LD Assistant used for "Deal or No Deal" show.

As the Assistant Lighting Designer and Draftsman for NBC’s hit game show ‘Deal or No Deal’, Simon Cleveland used the symbol library of LD Assistant to quickly create extensive plots and paperwork for Lighting Designer Michael Veerkamp. Cleveland, whose main focuses are theatrical and television lighting, said, “I really use it because it has a very intuitive interface…It makes my job easier.” Cleveland also commented that a background in AutoCAD made it the obvious choice, due to its RealDWG integration. “By knowing AutoCAD, I was able to move right into it. I have had theaters that forced me to use other software solutions. With LD Assistant, I didn’t have to learn something new.” The industry standard design and paperwork solution from Design & Drafting Software is a ‘Powered by RealDWG’ application, guaranteeing that files are created, edited, and saved in a native AutoDesk file format, eliminating data-corrupting file conversions between designers.

LD Assistant at Houston’s Second Baptist Church

From day one of a massive lighting overhaul for Houston’s Second Baptist Church, LD Richard Cadena’s creative and technical workflow relied on industry-standard LD Assistant from Design & Drafting Software. “I started using LD Assistant when another lighting CAD program I had
choked on a large AutoCAD file an architect had sent me for a lighting design project I started, and I've been using it since.” Making full use of the built-in features, Cadena said, “I use it to draw my plot, build 3D models, calculate my illumination, and create renderings.” From there, Cadena creates everything from equipment inventories to electrical plans; all inside of a native AutoCAD file format. “What makes it the best solution is that it uses an Autodesk AutoCAD engine, so it's compatible with AutoCAD. When I send out files, I never have problems with compatibility issues. It just works.”

Blue Water Technologies of Grand Rapids, Michigan, is using LD Assistant

Blue Water Technologies of Grand Rapids, Michigan, is using industry standard design software, LD Assistant, to communicate the details of projects from beginning to end. Mark Wilson, Creative Director at Blue Water Technologies, says that he has a creative drafting background, and that the groundbreaking application from Design & Drafting Software offers him a huge advantage in three key areas of his workflow. “I use it as a sales tool with my customers, as a production tool with my staff, and as a management tool with facility managers. The 3D visuals allow me to quickly show my customers the added value of specific project choices, while the timeline features allow me to use it as a working document for the crew. I am able to offer a full production schedule to facility managers, helping to ensure that I don’t end up with a cocktail round set up where I have to hang a truss.”

LD Assistant at Cine Services, Inc.

Cine Services, Inc., of St. Louis, has recently finished a spate of systems integration projects, relying heavily on the industry standard LD Assistant application from Design & Drafting Software. John Burkley, owner of Cine Services, commented that the bulk of the company’s work is design and installation of dimming and control systems for small, medium, and large facilities. “I love the fact that when an architect sends me an AutoCAD, I can open it up with LD Assistant, add in the control and dimming, then send it right back in the exact same format.” As a ‘Powered by RealDWG’ application, LD Assistant handles all AutoCAD files natively, eliminating import and export procedures that can corrupt or destroy embedded data. Burkley added, “For me, the most important part of LD Assistant is the AutoCAD platform.”

Tips & tricks in LD Assistant

System Variables - The Cool Stuff. LD Assistant/AutoCAD has dozens of system variables - so many; in fact, it's tough to keep track of them all. I thought it might be useful to mention a few that will solve a problem or just make your everyday drawing life a little bit easier.

1. OSNAP - OSNAP can be both helpful and frustrating at the same time when it comes on and you do not want it to. The next time you need to snap to an object give this a try. Turn off OSNAP by putting your cursor over the OSNAP button and do a right mouse click. Now turn off OSNAP by using the clear all button. Close and start to draw a polyline. When you need to snap to another object, just hold down the SHIFT key and hit the right mouse button and up pops the right context menu with all the snaps available.
   
2. FILEDIA - Today I just had someone who needed this command. If you are no longer getting the file dialog when you're issuing such commands as OPEN or SAVEAS - make sure this is set to 1.
   
3. SURFTAB - Sets the number of tabulations to be generated for the RULESURF and TABSURF commands. Also sets the mesh density in the M direction for the REVSURF and EDGESURF commands.

More useful commands.

1. SAVEIMG - Saving an image of what's in the drawing area - The next time you need to save a line drawing or a rendering. On the command line type SAVEIMG and hit the enter key. This opens up a dialog box that allows you to save the image.
   
