Autodesk Design Review DWF Viewer Vulnerability »

Secunia is reporting a vulnerability with Autodesk’s Design Review DWF Viewer which can lead to a compromised PC.

The vulnerability stems from a flaw in the ActiveX control including the insecure “SaveAs()” method. If exploited, arbitrary files on the compromised computer can be overwritten.

This vulnerability was originally discovered by “bruiser” from Nine Situations Group and outlined here.  Bruiser tested the vulnerability using Internet Explorer 6 along with Revit Architecture 2009 SP2 and Autodesk Design Review 2009.

DWF is a very popular file format for quickly and easily sending drawing files through email, among other things.  Many CAD users prefer DWF because of its vector based capabilities, small file size and the ability for people to view drawing files without having AutoCad installed.  I previously posted on the benefits of DWF for CAD users.

Architectural Rendering for Wake Forest University Project »

I am pleased to say that we have put the finishing touches on another 3D architectural rendering. This one is for a project at Wake Forest University located right here in North Carolina.

Emmy Williams and the talented team if Interior Designers at Interior Solutions, Inc. in Winston-Salem are busy working on the Professional Development Center at Wake Forest. With $500,000 in funding from Ernst & Young, the new center will be managed by the first director of the Calloway School of Business and Accountancy. Calloway School majors will receive advising services and have access to professional development programs as well.

We were really flattered and appreciative for the opportunity to work on this great project! I know that this will be a great addition to the beautiful campus of Wake Forest and I know the students will really benefit. Emmy and her team are super to work with and we cannot wait to see the finished space later this year.

If you want to talk with us about our architectural rendering services, please visit our main website for more details. There, you can see more examples of our work and hear from some of our clients.

Autocad 2008 Free Trial »

Autocad continues to be the industry standard for CAD and Autodesk has done a great job with their 2008 Autocad product. The 2007 version had some hiccups but they seem to have ironed them out with the newest version.

The full version of Autocad 2008 can be downloaded here or you can buy Online at Autodesk directly. After you install it, Autodesk will give you 30 days of the trial version with no restrictions, so take advantage of it.

If after trying AutoCAD 2008 you decide that it is more than you really need, you can always buy AutoCAD LT 2008 from Autodesk! AutoCAD LT is basically AutoCAD without the 3D capabilities and that means the price is much lower. You can also get a trial version of this product so you can compare firsthand for yourself the differences between the two.

New Condo Rendering Completed »

We recently put the finishing touches on another architectural rendering using 3d Studio Max.

It is a rendering for a development company located on Emerald Isle, NC. They are going to be building some beautiful new condominiums in the Swansboro area and wanted to create a photo-realistic image that would show the finished building. This would allow them to get their advertising campaign started while the construction details are being finalized.

Each waterview condo is right across the street from the Intercoastal Waterway and their preliminary price points are sure to get plenty of interest. Contact Coastal Haven Properties at 252-354-5008 if you want all the particulars.

DWG TrueView: DWF in Black & White »

We make liberal use of DWF when corresponding with our CAD clients.  We have given them instructions on how to install the free DWF viewer from Autodesk and they have all gotten very used to navigating their way around that great little program.  However, when it comes to actually plotting out the DWF, they typically run into a few hangups.  “When I print it out, it is in color.  I want it in black and white”, was a common statement from many of them.  Until we exclusively began sending all DWF files in black and white.

Now, for some of you who may still be dealing with this little issue, Scott Sheppard has a great little walk-through to help you setup everything so that all DWF files are black and white.  He starts:

A frequently asked question is “How do I publish a black and white DWF file from an AutoCAD drawing (DWG) that is in color. This question normally comes from Autodesk DWG TrueView users who occasionally receive drawings from AutoCAD users. To publish a black and white DWF file from a DWG that has color:

He then goes on to display some great screenshots to walk you through the process.  Check it out.