The Details
There’s a new feature in Windows 7 called Fault Tolerant Heap that changes the way an application handles memory if it sees an app is crashing. Consequently, something that caused a crash may not crash again after FTH has been enabled. So in order to reproduce an issue you need to purge the FTH history. Below you will find a command to do this.

If you often run a testing environment, as I do, it would be wise to consider running this command after a crash on Windows 7, otherwise FTH will mask issues.

I’ve also included some info below that explains what FTH does when it is enabled.

Description
The Fault Tolerant Heap (FTH) is a subsystem of Windows 7 responsible for monitoring application crashes and autonomously applying mitigations to prevent future crashes on a per application basis. For the vast majority of users, FTH will function with no need for intervention or change on their part. However, in some cases, application developers and software testers may need to override the default behavior of this system.

Viewing Fault Tolerant Heap activity
Fault Tolerant Heap logs information when the service starts, stops, or starts mitigating problems for a new application. To view this information, follow these steps:

1. Click on the start menu
2. Right-click Computer and choose Manage
3. Click Event Viewer > Applications and Services Logs > Microsoft > Windows > Fault-Tolerant-Heap
4. View FTH Events

The service stop and start events contain no additional data. The FTH Enabled event contains the Process ID (PID), the process image name, and the process instance start time.

Disabling Fault Tolerant Heap
CAUTION: Serious problems may occur if you modify the registry incorrectly by using Registry Editor or by using another method. These problems may require you to reinstall the operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that these problems can be solved. Modify the registry at your own risk.

To disable Fault Tolerant Heap entirely on a system, set the REG_DWORD value HKLM\Software\Microsoft\FTH\Enabled to 0. After changing this value, restart the system. FTH will no longer activate for new applications.

Resetting the list of applications tracked by FTH
Fault Tolerant heap is self-managing and will autonomously stop applying in the case that mitigations are not effective for a given application. However, if you need to reset the list of applications for which FTH is mitigating problems (for example, if you are testing an application and need to reproduce a crash that FTH is mitigating), you can run the following command from an elevated command prompt:

Rundll32.exe fthsvc.dll,FthSysprepSpecialize

CAUTION: Running this command will clear all FTH applications, so applications that are currently functioning properly may begin to crash again after running this command.

Leaving FTH enabled does 4 things:

1. Zero out allocated memory. This protects against some ununitialized memory errors.
2. They add 8 bytes of padding to the end of the allocation plus 24 bytes for an FTH data structure to each allocated block. This helps fix buffer overruns.
3. They delay frees. When you call free on a block, they don’t actually free it. It goes into a circular list. Once the list holds 4MB of blocks, they start freeing the oldest blocks in the list so that the list does not grow bigger than 4MB. This helps fix dangling pointers and double frees.
4. They do not free during application shutdown. Calls to free are ignored during shutdown.

After enabling FTH Windows 7 continues to monitor the application. If FTH is not reducing the crash frequency, FTH is turned off for that application.

The memory cost of FTH obviously depends on the type of allocations an application makes. FTH will have a bigger impact on an application with lots of small allocations. There is a performance cost as well. Some benchmarks tests Microsoft did on IE showed about a 10% performance hit on page load.

Windows 7, 64-bit, 9Gb RAM
It stands to reason, if you’re looking at upgrading systems, go with Windows 7, 64-bit, 9Gb RAM (because newer systems have tri-channel addressing; RAM is best in blocks of 3Gb – 3,6,9,12Gb, etc.).

The release of Intel’s new Nehalem-based Core i7 CPU has brought the demand for tri-channel memory to the desktop for the first time.

What is tri-channel memory?
Tri-channel memory overcomes the bandwidth limitations of individual memory modules by combining the bandwidth of three sticks at a time, and overcoming DDR2 limitations.

If you buy a new 64-bit Windows 7 system with 8Gb RAM, you’ve made your first mistake (you should have requested 9Gb). By the way, Windows 7 System Maximums are as follows:

Starter: 8GB
Home Basic: 8GB
Home Premium: 16GB
Professional: 192GB
Enterprise: 192GB
Ultimate: 192GB

©2010 Paving the Way. All Rights Reserved.

