AutoCAD Tips Blog

June 23, 2008

July 2008 Resource of the Month - Cadopolis
Cadopolis is a portal that is a combination of a CAD store, a forum, and links. It offers a large selection of CAD-related shareware.

June 21, 2008

AutoCAD 2009 and AutoCAD LT 2009 Bible published!

The 9th edition of my book, AutoCAD 2009 and AutoCAD LT 2009 Bible is now available! I've completely updated the book to conform to the new interface and of course, I cover the new features, such as the ribbon, Quick View, ShowMotion, the View Cube, the SteeringWheel, and more.

If you're planning to upgrade to AutoCAD 2009 or AutoCAD LT 2009, and will use the new ribbon and menu browser, you really need this book to avoid wasting lots of time trying to find your favorite commands! Find out how much easier it is to switch between drawings with the new Quick View feature.

June 21, 2008

Manage layers with LAYWALK

Do you need to know which objects are on which layers? Count your layers? Hide objects on other layers? Layer Walk (the LAYWALK) command does all this and more. It was once part of Express Tools, but has become part of core AutoCAD.

Layer Walk is quite a powerhouse and pulls together capabilities from several other commands into one dialog box. You can access it by choosing Format> Layers> Layer Walk. In AutoCAD 2009, go to Home tab> Layers panel (expanded)> Layer Walk. Of course, you can just type laywalk. The LayerWalk dialog box opens.

As you can see, you get an immediate list of all of your layers, plus a layer count.

In the text box/drop-down list at the top, you can enter a wildcard and press Enter to filter the layer list. If you have saved filters, you can choose one from the drop-down list.

By entering t*, I can display only layers starting with the letter "t." I can easily display all of the layers again, by unchecking the Filter check box to the right.

The best feature is that you can click any layer on the list to display only objects on that layer, hiding everything else. For example, I can easily click the 0 layer and make sure that nothing is on that layer, if my CAD standards say nothing should be on layer 0. Here you see the hatch layer selected, so only the hatches appear. You can select multiple layers using the usual techniques of Ctrl+click to select additional individual layers, or click, then Shift+click to select contiguous groups of layers.

With any layer or layers selected, you can right-click in the dialog box and choose Invert Selection to display the other layers and hide the selected layers.

If you select a layer that has no objects on it, you can click the Purge button to purge the layer.

Right-click and choose Inspect to display the Inspect dialog box, which shows you the total layers in the drawing, the selected layers, and the objects on those layers.

By default, the Restore on Exit check box is checked, which returns you to your previous display when you close the dialog box. However, you can uncheck that check box to turn off undisplayed layers after you close.

All-in-all, a nice multi-purpose tool for managing your layers.

June 17, 2008

Tutorial: Draw a 3D threaded bolt

A common, but difficult task, is to create a threaded bolt. I recently got a request for more 3D tutorials, so here you go. This tutorial assumes an intermediate knowledge of AutoCAD.

I rummaged around a box of miscellaneous junk and found this bolt. You can see that it's about 3 inches long.

Follow these steps:

1. Start a new drawing using acad3d.dwt as the template. Set the visual style to 3D Wireframe and the workspace to 3D Modeling.
2. Start the POLYLINE command and draw segments as follows:

• 3<180
• 3/16<90
• 5<0
• 1/4,-1/16 (this will be a diagonal line whose delta X = 1/4 and delta Y = 1/16
• 2<0
• Close

Note: Close the polyline ensures that you'll get a solid rather than a surface when you revolve. You'll need the solid for later operations, such as UNION.

3. Start the REVOLVE command and select the polyline. Revolve it along the 3-unit line, for the default 360 degrees.

4. Just to see the result, switch to the SW isometric viewpoint.
5. Then, switch to the Left viewpoint. You should be viewing the bolt from the top.
6. Start the UCS command and use the View option to create a new UCS. If you want, save it.
7. Return to the SW Isometric viewpoint again. You're still in the new UCS. This will help you create the bolt's head.
8. Start the CYLINDER command. The center should be the center of the revolved solid's top. Use the Diameter option and set it to 9/16. The height is 0.25.
9. Create a polygon of 6 sides. The center is the bottom center of the cyliner, use the Circumscribe About Circle option. The radius = 9/32.
10. Use the EXTRUDE command to extrude the hexagon to the top of the cylinder.
11. To create the beveled top, draw a circle at the top of the cylinder, with the same radius.
12. Extrude it, using the Taper Angle option. The taper angle = -45 degrees, the distance is -0.5, to extrude it downward.
13. Use the INTERSECT command and choose the extruded, tapered circle and the extruded hexagon, and you should see the familiar look of the head of a bolt. Here you see it in the Conceptual visual style.

