AutoCAD 2006 turns up a year early

New features advance core drafting functions for more intuitive and faster design and drafting capability. With the latest releases of AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT, design professionals can create, manage and share design information more efficiently to increase productivity and achieve their design and business goals simultaneously.

For 20 years, Autodesk has responded to customer and technological demands to evolve AutoCAD software with features that optimise digital design efficiency. Recent AutoCAD releases have been developed based on a roadmap that addresses themes or major categories of functionality that incorporate both design and process features to help users improve productivity by spending more time designing and less time drafting. Two-dimensional drafting remains the cornerstone of productivity in the design industry, and the enhanced conceptual design capabilities in AutoCAD 2006 offer functionality and productivity features that set new standards for the industry.

AutoCAD 2006 is the latest in a series of releases that focused on solving significant customer challenges associated with a certain set of user issues. The new software focuses on minimising the tedious tasks associated with everyday drafting and includes features such as:

dynamic input, which gives customers the power of the command line at the graphics cursor, allowing them to focus on the design. Dynamic input displays dimensional information during geometry creation and makes it easy to edit;

dynamic blocks, which allow access to multiple variations on a single block. Dynamic blocks dramatically reduce cumbersome block libraries and make it easy to modify block geometry during and after insertion for faster design changes;

Data Extraction Wizard, which automatically creates tables such as schedules, bills of material and price estimates. Users can sort and filter block information quickly and easily and combine it with their company's standard table styles, for accurate tables of data;

annotation enhancements, which include easier text placement, improved hatching and enhanced table functions that perform common math expressions in and across cells, rows and columns;

One-click migration of customised files from earlier releases of the software to AutoCAD 2006;

AutoCAD LT, the world's best-selling 2D drafting and detailing software, is optimal for design professionals in all industries who require full DWF file format compatibility and core functionality without extended customisation and visualisation features.

“The 20th release of AutoCAD marks an important milestone for the company and our customers,” says John Sanders, vice president of Autodesk’s Platform Technology Division.

“What began as a software tool to help designers graphically represent their designs has evolved into an innovative solution used worldwide. Our customers have been extremely progressive in the ways they use AutoCAD, and we continue to advance the AutoCAD platform to serve their design needs.”