Copyright: (c) 1999 ELSA AG


Contents
Your ELSA POWERdraft for AutoCAD 2000 Driver

Please see the README.TXT file’s last section Updates to the Help file. It may contain more recent information than this help file.

Quick Start

Installation        Commands        POWERdraft Settings        Versions/Latest Revisions        Technical Support Information

Overview

Seamlessly integrated into the AutoCAD environment, your POWERdraft for AutoCAD 2000 driver offers significant improvements over existing driver technology. First, your POWERdraft driver provides the fastest and most reliable platform available for AutoCAD. Proven 32 bit display list technology and an intimate knowledge of your ELSA graphics adapter combine to provide an excellent solution for the most demanding AutoCAD for Windows users.

Additionally, your POWERdraft driver includes powerful utilities, the MagniView(*), the MultiView and the Cockpit(*), each designed to accent the AutoCAD drafting environment without inhibiting it. Fully dynamic and integrated through ELSA's SmartFocus technology, each utility is fully transparent to AutoCAD and available during any AutoCAD command.

POWERdraft 3D Hardware Renderer

Supporting AutoCAD’s 3D functionality, the POWERdraft packet includes the 3D Hardware Renderer, which accelerates all of AutoCAD’s 3D viewing modes like 3D Orbit or Gouraud Shaded.

POWERdraft MultiView

Fully integrated into AutoCAD’s MDI environment, the MultiView offers a visual history of previous views, each represented visually on a button face. This gives instant access to any previous view and can be used to record and playback selected views consistently.

Furthermore, MultiView offers a comfortable way of managing AutoCAD’s named views.

POWERdraft Toolbar

The ELSA POWERdraft toolbar provides a convenient way to invoke some of the POWERdraft commands.

POWERdraft Hotkeys

For some very useful actions like Pan, Zoom and RedrawAll, POWERdraft provides configurable keyboard accelerators, so-called Hotkeys. They are available all the time and work transparent.

POWERdraft Drawing Optimization

POWERdraft provides a configurable Display Update cache to accelerate the execution of Lisp scripts.

About Plotting

Technical note: AutoCAD’s display driver (Whip) is part of AutoCAD’s plotting engine, which is new with AutoCAD 2000. POWERdraft only replaces Whip’s display pipeline, but not its plotting pipeline. This means, that AutoCAD’s plotting functionality is not affected in any way by POWERdraft.

(*) not available yet - planned for future versions of POWERdraft

For Help on Help, Press F1


POWERdraft 3D Hardware Renderer

The POWERdraft 3D Hardware Renderer, when configured, is used by AutoCAD 2000 to accelerate all of the 3D viewing modes. These are 3D Orbit, 3D Wireframe, Hidden, Flat Shaded and Gouraud Shaded with Edges On and Off.

After successful installation of POWERdraft, the 3D Hardware Renderer is already configured for use with AutoCAD 2000.

How to change AutoCAD’s 3D graphics configuration

If you want to change AutoCAD’s actual 3D graphics configuration, proceed as follows:

•	Open AutoCAD’s Options dialog via menu item ‘Tools’ / ‘Options...’.

•	Select the ‘System’ tab.

•	Click on ‘Properties’ in the ‘Current 3D Graphics Display’ group box, which opens the ‘3D Graphics System Configuration’ window.

•	In the ‘Acceleration’ group box you can choose the desired driver.

Note:

•	AutoCAD’s original configuration is Software.

•	POWERdraft’s configuration is Hardware with driver file ELSA.HDI (ELSA.HDI is the filename of the POWERdraft 3D Hardware Renderer).


POWERdraft Toolbar

Some POWERdraft commands are easily accessible via the POWERdraft toolbar. At the first start of POWERdraft the toolbar opens automatically.

When the ELSA POWERdraft toolbar is closed, you can open it again via the PdMenu command. If this doesn't help, use the command PdMenuOn.