I figured if I was to acheive anything, it would have to be with a computer; I didn’t see a future in jewel tips and bumwad. I knew, however, that meant I better learn this new “AutoCAD” thing, and I admit I wasn’t the first to embrace “drawing” on the computer. Learning something new was difficult for me as I was fairly set in ways. Until…

Well – computers have cases, cases have screws, and inside the box of 386 I found a playground. I learned about hardware, software and networking while I played with AutoCAD and DCA on one computer, and 3D Studio on another.

I moved to St. Louis in the early 90′s to work in a civil/survey shop. Then to Sioux City, IA to pursue a dreamy architecture job, and then back to St. Louis when the firm I worked for “restructured.” In my “spare” time I joined the fire department and became a licensed EMT. I finally got into CAD/IT management as a way of continuing my childhood passion to understand how things worked, make them better, and share my discoveries with friends and co-workers.

When I started I.II.I (those are roman numerals, it’s pronounced 1.2.1, or one-to-one. I think there is a certain honesty that comes from helping people “one-on-one” when time and money are on the line) I had no idea what was waiting for me. I’m extremely fortunate to have made so many journeys over the course of the past two decades, but I’ve learned something along the way. The tools we use are amazing, and I couldn’t have stayed employed without them. But open your eyes, and you’ll see those tools could come from many places, and that’s the key.

Here’s where I’m going: As I’ve helped firms leverage technology and embrace change over the years, I’ve learned that there’s a little kid in all of us wanting to discover what makes things work, and how to make them work better for us. But at I.II.I when we see Civil 3D on a shelf, we don’t see CAD, I see Urban Design & Visualization. When we see OnLive, we see Cloud Computing and Virtualization. When I need a new tool to tackle a problem, I want to use the tool now – that’s Software as a Service. I’m just not convinced it’s about the software we use, (though I clearly have a favorite), I think it’s about transportation and land development. It’s not about HP or Gateway vs. Dell or Toshiba, it’s about the hardware we use to help us envision the landscape in which we’ll live. It’s not about Microsoft, Apple, or Linux – in fact, it’s not about the tools at all, it’s about design; it’s about deliverables.

Take a good look at OnLive and you’ll see what I mean. You’ll find software delivered essentially via a modem that doesn’t care if you have an Apple box, a Microsoft box, or a television – the experience is the same. You won’t see an operating system and you’ll be oblivious to the software. The draw is – you will find the toys you expect, delivering what you need, when you need it, and one company serves as the gateway to this technology.

My point is this – there’s a better way. If you’re still running through the office on a Saturday installing software to several stations one box at a time, if you’re still caught in the hardware and software race arguing over a winner, if you call one firm for network support, one firm for CAD support related to land development but another if it’s related to transportation, and yet another firm for hardware support. If you’ve opted to stay on Land Desktop because it’s the fiscally responsible choice in todays economy – but now you can’t find support or training, then I would strongly encourage a light tap on the shoulders of your vendors, your IT Departments, your CAD Managers, followed by a sit me down with consultants like I.II.I who understand leveraging all the tools you need to bring ideas to life in financially responsible ways. Don’t let your tools own you – own your tools.

How do small firms compete on a global scale in todays economy? Their technology makes money. Yours should too.

Welcome to I.II.I, we have lots of toys.

Civil 3D Tutorials*
Register Today to access to our comprehensive library of Civil 3D Tutorials for as low as $20.

*Access to the Library is a free service to our clients.

©2010 Paving the Way. All Rights Reserved.

In tough economic times, you need more choices; it’s often difficult for an employer to justify time for training, and we want you to have an avenue for finding answers when you need them. Our tutorials aren’t product demonstrations. They’ve been created in response to client questions and concerns arising from the use of AutoCAD Civil 3D, as well as other technologies, in “the real world.”

Civil 3D Tutorials*
Register Today to access to our comprehensive library of Civil 3D Tutorials for as low as $20.

