Technical Support and Frequently Asked Questions

Some frequently asked general questions:

Question: Yes, but will SYNTHESIS work with OUR drawings?
Answer: SYNTHESIS can work with any AutoCAD drawing, layers, linetypes, styles, and drawing entities. We have over 10 years experience with thousands of different drawings from companies all around the world. Also, if there is 5-10% of your drawing that we couldn't automate (in very rare cases), you would still be generating 90% of your new drawing 20 times faster than right now.

Question: Why higher price for a full developer version?
Answer: How much does a single draftsman cost per year? Now add overhead, management, equipment, taxes. Now calculate your best draftsman's error rate.  SYNTHESIS outperforms most any AutoCAD draftsman anytime!

Question: What is the best model for design automation? Modules or one big Design worksheet?
Answer: Modules have the advantage of being easier to maintain, with their own separate master or template drawings. They can also be used in many different designs. On the other hand, you have to import and export data between the modules which can take time to track down.

Another method to examine, courtesy of Mr. Bill Parks from Birmingham, Alabama, suggests that everything in your design be put into one big design worksheet. This sheet is then output from a controlling design which simply changes the name of the master drawing and output drawing as needed.

Some frequently asked questions about the Excel Trial Version:

Most common technical problems with SYNTHESIS for Excel Trial Version.

1. Error when trying to display drawing. Insert picture failed. Possibility #1
You may need to install AutoCAD DXF filter from Microsoft Office 97 Professional Edition CD.
Please see this page: View R12 DXF files in Excel

2. Error when trying to display drawing. Insert picture failed. Possibility #2
We found a problem with our DXF Master Drawings. The SYNTHESIS Trial Version download has been updated (7/8/98). For those who have already downloaded the program here is a zip file containing all of the Master Drawings for the SYNTHESIS Trial Version program. Copy "dxf.zip" (updated 7/8/98) into the installation directory and unzip it. Let it overwrite existing files. Download "dxf.zip"

3. Error when trying to display drawing. Insert picture failed. Possibility #3
Viewing the drawings while running Windows NT 4.0.  Unfortunately there are problems using the dxf import filter to view dxf drawings in Microsoft Office 97 programs (Excel 97, Access 97, Word 97) while running Windows NT 4.0. This is a problem with the filter program that ships with Microsoft Office 97. We are trying to find a fix for this problem.

A workaround is to create the new drawing, open your CAD program and view it in that program.
We have added selections to the demos that will automatically open AutoCAD R14 (must already be installed on your computer) and insert the new drawing.

At this time we do not know how the program will work with Windows NT 3.x.
4. Message "Can't find project or object library". Only the very early version of the program should have this problem.

Excel 97 can not find the DLL function library.
A. Click "OK"
B. Maximize the Visual Basic Editor.
C. From the RUN menu pick RESET.
D. Under the TOOLS menu, select REFERENCES.
E. From the list, find "Missing: SYNTH98.DLL".
F. Uncheck the reference and click "OK".
G. Reopen TOOLS, REFERENCES, and pick "Browse..." and find "SYNTH98.DLL"
in the Windows\System directory. Select it and pick "Open".
H. Click "OK".
I. Close the VB Editor.
J. Close and reopen the workbook you tried to open before. The problem should be resolved.