Once you log in, use the filters to find the types of classes you want to take. Click the link given to each class. Scroll down to the bottom of that page and click the SUBMIT button. As far as I can tell this will cast your vote for the class.
Voting ends at midnight, May 8th PDT.
There are four classes in particular that I think you will enjoy.
Create, Implement, and Maintain a CAD Standards Manual
Applying Parametric/Geometric Constraints in Dynamic Blocks with AutoCAD 2010
Applying AutoCAD 2010 Parametrics in Daily Designs
Two-Handed CAD: Do less work to get more finished.
All four classes were proposed by ME! Ok, so I am a little bit biased, but that’s ok. If you don’t want to vote for them that’s ok. It will let me know that you are not interested in this type of class. I would hope that you will be able to know what the class is about by its title. The CAD Manual class will discuss reasons to create a CAD Manual, methods of creating it, implementation, and maintenance. I don’t care about text formatting, or anything like that, just the reasons behind it. Why do you need a standards manual? How do you make it? When to make it? How to make sure people are following, and so on.
I proposed two different classes in the new Parametric Constraints introduced to AutoCAD 2010. One deals with using them in a design drawing, while the other focuses on using them in Dynamic Blocks. I feel that these are two different subjects because you apply the constraints differently in either use. Blocks are a finite system and it is much easier to apply constraints. Design drawings are much more complex so it is more difficult to apply them. There are methods that we can use with these new tools that will make using them much easier, especially for those that use our files after we’ve constrained them.
And my favorite class proposal, “Two-Handed CAD: Do less work to get more finished.” This title might not be as obvious as the others, so I will explain. Two-Handed CAD is a topic that I have discussed here on CAD-a-Blog several times (check out my How to be more Efficient in AutoCAD Series). It is a method of using AutoCAD whose purpose is to increase efficiency. So this is an efficiency class. The Two-Handed CAD method has the users take advantage of using both hands to draw. One uses the keyboard while the other uses the mouse. It focuses on mouse and keyboard input, not icons or menus (with exception of course.) The theory proposes that doing less work will increase drawing speed. For example; It is quicker to input keyboard commands while moving the mouse rather than moving the mouse back and forth across the screen to initiate commands, then draw. There’s more to it than just keyboard and mouse input. This class will look at using tool pallets, the Ribbon, fields, sheet sets, and other tools in AutoCAD design to automatically complete tasks for you. If the computer does the work for you, you will have less work to do, therefore you will get done quicker!
Let’s say there are 10 tasks to do in revising a drawing and that each task takes about the same amount of time to do. If I can get the computer to do 5 of those for me, then I will get the work done in half of the time. If it takes me 10 minutes for each task, that’s 100 minutes of work. Not if AutoCAD does it for me. Now it’s 50 minutes of work. This may be an over simplification of the idea, but I want it to be clear. Draw with both hands and automate functions.
Regardless of what you are looking for, go and vote for your classes. It is but yet another way Autodesk can hear from you. Tell them the types of things you want to learn about.