2. GROUP - A group is a saved set of objects you can select and edit together or separately as needed. Groups provide an easy way to combine drawing elements that you need to manipulate as a unit. If you enter - group at the Command prompt, GROUP displays prompts on the command line, /Order/Add/Remove/Explode/REName/Selectable/Create. ctrl + a turns grouped objects on and off in LD Assistant.
   
3. RENAME - Use RENAME to change the names of these objects. You can also use RENAME to view a list of all blocks and definition table entries in the current drawing. You can use the wild-card characters * and ? to rename groups of objects. You can't rename some standard objects, such as layer 0 and the CONTINUOUS linetype.
   
4. ALIGN - Use ALIGN to move, rotate, or scale objects into alignment with other objects. Add source points to the objects you want to align, and add destination points to the objects which you want the source objects to align. You can add up to three pairs of source and destination points to align an object.
   

Are You Using DWF? - Let's face it - at some point in time you're going to need to send your designs to someone who doesn't have AutoCAD...so what is your preferred method of choice? I'd say most of us choose one of the following three:

1. Print the drawing out and physically mail it.
2. Convert the drawing to PDF and email it.
3. Convert the drawing to DWF.

I like using #3... DWF files are Smarter, Smaller and Simpler...and you don't have to purchase any extra software to create a DWF file like you do with that "other" file format. It's easy to publish your design as a DWF out of Design & Drafting and Autodesk design applications. Then tell your clients to simply download the free DWF viewer from the Autodesk website or you can get it right here: Free DWF Viewer.
PDF is definitely the best format for many types of files. Use it all the time at Design & Drafting. But when it comes to your design information - DWF is a much better route to take. You spend all that time working hard on your drawings - why would you risk sending them out in a second-rate format? You want your drawings to shine! You wouldn't print them out on a dot-matrix printer would you? Over 7 million of the DWF viewers have been downloaded from autodesk.com. Check it out today!

Adding textures to LD Assistant

See what a texture will look like before mapping it to an object. Advanced previewing allows user to see what textures look like before selection. With the release of LD Assistant 04, you can add images for textures as easy as dropping them into the LD Textures folder. Keep the image size to under 800 X 800 pixels. Once you have added the texture, you will be able to see the image of the texture in the LD Materials Palette. The new palette allows a clear review of what the texture will look like when attached to an object.

Grouping objects in LD Assistant or AutoCAD

Enter GROUP in the Command line, to display the group dialog box. Ctrl + a, turns a group on or off. By turning off a group, one object in a group can then be removed, then turn the group back on using ctrl + a.

• To create a group:
  1) At the Command prompt, enter group.
  2) In the Object Grouping dialog box under Group Identification, enter a group name and a description.
  3) In the Create Group area, click New. The dialog box closes temporarily.
  4) Select objects and press ENTER.
  5) Click OK.
  
• To toggle group selection:
  At any time, toggle group selection on and off by pressing either CTRL+H or SHIFT+CTRL+A.
  
• To delete a named group:
  At the Command prompt, enter GROUP. In the Object Grouping dialog box, select the group name from the list of groups. Under Change Group, choose Explode. Choose OK. The group is deleted.
  
• To reorder group members:
  At the Command prompt, enter GROUP. In the Object Grouping dialog box under Change Group, choose Reorder. In the Order Group dialog box under Group Name, select the group to reorder. To view the current order of this group, choose Highlight. In the Object Grouping dialog box, choose Next or Previous to view the objects. Choose OK when you have finished viewing the order of the objects. In the Order Group dialog box under Remove From Position, enter an object number. Then under Enter New Position Number for the Object, enter a new position. Under Number of Objects, enter the object number or range of numbers to reorder. Then choose Re-Order. Choose OK to close each dialog box.

Save a snap-shot of your work to BMP, TIFF or TGA in LD Assistant

SAVEIMG is a command that will save any drawing or rendered image in the drawing, defines the format and position of a rendered image. Format Specifies the file format of the rendered image. BMP Saves in device-independent bitmap format. Image files are saved as either 8 or 32 bits per pixel (bpp) depending on the operating system (OS) video color depth setting. Portion Specifies the portion of the image to be rendered. Specify lower-left and upper-right points to define the image selection area. If you use the pointing device, the selection is reflected in X and Y under Offset and Size. Offset & Size Specifies a partial image in pixels. Only positive values are allowed. The lower-left corner of the image is 0 pixels in X and Y. The upper-right corner of the image is the maximum number of pixels in X and Y, which depends upon the resolution of the display area. If you specify size before offset, you can get results that you don't expect. The most predictable way to define size and offset is to specify offset first. Offset Defines the lower-left XY position of the image selection area. The default is 0,0. When you specify a nonzero offset, the number of pixels in Size can change to reflect the remaining number of pixels to the upper-right corner of the display area. Size Defines the upper-right XY position of the image selection area. The default is the upper-right corner of the display area. Reset, Resets the Offset and Size values to the full screen defaults. When configured for rendering to a viewport, resets the Offset and Size values to the size that corresponds to the option selected under Portion.

Open LD Assistant or AutoCAD Faster

Disable the Digital Signature Validation Options. If you find that it takes a long time for LD Assistant or AutoCAD to load, you may want to read the following: On your desktop, right-click on the LD Assistant or AutoCAD icon and pick "Enable/Disable Digital Signature Icon". In the "Signature Validation Options" dialog box, uncheck "Display digital signatures and display special icons". Restart your computer. What does this do? Well, LD Assistant loads shell extension which determines if a file is digitally signed by displaying a specific icon. To determine whether a file is digitally signed, the shell extension looks into each drawing file before displaying it. If a folder contains many drawings, like your template folder, it will take longer to open.

One Button VIZLink for LD Assistant

Included with LD ASSISTANT™ is a ONE BUTTON transparent link to VIZ. With one button, your lighting, textures, objects and even animation paths are transported into VIZ or 3D Studio. LD ASSISTANT ™ makes your life easier and your presentations better. If communicating designs and ideas to others is a part of your business, then take a close look at LD ASSISTANT. It's an easy to use package with sophisticated, streamlined, intuitive lighting and animation wizards. LD Assistant ensures that you will get started quickly without having to become a CAD or animation expert to produce outstanding work quickly.

Training CD helps VectorWorks users easily migrate to LD Assistant

New LD Assistant interactive training CD helps new and existing users with visual information they need to be successful in learning LD Assistant or AutoCAD w/LD Assistant . Migrating Vectorworks users find it easier to understand the tools and the CD is an easy way to make the transition. By using the training CD, users can better understand the design flow and see the correct command or drawing tool to use when creating an object. Autodesk started in 1984 and now has over six million AutoCAD users. Other CAD companies that started around that time have only a few hundred thousand users. Over the years AutoCAD has become the defacto. No wonder everyone wants to import and export the DWG file format.

Scaling Blocks in LD Assistant

If you use blocks that were drawn in METRIC, you will need to scale them. LD Assistant can do the work for you. Without any object being selected, right mouse click on the drawing area, the context menu will appear. At the bottom of the menu click on Options tab, when the combo-box opens select User Preferences. In the DesignCenter area look for Source Content Units. Now, click on the dropdown and change inches to Millimeters then click the Apply button and close the Options combo-box. Now, when you drag a Metric block into the drawing, LD Assistant will scale the blocks from metric to English for you. Remember to change this setting back to INCHES after you have finished working with the Metric blocks.

LD Assistant Training at LDI 2006

Attendees at the LDI 2006 sponsored CAD classes received manuals, training and demo CDs and a free copy of CADContent software from Design & Drafting. The class was a huge success with a wide range of designers attending. Design & Drafting is looking forward to working with LDI next year at LDI-2007 Orlando.

LD Assistant at LDI 2006

Being the only full CAD program with built-in DMX control and high-end rendering, LD Assistant was the hottest product at LDI. "This was one of the best shows we have ever participated in," says Rufus Warren of Design & Drafting. "The people just loved LD Assistant."

Block and Texture Content Exchange Challenge

Design and Drafting Today Announced the Block and Texture Content Exchange Challenge. Lighting Designers & Event Planning Professionals can have Free Access to over 6,000 objects.

• Need a Block or Texture? Share a Block or Texture! We've seeded the MyBlocks web page with over 6,000 blocks and textures. We’ve included architectural, event planning, entertainment lighting, theatrical lighting, printed circuit board layout, residential, commercial blocks and textures. Blocks include, lighting fixtures, sound cabinets, tables, chairs, skirted tables, risers, podiums, rigging, track lights, tile, doors, windows, props, scaffolding, switchers, truss, drapery, pipe & boom, electrical, capacitors, connectors, diodes, PCB, resistors, transducers, transistors, transformers, residential, restaurant, commercial and another 20 categories. Visit www.ldassistant.com/myblocks to see the review pages of what’s to come.
  This online content is designed to benefit professionals seeking blocks and textures.
  
• We invite you to submit your blocks and textures today! Our goal is to offer designers who submit blocks and/or textures FREE access to MyBlocks. We need your help so sign up, login and submit! MyBlocks will go live in the first quarter of 2007.
  
• Only Design & Drafting Users and Contributors will have access! We have limited the access to the blocks and textures to only contributors, users and professionals who have purchased a pass. Submit your blocks and textures today for your passport to the industry’s largest block and texture library.

Contributors are required to sign a statement that the blocks and textures are theirs and they are giving Design & Drafting legal rights to redistribute the blocks and textures. The contributor of blocks and textures will be credited as author. Tell us what you like and dislike about MyBlocks, and how we can improve it, and we will do our best to make the changes. Restrictions do apply.

TES Productions recently held training sessions

Design & Drafting Software has announced that TES Productions of Tulsa, Oklahoma, recently held training sessions for its designers on the LD Assistant package of lighting design and paperwork software. LD Assistant offers designers an industry standard drafting solution built on Autodesk’s ‘RealDWG’ developer platform.

Victoria Event Productions chose LD Assistant

Design & Drafting Software has announced that Victoria Event Productions recently chose LD Assistant software as its primary tool for designing and laying out events. Built on Autodesk’s ‘RealDWG’ platform, LD Assistant has become the industry standard lighting design and paperwork solution for event planning and production companies.

AVW-TELAV Canada has added seats to its existing LD Assistant license

Design & Drafting Software has announced that AVW-TELAV Canada has added seats to its existing LD Assistant license. AVW-TELAV Audio Solutions is a Freeman Company whose services support the meeting, convention and exposition industries throughout North America. By using LD Assistant, AVW-TELAV is able to offer its design staff an industry standard design and paperwork solution based on Autodesk’s AutoCAD line of CAD products, which allows them to spend less time worrying about proprietary file formats and more time on their clients’ needs.

Australia’s John Rayment has moved to LD Assistant

Design & Drafting Software has announced that Australia’s John Rayment has moved to LD Assistant software for his lighting design drafting and paperwork solution. Rayment is known throughout the industry for his groundbreaking designs, which have been seen in settings such as the opening and closing ceremonies for the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney and the 2005/2006 New Year’s Eve display in Singapore’s Marina Bay. LD Assistant offers Rayment an industry standard drafting solution that is completely compatible with Autodesk AutoCAD products.

CMA has added LD Assistant to its repertoire of design tools

Design & Drafting Software has announced that the New York based architectural firm CMA has added LD Assistant to its repertoire of design tools. With its ‘Powered by Autodesk RealDWG’ functionality, LD Assistant has become the industry standard lighting design and paperwork solution. For users of Autodesk AutoCAD products, LD Assistant ensures that DWG and DXF files are handled natively, offering a seamless design environment for end-users.

University of South Florida added additional seats to the LD Assistant lab

Design & Drafting Software is pleased to announce that the University of South Florida has recently added additional seats to its current LD Assistant lab. With a theatre program that boasts intensive studies in the disciplines of performance, theatre arts, and design, the university relies on LD Assistant to teach students industry standard practices in design.

Warner Audio-Visual upgraded to LD Assistant

Design & Drafting Software has announced that Warner Audio-Visual, of Frankford, Illinois, recently upgraded their company’s design platform to licenses of LD Assistant. The industry standard for lighting design and paperwork software, LD Assistant offers users complete interoperability with Autodesk’s AutoCAD range of products, making use of Autodesk’s ‘RealDWG’ development environment, ensuring that drawings made in LD Assistant will always be cross-compatible with all other ‘RealDWG’ applications.

AVHQ added LD Assistant to its Marriott River Center

Design & Drafting Software has announced that Audiovisual Headquarters (AVHQ) has recently added LD Assistant software to its Marriott River Center office in San Antonio, Texas. With the addition of this industry standard lighting design and paperwork solution, AVHQ continues to offer full-service audiovisual equipment and technology support via their on-site offices in some of the country’s most prestigious venues.

Theatre Academy of Finland adopted LD Assistant

Design & Drafting Software has announced that LD Assistant software has been adopted by the Theatre Academy of Finland for their state of the art design lab. Founded in 1979, the Theatre Academy operates mainly in Helsinki, with the Department of Sound and Lighting Design based out of Tampere. Marko Saarijarvi, Information Systems Specialist for the Department of Lighting and Sound Design, chose the industry standard lighting design and paperwork solution for the new lab.