*Access to the Library is a free service to our clients.

©2010 Paving the Way. All Rights Reserved.

A a most basic sense, cloud computing means computer computations are location independent. For example: Like most businesses, I have a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) solution. But I can’t afford the management backend and downtime sometimes required to keep a CRM solution running smoothly. I need to focus on consulting, not keeping up a database. So I’ve left the management to Salesforce. Salesforce works in a “cloud,” so to speak. I don’t pay for upgrades, I don’t pay management costs, I don’t experience downtime, and as long as I have an internet terminal or a connection, I can reach my database. How is that accomplished? Fast servers with lots of space, and a solution I can scale to meet my needs as my business grows. And it doesn’t matter if I choose to use a Dell, a Gateway, some off-brand computer, or a MacBook – I just need a browser. The kicker is, most of us have one on our cell phones. I need my reading glasses when I’m using it, but whatever.

If we have this ability now, then why can’t we run our design software from a cloud? That’s the million dollar question. Technically, you could, but imagine the licensing nightmare software giants might face. And of course the argument is, “I want a tangible box – I want to be able to control what I own.” But my question is – why? I honestly don’t want the headache; I don’t have the storage space, I don’t have the IT staff, I don’t want servers; even my domain (web-site, blog, several e-mail accounts) is hosted from the clouds. I want to offer the best service I can and focus on the things that are important to my clients. And here’s the real kicker: I pay $200 a year for all the services I use combined!

Cloud computing isn’t a passing fad, and It’s not going away. We already see Microsoft and Apple competing with their Azure Platform and iWork.com. iWork allows me to post a document (spreadsheet, document, presentation) to iWork.com, and retrieve it from anywhere, using a Mac or a PC. The applications that allow you to store and view each document are controlled in the clouds. As a matter of fact, so is my address book, my calendar, my photos and videos, and soon, even my iTunes.

Get to know cloud computing and begin to investigate how it can work for you in both your personal or professional lives. Or if you’re like me, it’s difficult to distinguish between the two.

Cheers!

Civil 3D Tutorials*
Register Today to access to our comprehensive library of Civil 3D Tutorials for as low as $20.

*Access to the Library is a free service to our clients.

©2010 Paving the Way. All Rights Reserved.

If you’ve used the 2008 or 2009 edition, we’d appreciate your feedback TODAY as we’ve already started. Drop a comment here, or at scott.mceachron@121pcs.net.

Scott McEachron
www.121pcs.net

Civil 3D Tutorials*
Register Today to access to our comprehensive library of Civil 3D Tutorials for as low as $20.

*Access to the Library is a free service to our clients.

©2010 Paving the Way. All Rights Reserved.

•    _AutoCAD Civil 3D (Imperial) NCS Base
•    _AutoCAD Civil 3D (Imperial) NCS Extended
•    _AutoCAD Civil 3D (Imperial) NCS LDT

In order to maintain “substantial conformance,” per the NCS, you need to follow the hierarchy as establish by the AIA CAD Layer Guidelines.  The hierarchy consists of five components:

1.    Discipline designator
2.    One major group
3.    Optional minor group
4.    Second optional minor group
5.    Optional status field

AIA Layer Guideline

In the example above, the discipline designator AI refers to Architectural Interiors.  Major groups are intended to describe building or construction systems, in this case walls.  If you follow the NCS to the letter of the law, the major group layer names may not be modified, and user-defined major groups may not be introduced.  The first optional minor group is intended to describe different major group types (full wall, half wall, etc.), and the second optional minor group is intended to describe the major group even further.  The optional status field, in this case “N,” is a single character field that distinguishes the data contained on the layer according to the status of work or the construction  phase (in this case “N” identifies the status of work as being “New).

At first glance, some of the layers may not appear to conform to the NCS when taken literally.  In fact, there is only a single major group (group with a major designator) of layers in earlier releases of Civil 3D (not Civil 3D 2009) that don’t conform to a literal definition of the standard:  C-CORR*.