14. To create the threads, start the HELIX command. The center is the center of the circle at the top of the thread area. The base radius is any quadrant of the same circle. Press Enter to set the top radius to the same as the base radius. Use the Turns option and set the turns to 14. For the axis endpoint, pick the center at the bottom of the rod, before it tapers to a point.
15. To create the briangular shape of the thread, start the POLYGON command and set it to 3 sides. Use the Inscribed in Circle option. Set the center to the endpoint at the end of the rod and the radius to 1/16. Then rotate the triangle 180 degrees. It should look like the figure here.

16. Start the SWEEP command and select the triangle. Use the Alignment option and set it to No. Then select the helix as the sweep path.
17. Use the UNION command to combine all the objects. Here's the result in the 3D Hidden visual style.

Here's the result with the Framing Steel material. I expected it to be silver but it came out coppery. It looked so good that I left it.

For an excellent set of 3D tutorials, go to JD Mather's site.

June 10, 2008

How to stay up to date with AutoCAD

AutoCAD is a complex program and it's crucial for your work. Obviously, the better you know how to use the program, the quicker and more accurate your drawings will be. This is where the importance of education comes in.

Education has two parts:

• Learning more about the base AutoCAD features that you use, or could use.
• Keeping up with new releases as they come out

Some organizations upgrade only every few years. I sometimes get e-mails from people who are upgrading from R14 to R2008! But many upgrade every two or three years, which means that education is a regular feature of the job.

Autodesk has a subscription program in which you pay an annual fee and automatically get every new release. Additional benefits are "extensions" (new features released between major releases), e-learning tools, and Web-based support. While companies on the subscription program get each release as it comes out, they don't necessarily install and use it. But they generally upgrade more often than companies not on the subscription program. Even with the e-learning tools, retraining becomes a feature of life.

How can you learn as much as possible about AutoCAD and also keep up with new releases?

Basic learning resources

When you first learn AutoCAD, it may be from your dealer, from a book, or from on-the-job training. But it's never enough. Why?

1. You forget a lot of what you learned, because you don't use it every day.
2. New tasks arise and you need to discover the best method of completing them.
3. There's always pressure to be more competitive, which completing tasks more quickly. Therefore, you need to regularly incorporate new customization and automizing techniques.
4. Problems arise, whether due to the melding of drawings from many sources, network issues, having to incorporate multiple software applications, etc.

Here are some resources when you need to learn a new feature, answer a thorny question, or just find a better way:

1. Your peers: If others in your organization use AutoCAD, ask them first. They may have figured out what you need to know.
2. Books: Always have a good reference book on hand. The answer may be as simple as looking in the index or table of contents. (Shameless plug: Look on the right for links to my books.)
3. Discussion groups: The Autodesk AutoCAD discussion group is very active and will often give you an answer within an hour or two.
4. User groups: There are many AutoCAD user groups around the country and the world. Go to AUGI (Autodesk User Groups International) to search for the one nearest you. Their site is also a great source of support.
5. Courses: Many colleges, especially community colleges, offer courses in AutoCAD. The schedules are often geared around working people, so you can take them in the evenings or on weekends. Bonus: The teacher and other students can become a permanent networking resource. You can also purchase video courses.
6. Events: Autodesk University (annually) and CAD camps (several times a year) are great learning opportunities that offer classes specialized by discipline.
7. Newsletters: Several newsletters, including mine (AutoCAD Tips Newsletter), offer regular tips, techniques, and articles. Subscribe!
8. Web sites: There are loads of Web sites, too many to mention. Just start searching and you'll find many. They have free code to download, free tips, and lots more.

Updating your skills

There are several things you can do to specifically help you with new releases. Most of these are time-dependent, matching the cycle of the new software:

1. Beta programs: You can apply to participate in the AutoCAD beta program, which evaluates the software before it's finalized. You need to have some time to commit to this, as you're usefulness is related to the amount of testing you do and comments you submit. You'll learn the new features before they go to market, giving you a jump on the training process.
2. Upgrade training: Most dealers offer upgrade training for each release. Ask your dealer about it.
3. New feature articles: Just after a new release comes out, many sites and newsletters publish a description of the new features. For example, you can find my list of 2009 new features here.
4. If you're a subscription member, you'll have access to e-learning content for the new release.

Succeeding in the AutoCAD world means being a perpetual learner. Hopefully, this list will help you find the best learning tools.

May 27, 2008

June 2008 Resource of the Month - Novedge Pulse Latest News
Novedge Pulse Latest News is a constantly updated collection of news feeds from relevant blogs and sites on CAD. You'll find both news about the CAD industry as well as software-related content. (My blog is here, too.) The display is very well thought out and attractive. You can vote for your favorites.