The toolbar has the following buttons:

	Opens/closes the MultiView - equivalent to command PdMultiView
	Opens the ELSA POWERdraft Settings integrated in AutoCAD’s Options dialog - equivalent to command PdConfig
	Invokes this Windows help about ELSA POWERdraft for AutoCAD 2000 - equivalent to command PdHelp

These and other POWERdraft commands are described in section Commands.


POWERdraft MultiView

Overview

MultiView is completely integrated in AutoCAD’s MDI environment. It can by choice be displayed as a floating window or docked to AutoCAD’s frame. As a docked tool it can share side-bar place with other tools docked to AutoCAD’s frame.

MultiView provides listing and one-click recalls of previous views. In addition, it offers a comfortable way of managing and working with AutoCAD’s named views. According to these two main tasks, the MultiView window is splitted into two scrollable panes. The upper one represents the visual history of previous views, wheras the lower one provides the administration of AutoCAD’s named views. These two panes share the area of the superior MultiView window. A splitter bar separates the two panes and allows for adjusting their relative sizes.

Starting MultiView

The first time you startup AutoCAD with POWERdraft configured, MultiView starts up automatically. However, if MultiView is not visible after AutoCAD has been started, type the command PDMULTIVIEW to AutoCAD’s command line to startup with MultiView. Alternatively, click the MultiView button [image] within POWERdraft’s Toolbar. MultiView automatically restores its latest state the next time you startup with AutoCAD.

Closing MultiView

If MultiView is visible, respectively typing PDMULTIVIEW or clicking the MultiView button [image] again, will hide MultiView. Alternatively use the windows close button to hide MultiView.

Docking and floating the MultiView Window

At first, you can generally allow or disallow docking. Clicking the right mouse button to MultiView’s window area will pop up a context menu:

Click the ‘Allow Docking’ item to respectively allow or disallow docking. Note that only if the ‘Allow Docking' item is marked as checked, docking the MultiView window to AutoCAD’s frame is possible.

MultiView is allowed to dock to each side of AutoCAD’s frame window. Once the MultiView is docked, you can simply float it by double-cklicking the MultiView’s grip. Conversely, if the MultiView is not docked, you can restore its former docking state by double-cklicking the MultiView’s titlebar.

The History of Previous Views

Each time a view in AutoCAD changes, MultiView temporarily stores the previous view. A button holding information about this view will be generated and added to the head of the view history. The view stored with the button will be visualized on the button’s face.

Note that face bitmaps visualizing a paperspace view, only show graphics belonging to that paperspace, like viewport borders. Graphical entities belonging to certain floating viewports in that paperspace will not be shown there.

Additional features are listed below.

One-click recalls

Clicking a button within the view history will immediately restore the underlying view to the current viewport.

Generating a named view using drag&drop

Keeping the left mouse button pressed on a view button starts a drag&drop process offering user-friendly copying that view to the list of named views.

Rearranging the history view using drag&drop

New views will usually be inserted at the head of the history. MultiView offers simple rearranging the view history by drag&drop a view of interest to the desired position in history.

Context menu

Right-clicking a view button pops up a context menu offering default actions like restoring the underlying view or removing the view button from the view history. Updating a button’s face bitmap (see below) is also available through the context menu.

Updating the view button’s face bitmap

For reasons of performance, a view button’s bitmap will not be updated automatically every time you add entities to your drawing. If you want a button’s face bitmap to be updated to show the actual contents of the underlying view, click the right mouse button to open the context menu and choose ‘Restore & Update’. That button’s view will be restored to the current viewport and it’s face bitmap will be immediate updated. All other buttons in history will be marked as invalid by this action and their face bitmaps will be updated the next time you click them to restore their underlying view.

Limitations

Note that the history of previous views gets lost when unloading the corresponding drawing or when terminating AutoCAD.

Administration of Named Views

MultiView comes up with a comfortable way of adminster the named views in your drawing.

Persistency

In contrast to the history of previous views, named views will be stored with your drawing. Named views are accessible as long as you do not delete them actively.

Simple access to named views

All named views within your drawing will be listed by MultiView. Additional informations about named views in your drawing, such as location of the view and whether the view is a perspective view or not, will also be listed. With MultiView, named views are always present, so you can access them whenever you want.

