ProfitPress Mega CDROM2 …eeware (MSDOS)(1992)(Eng)/ProfitPress-MegaCDROM2.B6I/MISC/NETWORK/BLTS592.ZIP/ACAD11.TXT

Text File | 1991-11-05 | 11.9 KB | 252 lines

TECHNICAL BULLETIN
09.27.91 AUTOCAD386  MWF (update 11.04.91)
CAD SOFTWARE: AutoCAD 386 (Release. 10C10 & Release. 11), Autodesk,
Inc.
___________________________________________________________________
Comment:
AutoCAD  386 (Release 10 C10 and Release 11)  is listed as
compatible with LANtastic NOS 3.0X and 4.0X.  The following
information has been compiled from in-house testing and other
resources on using AutoCAD 386 with LANtastic.

Guidelines for using AutoCAD 386 with LANtastic:
1.  AutoCAD 11 is a very processor-time intensive application that
runs in protected mode on an 386 or 486 computer.  It can access up
to 4 Gigabytes of memory (either in RAM or virtual disk space),
however the program uses less than 250K of conventional RAM when
loaded.  If the workstation is only used for AutoCAD 386, there is
no benefit to loading TSR's into high memory because the
conventional memory requirements are very small.

2.  Using an AutoCAD workstation as a server for sharing a plotter
or printer-plotter is not recommended since AutoCAD is a very
processor-time intensive application.  Performance of AutoCAD
and/or the network can be severely reduced by background plotter or
printer-plotter despooling.  The ideal AutoCAD network
configuration would include a dedicated server with harddrive and
ports to control the plotter(s) and printer-plotter(s), thus
allowing the AutoCAD workstations to have 100% of their own
processor time available for AutoCAD functions.

3.  Set FCBS=16,8 and FILES=40 in CONFIG.SYS on workstations
running AutoCAD 386.  NOTE:  If AutoCAD 10 (DOS) and AutoCAD 386
will both be used on the same workstation running under DOS 4.01,
set FCBS=48,8 in CONFIG.SYS.

4.  Protected-mode video Display List Drivers are available in ADI
format to use with AutoCAD 386 and work very well.  Some real-mode
DLD's are also available and no compatibility problems have been
reported with LANtastic.  Switching between real and protected-mode
can degrade performance, so using a protected-mode video driver is
recommended for maximum performance.

5.  AutoCAD 386  loads entirely into RAM so there is no benefit to
using a ramdisk [as far as AutoCAD 386 is concerned].  There are no
overlay files, and if the workstation has enough RAM available,
there will be only minimal disk access when editing a drawing.
Whatever memory would be given to a ramdisk, would be  taken away
from AutoCAD 386.   A small disk cache (256K) will improve
performance when AutoCAD 386 is paging to disk.  Don't give too
much memory to caching as it will take memory away from AutoCAD and
performance can suffer.

6.  AutoCAD 386 Rel. 11 has a file-locking feature that is software
selectable and will prevent multiple access to a drawing file.
This can be enabled from the AutoCAD main menu  by selecting "5.
Configure AutoCAD", "8. Configure operating parameters", "11.
Server authorization and file locking".  File locking in AutoCAD
386 does not require SHARE.EXE to be loaded to function.

7.  If using a common drawing fileserver, configure each AutoCAD
workstation to have a unique network node name.  From the AutoCAD
main menu, select "5. Configure AutoCAD", "8. Configure operating
parameters", "6. Network node name" and enter a three character
name unique to each workstation.

8.  If plotter performance is slow, or pauses intermittently, on
an AutoCAD 386 workstation/server that is sharing a plotter,
increase the CPS to the plotter (using the max of 32767 is OK, but
the tradeoff is poor AutoCAD 386 performance).  NOTE: The only way
to eliminate the performance degradation of an AutoCAD workstation
during plotting or printer-plotting is to have the server not
running AutoCAD during the despooling function.  See note 2 on
using a dedicated print server.

