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(Message started by: Sandy_C on Apr 17th, 2008, 3:01pm)
Title: CAD techies and general techies, I need help
Post by Sandy_C on Apr 17th, 2008, 3:01pm
I use AutoCad only as a tool to receive and send site plans from and to my customers.  I receive their CAD file in AutoCad 2006, then insert the file in to my lighting specific program.  Once I've completed the layout, I convert the file back to CAD, plot a hard copy for my files, and send the plan back to them.

Here's the problem.  I now have my file opened in CAD, perfect, no probs.  I want to plot my drawing.  I click the plot button and the box pops up where I need to indicate which printer/plotter I want to use, and then set the scale, etc.  9 times out of 10, I have no problem, and I've been doing this for about 15 years.

Now, today was about the fifth or sixth time in the last month, that I've run into a problem.

I click the plot button and the usual box comes up.  But, I immediately get another box that pops up that says, and I quote:

"Internet Explorer Script Error

An error has occurred in the script on this page.

Line:
Char:
Error:
Code:
URL:

Do you want to continue running scripts on this page?

Yes     No"

This is the entire extent of the "error" pop up box.

I've tried clicking yes, and I've tried  clicking no.  I've tried to close this box, the printer box, which is still in the background, and I've tried to shut down AutoCad.

Nothing works.  I can't even bail out of CAD to go to anything else.  My only option is to do a full shut down.  Today, just hitting start and shut down, this worked and I was able to re-boot.  But, other times this has happened, I can't even do a shut down.  I literally pull the plug out of the wall.


Here is my question.  I am working in CAD.  I am not even connected to the internet at all, let alone Internet Explorer.  Why am I getting an Internet Explorer error message in CAD, and only when I'm trying to plot?

All you technoweenies, please let me hear from you!

Sandy
Title: Re: CAD techies and general techies, I need help
Post by brewcrew on Apr 17th, 2008, 3:25pm
The government has discovered you and your evil plot. Be on the watch for men in black suits wearing sunglasses and driving black Suburbans with tinted glass.
Title: Re: CAD techies and general techies, I need help
Post by Sandy_C on Apr 17th, 2008, 3:28pm
OK, if it's men in black, wearing sunglasses and if he looks like Tommy Lee Jones, or Will Smith.....

Come onnnn baby!   ;)

Sandy
Title: Re: CAD techies and general techies, I need help
Post by john_d on Apr 17th, 2008, 3:38pm
Lots of programs 'embed' Internet Explorer functionallity.  It allows them to make use of standard HTML files within their program.  If you can update IE it may help.  Make sure you post your question to a AutoCad forum also.
Title: Re: CAD techies and general techies, I need help
Post by Sandy_C on Apr 17th, 2008, 4:10pm
Hi, John, and thanks for your response.

I am very limited in my computer knowledge. I only know enough to be dangerous.

I'm not sure as to what you are advising me to do.  I never, ever, use Internet Explorer as my internet hookup.  I most often use Mozilla, and only in a pinch, use Netscape.  Never IE.

I know IE is "there" because if you have any Microsoft programs on your system, you automatically seem to inherit IE.  But, I don't like it, and I never use it.

You said "Lots of programs 'embed' Internet Explorer functionallity.  It allows them to make use of standard HTML files within their program."

I am not computer literate other than knowing how to do the things I need to do within the programs that I know.  To me, HTML is Greek.

But, I definitely appreciate your suggestion to contact the AutoCad forum.  I will do that right now.

Thanks

Sandy
Title: Re: CAD techies and general techies, I need help
Post by john_d on Apr 17th, 2008, 4:19pm

They actually stuck Internet Explorer in the AutoCad program when they built it, if that makes sense.  So even though you don't use it as your web browser, you still use it when you use your AutoCad program though in a more limited way.   Hope I am not making it more confusing.    

I am suggesting doing an Internet Explorer update via the Windows Update.  Only as a 'maybe it will help' suggestion.  It's what I would do.   I have only used AutoCad a little so I don't have solid advice to give you.

