BricsCAD v21 Pro - some bugs I encountered so far. November 2020 in 3D Modeling. Export to 3D PDF doesn't work:' exportpdf The specified module could not be found. C:Program FilesBricsysBricsCAD V21 enUSOdPrc2PdfModule21.415.tx' Exploding non-uniformley scaled block doesn't work with 3D Solids - maybe it's by design? What's new in BricsCAD Pro V21 A full library of Parametric Blocks -lets you easily manage all of your Parametric Blocks, across different files and projects. 3D geometry-driven constraints -Turn ANY parameter of your 3D model into a geometry-driven constraint. Use the PARAMETRIZE command to detect parametric elements. In V21, BricsCAD consists of four editions: BricsCAD Lite, BricsCAD Pro, BricsCAD BIM and BricsCAD Mechanical. BricsCAD Lite offers familiar 2D CAD drafting functionality with powerful LISP customization. BricsCAD Pro is the geometry engine for the DWG-based CAD revolution. First, it handles the 2D drafting workflows you need today.
BricsCAD ® Pro V21, adds more than just new modeling features. Portions of our modeling core have been refactored, to better utilize multi-threading, wherever possible. These are the types of improvements that you should expect from your CAD software vendor! This year all the functionality of BricsCAD ® Platinum has been brought to BricsCAD. BricsCAD Pro v21 offers new and enhanced tools to improve performance and compatibility as you work individually or in a collaborative environment. If you know AutoCAD, you already know BricsCAD Leverage what you already know with full command, script, macro and menu compatibility with the industry-standard CAD program. BricsCAD feels like home!
When we worked up our procedure for importing Lidar into Civil3D a couple months ago, we realized there were way too many steps and way too many hoops to jump through. Hoops preparing the data, through Recap to prepare a RCP/RCS, through Civil3D creating a point cloud, and finally creating the surface. Highly trained professionals have more important things to do with their time than spend it like a well trained circus animal jumping through hoops, so we did something about it.
We decided to release a small subset of our C3DTools, to allow Civil3D users the ability to go straight from Lidar data to a TinSurface. It utilizes the Civil3D API to generate the surface, so it’s Civil3D doing the triangulation, not us. We are reading the points, filtering out only those you want, and pumping them in. Here are the tools we considered needed for the task.
And along comes Bricsys with their implementation of TinSurfaces (for end users and in the API) in BricsCAD v20 Platinum and lately in BricsCAD v21 Pro. This allowed us to port this popular collection of free tools to BricsCAD. As of Nov 15, 2020 the (DotSoft ZIP File) download below also includes DLL files for these BricsCAD versions! The only tool that doesn’t work in BrisCAD is LIDARPROJ (process works in our MapWorks product).
| Tool | Description | BCD | C3D |
|---|---|---|---|
| LIDARCONV | Prompts for a selection of files then converts them to LAZ for maximum compression and compatibility with the tools below. For maximum speed and file integrity, this tool uses RapidLasso’s LasZip for file conversions (with permission). | √ | √ |
| LIDARLIST | Creates a detailed report displayed in your default browser, ready to print. Includes point count, coordinate window, elevation min/max and optionally classifications and subcounts. | √ | √ |
| LIDARMAKE | Create a LAZ file from Tin/Grid surfaces (classification 2 for ground). Includes a surface sampler that writes out points on an virtual grid (user supplies interval) draped onto the surface for reducing existing overly dense surfaces. | √ | √ |
| LIDARPLOT | Plots selected lidar files as point objects in the drawing. Beware that AutoCAD tends to slow down significantly and/or become unresponsive or unstable with massive amounts of points. A separate session is highly recommended. | √ | √ |
| LIDARPROJ | Prompts for a selection of LAS/LAZ files, source and target system names. Then uses AutoCAD’s projection engine to convert the points to the new system (including elevation scaling). New file (with target code appended to name) stored in LAZ format using RapidLasso’s LasZip for maximum file integrity. | √ | |
| LIDARTHIN | Creates a reduced point copy of a dense file with various filters. Currently includes Interval (very useful for contours only) and optional elevation min/max removal. Echos percent reduction of each file at command prompt. | √ | √ |
| LIDARTILES | Prompts for a file selection of LAS/LAZ files, then draws rectangles in model space representing the extents of those tiles. Label information includes file name, min/max elevation and total number of points. Optionally include classifications found and the number of points for each. | √ | √ |
| LIDARTIN | Prompts for a file selection of LAS/LAZ files, which classes to use (separate multiples with a comma), then a rectangular window for your area of interest. Any points in a file that fall outside the window are not included. Any files selected that fall outside the AOI are not even scanned for points (saved time). | √ | √ |
This means you can have a massive collection of Lidar files (smaller tile the better) and simply select them all, window off your area of interest and in a short wait, have a TinSurface object ready to work with.
LAZ, The Best Format:
We included support for LAS purely for convenience, but the best file format for your Lidar data present and future is the LAZ file format. It typically consumes about 18% of the space the LAS (or Recap) formats would, and roughly 1.5% of the space an ascii XYZ file would! Other considerations.
- All major lidar products support the LAZ format for read/write.
- The file format is open, documented and free libraries exist for it.
- There are numerous tools available to manipulate these files.
So next time you order Lidar data, tell your provider “LAZ Format” please. Also specify maximum granularity since each small LAZ tile has a bounds header, software can skip an entire file if it’s outside your current area of interest.
Video Demonstration: Voice instructions in Spanish, but screen capture text is English.
Download LidarTools:
Zip File Instructions:
- Extract the ZIP contents to a folder (like D:CADSTUFF).
- Start Civil3D or BricsCAD (if not already running).
- Issue the NETLOAD command.
- Browse to the folder from line one above.
- Choose the appropriate DLL for your CAD version.
- Click the [Open] button.
Zip File Notes:
- If you have problems NETLOADing, you may need to unblock the DLLs using Windows Explorer.
- After the first manual load, the add-on will automatically load for subsequent sessions.
- Netloading from network drives may fail, consider using a local drive/path (like D:CADSTUFF).
- All CAD engine sessions must be closed before DLLs can be deleted or updated.
- You can safely delete any LidarTools20##.dll you are not using.
Bricscad V21 Pro Download
| Revision | Tool | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 20170920 | LIDARTILE | Added width, height, thickness in label and zoom extents (to all) after drawing. |
| 20171011 | LIDARPLOT | Added initial version. |
| 20171011 | LIDARTHIN | Added initial version. |
| 20171011 | LIDARMAKE | Added initial version. |
| 20171011 | LIDARLIST | Added initial version. |
| 20171022 | Various | Now using extended point count when standard count is zero, to handle LAS 1.4 format change. |
| 20180714 | All | Included new LidarTools2019.dll for Civil3D 2019 compatibility. |
| 20190606 | All | Included new LidarTools2020.dll for Civil3D 2020 compatibility, support for LAS 1.4 points. |
| 20190708 | All | Corrected loading problem with 2020 version, revised ZIP file. |
| 20191003 | All | Added LidarTools.cuix file, use CUILOAD command to load. If not shown, right click any tab > Show Tabs > Add-Ins. |
| 20200415 | All | Included new LidarTools2021.dll for Civil3D 2021 compatibility. |
| 20201115 | All | Included new LidarToolsBC20.dll for BricsCAD v20 Platinum compatibility. |
| 20201115 | All | Included new LidarToolsBC21.dll for BricsCAD v21 Pro compatibility. |
Bricsys launched BricsCAD V21, available at different 5 license levels:
BricsCAD Lite , BricsCAD Pro , BricsCAD Mechanical , BricsCAD BIM and BricsCAD Ultimate.
Changes of BricsCAD V21 compared to BricsCAD V20:
BricsCAD Classic V20 | BricsCAD Lite V21 |
BricsCAD Pro V20 | Removed |
BricsCAD Platinum V20 | BricsCAD Pro V21 |
BricsCAD UltimateV20 | BricsCAD UltimateV21 |
BricsCAD BIM V20 | BricsCAD BIM V21 |
BricsCAD Mechanical V20 | BricsCAD Mechanical V21 |
Now it is possible to 3D constraint 3D Polyline between their vertices and edges, making it easier to manage the dimensions of 3D Polyline shapes before creating 3D symbol from 3D Polyline.
GEOMETRY-DRIVENCONSTRAINTS
Now it is possible to switch parameters created by constraint commands to geometry-driven mode. When changing dimensions of symbol these geometry-driven parameters will be changed according to these dimensions.
DMCHAMFER
Chamfer command can now create asymmetrical or symmetrical edges with 2 different distances depending on the requirements of symbol, creating chamfer edges like this will help us reduce time to create chamfered edge in 2D according to the requirements of symbol.
Types of chamfer:
Constant asymmetrical chamfer
Constant angular chamfer
Variable symmetrical chamfer
Variable asymmetrical chamfer
Variable angular chamfer
DMFILLET
Now that the fillet command can create a fillet with 2 different radiuses, creating fillet like that will help us save more time when creating fillet depending on 2D requirement of symbol.
DMTHREAD
For round or conical 3D symbol, we can now create a separate thread for symbol and it can be shown on the 2D drawing, making it possible to create thread without having to create thread on the 2D drawings of symbol.
MESHES
This year Bricsys has made huge improvements to the way BricsCAD handles meshes.
Mesh Properties
There are now more mesh options in the properties panel. Including properties of mesh sub-entities such as faces, edges and vertices.
Improved displaying of mesh geometry
The improve display of mesh, not only looks good, it also makes dimensioning and editing way easier.
Convert Mesh to Solid
You can now convert Meshes dirrectly to solids using the new ConvToSolid command.
In addition, SketchUp files imports have been greatly improved. Importing Sketchup files is faster and more accurate. For BricsCAD V21, Sketchup entities are imported as named blocks and render materials and textures now, also imported.
MANIPULATOR ENHANCEMENTS
Do even more with the Manipulator, in BricsCAD V21. Check out the HotKeyAssistant for hints and use the Ctrl key to cycle through options.
Preserve connections during rotations
You now have the option to preserve connections during a rotation. This means that all adjacent entities will be extended automatically, drastically improving your 3D modeling speed and saving you oodles of time.
Move or rotate vertices with full control
For BricsCAD V21 you can also move or rotate vertices with full control. You now have the choice to move vertices, with or without triangulation
CIVIL
CORRIDORS
Beside the possibility of creating topographic, now Civil also allow the creating of infrastructure like road, railway, bridge… by using corridor commands. This group of commands is a useful tool to create roads, bridges that lie along topographic depending on your creativity.
Bricscad V21 Pro
BALANCE GRADING VOLUMES
Use the new GradingBalance command to calculate and execute the optimal position of a new building project balancing the cut and fill volumes of your TIN grading; ensure that the fill area matches the cutaway and save yourself the time and energy transporting large quantities of dirt.
CIVIL 3D IMPORT
Bricscad V21 Pro Price
Further improving the open CAD possibilities of BricsCAD Pro, The new Civil3DImport command enables you to create multiple civil entities, from an external Autodesk® Civil 3D drawing, in one operation.