9.   To share a plotter or printer-plotter, AutoCAD must output to
file. The important item to keep in mind is that AutoCAD 386 never
communicates with the plotter (or printer-plotter), instead, it
outputs to a file on disk.  All communication with the plotter or
printer-plotter device(s) is handled by the network.  Configure
AutoCAD 386 to plot to a file, set the filename to the name of the
port that is redirected to @PLOTTER.   Set the LPT TIMEOUT to 0
(zero).

The recommended serial communication protocol for the network to
the plotter is 9600, 8, 1, N, using XON/XOFF flow control.  Some
plotters that will only accept HARDWARE flow control require a
HARDWARE cable - a straight-thru serial cable will not allow
HARDWARE flow control communications.  The next best protocol is
9600, 7, 1, E, XON/XOFF. If the plotter and @PLOTTER shared
resource are not configured exactly the same, plotting will not be
successful.

NOTE:  If the plotter does not automatically go OFF-LINE at the
completion of a plot, it is recommended to edit the SETUP STRING
for @PLOTTER (located in NET_MGR, Shared Resources Management) to
include the ASCII or <ESC> codes needed to take the plotter off-
line at the start of a plot to allow for paper changes.  If this is
not done, it will be possible for multiple plot jobs in the spooler
to be plotted over the same sheet of paper.  If the plotter has an
automatic paper feeder/cutter, this may not be necessary.

10.   AutoCAD 386 Release 11 has an  environment variable that can
be used to create and send spool files to a redirected plotter or
printer-plotter automatically.  The recommended configuration is as
follows:

1)   Create a directory under the ACAD directory called TEMP
      (C:\ACAD\TEMP).   Add that directory to the DOS environment
      path (see "SAMPLE BATCH FILES:"  at end of this document).
2)   Configure AutoCAD to put temporary files and the SPOOLED
      print/plot files there as follows:
       1)  From the  AutoCAD main menu,  select  "5. Configure
            AutoCAD".
       2)  Select  "5. Configure plotter"  and  "6. Configure
            printer plotter". Keep the same plotter and printer,
       3)  Select  "YES"  when asked to output to a file.
       4) Select "8. Configure operating parameters."
            A) Select  "3.  Default plot file name",  enter
                  "AUTOSPOOL".
            B) Select  "4.  Plot spooler directory",  enter
                  "C:\ACAD\TEMP\".
       5)  Save the changes and exit AutoCAD 386 to the DOS prompt.
3)  If you are using a batch file to load AutoCAD,  put the
      following lines in that batch file (otherwise put them in the
      AUTOEXEC.BAT file on each node).    (NOTE: the "%%s" MUST BE LOWER
      CASE.)

          SET  ACADPLCMD=NET   PRINT  %%s  COM2      (Port
            redirected to @PLOTTER)

          SET  ACADPPCMD=NET   PRINT/BINARY  %%s  LPT1  (Port
            redirected to @PRINTER)
     (Printer-plots must  be sent in  BINARY  format or the printed
     output may be cut off, distorted and/or spread out over
     multiple pages.)

This will create a spooled file for every print or plotjob sent by
that node. The files that begin with "R" are printer-plot files
(raster) and the ones beginning with "V" are plot files (vector).
These files, if not deleted, will quickly fill up a harddrive.
The following lines can be added to a batch file to automatically
delete the spooled files  (see   SAMPLE BATCH FILES:  at end of
this document):

         C:
         CD\ACAD\TEMP         :REM CD\ to the spooler directory.
         DEL R*.*             :REM Delete all printer-plot files.
         DEL V*.*             :REM Delete all plotter files.
         CD\


Memory Managers:
1.   AutoCAD 386 can be configured to use Extended memory or
Expanded memory but not both.   If the memory manager is not VCPI
compliant, configure all memory as Extended; if it is VCPI
compliant, configure all memory as Expanded.    QEMM386, 386 to the
MAX and MS-DOS's HIMEM.SYS in combination with EMM386.EXE are
listed as compatible with LANtastic and will provide VCPI-compliant
EMS.   HIMEM.SYS that comes with MS-DOS 5.0 creates XMS which is
not VCPI compliant and should not be used with AutoCAD 386  without
also loading EMM386.EXE.   Consult the AutoCAD Installation and
Performance Guide for more information on compatible memory
managers.