Your best bet to get decent advice is to post your question at a forum specifically for AutoCad, another thing that I would do if I was you.

Hope that helps a little.


 
Title: Re: CAD techies and general techies, I need help
Post by john_d on Apr 17th, 2008, 4:41pm
Sandy- I found this, which confirms the updating thing.

http://dwf.blogs.com/beyond_the_paper/2006/12/make_sure_you_h.html

You can update windows via the menu in Internet Explorer select 'Tools'   and then select 'Windows Update'

The truth is I usually avoid giving general tech advice online because of the potential problems, but this is a harmless fix and great if it works.

Hope it clears up for you.
Title: Re: CAD techies and general techies, I need help
Post by Sandy_C on Apr 17th, 2008, 5:28pm
What gives Microsoft the right to imbed any of their programs in to any other program loaded on a PC, like AutoCAD?  This means that when I'm trying to run CAD, a program that I bought, at a very large sum of money, I loaded on to MY system, yet Microsoft has the right to integrate itself into MY CAD program, and cause a shut down.  Like Hell!

I have already had one major problem with Microsoft, where they, not me, deleted my Microsoft Office programs, and tried to install an update to Office 2007.  In doing this, they, not me, deleted by entire e-mail address book, and every e-mail message in all of my Outlook boxes. in, sent, draft, even trash.  Everything was gone.  They then told me that the reason this happened was because Microsoft would not allow two versions of Office on the same system at the same time.  Duh!  They downloaded it, they installed it, and they lost all of my data.  Know what response I got..gee, we're sorry.

I trust Microsoft about as much as I can toss a 100 pound stone, 1 foot.  

Unfortunately because I'm on a PC, Microsoft is a part of my life.  They seem to to ingratiate themselves in to every program that we have on our computers, and they seem to be able to dictate exactly what we can or cannot do with these non Microsoft programs that we bought and paid through the nose for.  Microsoft is the only operating system that we PC owners have.  As far as I'm concerned.......

My next computer, which will be coming in the very near future, will be a MAC.

I am done with Microsoft.  I want nothing to do with them.  They are useless to me in their support.  They don't even support questions about their own systems, but they won't even respond to you if you have a problem with one of your programs that has been impacted by one of their programs.

Off soapbox now.  It's just been a Godawful day and I'm going home.

Sandy
Title: Re: CAD techies and general techies, I need help
Post by Opus on Apr 17th, 2008, 10:36pm

on 04/17/08 at 17:28:47, Sandy_C wrote:
What gives Microsoft the right to imbed any of their programs in to any other program loaded on a PC, like AutoCAD?  This means that when I'm trying to run CAD, a program that I bought, at a very large sum of money, I loaded on to MY system,  yet Microsoft has the right to integrate itself into MY CAD program, and cause a shut down.  Like Hell!


The designers of AutoCAD decided ( maybe a bribe helped) to use Microsoft Internet Explorer in their program.

 After a quick check it appears that AutoCAD will not be available for Mac OS X, Linux or BSD anytime soon. Since you are locked into AutoCAD which locks you into Microsoft Windows operating system even if you buy a Mac you will still have to run Microsoft Windows on it to do your work.

  I don't know much about CAD but there might be some programs available that run on Mac OS X, that can read and write to Auto CAD files. Here is a post about alternatives (http://cr4.globalspec.com/thread/4810/Alternatives-to-AutoCAD-2006) but the few I checked only run on Microsoft Windows like AutoCAD.

Paul
Title: Re: CAD techies and general techies, I need help
Post by Sandy_C on Apr 18th, 2008, 12:32pm
Oh Paul, I didn't want to hear that!   :'(

This means that I will be stuck with Microsoft for the rest of my life.  :P

John, I'm going to try the Windows update thing and see if that helps.

Thanks to all for your responses.  

