Some CAD processes require a long, long list of instructions to explain, whereas a short video can make the steps clear and easy to replicate. This is a nifty feature of Autodesk Screencast, a free app that captures your screen output, commentary, keystrokes, and menu selections in a video you can share on the cloud.
How many times have you seen a presentation and the presenter kept clicking and clicking away, but you had no idea if they were left clicking or right clicking or hitting keys on the keyboard? With Screencast, you'll never have this problem again -- and the uses are limitless.
Explore the Many Possible Uses of Screencast
Before going into the technical details, let's explore why Screencast is so useful. Screencast is an easy, no-hassle way to collaborate with other workers, even if they are located geographically far from where you are. With this tool, you can bring all the workers on a project together, so that each member of the team is wholly on board with what's being done. But collaboration isn't the only use for Screencast. It's also useful for helping walk clients through complex CAD processes that you can't seem to fully communicate via a phone call or email.
Screencast is also useful for training new workers and getting them on board with the projects you're working on. In addition, it can be a powerful tool for documenting problems -- such as a technical issue that is difficult to explain, but easy to showcase in a brief video of the problem as it happens. These are just a few of the uses CAD professionals have for Screencast.
A Screencast video shared by Donnie Gladfelter on his CAD Geek blog shows how the tool captures mouse clicks and other key information to explain a quick task in AutoCAD Civil 3D. A step-by-step process that would have taken quite a while to explain in writing took only 51 seconds to demonstrate using Screencast -- and was likely more helpful in the end.
Play With the Default Settings
The default settings of Screencast are pretty smart. It uses a screen resolution of 1280x800, but this is easily changed in the settings if you are enlarging a window during a presentation. Try the default resolution and see how that shows up on your Screencast video. If necessary, change the resolution to accommodate your particular screen.
By default, the recordings are captured at an aspect ratio of 16:10, which works for the majority of videos. But you can also play around with this to see if it works best for your purposes. If you change this ratio and it isn't working, you can reapply the default ratio by clicking the red capture rectangle while you're recording.
Choose How to Publish Your Screencast
There are three different ways to give others access to the Screencast videos you create: Public, Unlisted, and Private. The Public setting allows anyone to see your video, which is great for promotional purposes or to establish a database of instructional videos for the public. The Unlisted setting is the most commonly used. It allows anyone who has the link to access the video, but it isn't searchable. People have to know it's there and access it via the link to get to your Screencast. Finally, the Private setting is available, which gives access to users or groups of users that you designate. This setting is ideal for collaborating and training purposes where a small set of people need access to the Screencast.
Autodesk Screencast lets you record video audio audio for any type of desktop software application, SaaS, or web browser. The Screencast Timeline (with commands, dialog boxes, and menus) is available on Autodesk Fusion 360, AutoCAD, Revit, Inventor, and their verticals.
For more information about CAD software and hardware technologies, visit Cadalyst.com.