May 27, 2008

Temporarily override object snap settings

Object snap settings let you quickly choose geometric points on an object. For example, you can set up a running (ongoing) Endpoint object snap (osnap, for short), so that whenever you get near the endpoint of an object, you can snap to it.

But sometimes, object snaps get in the way, especially if you want to specify a point near, but not on, an object snap. Temporary overrides are very helpful, because you can turn off the running osnap just for a second, while you finish your task.

Temporary overrides require you to press and hold a key, or key combination. As long as you hold down the keys, the override works. As soon as you release the keys, your running osnaps are back again.

Here are the temporary overrides:

• Toggle object snap mode: Shift+A or Shift+ ' (apostrophe)
• Turn on object snap mode: Shift+S or Shift+; (semicolon)
• Turn off object snap & object tracking: Shift+D or Shift+L
• Endpoint osnap: Shift+E or Shift+P
• Midpoint osnap: Shift+V or Shift+M
• Center osnap: Shift+C or Shift+ , (comma)
• Toggle ortho mode: Shift
• Toggle polar mode: Shift+X or Shift+ . (period)
• Toggle object snap tracking mode: Shift+Q or Shift+ ] (close square bracket)

Note that each override has a left-handed and a right-handed option. If you use your right hand for the mouse (as I do, even though I'm left-handed), use the first option.

Print these out and attach them to the wall or a nearby bulletin board!

May 19, 2008

Save layouts with layout templates

When you create a layout, including viewports, a title block, text, and so on, you can save it as a template to use in the future. If you would sometimes like to use a layout from a different drawing, one that isn't included in your drawing's template, and therefore not available to you in your drawing, then the LAYOUT command is ideal.

You can specially save a layout as a template, or you can use a layout from any existing drawing or template. What's special about using templates in this way is that you get only the layout and its objects, layers, and settings; you don't import any model space objects, block definitions, layers, and so on. So it's a clean way to use existing layout in your current drawing and you don't need to purge unwanted definitions.

Save a layout template

First, name the layout tab, because a name of Layout1 won't be very helpful.

When you create a unique layout that you might want to use at another time, enter layout on the command line. At the prompt, use the SAveas option, and enter the name of the layout.

Enter layout option [Copy/Delete/New/Template/Rename/SAveas/Set/?] <set>: sa
Enter layout to save to template <3-detail>:

Use a template layout

To use a template layout, right-click a layout tab, and choose From Template.

In the Select Template from File dialog box, choose the template that you want and click Open.

In the Insert Layout(s) dialog box that opens, choose the layout that you want, and click OK. AutoCAD creates a new tab with the same name, settings, and objects as the source layout.

Note: You can choose any drawing file, not only a template.

Note: If the viewport layers are frozen in the template or other drawing, they'll come in to your drawing frozen.

May 10, 2008

Tutorial: Add a button to the ribbon in AutoCAD 2009

Customizing the ribbon is similar to customizing a toolbar, but you need to be aware of the special structure of the ribbon.

For some basics on using the Customize User Interface dialog box, see my earlier tip, "Create a custom toolbar in AutoCAD 2006 or later." If you're interested in creating custom commands, also see "Tutorial: Create a custom command." This tutorial builds on those skills, but is complete in itself.

1. Choose Tools tab> Customization panel> User Interface, or just type cui on the command line.

Tip: If you display the tab you want to work on and type cui on the command line, you can see that tab as you work-- just move the Customize User Interface dialog box. In fact, if you click the title of the panel you want to work on and click the Pin icon, you can keep even the bottom section open as you work. (Unfortunately, the bottom section collapses when you click Apply.)

2. In the Customization in All CUI Files pane, expand the Ribbon Panels item.
3. Expand the panel where you want to add your command. You'll see several rows. Expand one or more rows that you might want to look at. Here you see the Draw-2D panel open with several of its rows. To the left, you can see the expanded panel itself.

Note: One new concept is the sub-panel. Sub-panels are a way of comparmentalizing commands for layout purposes. On the Draw-2D panel, there's a sub-panel after the LINE command to separate that command from the rest. Also, each panel comes with a panel separator. Rows below the panel separator don't show until you click the panel name; they're in the lower, expanded section.

Caution: Remember to back up your original menu file in case you make a mistake! The file is acad.cui. The location may vary, so use the OPTIONS command and click the Files tab. Open the Customization Files item to find the location. When you find the file, use Windows Explorer to back it up. Another option is to use Windows Explorer to make a copy first, rename the copy, and load the copy. Use the CUILOAD command to first unload the main acad.cui file, then browse to your copy and load that.

