t forget to save your Twinmotion project to not lose your hard work!

Reopen a Twinmotion Project:

  1. If you already have an existing Twinmotion project, repeat the previous steps to export your file into Twinmotion
  2. When prompted, select Existing Project at the start window
  3. Navigate to the saved file on your system and click OK.
    You will continue from where you last left in the model.

Thank you for watching, hopefully you will all have fun visualizing your Revit projects in Twinmotion. If you have any questions please feel free to leave a comment. Like and subscribe if you’d like to see more Revit and Twinmotion content!