Generating a named view using drag&drop

Another goal is generating a named view out of the history of previous views. This is simply done by dragging a view button from the history of previous views. After dropping the view button to the list of named views you may name that view, so it will be stored with your drawing. Note that if you do not name that view. it will get lost when unloading the corresponding drawing or when terminationg AutoCAD.

One-click recalls

Restore a named view simply by clicking its item in list. This action is also available via a context menu (see below).

Simple renaming

Rename a view by first highlighting its label and once more clicking the label so it becomes editable. This action is also available via a context menu (see below).

Context menu

Restoring and renaming of named views is also available via a context menu popping up when right-clicking the named views item in list. Deleting a named view is also available via that context menu. Rename and delete operations can be undo via AutoCAD’s undo operation.

Sorting by name

Click the ‘Name’ header in list to sort all views by name.

MultiView’s Toolbar

MultiView’s Toolbar provides a fast access to MultiView’s functionality.

 Add the current view to the history of previous views

Clicking this toolbar button adds the current view to the history of previous views, unless it is not already stored. Especially, this function is useful, when the history is locked.

The equivalent command is PdAddView

 Remove all views from the history of previous views

A click to this toolbar button empties the whole history of previous views. Note that there is no undo operation for this action. You can no longer recall removed views from the history.

 Lock the history view

Prohibit the default behaviour, which implies automatically saving the previous view to the history each time a view changes.

The equivalent command is PdLockHistory1

 Unlock the history view

Once you’ve locked the history view as described above, the buttons icon changes showing a closed lock as you see. This is just to memorize MultiView’s locking state. Unlock the MultiView again by clicking that button.

The equivalent command is PdLockHistory0

 Launching help

Click this to open help about MultiView.

Settings:  MultiView

The MultiView configuration dialog is available via AutoCAD’s options dialog. Open that dialog through AutoCAD’s ‘Tools’ menu and the subitem ‘Options...’. Activate the MultiView tab within the tabbed dialog to get access to MultiView’s settings.

MultiView provides the following options.

Use images with Named Views

If activated, the list of named views provides an additional icon left to the view’s label. This icon is thought to give a kind of visual hint to the view stored. This option is deactivated by default.

Allow switching from Layout to Model

If activated, non-paperspace views, when restored from a paperspace view, will be restored to the last active viewport. This may imply a precedent switch from Layout to Model if the last active viewport was a modelspace viewport. If this option was deactivated, Layout will be preserved. This option is deactivated by default.


SmartFocus

ELSA's SmartFocus technology, used in all POWERdraft windows, eliminates the switching of Windows input focus between POWERdraft utilities and AutoCAD's drafting window. After having used a function in one of the utilities, keyboard input or cross hair movements will make AutoCAD's window the active window immediately. An explicit click as in other drivers is not required.


POWERdraft Installation

The driver supports AutoCAD 2000 under Windows NT4.0 and Windows 95/98.

Requirements

To install the ELSA POWERdraft driver you need:

•	AutoCAD 2000 already installed.

•	Microsoft Windows NT4.0 or Windows 95/98

•	ELSA Synergy or ELSA GLoria graphics board - see the header of the README.TXT for list of supported ELSA graphics boards.

•	ELSA's display driver for the used Windows version

•	CD “WINNERware” or floppy disk “POWERdraft for AutoCAD 2000”

Installation

•	Installation from CD: Start CDSETUP.EXE in the root directory of your WINNERware CD. You can double click CDSETUP.EXE in the Windows Explorer.

•	Installation from floppy disk: The POWERdraft installation set consists of several floppy disks. Start SETUP.EXE from the first one. During installation you will be requested to insert the other disks.

•	Installation from a separate directory: The POWERdraft directory contains several subdirectories called DISK<n>. Start SETUP.EXE in subdirectory DISK1.

•	The driver will be installed in a separate driver directory.

•	SETUP creates a program group containing four icons:
- POWERdraft Help: Invokes this help file.
- Configure POWERdraft: Configures POWERdraft as AutoCAD’s display driver.
- Configure Original Driver: Configures AutoCAD’s original display driver (Whip).
- Uninstall POWERdraft: Removes POWERdraft from the system.
NOTE: The two Configure... icons only work while AutoCAD is not running.

Access Rights

At setup time SETUP needs write access to the following directories:

•	AutoCAD directory: SETUP generates the file PD15PATH.INI, which holds the driver path, here.

•	AutoCAD subdirectory ‘DRV’: SETUP copies the POWERdraft Hardware Renderer ELSA.HDI to here.

•	Driver directory: SETUP copies almost all POWERdraft files to here.

•	Windows System directory: SETUP may replace the system DLLs MSVCRT.DLL and/or MFC42.DLL with actual versions.

•	Windows directory: SETUP generates the file DSELSA15.INI, which holds the POWERdraft settings, here

At execution time POWERdraft needs write access to the following directories:

•	Driver directory

•	Windows directory: POWERdraft updates its settings in DSELSA15.INI when it finishes

At configuration time the configuration utility needs write access to the following directory:

•	AutoCAD directory: The display driver configuration (POWERdraft / AutoCAD’s original display driver) is changed by exchanging the display driver dll DSWHIP.DLL


POWERdraft Commands

POWERdraft for AutoCAD defines additional Commands to be used in AutoCAD.

PdAddView (MultiView command (*))	Saves the actual view to the history array of MultiView, unless the actual view has already been saved.
PdConfig	Opens AutoCAD’s Options dialog, where the POWERdraft Settings are located.
PdCpAddView (**)	obsolete - use equivalent PdAddView instead
PdCpFix (**)	obsolete - use equivalent PdLockHistory instead
PdHelp	Invokes windows help about ELSA POWERdraft.
PdLockHistory (MultiView command (*))	Locks/Unlocks MultiView‘s history (toggle).
PdLockHistory0 (MultiView command (*))	Unlocks MultiView‘s history, if currently locked
PdLockHistory1 (MultiView command (*))	Locks MultiView‘s history, if currently unlocked
PdMenu	opens the POWERdraft toolbar.
PdMenuOn	same as PdMenu except that the POWERdraft toolbar will be positioned in the center of AutoCAD's drawing area. This is useful e.g. when the POWERdraft toolbar was shifted out of the visible area due to docking other toolbars.
PdMultiView	Opens/Closes the MultiView (toggle).
PdMultiView0	Closes the MultiView, if currently open
PdMultiView1	Opens the MultiView, if currently closed
PdVer	prints the version number of POWERdraft in AutoCAD’s text window

(*) These commands are only available, if the corresponding tool is open.

(**) These commands are implemented only for downward compatibility to POWERdraft for AutoCAD R14. They will be removed in future releases.


POWERdraft Settings

The POWERdraft Settings offer a personal user configuration of the driver and the provided Tools. The Settings dialog is integrated in AutoCAD’s Options dialog.

To open the POWERdraft Settings enter the command PdConfig or click the [image] button within the POWERdraft toolbar or simply open AutoCAD’s Options.

AutoCAD’s Options dialog is extended by the following POWERdraft Settings pages:

•	  POWERdraft (see below)

•	  MultiView

Settings:  POWERdraft

This page of the POWERdraft Settings contains the following groups:

•	Driver Version: This field contains the version number of POWERdraft.

•	Hotkeys: Within this group, you can configure POWERdraft’s Hotkeys.

•	Display Update: With this slider you can configure the level of Drawing Optimization.

NOTE: The settings will be written to the file DSELSA15.INI in your Windows directory. Do not edit DSELSA15.INI while the driver is running, as the driver will overwrite your changes when it terminates. Normally there is no need to edit this file manually.


POWERdraft Hotkeys

POWERdraft provides some very useful actions accessible via configurable keyboard accelerators, so-called Hotkeys. They are available all the time and work transparent inside AutoCAD.

Integrated in AutoCAD’s Options dialog, POWERdraft offers a comfortable way to configure the Hotkeys.