4. Decide which changes you want to make. I added a custom command and moved existing commands around to better suit how often I use them. Don't make the panel too wide, because you need to leave room for the rest of the panels. If you make a panel too wide, others will be condensed and you won't see all of their contents.
5. To move existing commands, drag them from one location to another. (Sometimes this doesn't always seem to work on the first try; try another location, or delete the command and drag it from the Command List to the new location.) To delete a command, right-click and choose Remove.
6. To add a different or custom command, locate it in the Command List at the lower-left corner of the dialog box. Then drag it to the desired location.
7. To delete a sub-panel, drag its contents to another location, right-click it, and choose Delete. Sub-panels do a nice job of setting off buttons, but they create blank space that you might want to use.
8. When you've made a few changes and want to see how they look, click the Apply button and wait while AutoCAD reloads the menu.

Note: The panel preview at the upper-left corner of the dialog box isn't completely accurate, so don't rely on it completely. For example, my preview showed the LINE command with a large icon, but it shows as a standard-sized icon on my ribbon. You can set the size in the Properties panel.

9. When you're done, click OK. Here you can see my new menu. I've added a custom 1LINE command (line \\;) which ends the LINE command after one line. I've also moved the existing buttons around and banished some to below the panel separator.

April 27, 2008

April 2008 Resource of the Month - CADwire.net
CADwire.net is a daily collection of articles, reviews, and news on CAD. This important resource is an very thorough and up-to-date collection of CAD-related content. (A number of my tips end up here.) It's also nicely organized by discipline.

April 21, 2008

Text, also called single-line text, or Dtext, makes every line a separate object. It's great for short annotation in a drawing. On the other hand, Mtext, also called multiline text, has more formatting options, and is better for larger amounts of text. Mtext is especially important if you need to create left and right margins and wrap the text between those margins.

Sometimes, you have single-line text that should be multiline text, or vice versa. Here are two simple ways to convert between the two types of text.

From text to Mtext

To convert from text to Mtext, use the Express Tools command TXT2MTXT. Choose Express> Text> Convert Text to Mtext. (In AutoCAD 2009, click the Menu Browser first.)

At the Select objects: prompt, select the text objects that you want to convert. If you press Enter instead, you get the Text to MText Options dialog box. Set the options as you want and press OK. By default, the command sorts from the top object downward, and tries to word wrap the Mtext that it creates.

One nice feature of the command is that if you select text objects first, the command executes without further input -- very efficient! Another efficient feature is that the command does a true conversion; your old text objects are gone.

From Mtext to text

The easiest way that I found to convert Mtext to text is simply to copy and paste. Double-click the Mtext to open the Mtext editor. Select the text and copy to the clipboard. Then close the editor.

Start the DTEXT or TEXT command. Specify the start point, height and rotation angle as usual. You'll then see a small box and cursor. Paste from the clipboard and press Enter to end the command. You'll then need to delete your Mtext object.

Jimmy Bergmark reminded me that you can simply explode the Mtext. The difference is that you'll keep the line wrapping. It all depends on which result you want. A bonus is that you don't have to delete the original object.

April 18, 2008,

Record macros with the Action Recorder

In AutoCAD 2009, you can record macros for later use. This is a long-requested time saver. You can include requests for user input and messages to make the macro work interactively.

When you save a macro, it has an ACTM filename extension. You'll find it in your Support\Actions folder of your AutoCAD installation. You can share ACTM files with others.

Start by thinking about the conditions that you'll need when you run the macro. Will you be in model space or paper space? The macro doesn't keep track of all of the current settings. If a certain setting is necessary, use the system variable or the SETVAR command while recording the macro to make sure that you have the setup you'll need at playback time.

Action Recorder macros have some limitations:

• You can't open files
• You can't grip edit or use PRESSPULL
• You can't load VBA files
• Macros also don't record changes to a dialog box, which means that you may need to use the command line version of a command. If you've worked with scripts, you're familiar with this type of functioning.

You may find other limitations.

You'll find the Action Recorder on the Tools tab, in the Action Recorder panel. You can also choose Menu Browser (the A button)> Tools> Action Recorder.

Here's an example of how you would create a macro to change all objects to the default 0.25mm lineweight. You might get drawings from a company that adds lineweights to objects. Moreover, their default might be different. So this macro sets the default to 0.25, turns on the display of lineweights, and then uses the CHPROP command to change the lineweight of selected objects to the default. At the end, the macro turns off lineweight display.

Figuring out which commands to use often involves some research. For example, I knew that I could turn the lineweight display off and on using the button on the status bar, but I couldn't do that in the macro, since I didn't know which way the display would be when I played back the macro. If I wanted to turn the display on, and it was already on, clicking the button would turn it off! So I needed to find the system variable involved, which was LWDEFAULT. Then, it was easy to turn it on and off as needed.

