Autodesk^® CAD Overlay^® 2000

With the availability of low-cost, high-performance document scanners, the market for software to view, convert, manipulate, and plot scanned image data has grown significantly. The Internet offers a limitless supply of image data including scanned and computer-generated maps, photos, and other graphics essential to architects, engineers, designers, surveyors, mappers, and drafters in all disciplines.

AutoCAD^® 2000 software includes the Image Support Module (ISM), which provides basic viewing and plotting capabilities for raster imagery within AutoCAD. Other vendors offer products with varying levels of imaging functionality. What is the case for selecting Autodesk^® CAD Overlay^® 2000 software? Simply put, CAD Overlay is the most widely used raster application for AutoCAD, and AutoCAD is the most widely used PC design software product in the world.

The basic need to be met is as old as CAD. CAD users have legacy hard-copy drawings, photos, and imagery from other sources. While vector-based CAD uses true geometry to define graphic elements, scanned images are raster files made up of pixel data. Users need to access raster data in today’s CAD system for drawing conversion, hybrid raster/vector applications, drawing modification, and presentation graphics.

AutoCAD 2000 software includes the object-based Image Support Module (ISM) for image insertion, display, and plotting. Image objects, now defined by the AutoCAD drawing database, may be copied, moved, resized, and deleted using standard AutoCAD commands. However, the images may not be edited, manipulated, exported, accurately scaled or transformed to meet the demands of many users.

Autodesk CAD Overlay 2000 extends the functionality of the ISM for image editing, interactive raster to vector conversion, Raster Entity Manipulation (REM), unlimited point rubbersheeting, and support for geo-referenced images. Key features such as Raster Snap, Intelligent Object Erasures, Multi-Image Insert, Image Masking, Image Enhancement, and Conversion tools offer benefits not available in AutoCAD.

For example, Raster Snap allows the user to snap to a raster edge, intersection, endpoint, or center point of a raster entity while inside any AutoCAD command. Specific conversion tools then create vector geometry with Snap and Verify accuracy. Autodesk CAD Overlay prompts the user to verify lengths, widths, angles, and radii to create precise CAD drawings suitable for mechanical engineering or architectural applications. In hybrid applications, Raster Snap allows the user to precisely place CAD entities or objects for clean, detailed drafting. Paper drawings that require only small changes, such as a modified architectural floor plan, may be updated, saved, and plotted quickly and accurately, saving hours or days of redrafting.

In another example, Image Enhancement tools allow color images to be converted to binary, so scanned color maps may be quickly converted using LFX line-following features to create 3D contour drawings.

Until AutoCAD Release 14, Bentley MicroStation led in the raster feature area. Bentley offers separate modules with imaging functionality, including Descartes™, GeoGraphics™, and ReproGraphics™. Descartes and ReproGraphics are developed by third parties. Descartes is the image engine for GeoGraphics. Imaging functionality is divided among the modules.

Autodesk looked to developer applications to compete in accounts requiring raster features. AutoCAD 2000 adds considerable raster image functionality with the ISM, incorporating a new image object that permits raster images to be manipulated like any other AutoCAD entity. Now AutoCAD has the more advanced raster image technology. And CAD Overlay is also an Autodesk product. Users will be confident with a one-vendor solution for complete raster and vector functionality in AutoCAD. The basic justifications for selecting AutoCAD 2000 over MicroStation are clear:

• AutoCAD is the most widely used PC design software product in the world.
• An estimated 80 percent of all CAD drawings in the world are in DWG format.
• The most important technology advantage for AutoCAD is its object technology.
• AutoCAD has basic functionality to import raster data from virtually any source.
• CAD Overlay raises the standard for imaging applications in AutoCAD.
• Customization tools AutoLISP^®, VBA, ADS, ObjectARX™, and MFC are available for AutoCAD.
• Autodesk has a network of more than 1,000 Autodesk Training Centers around the world.

Autodesk recognizes the continuing need for third-party developers to produce new imaging applications for AutoCAD. These companies offer a broad range of tools, with alternative functionality such as fully automatic vectorization, optical character recognition, and document management. To assure interoperability, imaging applications using the AutoCAD 2000 ISM can access imagery inserted by any other ISM-compliant application.

As the leader in raster applications for AutoCAD, CAD Overlay has been used successfully for over 10 years. Now Autodesk CAD Overlay continues to set the standard for imaging by extending the object-based raster functionality of the ISM in AutoCAD 2000.

Image Systems originally introduced three AutoCAD-based products in 1988: CAD Overlay ESP, for scanned binary images, CAD Overlay LFX, for interactive line following, and CAD Overlay GSX, for gray-scale and color imagery. Over 35,000 users took advantage of the productivity gains of these applications.

Under Softdesk^® leadership beginning in 1994, features were developed to better integrate the program into AEC and GIS applications. Users, however, continued to see the benefits of CAD Overlay in all CAD applications including mechanical CAD and data management. These early CAD Overlay products were continuously updated to support new AutoCAD and Softdesk releases. The user base increased to approximately 100,000 during this period.

Softdesk CAD Overlay 7.5, released in 1996, was the first ObjectARX application for AutoCAD Release 13. It combined the features of ESP and GSX, and performed most functions at least 50 times faster. For the first time, raster images were objects in the AutoCAD drawing database, allowing standard AutoCAD commands to manipulate them. Softdesk^® 8 Imaging software from Autodesk, including CAD Overlay and CAD Overlay LFX, was introduced to support AutoCAD Release 14 in June 1997. Image objects were now defined by AutoCAD in the DWG file.

Autodesk CAD Overlay Release 14, available in October 1997, first introduced Raster Entity Manipulation, the Mask Object, and full support for localization in AutoCAD Release 14. Autodesk CAD Overlay was the first Softdesk product to be fully integrated into the Autodesk processes for development, testing, support, sales, and marketing.

Autodesk CAD Overlay 2000 is a component of Design 2000, Autodesk's integrated software solutions for the new millennium. This new generation of design software meets the needs of design professionals across many industries, from architecture and building design to geographic information systems (GIS), from land development to mechanical design. Founded on the new AutoCAD® 2000 technology, Design 2000 solutions will provide users with the right tools to help you achieve design innovation and a competitive advantage.

CAD users require a cost-effective solution for integrating scanned paper drawings and photographs for conversion, revision, and presentation graphics. AutoCAD is the clear choice of design and drafting professionals. Autodesk CAD Overlay 2000 is the natural solution for imaging applications on all AutoCAD 2000 products.