Should the CAD Manager be taking this approach?

[Dman2900]

I work for a company who has a CAD Manager who has been sending out some very interesting emails.....

One email concerns the use of the "wipeout" command. He states that we should not be using it because it will not function correctly on everyones machines because everyones machines are not set up the same way.

My response was that it is not the "wipeout" command that is the problem then, it is that the machines are not set up the same way.

Another response from another Sr. CAD person was that we should be drafting to the lowest common denominator for the CAD version and drafting skills of the drafting departments and not by fixing the problem.

I think if that is the case why do we have CAD, and why don't we just go back to board drafting....

I only point out this one item due to the fact it is the most recent thing that has happened. There are others, but I will not waste any more time...

Please, anyone, tell me if I am looking at this the wrong way or should I push the issue and try to get all of the CAD machines to be set up the same at installation. I am not talking about custom settings, tool bars, background, etc......just the basic way it is installed and set up so the basics are the same.....

Thanks for the comments in advance.....

[Hedgehog]

Whilst I agree that everyone should be able to use the tool, that they are extremely qualified to use, to the best of their ability to get the job done efficiently & effectively, I do have a personal hatred of the WIPEOUT entity/command... it messes up drawings on a regular basis & pdf's & plotters habitually error on them. Also there have to be certian standards within a large office environment... these should not, however, effect your productivity... if they do get them changed.

[chrisdarmanin]

wipe out with pdf doest work quite well... i agree about saving to acad 2000. i am the only draughtsman with the only acad and i still save in acad 2000. its just to make sure people that receive the drawing can read it if they have an earlier version. its just a precaution.

[NBC]

wipe out with pdf doest work quite well...

that depends on the pdf writing software you use.
I have 2 different one's and both of them work fine, no probs

[Hedgehog]

I'm glad... you seem to be the exception...

http://www.cadtutor.net/forum/search.php?searchid=245107

... the problem is not only that it can error in the pdf/plot as you produce it, but that it draws differently on different plotters.

[chrisdarmanin]

i once worked with a comapny and used wipeout quite a lot and saved in pdf. then when i started working where i work now i reveved the drawings that i had made in the previous company in pdf, when i plotted them the wipeout areas came as large black areas...

[philotoole]

Wipeouts have always - since AutoCAD 2004 been a bit of a problem,
its more to do with the interpretation of the .PDF file and how it is plotted on different plotters/printers. It may look fine on the screen but comes out black or stripped when printed. In some cases the latest drivers for printers fixes the Problem - but not always. Try using a shade/hatch colour of 255 which comes out as white and get around the problem. You can tell your CAD Manager its nothing to do with the way AutoCAD is set up. Goodluck

[Dman2900]

Ok, I understand about the "wipeout" command and the problems......But I think what I was getting at was missed, or I didn't state it properly.....

What I was getting at was that the CAD manager knows of a problem, i.e. CAD stations not set up properly, and is just ignoring it and instead of finding a solution to a problem he is just telling everyone to ignore the problem and not even worrying about fixing it.

The other point I was trying to make was that the Sr. Drafter wants everyone to draft at the lowest common denominator and to the lowest drafting skill level of the drafting department. Which this really bothers me.......I have 20 years of CAD under my belt and now they are telling me to just forget all of my knowledge and to draft at a level that even "Little Johnny" can draft at that has only a year or so of CAD under him so our files will be the same if someone else needs to look at them. I find that to be quite insulting! Why should I lower my skills, why shouldn't "Little Johnny" raise his to try and meet my skills. I can see a compromise, but not the way they are looking at it......

What I guess what I was looking for was reassurance that:

1. I should take issue w/ the CAD Manager about not fixing problems and not just over looking them because it is easier.

2. Not to lower my skill level just because "Little Johnny" is still wet behind the ears when it comes to his CAD skills.......

Any thoughts?

[Hedgehog]

1. yes you should.
2. no you shouldn't.

I think I said that pretty much in my 1st post :)

[StykFacE]

The other point I was trying to make was that the Sr. Drafter wants everyone to draft at the lowest common denominator and to the lowest drafting skill level of the drafting department.
Man, your Sr. CAD guy and I would be exchanging some SERIOUS words. Do not let this guy bring you and your company down like this at all. I can't even begin to explain the stupidity of making an entire company degrade their drafting ability to suit a sub-par drafter. At my office, if you are sub-par, you had better learn quick or you'll be out of a job. It's our quality standard that we hold in our office and that is final.

Let me know how it goes after you gripe this Sr. CAD guy out for being an idiot with no desire for the company to grow or progress. 8)

[SLW210]

I would draft to the best of my ability and if Little Johnny couldn't keep up or plot my wipeouts, I would tell Little Johnny to get with the program and the CAD manager would get a earful as well.

[DANIEL]

I love being at the top of my totem pole.

[StykFacE]

what the hell is a toem poll? haha :wink:

[DANIEL]

what? I said totem :D

[StykFacE]

haha. good recovery. :wink: