RobiNZ CAD Blog

Ride/drive distance planning with Windows Map + Ink

Want to plan a ride/drive and just need to know a rough distance for a few options; grab the pen, Map > measure distance, scribble, scribble, scribble, done. The “Pen Directions” option does the same, with turn instructions, between each end of an inked line but tends to be too aggressive enforcing minimum distance between them to plan fun meandering rides. Read more →

Microsoft Font Maker captures your hand writing as a PC font!

Install the Microsoft Font Maker Windows 10 application from the Store. Then just write, with Windows Ink, these characters & symbols: Then these sample sentences: Adjust, if needed, a few simple sliders to fine tune: Save your writing as a True Type Font to use in any Windows application. Read more →

Microsoft Windows reorg’s (again?)

I was surprised to hear of the departure of Terry Myerson, Microsoft Windows & Devices chief, in one of their biggest reorganisations. They are splitting their Windows and Devices (Surface/Xbox) Group across “Experiences & Devices” and “Cloud + AI” Teams. While Microsoft reorg’s are not unusual this one is a sign that the desktop is becoming less important for Microsoft (and the world). Mary Jo Foley has a good summary of the impacts of these changes: Why Microsoft is splitting up Windows in its latest reorganization - All About Microsoft Connecting the dots: Here are some of the whys and... Read more →

AutoCAD’s Windows Reporting Tool

If you are trying to assist someone troubleshoot any software or hardware problem knowing the machine configuration can be a big help. If you have AutoCAD installed there is an easy way to get it in a format that is easy to share. Start AutoCAD then from Command: GRAPHICSCONFIG click the Tuner Log button. You’ll get a text file with detailed system information for processors, disks, monitor drivers/display resolution, operating system version, physical & virtual memory and more. While some of it is AutoCAD specific the “Additional System Info” is a great resource for support staff. Read more →

If you have Apple Quicktime for Windows, uninstall it!

It is a confirmed security risk. Apple confirms that it is no longer supporting Quicktime for Windows - engadget.com Apple confirms that it is no longer supporting Quicktime for Windows If you somehow still have it installed, get it off your machine pronto. Read more →

Microsoft Surface Book Headed To NZ

Tomorrow is today as the Surface Book is already available for pre-order in New Zealand from $2,749.00 (i5, 128GB SSD, 8GB) to $4,899.00 (i7, 512GB SSD, 16GB) at the Microsoft NZ Store. Surface Book Headed To 10 New Markets, Pre-Orders Starting Tomorrow - Petri “Below is the breakdown of when the devices will be available in each market: China and Hong Kong availability beginning January 15. Australia and New Zealand availability beginning January 28. Austria, France, Germany, Switzerland and United Kingdom availability beginning February 18.” Read more →

Windows 10 great, thanks to 8(.1) and Windows Phone!

It took me a while to get the release Windows 10 installed on hardware which does it justice. I’d been trying the ‘insider’ builds on an old machine which only gave me a chance truly test one aspect of Microsoft’s latest operating system: how well it runs on minimal spec hardware. I thought it was impressive Windows 10 installed on a 4 year old Netbook—Atom processor, 2GB ram, 1024x600 screen—at all, let alone run acceptably! It was useful to evaluate the desktop focused user interface improvements in 10, if not their performance. Fixing Windows 8(.1) for the desktop? Although it... Read more →

Windows 10 Available on July 29

Wow, earlier than I’d expected! Looking forward to getting the release on my ATIV Smart PC, Nokia 520 & 1520 and, soon, Surface Pro 3! UPDATE 01/06/2015 23:36 Plus my desktop (which I forgot to mention, bizarre thinking about Windows heritage) and — it appears by the screen spec — perhaps even my old netbook! Hello World: Windows 10 Available on July 29 June 1, 2015 by Terry Myerson Today, I’m excited to share the availability date for Windows 10. In fact, I thought I’d let Cortana, the world’s most personal digital assistant, share the news. You can ask Cortana... Read more →

Microsoft & Trimble take BIM beyond the desktop with Hololens

Trimble featured in the Microsoft Build 2015 (Developer conference) Hololens demo today showing Building Information Models and augmented reality in action. When a model mixes with reality the results are stunning! There’s more info on the Hololens hardware — the first fully untethered, see-through ‘holographic’ computer that will arrive with Windows 10 — in the video below: “Windows 10 is the first platform to support holographic computing with APIs that enable gaze, gesture, voice, and environmental understanding on an untethered device. Microsoft HoloLens, together with Windows 10, will bring high‑definition holograms to life in your world” Source: http://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-hololens/en-us Read more →

MS-DOS Mobile, the future is past

I’ve really enjoyed testing Microsoft’s latest mobile operating system: MS-DOS Mobile. It runs incredibly quickly on my Lumia 1520, once the boot sequence is finished. Typing commands is quick, v1.0 even supports a swipe keyboard which is something Apple didn’t get until iOS 8. The camera app — C:\Camera of course — offers ASCII, B&W or VGA CGA Colour! I tested the ASCII mode with a shot of The Warehouse Sylvia Park store front. Amazing resolution for a mobile device! Sadly Autodesk’s app support for MS-DOS Mobile (none) almost matches their Windows Phone app portfolio! Today (31-3-2015) Microsoft launch MS-DOS... Read more →