February finds PAUG looking at a Shareware application that will create Windows Bitmap (.bmp) files from any AutoCAD release 12 or 13 drawing. The programs name is Auto BMP and it comes from Sierra Hermitage located in Bishop California. Loading the application was extremely fast, although, the setup program would not recognize Win 95 long file names as a path to install the application, the fully functional 32 bit program will allow long file names. You will need to place the application in a Win 3.x or DOS file structure from the setup program then move the application, if you wish, to a path with long file names. The setup did create an icon in the program menu from the start button pull up.

Once you have completed the installation, you will need to disable any programs in your acad.lsp and in your menu.mnl that will require any user input upon loading. The file locking must be disabled and no fonts can be missing. You are required to make these changes due to the fact that this is a batch type program that will automatically load your drawings into the drawing editor and create bitmap images from up to 500 AutoCAD drawings using the fully functional program or, up to 3 drawings using the Shareware version.

To run Auto BMP you will need to have AutoCAD launched and you will need to set the system variables CMDDIA and FILEDIA to zero. Launch Auto BMP from the icon, and from the dialogue box, you can go to the directory that contains the .dwg file(s) that you would like to make into bitmap (.bmp) images. Auto BMP does not delete or rename any of your original files and it returns to the first selected file after the batch is completed. Depending on the size and complexity of the drawings, this process could last several minutes to several hours. Since this is a batch processing application, you could set Auto BMP to go, then leave the office for the night. I ran Auto BMP, the 16 bit Shareware version, while launching and editing a second session of AutoCAD and I had my HTML editor open and editing this Web page. Everything performed very well. My guess is that the fully functional 32 bit application of Auto BMP will perform even better.

Sierra Hermitage sells the fully functional 32 bit program for $15.00 US, plus a $3.00 shipping and handling fee. You will need to specify the floppy disk size as well as what AutoCAD release you wish to use.

December 1996