Product category:
Data, bibliographic and document management software
News Release from: CADnection | Subject: CADnection
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial
Team on 25 February 2008
Software eases CAD sharing
AutoCAD users are able to check-out/check-in their drawings and reference files to SharePoint from within the AutoCAD interface.
CADnection provides a seamless exchange between AutoCAD, the widely used engineering and architectural drafting program and SharePoint, Microsoft's integrated suite of server capabilities for facilitating information-sharing, content management, search and business process acceleration CADnection unifies the strengths of AutoCAD and SharePoint by improving productivity, overall product quality and time to market for AutoCAD users of all kinds
The CADnection solution has been designed to use SharePoint's ability to manage and ensure the integrity of drawings and reference files (XREFS), facilitate search and retrieval based on drawing content and control access to drawing data both internally and externally.
SharePoint is a single platform for intranet, internet and extranet applications that enables businesses to manage content, improve business insight and simplify internal and external collaboration.
Simon Floyd, Worldwide Industry Technology Strategist for Product Lifecycle Management, Microsoft says, "SharePoint's strength as a platform for collaboration in an industry context is exemplified by CADnection".
"The CAD data management needs of construction and engineering operations are well addressed with this solution, which provides the ability to manage CAD files, their dependencies and metadata in one easy-to-use environment".
AutoCAD users are able to check-out/check-in their drawings and reference files to SharePoint from within the AutoCAD interface.
Anyone with an internet browser can access these drawings in the same manner as any other documents managed in SharePoint.
Special features allow for a quick search, view and launch of AutoCAD projects.
Optional wizards guide the exchange processes between AutoCAD and SharePoint, including search, check-out and check-in activities, making the network easy to navigate.
Access controls and other security measures can be assigned within the SharePoint environment.
"We are excited about bringing such a powerful, yet simple solution to the market", says David Wolfe, Chief Marketing Officer for CADnection.
"CADnection is designed to allow users immediate use of the integration".
"AutoCAD users can now seamlessly take advantage of SharePoint's content management and collaboration capabilities".
SharePoint delivers a full set of data management capabilities, which meet the needs of engineering and architecture organisations, including access controls, the locking and unlocking drawings and reference files, revision management, as well as extensive collaboration and workflow capabilities.
Within the AutoCAD application, users can quickly search and retrieve drawings based on metadata and/or content via the SharePoint search engine.
Additional integration features include the ability to map AutoCAD drawing properties and attribute tags to SharePoint properties.
Information from the AutoCAD file may also be updated to SharePoint during the check-in process.
Likewise, drawing properties maintained in SharePoint can be updated and reflected back in the AutoCAD file during check-out.
CADnection uses the Microsoft .NET framework adopted by Autodesk.
As a result, users maintain the functionality and strengths of each application.
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