Before modifying layer names beginning with C-CORR, think of the number of times corridors need to be shared with outside sources.  Typically a corridor is created so that a surface representing proposed conditions can be extracted.  When this is the case, the corridor layers are a moot point – they are seldom shared.  If you decide (and it’s just too simple to ignore) to go with the standard, be careful not to get too wrapped up defining layers for objects that may never be shared.

Another thing to consider:  Corridors are built to graphically design or describe a feature or features, such as a road.  As C-ROAD is a proper name per the NCS (the Civil 3D 2009 templates use this as opposed to C-CORR, one can simply use the AutoCAD RENAME command to rename all corridor layers.  The RENAME command won’t rename layers established as object layers, however.  They will need to be renamed individually (but there are few of them).

Per the layer guidelines, the minor groups are optional (though the NCS has provided a list of recommended minor group names), and user-defined minor group fields are permitted.  They must contain four alphabetic and/or numeric characters and/or “~”, and must be fully documented on the NCS Compliance Disclosure Statement for the project on which they are used (read that again carefully, it effectively says – “free pass” to define layers to suit your needs, just be sure to follow the rules).  Therefore, with the exception of layers “Defpoints” and “0,” each of the layers found in the NCS templates, do indeed conform to the AIA CAD Layer Guidelines as found in the NCS.

Whether you’re in North or South America, or overseas, check out the AIA Layer guidelines (low cost) or the very similar A/E/C CAD Standard (no cost) if you’re looking to standardize.  Still at odds?  Check out the list of firms that have adopted the standard.

Civil 3D Tutorials*
Register Today to access to our comprehensive library of Civil 3D Tutorials for as low as $20.

*Access to the Library is a free service to our clients.

©2010 Paving the Way. All Rights Reserved.

There are three keys to a rapid results initiative:

1. Must be results oriented
2. Must be vertical
3. Must be fast

Results Oriented
Determine a single goal, and work toward producing a measurable result.

For example: You can’t define your goal as “Implementing Civil 3D.” The goal is too broad, and doesn’t resolve a business issue – don’t make change for change sake. Instead, set your sights on something like: “Increase productivity by 25% over the next 3 months.”

This results oriented approach is important for three reasons. First, it allows project planners to test whether activities in the overall plan will add up to the intended result and allows them to alter the plans as needed. Second, it produces real benefits in the short term. Finally, being able to deliver results is rewarding and energizing. Increasing or maintaining self-esteem and pleasure are strong motivators for engaging in learning experiences.

Vertical
Implementation plans typically unfold as a series of activities represented on a horizontal timeline (Gantt chart). By contrast, rapid-results initiatives encompass vertical slices of several horizontal activities running in tandem in a short timeframe – an effort including people from different teams within an organization (or even different organizations). This vertical approach is more of an exercise in creativity, but is necessary to foster the growth of out of the box thinkers. And when change happens, you’ll need out of the box thinkers.

Fast
Rapid results initiatives are intended to deliver quick wins. The short time frame fosters a sense of personal challenge and accomplishment.

Civil 3D Tutorials*
Register Today to access to our comprehensive library of Civil 3D Tutorials for as low as $20.

*Access to the Library is a free service to our clients.

©2010 Paving the Way. All Rights Reserved.

Two Schools of Thought
There are two schools of thought, or two frameworks for implementation:

1. The “Implementation Framework” (Assess, Plan, Solve, Confirm). When defined too rigidy, it can be identified by a Gantt chart.

2. “Guiding Principal” or Results Driven Incrementalism implementation

Implementation Framework
The Implementation Frameworks, the frameworks or Implementation Guidelines we see most often, have their merits, but they fail with the introduction of 3 variables:

1. Scope Creep
2. Change
3. Adult Learning

Scope Creep
Scope creep refers to uncontrolled changes in a project’s scope. Typically, the scope increase consists of either new products or new features of already approved plans, without a corresponding increases in resources, time, or budget. As a result, a project team drifts away from its original purpose, it grows, and more tasks must be completed within the budget and schedule originally designed for a smaller set of tasks.

