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Thread: Working with Subcontractor - AutoCAD 2012 and LT2006?

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    Default Working with Subcontractor - AutoCAD 2012 and LT2006?

    First, I apologize if this isn't the best sub-sub-forum; I'm a bit overwhelmed by the organizational structure here.

    Second, a little intro: I do CAD work (surprise!) for a small cast stone & precast concrete manufacturer. When I say "small," I mean there are four of us in the office. Not four drafters: four office employees! I've been in this specific sub-field for about five years now, and have slowly developed a fairly comprehensive and vast set of standards, from blocks and templates to plot styles and layers and... I'm sure everyone here gets the picture. Though I don't always have as much time as I'd like to stay on the "cutting edge" with new features, I've come to rely pretty heavily on dynamic blocks, annotative scaling, and the sheet set manager. For a while now, this has felt like a Good Thing™ overall, saving time and repetition. And repetition.

    Here's where my problem begins; lately, I've been swamped. With a one-person drafting department, there isn't much room for shuffling work around when things get really far behind, so we're bringing in some help. While I've worked with this individual before and have utmost confidence in his drafting abilities, he's going to be using his own copy of AutoCAD (had to twist work's metaphorical arm to get a recent, non-light version to use myself; currently using AutoCAD 2012, but on subscription, just lacking time to move to 2013), and he has AutoCAD 2006 LT. I've been trying to research exactly which features were present in that version, but haven't had much luck. But I'm absolutely sure sheet sets are out, about 90% sure dynamic blocks are out, and fairly sure annotative scaling is out.

    So my questions are in regards to how well I can expect my standards to "save back" to the version he'll be using, and how far I'll need to go to get it to work. Will I need to use E-transmit / Archive on a drawing that has dimensions with every annotative scale I can imagine being needed, and dynamic blocks inserted in every conceivable state, in order for him to have what he needs? How well with this even work? Am I better off re-doing the "vital" stuff from scratch, with a lack of the aforementioned features in mind?

    My apologies for the ginormous amount of questions here, but I've never been on this end of the version-gap before, and would appreciate any advice you guys & gals could offer. Thanks!

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    Certified AUGI Addict jaberwok's Avatar
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    Default Re: Working with Subcontractor - AutoCAD 2012 and LT2006?

    Even full acad2006 wouldn't support a lot of the stuff that you have spent a lot of your employer's time developing let alone LT.
    Your sub-contractor needs to upgrade - perhaps your employer would help (doubtful). I wouldn't even attempt to work with his current setup.

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    Certified AUGI Addict cadtag's Avatar
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    Default Re: Working with Subcontractor - AutoCAD 2012 and LT2006?

    Quote Originally Posted by jaberwok View Post
    ....Your sub-contractor needs to upgrade .
    I've got to agree 100 percent with that. Frankly I'd be leary to begin with of a sub who did not maintain his production tools, whether in CAD, auto repair, or any other arena. I'm not saying he needs to be (or even should be) on the bleeding edge, but LT 2006 is not exactly adequate for much beyond line drafting.

    If you're not going to pay him enought to justify upgrading, perhaps he could look into BricsCAD as a better alternative. I _think_ that that package now supports sheetsets.

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    Mod / Salary / SM Wanderer's Avatar
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    Default Re: Working with Subcontractor - AutoCAD 2012 and LT2006?

    I have to agree with the others. While your drawings might appear okay saving them down for him, once he edits those entities (annotative text or dynamic blocks), you'll have a mess on your hands round-tripping.

    As for which features were introduced in which releases, this might be informative:

    AutoCAD LT new features by release:
    r2010-2013
    2007-2010

    AutoCAD new features by release:
    2010-2013
    2007-2010
    2005-2008
    Melanie Stone
    @MistresDorkness

    Archibus, FMS/FMInteract and AutoCAD Expert (I use BricsCAD, Revit, Tandem, and Planon, too)
    Technical Editor
    not all those who wander are lost

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    Default Re: Working with Subcontractor - AutoCAD 2012 and LT2006?

    Quote Originally Posted by Wanderer View Post
    As for which features were introduced in which releases, this might be informative...
    Thanks! Looks like we might be able to hang on to some dynamic block functionality... and that's about it. Sigh, about what I expected.

    I'd personally prefer to see an upgrade too, but since he's likely to get 10-15 hours per week (this is a part-time, after the "day job" gig for him) for maybe a couple of months, it is understandably difficult to justify on his end. And of course, getting my work to help out or even understand these issues is... problematic.

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    Default Re: Working with Subcontractor - AutoCAD 2012 and LT2006?

    You, in 2012, need to use -EXPORTTOAUTOCAD command (note there is a dash in the name) to "export" and save down the files when sending to the 2006 user (LT or full, the 2006 versions of AutoCAD do not support many 2012 abilities). eTransmit is the completely wrong tool to use.
    Or better yet, since they are working for you, is you pony-up the cost of LT2012 ($952 at amazon.com right now) for them to use, or they do it, or you seek out another individual that is more current (2009 or higher).

    As a side note: it is very difficult and very time consuming to send out one office's standards to an outside vendor and expect them to master it/get it right. YOu all may want to rethink what exactly you are outsourcing and how much management time you are willing to devote to it. Outsourcing adds to your workload through management of the results you get back, it does not lighten it up your daily workload.

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