DotSoft Support Information

The preferred method for product support and other inquiries is by email as described on our Contact page.

Important Notes:

• We highly recommend using plain text for your email format to us!
• Using a GIF graphic for a logo or background will almost certainly send your email to our junk folder, as GIF files are frequently used to mask spam (we filter on GIF header bytes).
• Using special fonts may look pretty to you, but on our support machines may result in long strings of question marks, making your message completely unreadable.
• Using colorful backgrounds may look pretty to you, but can result in an email we won't try to read, like this one.

Including Files:

If related files help show your problem, include them as attachments to your email, but consider these guidelines:

• Send the absolute minimum files to show the problem. Do not include multiple files that show the same problem!
• Include the absolute minimum data in the file to show the problem.
  • For example, a drawing should contain only the objects involved. Do not include any other objects, title blocks, layouts, etc.
  • Zoom to the problem area and make mtext notes (in red) explaining your observations.
  • Do not include external reference (XREF) attachments, fonts, and other linked information unless it is absolutely relevant.

DotSoft Product Compatibility:

Note: All checked items in the chart below assume you are installing with the latest (or final) build of the product.

Notes:

1. Products may function on newer versions beyond those checked above, but compatibility is neither guaranteed nor supported.
2. See the section below on AutoCAD 2014 Trusted Locations.
3. For all other products, see the bottom of the product description page.
4. This compatibility chart is based on information available at this time and is subject to change.

AutoCAD 2014 Trusted Locations:

Beginning with the 2014 release, AutoCAD adds security which causes builds of our existing (2013 compatible) products dated before April 1, 2013 to display load alerts on each session. Other than these alerts our 2013 compatible products 'should' work in the new 2014 version.

Use this procedure to suppress these alerts.

1. Launch AutoCAD 2014.
2. Issue the OPTIONS command.
3. If you have multiple profiles, set your desired profile current.
   1. Click the [Profiles] tab.
   2. Select the profile from the list.
   3. Click the [Set Current] button.
4. Click the [Files] tab.
5. Click the [+] to the left of Trusted Locations.
6. Click the [Add] button.
7. Click the [Browse] button.
8. Navigate to the application folder and click [OK].
9. If you receive an alert (about Read-Only), click [Continue].
10. Click [OK] to close the Options dialog.

Note: Installs downloaded on/after April 1, 2013 will include revisions to the hookup program to automate this for users.

Installing Upgrades:

All of our product builds are full installs and never require the existence of a previous version. If you acquire an upgrade and have an existing release installed, here is the best procedure.

1. Exit from CAD.
2. Run the Windows Add/Remove Programs to remove the old version.
3. Install the new version to the same folder used before.
4. Restart CAD.

With this procedure, the CAD engine should simply pick up the new menus and code.

Note: If this fails, refer to the Manual Hookup procedure affiliated with the product.

Product Specific Topics:

• Word2CAD - The following are frequently asked questions regarding Word2CAD:

  Alternative Fonts and Question Marks

  If you choose a font override like ROMAN.SHX or another CAD-based SHX font, you may see question marks in your document that you didn't see when using truetype fonts. This is because the font file does not have a definition for this special character and it is showing a "?" instead. Some characters don't look special but are. For example, Word often uses a curly apostrophe (’) that has an ASCII code of 146, instead of the standard one (') that has an ASCII code of 39.

• XL2CAD - The following are frequently asked questions regarding XL2CAD:

  Error Creating New Link

  The error occurs when trying to place a new instance in the drawing and is almost always caused by Excel Security. After this dialog is dismissed, press F2 for details on the error in the CAD Command History area. If you see the terms similar to Programmatic Access, you know it's an Excel Security issue.

  1. See the section of the XL2CAD Users Guide on Excel Security to make sure you have made all the necessary settings.
  2. If the settings are correct, there is the possibility that you are accessing a spreadsheet that has macros from a folder that has not been assigned to Trusted Folders. See this Microsoft Page for details on adding trusts to folder locations.

  Microsoft Click-To-Run

  Microsoft introduced a delivery method known as "Click-To-Run" which is a 'virtual version' that allows you to use the software without actually downloading all the parts. However, this approach does not register the functionality required for our products (and other programs).

  1. You will need to fully uninstall the 'Click-To-Run' version and then reinstall the full version. Also see Switch to MSI for details.
  2. Download and install the full version of Office and reboot your computer.

  Avoiding Vertical Shift Problems

  The problem: During the conversion, XL2CAD creates Mtext objects and CAD has no baseline justification for mtext objects. That means we have to use a bottom, middle, or top alignment. The shift problem occurs if you use bottom justification and the cell contains lowercase letters with descenders like "g". This problem can also occur if using top justification and the cell contains tall characters like "(".

  The solution: Although XL2CAD has options for "Shift Characters" which can often compensate, but we have found the best approach is to turn off the Shift Characters option and format the cells in Excel using the Vertical Center option. Select the data range in Excel, choose the Format menu, then Cells, then on the Alignment tab set the vertical alignment to Center.

  Lines are Drawn Through Merged Rows and/or Columns

  Sometimes Excel will report incorrect merge information. There is a possibility that some Excel spreadsheets were created (or modified) in a spreadsheet product other than Microsoft Excel. This can usually be fixed by this procedure:

  1. Place your cell cursor in the merged area.
  2. Click the [<a>] Merge & Center button to unmerge the cells.
  3. Click the button again to remerge the cells.
  4. Repeat at step 1 for additional areas.

  After this change to the spreadsheet, Excel will report the correct merge information and XL2CAD will not draw lines through the merged areas. Also check the toggle 'Excel Grid Lines' to make sure its off. If this toggle is turned on, it will draw lines across all cells.

  Proper Way to Achieve In-cell Carriage Returns

  To push contents down to the next line, some Excel users have inserted spaces until Excel Word wraps. This approach does not port well in XL2CAD because the resulting Mtext object doesn't wrap there. The proper way is to place your cursor at the point you want to begin a new line, and press Alt+Enter to insert the carriage return.