For example: The original scope may be to conduct Civil 3D training and begin a pilot project. However the budget and timeline will change, and scope creep will be introduced, if the necessary hardware isn’t in place.

Change
The software will change, industry requirements will change, people will change. What works for you today, may not work tomorrow, and it’s nearly impossible to budget for, but it will happen, and often at the most undesirable time.

Adult Learning
You can alleviate some issues that are the direct result of scope creep and change through training and technical support, but studies have shown adults learn in three key ways:

1. Learn by doing
2. Learn in small chunks
3. Learn gradually

Confucius said: “I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.”

The younger you are, the easier it is to learn. Younger students are more flexible, adaptable, eager and less afraid to make mistakes. There is a certain freedom to learn that comes with being young that regrettably, we lose the older we get. In an article entitled 30 things we know for sure about adult learning, Ron and Susan Zemke had some interesting observations regarding adult learning:

1. Adults learn by doing. Adults have a need for application of “how to” as the primary reason to begin a learning project. Regardless of media, straightforward how-to is the preferred content orientation.

2. Adults prefer single concept, single theory courses that focus heavily on the application of the concept to relevant problems.

3. Avoiding embarrassment – Adults have a lot more to lose in a classroom setting because of self esteem and ego. Making mistakes in front of peers is just not comfortable; adult learners seek to avoid embarrassment.

4. Adults prefer self-pace over group learning led by a professional. They select more than one medium for learning and they desire to control the pace and the start/stop times.

Results Driven Incrementalism
Robert G. Fichman and Scott A. Moses wrote a paper published in MITSloan Management Review – MIT’s journal of
management research and ideas – they nailed it:

Results Driven Incrementalism, what some refer to as the Rapid Results Oriented Approach, benefits firms by promoting organizational learning via multiple, short-horizon goals; maintaining implementation focus and momentum by providing recurring visible results; and negating the common tendency to over engineer solutions — all of which speed the realization of business results and reduce the risk of implementation failure.

In essence: RDI means solving a business issue and realizing immediate benefits. Unlike Enterprise software, Civil 3D is a tool, and some firms have many tools to aid them in the task of Civil Engineering. There isn’t a “right tool” or a “wrong tool.” There’s a tool that works for you, one that works for me, and often, one required by our clients. But make no mistake. Effectively choosing your tools and the way in which you use them is largely an exercise in creativity. To force a firm to make a change in the tools they use, and to create a timeline for the implementation of that tool has only a 40% chance of working.

In a results oriented approach, we determine a single goal, and work toward producing a measurable result as quickly as possible.

For example: You can’t define your goal as “Implementing Civil 3D.” The goal is too broad, and doesn’t resolve a business issue – don’t make change for change sake. Instead, set your sights on something like: “Increase productivity by 25% over the next 3 months.” To that end, identify something you can do today, identify personnel to lead the effort, identify outside resources to leverage for support (a credible consultant with a proven track record, YouTube, discussion groups, books, web casts, white papers, users guides, Google), keep it simple and focused, and communicate your findings to the people you surround yourself with at the office.

Implementing Civil 3D using this methodology allows you to:

1. Minimize immediate costs and down-time
2. Receive benefits as soon as the implementation process begins
3. Begin adoption without having to “know it all”
4. Learn the system at your own pace.

Civil 3D Tutorials*
Register Today to access to our comprehensive library of Civil 3D Tutorials for as low as $20.

*Access to the Library is a free service to our clients.

©2010 Paving the Way. All Rights Reserved.

When I began to work with DCA (later Softdesk, and finally Land Desktop), I started with one thing I found painful – labelling lines. I was blown away by the fact that DCA could label lines for me automatically. As a matter of fact, that was my first job – labels, notes, text, dimensions.

My mentor (and I think every new hire should have one) created the drawings, I did the labels. when I *thought* I had completed the task, I sat with my mentor to study my digital files. Eventually, I was comfortable with labels and bored to tears; I wanted to draw the lines myself.