When you've figured out the steps that you want to take, and tried them out a couple of times in different situations, you're ready to record.

Choose Tools tab> Action Recorder panel> Record. Your cursor now has a red dot, to show you that you're recording.

Go through the steps that you practiced. When you're done. click the Stop button that has replaced the Record button. You now have the opportunity to name and save the macro, as well as choose a few options.

Here is the command line that I created as I recorded:

Because I specified all at the Select objects: prompt, the macro will always select all objects. I tested that by adding more objects with a non-default lineweight; they were also changed.

Here's what the macro looks like in the Action Recorder drop-down window:

I might want to be able to select individual objects. Letting the user select objects makes the macro interactive, and it's a very helpful feature.

To do this, I reorganized the macro and used the SELECT command before the CHPROP command. While recording, I simply picked any objects. For the CHPROP command, I then used the p (Previous) option at the Select objects: prompt. When I was done, the macro looked like this:

Then I right-clicked the Select Objects item, and chose Request User Input, as shown below:

When I ran the macro, I got a dialog box asking if I wanted to provide user input. By accepting that option, I was able to either select objects, or enter all.

If you have a useful macro that you recorded, I'd like to hear about it. Contact me, and attach the ACTM file. If I can successfully use it and it might be useful for others, I'll publish it (giving credit to you, of course).

April 6, 2008

Tutorial: Create a simple sheet set

Architects use sheet sets all of the time to pull together the many required drawings into one package. Other disciplines use them less often, but if you need to deliver a number of drawings together, they can help you organize and maintain them.

Sheet sets have a reputation for being complicated and they are, if you use all of the features. But you can create a simple sheet set easily and you may find that they help you out a lot. For example, you can do the following with a sheet set:

• Number them
• Plot and publish them
• Open them
• eTransmit them
• ZIP them

A sheet set is a DST file that contains the properties of the sheet set. You start with drawings that have model space content; these are your resource drawings. One layout for each drawing becomes the sheet in the sheet set. Therefore, a sheet set is a collection of layouts, one for each drawing.

Follow these steps to create a simple sheet set:

1. In a folder where you normally save drawings, create a new subfolder and name it so that you'll recognize the drawings that will be in the sheet set.
2. Create your drawings as normal and save them in the new folder. For easiest workflow, don't put any other drawings in that folder.
3. Start a new drawing, because you need an open drawing to create a sheet set.
4. Choose Tools> Palettes> Sheet Set Manager. (In AutoCAD 2009, choose View tab> Palettes panel> Sheet Set Manager.) Or press Ctrl+4.

5. From the drop-down list at the top of the Sheet Set Manager (SSM), choose New Sheet Set to open the Create Sheet Set wizard.
6. Choose the Existing Drawings option and click Next.
7. Enter a name for the sheet set and a description. Notice that there's a default location for the sheet set, which is a DST file. This will probably be in My Documents\AutoCAD Sheet Sets or Users\[username]\Documents\AutoCAD Sheet Sets, depending on your operating system. Use the default, or click the Ellipsis button to browse to another location that you want to use, and click Open. Click Next.
8. On the Choose Layouts page, click Browse, navigate to the folder where you saved the drawings for the sheet set, and click OK. You see the folder listed with a checked check mark. Click Next.
9. You now see a preview of the sheet set's properties, including its name and location. Click Finish. You should see your new sheet set listed in the SSM on the Sheet List tab.
10. Click the Model Views tab of the SSM. Double-click the Add New Location text.
11. In the Browse for Folder dialog box, navigate to the folder containing the subfolder that has your drawings. Chose the folder and click Open. You are designating a folder location for the drawings that the sheet set will use.
12. If you haven't already done so, you should create a layout that displays what you want to plot. To do so, on the Model Views tab, expand the folder if necessary. Then double-click the first drawing to open it. Opening multiple, related drawings is one task that the sheet set feature facilitates.
13. Each drawing needs to have a saved layout. Click the Layout button on the status bar, or click the layout tab. (The SSM works best when you have only one layout per drawing.) Create the viewport(s) and views that you want, and save the drawing.
14. Do the same for all of the drawings.
15. Click the Sheet List. Now, you can add layouts as sheets in your sheet set. Right-click the name of the sheet set and choose Import Layout as Sheet. In the Import Layouts as Sheets dialog box, click Browse for Drawings. Choose the drawings you saved in the subfolder (click the first, press Shift, and click the last) and click Open. Click Import Checked to return to the SSM. Congratulations! You now have a sheet set.