How to configure Hotkeys

(1)	Activate the [image] POWERdraft tab in AutoCAD’s Options dialog

(2)	Inside the Hotkeys group, select the appropriate Action within the action list field.

(3)	Click in the Hotkey field and type the desired key combination for the action.

(4)	For some zoom and pan actions an additional Parameter is required, which can be changed in the edit field (1) (2).

See the default key combinations listed below.

Action	Description	Default Hotkey	Parameter
pan down	Shift the drawing downward by pan offset	<Alt><DOWN>	Pan Offset = 0.25 (1)
pan left	Shift drawing to the left by pan offset.	<Alt><LEFT>	Pan Offset = 0.25 (1)
pan right	Shift drawing to the left by pan offset.	<Alt><RIGHT>	Pan Offset = 0.25 (1)
pan up	Shift drawing upward by pan offset.	<Alt><UP>	Pan Offset = 0.25 (1)
pan to center	The current cursor position becomes the new view center.	<SHIFT><F1>	-
redraw all	Force a redraw all (3)	<SHIFT><F2>	-
zoom +	Zoom-in by zoom factor. The current cursor position serves as zoom center.	<SHIFT><F3>	Zoom Factor = 1.5 (2)
zoom + center	Zoom-in by zoom factor. The current view center  serves as zoom center.	none	Zoom Factor = 1.5 (2)
zoom -	Zoom-out by zoom factor. The current cursor position serves as zoom center	<SHIFT><F4>	Zoom Factor = 1.5 (2)
zoom - center	Zoom-out by zoom factor. The current view center  serves as zoom center.	none	Zoom Factor = 1.5 (2)

Notes:

(1)	A Pan Offset of 1.0 corresponds to the current view size.

(2)	The given Zoom Factor is used for ‘Zoom +’. ‘Zoom -’ uses ‘1 / Zoom Factor’.

(3)	A Redraw All may be useful to quickly correct display errors, such as a wrong entity display order after an edit operation.

Note: If a chosen key combination has a function in AutoCAD, then this function won't be available any more.


POWERdraft Drawing Optimization

POWERdraft provides a configurable display update caching. If enabled, POWERdraft caches graphics output, while AutoCAD is in non-interactive mode, e.g. while executing a Lisp script. Depending on the Lisp script, the caching may accelerate it’s execution significantly.

When AutoCAD enters interactive mode, the display is always updated immediately.

How to configure Drawing Optimization

(1)	Activate the [image] POWERdraft tab in AutoCAD’s Options dialog

(2)	Inside the Display Update group, adjust the slider to one of four positions. The extreme positions are Immediate and Intensive Caching:
When in Immediate mode, the display is always updated immediately. No caching is done at all. This is the only mode, where the cache is disabled.
When in Intensive Caching mode, display updates are cached, while being non-interactive (e.g. during Lisp script execution). The display is updated about every 2 seconds as visual feedback.
The two modes between offer a lower intensity of caching.


Versions
Version Report / Latest Revisions

Version History

Version 15.00

Version 15.00.04

•	First version of POWERdraft for AutoCAD 2000

•	Includes the 3D Hardware Renderer to accelerate AutoCAD’s 3D viewing modes.

•	Includes the brand new MultiView

•	Includes configurable Hotkeys for some very useful actions.

•	Includes configurable Drawing Optimization to accelerate execution of Lisp scripts.

•	Includes POWERdraft Settings to configure POWERdraft. They are integrated in the AutoCAD Options.

•	Includes new POWERdraft Commands.

Version 15.00.06

•	ELSA Synergy Force is supported

•	ELSA GLoria II Pro is supported.

•	The 3D Hardware Renderer showed some display errors when using a display resolution, where software OpenGl is used. This problem has been fixed.

Version 15.00.07

•	fixed: The Uninstall was incomplete.

Known Problems and Restrictions

•	This version of POWERdraft does not include any 2D graphics acceleration compared with the original display driver. This is planned for future releases.

•	This version does not support multi screen.