2.  Network drivers can be loaded into high memory using the utili
ties provided with the above listed memory managers, however, if
the workstation is only used for AutoCAD 386, there is no benefit
to loading programs high.


SAMPLE BATCH FILES:
AUTOEXEC.BAT:
PATH=C:\;C:\DOS;\BATCH;C:\UTILITY;C:\LANTASTI
AEX                           :REM Load netbios drivers. Can be loaded high.
AILANBIO
REDIR  ALEX1  LOGINS=5      :REM  Can be loaded high.
LANCACHE  CACHE_SIZE=256  TYPE=EMS  :REM  256K cache (using expanded
                                          memory).
SERVER                        :REM  Server is optional.  Can be loaded
                                    high.
NET  LOGIN   \\ALEX1  ALEX1   :REM  Login to servers as needed.
NET  USE  LPT1  \\ALEX1\@PRINTER    :REM  Redirect LPT1 to the shared
                                          printer-plotter.
NET  USE   COM2   \\ALEX1\@PLOTTER  :REM  Redirect COM2 to the
                                          shared plotter.
NET  LPT  TIMEOUT  10
NET  QUEUE  HALT   \\ALEX1   COM1   :REM  If a server,  halt QUEUE for
                                          mouse/digitizer port.
PROMPT=$P$G
MENU



LOADACAD.BAT:
REM  Add   "C:\ACAD;C:\ACAD\ADS;C:\ACAD\TEMP"   to the DOS
      environment path.
PATH=C:\;C:\DOS;C:\BATCH;C:\UTILITY;C:\LANTASTI;C:\ACAD;C:\ACAD\ADS
      ;C:\ACAD\TEMP
NET  LPT  TIMEOUT  0          :REM  Set  LPT  TIMEOUT to zero.
CD\ACAD\DWG
SET  ACADPPCMD=NET  PRINT/BINARY  %%S  LPT1 :REM Printer-plotter
                                                command.
SET  ACADPLCMD=NET  PRINT  %%S  COM2      :REM Plotter command.
SET  PLPADI=C:\ACAD\PLPHPLP.EXP           :REM Protected-mode plotter driver.
SET  DSPADI=C:\ET4\DLDVG256.EXP           :REM Protected-mode DLD video driver.
SET  DLDCFG=C:\ET4\                       :REM DLD configuration file path.
SET  ACADPAGEDIR=C:\ACAD\TEMP       :REM AutoCAD 386 page file directory.
SET  ACAD=C:\ACAD;C:\ACAD\SAMPLE;C:\ACAD\ADS
SET   ACADCFG=C:\ACAD
ACAD                                      :REM  Load AutoCAD 386.
SET ACADCFG=
SET  ACAD=                                :REM  Clear environment variables.
SET  ACADPAGEDIR=
SET  DLDCFG=
SET  DSPADI=
SET  PLPADI=
SET  ACADPPCMD=
SET  ACADPLCMD=
C:                                        :REM  Remove all spooled files.
CD\ACAD\TEMP
DEL  R*.*
DEL  V*.*
CD\


FINAL NOTE:
This document has been designed to provide a guideline for con
figuring AutoCAD 386 with LANtastic.  Additional configuration may
be necessary to accommodate your specific network setup.   If a
unique problem arises which we are unable to resolve either through
phone contact with our technical support or through this bulletin,
a problem report can be filed through our technical support staff.

ARTISOFT, Inc. makes no warranties as to the completeness or
accuracy of this document.   LANtastic is a trademark of ARTISOFT,
Inc.   Brand names and products are trademarks or registered
trademarks of their respective companies.

Any questions or suggestions on this bulletin may be mailed to our
offices:

Artisoft, Inc.
575 East River Road
Tucson, AZ  85704
ATTN: Compatibility Department / AutoCAD Support

Vendor Info:
Autodesk, Inc.
[phone]
(Contact your Autodesk dealer for questions concerning AutoCAD.)