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TDIBMRD4.0 Page 1 of 9 AutoCAD Release 10 README.DOC for IBM PC/XT/AT and PS/2 October 6, 1988 This file highlights some important changes in AutoCAD Release 10 and includes last-minute information that missed the deadline for the printed manuals. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Compatibility with Application Programs - FLATLAND 2 Extended AutoLISP Restrictions 3 AutoShade / AutoFlix Updates 3 AutoCAD AEC Architectural Updates 4 Performance 5 Multiple Viewports and ADI Display Drivers 5 Perspective Views 6 Miscellaneous Changes and Corrections 7 The DOS "SHARE" Utility 8 DOS 4.0 Notes 8 Known Problems 9 TDIBMRD4.0 Page 2 of 9 COMPATIBILITY WITH APPLICATION PROGRAMS - FLATLAND * Some functions, including entity selection and object snap, have changed subtly in Release 10 to accommodate 3D, viewports, and perspective views. These changes have little effect when you're using AutoCAD interactively. However, programs that generate AutoCAD command sequences may get unexpected results. Therefore, the FLATLAND system variable is provided to let you maintain compatibility with programs that have not yet been updated to recognize and take advantage of Release 10's new capabilities. When FLATLAND is zero, Release 10's 3D features are fully enabled. When FLATLAND is nonzero, compatibility with previous versions is maintained. The initial FLATLAND setting for a drawing is shown in the following table. Condition | Initial setting --------------------------------------- | ------------------------ Editing an old drawing (produced by | FLATLAND = 1 AutoCAD Release 9 or earlier) | | Editing a drawing created or previously | As saved with the drawing edited with AutoCAD Release 10 | | Creating a new drawing (with "name=") | FLATLAND = 0 | Creating a new drawing (without "=", | Set by prototype drawing -- in or with "name=prototype") | the standard ACAD.DWG prototype, | FLATLAND is zero. If you're using AutoCAD AEC Architectural or a third-party application that has not yet been updated to take advantage of Release 10's new features, you may experience problems with entity selection or object snap if you set FLATLAND to zero. In such cases, we recommend that you keep FLATLAND set to 1 (set this in the prototype drawing, if necessary) and use only the World Coordinate System when editing with AutoCAD Release 10. NOTE: The FLATLAND system variable is a temporary conversion aid, and will be removed in the next major update of AutoCAD. If you've written your own application and it fails to work properly with FLATLAND set to zero, run with FLATLAND set to 1 if necessary, but UPDATE YOUR APPLICATION AS SOON AS IS PRACTICAL, because future versions of AutoCAD will always operate as though FLATLAND was zero. See the Release 10 Reference Manual (Appendix D) for further details. * In previous versions, DXF files and the AutoLISP (entget) function supplied a 38 group containing an entity's elevation. Release 10 continues to supply this field if FLATLAND is set to 1 and the entity lies in the World Coordinate System's XY plane. Otherwise, the 38 group is omitted and the elevation is supplied as the Z coordinate of the object's 3D points. This poses a small problem for Polylines, since the 38 group was supplied with the POLYLINE (header) entity, but that entity has no associated point. Therefore, if FLATLAND is zero or the Polyline doesn't lie in the XY plane of the WCS, a "dummy" 3D point (10 group) is supplied with the POLYLINE header entity, with its Z coordinate being the only item of interest. TDIBMRD4.0 Page 3 of 9 EXTENDED AUTOLISP RESTRICTIONS * In addition to the regular version of AutoLISP, a new Extended AutoLISP (EXTLISP) program is supplied with Release 10. Extended AutoLISP utilizes IBM AT-style Extended memory (available on 80286 and 80386 machines only) to allow larger AutoLISP programs while freeing up some regular memory. The initial version of Extended AutoLISP cannot run in certain environments, including: * environments that run the 80286 or 80386 in "virtual-8086" mode. This includes COMPAQ's CEMM and Quarterdeck's QEMM. * the Intel Inboard. * certain NEC computers made for the Japanese market. In these environments, regular AutoLISP must be used instead of Extended AutoLISP. An updated version of Extended AutoLISP that runs with most Intel Inboards and with Quarterdeck's QEMM soon will be made available to all registered AutoCAD Release 10 users who request it from their dealer. Dealers will be notified when the new version is available. (In order for Extended AutoLISP to work with COMPAQ's CEMM, COMPAQ will need to make certain program changes. Some early Intel Inboards have hardware bugs that will prevent Extended AutoLISP from ever working with them.) AUTOSHADE / AUTOFLIX UPDATES * If you use AutoShade 1.0 in conjunction with AutoCAD, we recommend that you upgrade to AutoShade version 1.1 (to be released shortly). Very large 3D meshes created in AutoCAD Release 10 may cause AutoShade 1.0 to abort with the message "Heapmgmt - heap error. Cheap stack dump". The problem can occur with drawings created by AutoCAD Release 9, but is much more likely to occur with Release 10 due to the ease with which large meshes can be constructed in Release 10. AutoShade 1.0 can read meshes up to about 73 x 73. To be precise, M x N must be less than 5420, where M and N are the sizes of the polygon mesh (usually SURFTAB1 and SURFTAB2). Smaller meshes are handled without difficulty. To use large meshes with AutoShade 1.0, EXPLODE them (forming individual 3D Faces) before performing the FILMROLL command. This limitation is removed in AutoShade 1.1. Registered AutoShade 1.0 users will be sent a letter explaining how to update to version 1.1 for free. * An updated version of the ASHADE.LSP file for use with AutoShade is provided with AutoCAD Release 10. See Appendix A of the AutoLISP Programmer's Reference for more information. (The AutoLISP manual states that you must turn perspective viewing off after using ASHADE.LSP's new CAMVIEW command, but this is no longer necessary.) * Updated versions of the AutoFlix files AFLIX.LSP, AFWALK.LSP, and AFKINET.LSP are provided with AutoCAD Release 10. See Appendix A of the AutoLISP Programmer's Reference for more information. TDIBMRD4.0 Page 4 of 9 AUTOCAD AEC ARCHITECTURAL UPDATES * If you're an AutoCAD AEC Architectural 1.5/2.5 customer, we recommend that you upgrade to the latest version of AEC Architectural (2.01/9.0 as of this writing). * If you have AEC Architectural 2.0/9.0 but have not sent in your registration card, we recommend that you do so. An update (to 2.01/9.0) has been sent to all registered 2.0/9.0 users. * AEC Architectural 2.01/9.0 is the proper version to use with AutoCAD Release 10, but has a problem with Attribute prompts when running with Release 10; if you insert Blocks with Attributes, you'll get unreadable Attribute prompts. The problem is due to incorrect usage of the string "\r" in some of the AEC Architectural .LSP files. A patch program to fix this (AECPATCH) is provided with AutoCAD Release 10. The patch, which works only with AEC Architectural version 2.01/9.0, changes the version to 2.02/9.0. This problem will be corrected in a future release of AEC Architectural, and the patch program will no longer be needed. To run the AECPATCH program, perform these steps in this order: 1. Install AutoCAD Release 10 as outlined in the Installation and Performance Guide. 2. Install AEC Architectural 2.01/9.0. If you're already using 2.01/9.0 with AutoCAD Release 9, simply run the RELOAD.BAT procedure as outlined in Appendix A of the AEC Architectural User Guide, entitled "Installing AutoCAD a Second Time", to ensure that the correct ACAD.LIN and ACAD.PAT files are available to AEC Architectural. AECPATCH uses the ACAD environment variable (SET ACAD=<drive>:\aec\a\d) to locate the AEC LISP files. If you've placed this SET statement in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file, reboot DOS to ensure that it has taken effect. 3. If you intend to use AEC Architectural's AUI, install it (if you weren't already using it with AutoCAD Release 9). 4. If you intend to use AEC Architectural's Schedule Manager, check the ACAD.PGP file in your AutoCAD directory. If it doesn't contain the line: dbSCHED,sched,350000,,4 then edit the ACAD.PGP file and add this line to it. 5. Now you're ready to run the AECPATCH program. The patch program is supplied on an AutoCAD release disk; the following table indicates the disk used for each of the AutoCAD release formats. 360KB 5.25" Format - Driver Disk 2 Disk 11 of 11 720KB 3.5" Format - Driver Disk Disk 6 of 6 1.2MB 5.25" Format - Executable/Driver Disk Disk 2 of 4 TDIBMRD4.0 Page 5 of 9 To apply the patch, place the indicated disk in a compatible drive and type the following at the DOS prompt: <drive>: (to make the drive containing the patch disk current) CD \AEC (to make the patch directory current) AECPATCH (to run the patch program) NOTE: The message "ACAD environment variable not found. Aborting..." will appear if you haven't "SET ACAD=<drive>:\aec\a\d". See step 2. 6. If you reinstall AEC Architectural's AUI after running AECPATCH, you'll need to run AECPATCH (step 5) again. The AECPATCH program - copies corrected versions of the files AA23A.LSP, AE081.LSP, and AH18A.LSP into your \AEC\A\L directory, and - searches for the 2.01/9.0 ACAD.LSP file in your \AEC\A\D directory, deletes all occurences of the string "\r" from it, and changes the version number to 2.02/9.0. (The version number is displayed each time the ACAD.LSP file is loaded.) Note that AECPATCH does not update the version number displayed on the AEC screen menu. PERFORMANCE * Release 10 makes heavier use of overlays than did previous versions of AutoCAD. To improve performance (particularly when running scripts, menus, or AutoLISP programs that draw many new entities), we recommend use of a RAM disk for AutoCAD's .OVL files. See Chapter 4 of your AutoCAD Installation and Performance Guide for more information. MULTIPLE VIEWPORTS AND ADI DISPLAY DRIVERS * Release 10's