• To give the sheets numbers, right-click any sheet, and choose Rename & Renumber. You can then drag them on the Sheet List tab to reorder them.
• To plot the sheets, select them on the Sheet List tab, click the Publish button's down arrow, and choose Publish to Plotter.
• To eTransmit them, right-click the name of the sheet set and choose eTransmit. For more information, see Tutorial: eTransmit a Drawing.
• To ZIP them, right-click the name of the sheet set and choose Archive.

Throughout these steps, you'll see various settings that I didn't mention. Investigate them to get the exact results that you want. To specify properties for the entire sheet set, right-click its name on the Sheet List tab and choose Properties.

The advanced features of sheet sets help you to automatically number and annotate text in title blocks, callout blocks, and label blocks.

March 26, 2008

March 2008 Resource of the Month - CAD-Manager.com

CAD-Manager.com is the Web site of Robert Green, the well-known writer of the CAD Manager column in Cadalyst magazine. He's also a consultant and an author. His site has easy links to his excellent articles, code examples, CUI (customize user interface) tutorials, and more.

March 24, 2008

Another Break Objects Quickly AutoLISP routine

In my earlier "Break objects quickly" tip, I have 4 routines that help you break objects more quickly than the standard AutoCAD command.

Febien Mosen sent me another routine, SCISSORS, that has 3 features:

• You don't need to preselect the object; you just click the point where you want to break
• Only if there are more than 1 object under the break point (that is, if you click on the intersection of objects), does the command as you to select which object you want to break

I tested it, and it worked fine for me.

You can download the AutoLISP file here.

Here's the code:

(defun C:SCISSORS( / pt1 bpt1 bpt2 ss1 dist1 ent1 centrecercle)
;;make it quiet
(setvar "cmdecho" 0)

;;first, get the breaking point
(setq pt1 (getpoint "Give me the break point... ")) ;;point where to break

;;now, check if there's more than one object under that point
(setq ss1 (selectfrompoint pt1))

;;if there's more than 1 object under point, ask to select, else use existing point
(if (> (sslength ss1) 1)
(progn ;;then
(princ "DISAMBIGUATION : pick the object to break...")
(setq ent1 (entsel))
(setq ent1n (car ent1)) ;; e-name of ent1
(setq bpt1 (cadr ent1)) ;; point on ent to break
)
(progn ;;else
(setq ent1n (ssname ss1 0));;store into an entity (can be useful further)
(setq bpt1 pt1) ;; point on ent to break
)
)

;;but if it's a circle (thus usually unbreakable)...
(if
(= (cdr (assoc 0 (entget ent1n))) "CIRCLE")
;;then replace the circle by 2 arcs joining at the break point
(progn
(princ "It's a circle !")
(setq centrecercle (cdr (assoc 10 (entget ent1n))))
(command "_arc" "_c" centrecercle pt1 "_a" "180")
(command "_arc" "_c" centrecercle pt1 "_a" "-180")
(entdel ent1n)
)
;;else perform a normal break
(progn
(command "_break" bpt1 "_f" pt1 pt1)
)
)

;;restore cmdecho
(setvar "cmdecho" 1)
;;end quietly
(princ)
)

;;--- this function makes a selection set of entities beneath a point
(defun selectfrompoint (bpt1 / dist1 ss1)
(setq dist1 (/ (getvar "viewsize") 200)) ;; set a distance equal to 1/200-th of view height
(setq ss1 ;;select by fence around point
(ssget "_F"
(list
(list (+ (car bpt1) dist1) (+ (cadr bpt1) dist1) 0)
(list (- (car bpt1) dist1) (- (cadr bpt1) dist1) 0)
)
)
);; setq ss1
ss1
)

March 16, 2008

You can put an AutoCAD drawing -- in DWF format -- directly into PowerPoint. Not just a JPEG or other image of the drawing, but the actual drawing. More incredible, with Autodesk® Design Review (which was previously Autodesk DWF Viewer -- they change the name almost every year), you can zoom in and out and pan around the drawing to show all of the drawing in detail, all from within your PowerPoint presentation. To get the latest version, go to www.autodesk.com/designreview.

These instructions are updated for AutoCAD 2008 and PowerPoint 2007. The instructions are quite different, because PowerPoint 2007 requires a different procedure.