Polynesian Cultural Center has added LD Assistant

Design & Drafting Software has announced that the Polynesian Cultural Center has added LD Assistant, the industry standard lighting design and paperwork software, to its design department. Opened on the Hawaiian island of Honolulu in 1963, the PCC was created to preserve the traditions of eroding island cultures. Today, the PCC functions as an extension of BYU-Hawaii classrooms, with over 750 students paying for their educations by working at the cultural center.

Douglas Anderson School of the Arts has created LD Assistant 20-seat lab

Design & Drafting Software is proud to announce that the Douglas Anderson School of the Arts has recently created a 20-seat lighting design lab based on industry standard lighting design and paperwork software LD Assistant. The Duval County magnet high school in Jacksonville, Florida, offers public school students a rigorous regimen of training in their chosen fields, including music, theatre, dance, and film and televison.

Swank Audio Visuals added its 100th licensed seat

Design & Drafting Software has announced that Swank Audio Visuals recently added its 100th licensed seat of the industry standard lighting design and paperwork solution LD Assistant. An internationally respected A/V company, Swank Audio Visuals strives to create the perfect event for every one of their clients. To ensure this level of success, they provide their employees with cutting edge tools, such as LD Assistant, to support the creative and technical process of producing one of their client’s events.

German software support center QConcept OHG at LDI tradeshow

Design & Drafting Software is happy to announce that the owners of German software support center QConcept OHG had a successful trip to this year’s LDI tradeshow. Ben Marquardt and Rubin Kuester, whose company offers support to regional users of LD Assistant software, were very pleased in the increased sales of the industry standard lighting design and paperwork solution. Getting a glimpse at some of the upcoming enhancements to the platform, Marquardt said that he is looking forward to another great year in 2007.

Looking for support center in Australia

Design & Drafting Software, makers of the industry standard lighting design and paperwork solution LD Assistant, has announced that it is actively looking for a support center in Australia to provide full-service support to its regional customers. Interested parties can contact Design & Drafting online at LDAssistant.com.

MPG added more seats

Design & Drafting Software is pleased to announce that Multimedia Presentation Group (MPG) of San Diego have recently added seats to their existing installation of LD Assistant software. MPG is a fast-growing West coast firm that is quickly becoming a national leader in Audio-Visual services. Mike Prince, whose company services clients across the nation, says that the industry standard lighting design and paperwork solution has become the company’s platform of choice for all of its lighting and event planning designers.

Yesterday. Today. Tomorrow.

Yesterday. Today. Tomorrow. You need solutions that aren’t just focused on your design processes, but that directly impact business and how you’re able to get it done. For over 3,000 users in over 20 countries, LD Assistant is the right solution for more than 19 years.

• LD Assistant Ac - Full 2D/3D CAD Application (stand-alone) built w/AutoCAD2004/5 for Theatrical & Entertainment Lighting design. 2D/3D Plots, Event Planning, Production, FX rendering Animation and Real-time Show Visualizer.

• 
  
  LD Assistant PL - Plug-in for AutoCAD®, ADT, or MCAD with Theatrical & Entertainment Lighting design, 2D/3D Plots, Production, Event Planning, FX rendering Animation and Real-time Show Visualizer.

LD Assistant at University of Wisconsin at Madison

Design & Drafting Software has announced that the University of Wisconsin at Madison has added LD Assistant software to their lighting design curriculum. Ann Archbold, a tenure-track professor and USITT Director at Large, specified the industry standard lighting design and paperwork solution as part of the school’s lighting design syllabus.

Objects library of seven thousand will go online

Design & Drafting Software, makers of the industry standard lighting design and paperwork solution LD Assistant, has announced that it will soon open the industry’s largest online CAD block and texture repository. Using Autodesk’s ‘i-drop’ technology, the library will open with more than seven thousand available blocks and textures designed specifically for Theatrical and Entertainment Lighting Design as well as Event Planning. The database is slated to go online at LDAssistant.com in the first quarter of 2007.

LD Assistant is powered by RealDWG

Design & Drafting Software has announced that their industry standard lighting design and paperwork solution, LD Assistant, is ‘Powered by RealDWG’ application. This designation provides customers a guarantee that all LD Assistant files are 100% compatible with Autodesk’s full line of AutoCAD products. Rufus Warren, President of Design & Drafting, says that, “Our users can trust that the data in LD Assistant files can be easily read by Autodesk products,” adding that their customers have been looking for this type of assurance when investing in a design and paperwork solution. LD Assistant is the only software of its kind to carry the ‘Powered by RealDWG’ logo.