Introduction

Welcome to FLUID DESK Help. Help includes descriptions and instructions for all the features and functions in the software.

With FLUID DESK, you can easily create professional CAD drawings.

With DWG as its primary drawing file format, FLUID DESK provides compatibility and exchange capabilities with a wide range of graphics and construction software all over the world.

Release 2026 can read and write DWG files up to the latest version of this format (R2018). The same applies to DXF (Drawing eXchange Format) files, which store the drawing database contents unencrypted.

The Welcome section of the online help discusses:

• Accessing the Help (includes typeface conventions)
• What’s New in This Release
• System Requirements

If you are not yet familiar with CAD, read these sections first:

• The User Interface
• The User Interface
• The User Interface
• Getting Started

Accessing the Help

You can access help by:

• Clicking Help > Help.
• Clicking Help, or pressing F1 in a dialog box.
• Pressing F1 within a command sequence.
• Clicking Help, or pressing Command + ? in a dialog box.
• Pressing Command + ? within a command sequence.
• Hovering the pointer over an icon to display a tooltip.

Note: The application uses the help matching your MacOS primary language settings (System Preferences > Language & Region).

What’s New in This Release

Some of the new commands and features were introduced in service packs since the previous release and before the current major release.

User Interface:

• New Default Workspace
  • CAD General workspace is now the default workspace when you install the software for the first time. With its familiar layout, CAD General workspace facilitates the switch from other similar CAD software.
• Ribbon Optimization
  • The tabs of the ribbon have been reconfigured to reduce clutter, distributing commands across additional tabs for better command accessibility. The Home tab now focuses on commonly used commands, enhancing efficiency in your daily tasks.
  • Icons automatically fit even when working on a high resolution monitor.
  • The BIM tab has been reconfigured and now includes more commands.
• Improved Contextual Ribbons
  • Pattern Editor contextual ribbon. Editing options for linear and circular associative patterns are available now on the contextual ribbon.
  • Hatch Creation and Hatch Editor contextual ribbon enhancements. Hatch Creation and Hatch Editor contextual ribbons now include options for Solid and Gradient fill. Moreover, icons have been reorganized. You can easily switch between various hatch types.

• Creating and Modifying 3D Entities
  • Union. Creates a composite region or solid by addition.

• Exporting and Importing
  • ImportSVG. Lets you import SVG files and insert the contained geometry as Block into the drawing.
  • ImportSTEP. Lets you import STEP files and insert the contained geometry as ACIS solid objects into the drawing.
  • ExportSTEP. Lets you save 3D solid objects to STEP files.
  • ExportSketchUp. Exports the current drawing to SketchUp (SKP) file format. The command converts 2D entities and 3D solids. The resulting SKP files are compatible with SketchUp.
• Building Information Modeling
  • BIMGridDimension. Creates a dimension chain for a sequence of BIM grid lines.
  • BIMMatchLine. Displays the match lines when the drawing is split.

New Features:

• Color Books. Specify colors using standard or user defined color books.

  Color books are XML files with .acb extension that store named color swatches. You can type manually or generate color books using dedicated applications. Available color books appear in the Line Color dialog box, which is displayed for any entity that provides color options.

• Start Page. Access sample drawings and various learning materials. When you launch the software, the Start Page displays. You can start new drawings, search and open existing drawings. A collection of sample drawings is also available, so that you can learn how to use the software. 
• Associative Patterns. Entities within associative patterns retain their relationships. Associative patterns let you edit them in their entirety instead of changing the individual items in the pattern.
  • The Pattern command has been extended to allow you to create associative linear and circular patterns.
  • The new EditPattern command lets you modify the shape and appearance of associative patterns. You can also edit associative patterns using specific EntityGrips and the Properties palette.
• Enhanced Trinity Block Library palette. The Trinity Block Library palette provides advanced library management tools.
  • Uploading DWG files containing multiple blocks
  • Options to define the following data while inserting or editing a block:
    • Block position
    • Block scale
    • Rotation angle
    • Block units

  Within the Trinity Block Library palette, you can display blocks as a tree view or as a grid.

• Online Help. The Help is now available online.
  • WebHelp_On. Enables the Online Help.
  • WebHelp_Off. Disables the Online Help. The Help file will be used by default within the application.
• Building Information Modeling
  • BIMReplaceLabel. Replaces a label from the drawing with a label specified from the Label Library.
  • BIMDeleteLabel. Removes specified labels from the BIM drawing.
  • BIM Automation supports models with multi discipline.

Modified Features and Commands:

• AI Assist (A3) lets you make selections and modifications using natural language through its dedicated side palette. Simply enter commands such as “Select all lines longer than 5 on the layer Windows” or “Move the selected entities to layer 0” to execute actions instantly. You can also modify properties using the following request: “Change the color of all circles to red.”
• Note command enhancements. AI-driven tools let you translate, refine writing, checks spelling, and summarize text.
• SpellCheck command enhancements. The command check the spelling of text entities independently from Microsoft Word.
• Rename command enhancements. The command now supports wildcard characters. You can quickly find and rename multiple items, such as layer, blocks, and dimension styles.
• SaveAll command enhancements. The command is now available on the Quick Access Toolbar and in the main menu.
• AttachImage command enhancements. The command now supports ECW image format. You can insert large-scale images such as aerial and satellite photography in your drawings.
• Reference palette enhancements. The Path option reestablishes the path to the Reference, reattaches a renamed Reference file, or replaces a Reference file with another file. You can apply the new path to all referenced drawings.
• Upon saving drawings that contain Reference files, the following options are available:
  • Update relative paths
  • Do not update paths
  • Remember the specified behavior
• Field command enhancements. The Entity option lets you insert point coordinates in fields.
• Line command enhancements. You can restrict cursor movement to a direction defined by a specified angle override.
• Resizable View Tiles. You can change the size of the view tiles in the Model Space.
• Data Extraction Wizard enhancements.
  • On the Refine Data page, you can add a formula column. Use the formula column to specify arithmetic expressions to calculate results based on the values from the specified columns.
  • On the Choose Output page, you can export the data extraction to CSV format (Comma-separated Values) is an ASCII file format that stores tabular data for spreadsheet or database software. Commas separate cell values. Strings are enclosed by single quotation marks.
• Building Information Modeling
  • BIM Materials Library. Offers an improved user interface for adding new materials and customizing existing ones. You can modify colors, hatch patterns, boundary edges, and other representation properties for both cut elements and projected elements.
  • BIM Material Mapper. Offers the possibility to save configurations as JSON files for easy sharing and reuse. JSON files let you export and import material mapping for BIM entities. Moreover, JSON files can be used for automatic mapping.
  • BIMDimensionStyle. New options allow taking into account door and window openings within dimension chains.
  • Automatically created BIM Drawings and Sheets are automatically numbered according to the Industry Standards.
  • Stairs are represented in BIM drawings created based on imported IFC models.

System Requirements

The use of the application on a virtual machine is not supported.