new multiple-viewport feature works best with display drivers that explicitly provide support for it. ADI display drivers written for older versions of AutoCAD (ADI version 3.1 and earlier) should continue to work with Release 10, with the following restrictions: * Drivers that use display-list techniques will get very confused by multiple viewports. Don't use multiple viewports with such drivers. * Non-display-list drivers may clear viewports very slowly. Release 10's ADI 4.0 has new features that allow drivers to clear viewports quickly, and to make effective use of display-list techniques in conjunction with multiple viewports. If you use an ADI display driver and expect to use multiple viewports, contact the manufacturer of your driver to see if an ADI 4.0 version of the driver is available. TDIBMRD4.0 Page 6 of 9 PERSPECTIVE VIEWS * During development of AutoCAD Release 10, we found it necessary to disable many commands while a perspective view was active. The AutoCAD Tutorial (page 67) reflects this, and the Release 10 Reference Manual (page 187) states that the following prompt is issued if you attempt to use these commands in a perspective view. About to regen with perspective off -- proceed? <Y> Most of the command restrictions have now been lifted. The only commands now disallowed in perspective views are ZOOM, PAN, SKETCH, and transparent 'ZOOM and 'PAN. If you enter any of these commands from a viewport containing a perspective projection, AutoCAD now displays the message: This command may not be invoked in a perspective view. and cancels the command. (The DVIEW command's Zoom and Pan options function properly in perspective views.) * Although most commands are now permitted in perspective views, use of a pointing device to designate points is generally prohibited in such views. You can type in coordinates using the keyboard, but if you use a pointing device to enter points, AutoCAD displays the message: Pointing in perspective view not allowed here. Entity selection is the only activity that allows pointing device input in perspective views. Even then, certain commands (BREAK, FILLET, CHAMFER, TRIM, EXTEND, UCS Entity, and DIM by picking) use the pick point for calculations and don't permit the point to be supplied by means of a pointing device in a perspective view. * On page 324, the Release 10 Reference Manual states that the "Window" option for the PLOT and PRPLOT commands is not available for perspective projections. This restriction has been lifted. * If you use the PLOT/PRPLOT "Extents" option with a perspective view active, and the CAMERA position is within the drawing extents, AutoCAD displays the message: PLOT and PRPLOT extents incalculable, using Display and proceeds as though you had used "PLOT/PRPLOT Display". * When plotting a perspective view, an explicit plot scale makes little sense, so AutoCAD ignores it. If you specify a scale factor, AutoCAD displays the message: **Plot of perspective view has been scaled to fit available area.** and proceeds as though you had responded to the "Specify scale" prompt with "Fit". Use the paper size to control the overall size of the plot. TDIBMRD4.0 Page 7 of 9 MISCELLANEOUS CHANGES AND CORRECTIONS * The default setting for the WORLDVIEW system variable is now 1. This variable affects the VPOINT and DVIEW commands, as described in Chapter 6 of the AutoCAD Reference Manual. * The AutoLISP (entsel) function returns a list that includes the point by which the entity was selected. This point is expressed in UCS coordinates. * For some time, the AutoLISP Programmer's Reference has warned application developers to avoid referencing the ATOMLIST symbol list when using the (vmon) virtual function paging feature. Performance-related changes in AutoLISP Release 10 make this more important than ever; the ATOMLIST contents and the order of its items may change if (vmon) is enabled. * It is now possible to OSNAP to the insertion point of an Attribute within a Block. If you use "INSERTion" object snap and point to an Attribute within a Block, the Attribute's insertion point is now chosen rather than that of the Block. Note that if a Block consists entirely of Attributes, there is now no way to object snap to the Block's insertion point. * The FLIP SCREEN function key, all transparent commands, and several AutoLISP functions are now disabled during certain commands, since some displays must redraw when flipping from text mode to graphics mode, and a redraw occurring at critical times could result in an incorrect image. The commands affected are VPOINT, DVIEW, and ZOOM Dynamic. During these commands, the FLIP SCREEN key and transparent commands are disabled, as are the following AutoLISP functions: (entdel) (getangle) (getpoint) (grtext) (entmod) (getcorner) (graphscr) (redraw) (entsel) (getdist) (grclear) (ssget) (entupd) (getorient) (grdraw) (textscr) * In previous versions, the HIDE command had trouble with non-planar 3D Faces and entities that appeared as chevrons or bow-ties when viewed from particular points in space. Sometimes they were hidden incorrectly, and sometimes they were simply drawn as wire-frame images (not hidden). In Release 10, such objects are hidden in a more consistent manner. HIDE now detects anything that looks like a chevron or a bow-tie from the current viewing point, and breaks it into two triangles (with an invisible joining line) for the purpose of hidden-line removal. Any other non-planar face is broken into two triangles along an arbitrarily chosen diagonal. * The AutoCAD Reference Manual warns you not to delete AutoCAD's temporary files while AutoCAD is running (by means of the FILES, SHELL, or SH commands), and lists the temporary files as having file types of ".