Update: Using switches for AutoCAD verticals

When starting elMaster Design the application start will first start the AutoCAD you used last and then load elMaster Design functionality. If there are more AutoCAD products installed you need to make sure the desired product is the one you had last started before starting elMaster Design. Assuming you always want the same version and product there are settings to make switching applications easier.

 

Switches

The following switches are supported both in configuration of Document Start and on shortcuts for stand alone Design.

/product is passed on to AutoCAD and accepts the same input as the native AutoCAD switch. It expects a product shortname like; ACAD, ACADM, MEP

/acadver accepts version as written in the name of the vertical; 2014, 2015, 2016. Version numbers on format R19.1 are currently not supported. Please note that support for this switch was intruduced in 12.2.2.

/p is the native AutoCAD switch for profile. For some starts you may have to refer to an existing profile to get the desired environment. If no profile is specified AutoCAD will be launched and AutoCAD will continue using which ever profile is current.

 

Document start settings in MasterConcept

The configuration of what application to start is found among the document settings; Administration > Settings > Document > Document type. Go to the tab Document Start and look for the columns External Application and Switches.

External Application & Switches

Currently using AutoCAD 2015 while trying out 2016.

The column Switches works very much the same way as adding switches to a program shortcut.

When setting external application to MasterDesign the Design profile is loaded by the document start and there is no need to specify profile.

 

Shortcut for stand alone elMaster Design

The switches above are supported by stand alone elMaster Design by editing the shortcut adding the desired switches.

Shortcut with switches

Shortcut with switches

Product Status

Current Releases

– Master Concept 12.3.3 (Version: 12.3.3.2)
– Master Concept 11.2.6 (Version: 11.2.6.1)
– Master Concept 10.5.7 (Version: 10.5.7.14)
– Master Concept 9.5.1 (Version: 9.0.0.275)

MasterConcept 12.3.3 SR3 Fix3 Released

Version: 12.3.3.2

Information We have released this version on the ftp.

Please Download on the customer web.

MasterConcept 12.2 SR2 Fix3 Released

Version: 12.2.3.17

Information We have released this version on the ftp.

Please Download on the customer web.

12.2, Performance

During the 12.2 version we spent time on several performance issues. We focused on issues as latency problems, SQL area flushing, SQL parsing issues and the save to database functionality.

Note: We are not done there will be areas/modules in the product that will be adressed in the future. But we hope that by addressing these areas you will notice a change.

We think that the changes made are notable even if you have the database close and have no issues with latency. We tested save to database on a drawing in our support environment and then we upgraded to the 12.2 version.

Version 12.1: 13 s
Version 12.2: 7 s

With an environment with higher latency the performance gain will be even more.

Areas/Modules that we have addressed
• Save to database
• Objects in data tab, object list, right mouse button
• Documents in data tab, document list, right mouse button
• SQL across the products are now handles not to be parsed several times

12.2, Document handling

In the 12.2 we keep continue to added functionality to the document handling.

Functionality

  • Document Type Groups – It is now possible to group document types in different groups to make it easier to find the correct document type
  • During checking in of CAL, MIL, GP4 file we now create PDF Viewer file
  • The PDF Merge functionality is now included in the menus (not as a  plugin)
  • Publish Document Property to PDF Viewer File
  • New PDF Plot Setting, Layers – It is possible to decide what layers to be visible during PDF plot
  • Connect Objects to Documents handle multiple Objects
  • New Report in Ribbon for Objects
  • Copy Documents in Ribbon

 

12.2, Grid Functionality

In the 12.2 we added some functionality to the grids. These changes can be found in most grids throughout the products.

Functionality

  • New Column Filter for Dates Columns – Between Dates
  • Filter Field added to Grid Option Menu
  • Best Fit (all columns) added to Grid Option Menu

12.2, Label Functionality

In the 12.2 we updated the label functionality with some new features.

Functionality

  • Filtered Lists (The list can contain different values depending on a other column, like category1 and category2 for objects)
  • Calculated Field for Objects
  • Update functionality for Calculated Field for Documents, can now fetch any data from common item designation
  • Regular Expression Support for Calculated Field
  • Store procedure Support for Calculated Field

Project Log in version 12

With MasterConcept 12 a report type called Project Log is introduced. This type can be used similar to some of the hard coded quick reports for projects that existed in earlier versions. A major advantage is that the reports are now fully configurable as any other document type.

To set up a project log go to Administration > Settings > Document > Document Types and append. If you already have a suitable Document Type in your standard go to the tab Document Start and append a new Variant. Depending on your perspective you probably consider its category to be TSK1 or APPLIST and should name it according with your naming conventions.

Setup of Project Log

Setup of Project Log

A crystal template applist_plog.rpt is included with the file server install. Feel free to use a custom template of your own.

When creating a report of this variant the user will get a question to confirm that the current project is the correct project and the report will connect.

Creating a Project Log

Creating a Project Log

Additional report types were introduced in the same release. For more information on the Mounting Report type and the Project Depending Report type refer to the readme.

Set which AutoCAD to run elMaster Design

When starting elMaster Design the application start will first start the AutoCAD you used last and then load elMaster Design functionality. If there are more AutoCAD products installed you need to make sure the desired product is the one you had last started before starting elMaster Design. Assuming you always want the same version and product there are settings to make switching applications easier.

Settings for MasterConcept

The configuration of what application to start is found among the document settings; Administration > Settings > Document > Document type. Go to the tab Document Start and look for the columns External Application and Switches.

External Application & Switches

Currently using AutoCAD 2015 while trying out 2016.

The column Switches works very much the same way as adding switches to a program shortcut. The following switches are supported both as shortcut and document start setting.

/product is passed on to AutoCAD and accepts the same input as the native AutoCAD switch. It expects a product shortname like; ACAD, ACADM, MEP

/acadver accepts version as written in the name of the vertical; 2014, 2015, 2016. Version numbers on format R19.1 are currently not supported. Please note that support for this switch was intruduced in 12.2.2.

/p is the native AutoCAD switch for profile. For some starts you may have to refer to an existing profile to get the desired environment. If no profile is specified AutoCAD will be launched and AutoCAD will continue using which ever profile is current.

When setting external application to MasterDesign the Design profile is loaded by the document start and there is no need to specify profile.

 

Settings for stand alone elMaster Design

The switches above are supported by stand alone elMaster Design by editing the shortcut adding the desired switches.

Shortcut with switches

Shortcut with switches

 

Depricated

Edited. The tags described below are depricated from 12.3 and the above alternatives are  recommended. Tags are only to be used for older AutoCAD versions before acad.exe had support for the product switch.

As an alternative the settings are also available through the settings file.
%appdata%\Ides\Master Concept 12\Cfg\IdesSettings.xml

IdesSettings.xml

Tags in IdesSettings.xml

To set a preferred version of AutoCAD add the tag SelectedAutoCADVersion and a version number such as; 2014, 2015, 2016.

To set a preferred AutoCAD-product add the tag ElmasterAutoCADProduct and a product shortname like; ACAD, ACADM, MEP.