Here are the steps:

1. Make sure you have Autodesk Design Review on the computers you use to create and deliver your presentation. In PowerPoint, display the slide where you want to put the drawing.
2. In PowerPoint 2007 only, make sure that the Developer tab is displayed. (It's not displayed by default.) Choose Office button>PowerPoint Options>Popular, and check the Show Developer Tab in the Ribbon check box.
3. PowerPoint 2007 may block ActiveX content. In PowerPoint 2007 only, choose Office button>PowerPoint Options>Trust Center>Trust Center Settings button>ActiveX Settings, and make sure that the Disable All Controls without Notification option is not selected. Instead, choose the third option, Prompt Me before Enabling All Controls with Minimal Restrictions.
4. In PowerPoint 2003, right-click any toolbar and choose Control Toolbox to display that toolbar. Then click the More Controls button. In PowerPoint 2007, choose Developer tab>Controls group>More Controls.
5. From the list that appears, choose Autodesk DWF Viewer Control. (In PowerPoint 2007 only, click OK.) Drag diagonally on the slide to specify a bounding box for the AutoCAD drawing. You now see the Autodesk Design Review logo on the slide.

6. Right-click the rectangle and choose Properties to open the Properties window.

7. Click the Custom item and then click the Ellipsis button that appears to display the Property Pages dialog box.

8. On the Source Path tab, click Browse and browse to the DWF file. Double-click the file. To embed the DWF in the PowerPoint presentation (a good idea if you'll be viewing it on another computer or want to send it to someone), check the Do You Want to Embed a Copy... check box. You can also use the Color tab to change the color of the background. (Below you see a custom teal color.) Click OK to return to your presentation. Close the Properties window. You now see the drawing on the slide.
9. In PowerPoint, go into Slide Show view to view the slide. After a brief pause/adjustment (perhaps embarrassing in a presentation environment), you see the drawing, along with the Autodesk Design Review toolbar. Here you see the Zoom cursor.

From the toolbar, you can zoom, pan, print, mark up, and measure. Click the Show/Hide Navigator button on the toolbar to display the Navigator, where you can turn layers on and off (if this feature has been enabled), display named views, and more. You can also right-click to use the shortcut menu for many tasks .Other options may be available depending on how the drawing was saved.

This makes for a very nice presentation, zooming in and panning to show the drawing in detail. It's certainly more than you can do with a JPEG. Remember that you can create multi-page DWF files, so that you can actually show multiple drawings from one slide. You can also create 3D DWFs.

For instructions on creating a DWF file, see "Tutorial: Create a DWF file."

March 10, 2008

AutoCAD 2009 new features!

The new features of AutoCAD 2009 have now been made public and I've reviewed them in detail, with screen shots and a couple of movies. Read all about it!

March 8, 2008

Extend lines to make corners with chamfer

The CHAMFER command makes mitered (angled) corners, like the one below.

However, you can also use the CHAMFER command to extend lines to meet and make right-angled corners. In other words, you can use the command to turn the situation on the left to the situation on the right.

You do this by setting the Distance and Angle options to zero.

When you start the command, it lists the current settings:

Command: chamfer
(TRIM mode) Current chamfer Length = 1.0000, Angle = 45
Select first line or [Undo/Polyline/Distance/Angle/Trim/mEthod/Multiple]:

In this example the Distance option (which shows as Length) is 1 unit, and the angle is 45°. To create a square corner, use the Distance option and set both distances to 0 (you can specify a chamfer with two distances, rather than with a distance and an angle). Then use the Angle option and set its value to 0. Then select both lines near their endpoints to get a square corner.

But that's a lot of setting. Instead, you can quickly and temporarily override any non-zero settings by selecting the first line, and then pressing Shift as you select the second line. Presto! Instant square corners.

You could also use the EXTEND command (or the TRIM command with the Shift key), but the CHAMFER command is faster.

February 29, 2008

February 2008 Resource of the month - Rockmaster's CAD Resources
Jason Foster's blog, Rockmaster's CAD Resources, emphasizes good CAD practices and offers easy-to-understand tips. He makes available VBA routines that he writes to speed up common tasks. I especially like the Best Practices tab at the top where you can quickly find all his posts on that topic.

February 28, 2008

Write blocks to save them as separate files

When you create a block in a drawing, you should think if it will be useful in other drawings.

You can access that block from other drawings using the DesignCenter, but you'll probably need to remember where the block was, in order to find it.

Instead, many people create block libraries, putting several blocks in a special block library drawing, or putting each block in a separate drawing. Because you name and store these drawings specially to make them easy to find and identify, the blocks they contain are easier to find.

For example, you may have a folder named Blocks. And you could name a drawing with a double-hung window block in it Double-Hung Window. That certainly helps you to find it!

To save a block in your drawing as a separate file, you use the WBLOCK command. This is called writing (saving) the block. Follow these steps:

February 28, 2008

AutoCAD Tutorial: Display a lost custom toolbar

When you create a custom toolbar that you use regularly, you may accidentally close it and then not be sure how to open it again. Jay had this experience after using my tip "Create a custom toolbar in AutoCAD 2006 or later."