$a" or ".$ac". For Release 10, the file type ".ac$" should be added to this list. * The examples in the middle of page 74 of the AutoLISP Programmer's Reference are incorrect. They should read: (setq p (cdr (assoc 10 ed))) would return (2.0 2.0 3.5) (trans p e 0) would return (2.0 1.53209 1.28558) TDIBMRD4.0 Page 8 of 9 * The AutoLISP Programmer's Reference states an incorrect range for the values returned by ATAN. The actual range is -PI/2.0 to +PI/2.0. * The following clarifies the purpose of the EXPERT system variable. Some commands issue "are you sure?"-type (confirmation) prompts in odd circumstances, such as when you use the LAYER command to turn off the current layer. When you write scripts, menu macros, or AutoLISP programs that issue command sequences, it is impractical to include responses to these prompts, since they only appear in odd situations. Using the EXPERT system variable, you can suppress these confirmation prompts and let the script, macro, or AutoLISP program proceed with the operation unhindered. If EXPERT is zero, all prompts are issued normally. Nonzero values suppress successively more confirmation prompts; as new prompts are added to AutoCAD, higher EXPERT values control those prompts as well as the older prompts. In Release 10, an EXPERT value of 4 is sufficient to suppress all special-situation confirmation prompts. THE DOS "SHARE" UTILITY * Although explicit network support is not provided, many customers use AutoCAD on networks without difficulty. We have noticed some problems with the DOS SHARE command, however. In order to use AutoCAD Release 10 in conjunction with the DOS SHARE command, a proper "FCBS=" statement must be present in the CONFIG.SYS file. If your CONFIG.SYS file already contains an "FCBS=" statement, you should increase the first value on the "FCBS=" statement (if necessary) until it is at least 40 greater than the second value. If you have no "FCBS=" at all, we recommend "FCBS=48,8". If you use AutoCAD's SHELL or "external commands" feature to run applications that require FCBs, the requirements of those applications should be added to the values you would otherwise have used. DOS 4.0 NOTES * As of this date, IBM's PC-DOS 4.0 and 4.01 are the only versions of DOS 4.0 currently available, and they are not guaranteed to work on any computer other than a true IBM PC/XT/AT or PS/2. Furthermore, Autodesk has not yet certified that AutoCAD runs properly on these versions, even on IBM computers. In particular, the "/X" option on the "BUFFERS=" and "FILES=" statements (in CONFIG.SYS), the FASTOPEN command, the "MODE CON LINES=43" (or "=50") command, and IBM's expanded memory emulator may be incompatible with AutoCAD or Extended AutoLISP. * The memory reserve specified for external programs in ACAD.PGP (for the SHELL and SH commands) must be higher for DOS 4.0, since the command interpreter (COMMAND.COM) requires more memory than it did in previous versions. For DOS 4.0, the minimum memory reserve is about 40K. * If your system has hard disk partitions larger than 32 megabytes, DOS 4.0 automatically loads the SHARE program. Therefore, the SHARE notes above apply to such a system. TDIBMRD4.0 Page 9 of 9 KNOWN PROBLEMS * Release 10's IGESIN command has a few known problems: * Each composite curve is translated into an instance of an anonymous Block. This accurately reflects the geometry of the composite curve, but results in an entity that is difficult to edit. (To edit such a curve, first EXPLODE the Block, forming individual segments.) * Tabulated cylinders are translated as extrusions. The entity's extrusion length and direction may be incorrect if it is not parallel to the World Z axis. * Dimensions and their defining points may be placed incorrectly if they do not lie in the World XY plane. * Early reports indicate that Release 10 may not work with some EGA-clone display adapters that do not provide complete IBM EGA compatibility. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ AutoCAD, AutoCAD AEC, and AutoLISP are U.S. registered trademarks of Autodesk, Inc. ACAD, ADI, AutoFlix, AutoShade, and DXF are additional trademarks of Autodesk, Inc. COMPAQ is a registered trademark of COMPAQ Computer Corporation. IBM, AT, PC-DOS, and PS/2 are registered trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation. Inboard is a trademark and Intel is a registered trademark of Intel Corporation.