Getting Started with the Smart Client Extension for AutoCAD
Smart Client Extension for AutoCAD
Getting Started with the Smart Client Extension for AutoCAD
As part of your facilities data, you may want to include CAD (Computer-Aided Drawing) drawings. For example, you can have CAD drawings of each of your buildings' floors, and these floor plan drawings can include such information as the floor's boundary and the boundaries of the rooms, suites, and vertical penetration areas located on the floor. You can also include other information, such as depictions of your furniture, equipment, and telecom devices.
If you include CAD drawings in your project, Archibus can open them for editing with the Smart Client Extension for AutoCAD and link their content to your database.
Additionally, you can save your CAD floor plans to enterprise graphics so that Archibus can embed the floor plans in Archibus reports and views, and you can access the floor plans in Archibus mobile apps.
Note : Archibus also supports an Extension for Revit. See Smart Client Extension for Revit: Overview .
Setting your AutoCAD Tool
To access your CAD drawing tool from the Smart Client, you must first select a CAD application as your user preference. You select this drawing preference from the Smart Client using the Setup / Preferences command on the Ribbon. See Setting Drawing Preferences.
Autodesk Vertical Packages
Autodesk vertical packages are not officially supported by Archibus.
Autodesk maintains that their vertical packages built on AutoCAD are binary compatible and will run third-party applications like Archibus unchanged. Therefore, you can load the Archibus Smart Client Extension in programs such as AutoCAD Civil 3D, AutoCAD Map 3D, AutoCAD Mechanical, AutoCAD MEP, AutoCAD Electrical, AutoCAD P&ID, AutoCAD Plant 3D, Autodesk Topobase Client, AutoCAD Structural Detailing.
To use the Archibus Extension with an AutoCAD vertical, use the instructions below to create a shortcut to start that AutoCAD vertical with the Extension functionality loaded:
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Copy an existing desktop shortcut that launches the vertical for AutoCAD .
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Modify the properties for that shortcut and replace the profile name with the one corresponding to the Extension profile name that was just created when enabling their version-flavor of AutoCAD.
- For example, change of the profile value from "AutoCAD MEP (Global)" to "Smart Client Extension for AutoCAD".
- Before: "C:\Program Files\Autodesk\AutoCAD 20xx\acad.exe" /ld "C:\Program Files\Autodesk\AutoCAD 2013\AecBase.dbx" /p "AutoCAD MEP (Global)" /product "MEP" /language "en-US"
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After: "C:\Program Files\Autodesk\AutoCAD 20xx\acad.exe" /ld "C:\Program Files\Autodesk\AutoCAD 2013\AecBase.dbx" /p "Smart Client Extension for AutoCAD" /product "MEP" /language "en-US"