Now, does anyone feel like a good old fashioned "Norton" bashing party?   ::)

Sandy
Title: Re: CAD techies and general techies, I need help
Post by fubar on Apr 18th, 2008, 12:51pm

on 04/17/08 at 17:28:47, Sandy_C wrote:
What gives Microsoft the right to imbed any of their programs in to any other program loaded on a PC, like AutoCAD?  This means that when I'm trying to run CAD, a program that I bought, at a very large sum of money, I loaded on to MY system, yet Microsoft has the right to integrate itself into MY CAD program, and cause a shut down.  Like Hell!

I have already had one major problem with Microsoft, where they, not me, deleted my Microsoft Office programs, and tried to install an update to Office 2007.  In doing this, they, not me, deleted by entire e-mail address book, and every e-mail message in all of my Outlook boxes. in, sent, draft, even trash.  Everything was gone.  They then told me that the reason this happened was because Microsoft would not allow two versions of Office on the same system at the same time.  Duh!  They downloaded it, they installed it, and they lost all of my data.  Know what response I got..gee, we're sorry.

I trust Microsoft about as much as I can toss a 100 pound stone, 1 foot.  

Unfortunately because I'm on a PC, Microsoft is a part of my life.  They seem to to ingratiate themselves in to every program that we have on our computers, and they seem to be able to dictate exactly what we can or cannot do with these non Microsoft programs that we bought and paid through the nose for.  Microsoft is the only operating system that we PC owners have.  As far as I'm concerned.......

My next computer, which will be coming in the very near future, will be a MAC.

I am done with Microsoft.  I want nothing to do with them.  They are useless to me in their support.  They don't even support questions about their own systems, but they won't even respond to you if you have a problem with one of your programs that has been impacted by one of their programs.

Off soapbox now.  It's just been a Godawful day and I'm going home.

Sandy


A little misplaced anger, dear.

Microsoft simply provides a platform (Windows and all the components in it, like IE).  The developer (Autodesk) writes a software package to leverage that platform (AutoCAD).  The archtecture of AutoCAD is purely under the control of Autodesk.  They could have wrote their own browser-like functions, but instead they decided to take a short cut and use the browser that is supposed to be built into the platform that you are using.  As time goes on, that 'embedded' functionality needs to be updated just as much as the program itself, meaning you really need to keep IE up to date and AutoCAD up to date (both).

You may not think you ever use IE, but many other programs use it 'under the covers'.  Keeping IE up to date is just as important as keeping Windows up to date, whether you think you use it or you don't.

Of course, that's only true if you use Windows.
Title: Re: CAD techies and general techies, I need help
Post by purpleydog on Apr 18th, 2008, 8:56pm

on 04/17/08 at 17:28:47, Sandy_C wrote:
I trust Microsoft about as much as I can toss a 100 pound stone, 1 foot.
 

Better than me, I could only drop a 100 lb stone.


Quote:
My next computer, which will be coming in the very near future, will be a MAC.


Be careful getting a Mac, Sandy, it could end up costing you more in the long run... research it very carefully...


Quote:
I am done with Microsoft.  I want nothing to do with them.  They are useless to me in their support.  They don't even support questions about their own systems, but they won't even respond to you if you have a problem with one of your programs that has been impacted by one of their programs.

Sandy


Microdog doesn't support anything they put out. The machines I have are running Linux, or different versions of Winblows. I much prefer the Linux machines, they do what I want, when I want. Very easy.

You do want to update IE, and make sure you are doing regular updates. Go to the website of the author of your CAD program, and see if they have any updates. And if you are running Norton, I'd lose it.

Go here  http://www.avast.com  This is a free home anti-virus program. It runs constantly, you don't have to set it, and it updates daily. Sometimes more often depending on the latest virii, worms, trojans that are out there. Disconnect from the internet, and uninstall all Norton (Symantec), using the control panel. Re-boot. Install Avast, and register. Plug back in, online, and get your product key from your email, and finish registering. You will be good for 14 months, when you need to re-register. Best anti-virus I've ever used.

Good luck!


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