That was my next task – linework. Now keep in mind, I was well versed in AutoCAD at the time, but DCA offered what I thought were sweet options: Line by Direction, Line by Deflection, Line by Turned Angle, etc. I could draw the lines – I could use the commands, but the first time I had to plot a legal description, it actually gave meaning to the commands. So now I had a couple chores – draw AND label – “Wow!” I thought, “I need a raise!” Next I tackled parcels, and moved to subdivisions in no time.

I was comfortable getting in and out of the software, felt I knew my way around. I knew the ramifications of the decisions I’d make during production, and I needed something new – Terrain modelling. I had created contours on the board; in fact I felt I had plenty of stick time under my belt. But learning to model terrain in a digital world was a new ball game. Slowly but surely though, the tools I had at my disposal made sense. Not only could I maneuver my way around the software, but I knew how to react in the event I came across an unusual situation – I had learned to think outside the box.

The start of a Civil 3D implementation can be as simple as learning to create labels:

1. How do labels work and how do I modify them?
2. What happens if I explode them?
3. Can I create a line and curve table?
4. What happens if I “Export to AutoCAD?”

Tackle the simple things first. Steer clear of the things that won’t make you money, embrace the things that will – but expect change. The software will change, industry requirements will change, people will change. What works for you today, may not work tomorrow – remember how to get back to the way you did it yesterday, but keep looking toward tomorrow. Perhaps most importantly – share what you’ve learned with your team. In a struggling economy, there is nothing to be gained by keeping your tricks to yourself.

Implementing Civil 3D is a process. And sometimes that process begins with the most mundane of tasks. Be realistic with your goals, minimize your immediate downtime and look for immediate profitability. Stay optimistic, focus on what you can do now, and maintain your passion.

As Carol Bartz once said, “You don’t have to build a scaffold around an apple tree to bear the fruit – shake the tree.”

Civil 3D Tutorials*
Register Today to access to our comprehensive library of Civil 3D Tutorials for as low as $20.

*Access to the Library is a free service to our clients.

©2010 Paving the Way. All Rights Reserved.

Scope Creep
It’s undeniable, it’s inevitable, and more often than not, can’t possibly be planned for. I can give you a plan for “standardizing” your firm, but the minute I hand it over, it’s already outdated and ineffective. Why? Scope Creep – the dynamics that make each firm unique will remain fluid. Your needs today will be different than your needs tomorrow.

Change
Human beings, by their very nature, learn, evolve, and change. In an effort to mold changes into a world we can wrap our heads around, we look for pre-packed ways to reach nirvana – the technology age has made us restless and impatient. Many consultants sell “Implementations,” but few can help you adapt to change in the process.

Project Managers change, owners change, decision makers change, employees change, businesses change. The #2 reason for bankruptcies in America is lack of preparation in handling the unexpected, unpredictable, and undesirable (preceded only by illness). In effect, it’s the inability to adapt to change that kills most firms.

So in a business that relies heavily on the creative process (and tools created by someone else), how do you wrap your head around moving ahead with new technology while keeping a pulse on your people as things – well – change? A little at a time. “Throw the baby in the pool” in our world, and the baby drowns.

Let the baby feel the water with a foot, then a leg. Diaper gets wet, baby cries, re-evaluate.

Setting Expectations
Your goal can’t be using new software for newness sake – as if the word “new” meant “more money for my retirement.” Your expectation should be increased profitability. And if that means rolling out Civil 3D for terrain modeling only, then so be it. Software is created by people, and as people mature, so do the tools we use. Therefore, software inadequacies, issues, bugs and bright spots alike are to be expected as software matures. Expecting anything else would be unreasonable.

The Role of the Consultant
A good consultant doesn’t teach you Civil 3D, they teach you how to learn it. A good consultant doesn’t teach you how to standardize or “implement” Civil 3D, they teach you to recognize and react to the impact of change.

Cheers,
Scott McEachron

Civil 3D Tutorials*
Register Today to access to our comprehensive library of Civil 3D Tutorials for as low as $20.

*Access to the Library is a free service to our clients.

©2010 Paving the Way. All Rights Reserved.