He wrote, "Thanks for the "Create a custom toolbar in ACAD 2006" article... It was very easy to follow and I created a very helpful toolbar with my favorite commands. I have come to depend on it after about a week. I accidentally closed the toolbar and now I can't figure how to reload it..."

There are two methods. The first is to...

February 28, 2008

Keyboard shortcuts

Keyboard shortcuts can make your work go much faster. You can use the default keyboard shortcuts and create your own.

Here are the defaults that come with AutoCAD...

January 31, 2008

January 2008 Resource of the Month - AutoCAD Advice
AutoCAD Advice offers 3D tutorials and a nice selection of tips. Use the links at the top of the page, and then use the sitemap to navigate, if necessary.

January 27, 2008

Copy objects between drawings

Copying objects from one drawing to another is a common task. You can use the Windows Clipboard and the drag-and-drop methods.

When working with 2 drawings open, choose Window> Tile Vertically (or Horizontally) to view both drawings at the same time.

Use the Windows Clipboard to copy objects between drawings

Most people know that they can copy objects in a drawing to the Windows Clipboard and then paste those objects in another drawing. But there are a couple of tricks to this process that can make your work go more quickly and provide more accurate results.

Of course, you can use the common Windows keyboard shortcuts:

• Ctrl+C to copy
• Ctrl+V to paste

When you use the simple copy-and-paste procedure, you don't have much control over the placement of your object in the second drawing. That's because this process uses the lower-left corner of the extents of the object as the base point, which may not be useful. For example, here you see this process with a circle.

As you can see, the base point isn't on the circle, making it difficult to place the circle accurately.

Therefore, AutoCAD provides you with 2 special tools for copying and pasting.

The first is Copy with Basepoint. Follow these steps:

1. Hover the cursor over the object and right-click to display the shortcut menu. For multiple objects, select them first, and then right-click.

2. Choose Copy with Base Point. This is the COPYBASE command. As you can see in the figure, you can also press Ctrl+Shift+C.
3. At the Specify base point: prompt, use an object snap to specify the base point.
4. Click in the other drawing.
5. Paste, using Ctrl+V, or by clicking Paste on the Standard toolbar. You can also right-click and choose Paste from the shortcut menu.
6. Your cursor is now at the base point you specified, so you can accurately place the object. Specify the insertion point you want.

Here, the base point was set to the center of the circle.

The 2nd tool is Paste to Original Coordinates. If you have two drawings that are very similar, you can use this feature to place the object at the same coordinates as in the original drawing.

Just copy the object(s) to the Clipboard, and activate the 2nd drawing. Then right-click and choose Paste to Original Coordinates.

If those coordinates are not in the current display, do a Zoom Extents to see the pasted object.

Use drag-and-drop to copy objects between drawings

Drag-and-drop doesn't give you the same control over placement, but it's a quick way to copy objects. Note that AutoCAD automatically copies objects from drawing to drawing, so that you don't need to press Ctrl as you drag.

To copy, select the object or objects. Then click the object and hold down the mouse button until you see the drag-and-drop cursor. The only gotcha is that you need to make sure that you don't click on a grip, because that will just make the grip hot.

Then drag the cursor to the other drawing and release the mouse button to place the object. You'll probably need to adjust the placement, using the MOVE command, or by using grip-editing.

January 14, 2008

Tutorial: Create a DWF file

A DWF file is a vector image format that you can use to share your designs with others, without sending the actual drawing. You might do this to share your designs without revealing the details, or to send them to people without AutoCAD. The recipients use Autodesk Design Review to view the DWF file. Autodesk Design Review is a free download, available from www.autodesk.com/designreview.

Follow these steps to create a DWF file:

1. Open the drawing or drawings that you want to use. You can include more than one drawing and layout in the DWF file.
2. Choose File> Publish to open the Publish dialog box.
3. Use the Add Sheet and Remove Sheets buttons to add or remove drawings and layouts. Other buttons lets you change the order, choose a Page Setup, change the page name, and save the list of drawings for future use.

4. From the Publish To section, choose the DWF File option.
5. Click the Publish Options button to open the Publish Options dialog box.

6. In this dialog box, you can specify the location, a single- or multi-page file, file name, and password. You can also choose to provide layer, block, and sheet set information. For example, if you provide layer information, viewers can turn layers on or off. Click OK.
7. In the Publish dialog box, click the Publish button.
8. At the message asking if you want to save the list of sheets, answer Yes if you may want to create the DWF again for those drawings and layouts. Otherwise, click No.
9. You may see a message saying that the publishing is going on in the background. Click OK to create the file.

To view the file, you should be able to double-click it. Autodesk Design Review is installed with AutoCAD automatically. If not, you can find it in your Program Files\Autodesk folder.

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