CAD on a Shoestring

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Hints and Tips
Blocks
Autolisp and VBA
Links

Hints and Tips

In the order that I thought of them.

Cycle through viewports
Have you got a viewport inside another viewport, and cannot select the smaller one? You can use CTL+R to select each viewport in turn.

Toggle Group
I know most of you don't like groups. But you can use CTL+A, to toggle between turning groups on and off. So you now have no excuse for not practising.

Subject: Stacked text e.g. m²
Creating Exponents Using Stacked Text
You can create exponential text values (e.g., m2) with Mtext using the carat (^) character. First, create a text object using the MTEXT command. Type the exponent value and then the carat character (e.g., 2^). With the Multiline Text Editor still open, select the exponent value and the carat, then right-click. From the shortcut menu, select Stack. To have additional control over the stacking features, simply select the now stacked text and right-click again. From the shortcut menu, select Properties. For additional info and fractional stacking techniques, see AutoCAD Help, keyword "stack."
Note: This stacking technique doesn't work with text created by the commands TEXT, DTEXT or RTEXT, just MTEXT. It sort of works with R14 but with less configuration options.

Whiparc
Controls whether the display of circles and arcs is smooth.
0 - Circles and arcs are not smooth, but rather are displayed as a series of vectors
1 - Circles and arcs are smooth, displayed as true circles and arcs

Default value is 0 (the wrong value), change it to 1. Only problem is if you use curved solids, you may need to increase the value of FACETRES

A quick alternative to using Wblock
Right- click and choose the 'Copy with Base Point' option. Specify a base/insertion point. Select objects to be copied, (the information is stored on the PC's clipboard). Open another drawing file, right-click and select paste.

Mtext line spacing
When you use characters such as brackets or stacked fractions the line spacing will be adjusted slightly to accommodate the extra height. In some cases this can look unsightly.
AutoCAD 2000 now gives you control of line spacing. The default is 'At Least' but if you set this to 'Exact' no adjustments in height will be made.

To make the 'Exact' option your default instead of 'At Least', use (Command ".setvar" "TSPACETYPE" "2")

Multiple command ?
Have you ever wanted a command to repeat itself, like some AutoCAD commands automatically do? For example, the Fillet command only runs through the command once. You can tell AutoCAD to repeat any command. At the command line, type the Multiple command. AutoCAD asks for the command that you would like to repeat--in this case, Fillet. Now, the Fillet command continues to be the active command until you exit by pressing [Esc].

Use TAB key for quick access to available AutoSnap points
You can toggle through the different available points to snap to by pressing the TAB key.

Creating a 2D elevation from a 3D model
Another tip from CADalyst.
If you have a 3D model such as a building and want to make 2D elevations, don't redraw the elevations. Select the view you want to convert to 2D and remove the hidden lines. Invoke the Wmfout command and select the objects you want to convert. Open a new drawing and invoke the Wmfin command to import the file you just created. Pick an insertion point and set the scale factor. The file inserts as 2D.

Drafting Precision and OSNAPCOORD
Why are lines entered to be 100mm resulting in 99mm? When this happens, you probably have the system variable OSNAPCOORD set to 0. If it is set to 0, running object snap settings override keyboard coordinate entry. Try to change it to 1 or 2 instead which makes keyboard entry override object snap settings.

Creating text with multiple leaders in AutoCAD 2000
To create a single Mtext that has leaders pointing to multiple locations, make your first leader with text, then highlight the leader. Heat up the end of the arrow and begin to stretch the leader, then select the C option from the "Specify stretch point or..." prompt. You can now click on many points; each point will create a new leader while keeping the base point at the text.

Speed up loading of AutoCAD and AutoCAD Architectural Desktop (ADT) by removing the startup screen
A quick way to make AutoCAD load faster is to remove the AutoCAD logo startup screen. Right-click once on the AutoCAD desktop icon and select Properties. Once the AutoCAD Desktop Properties dialog box opens, put your cursor in the Target display and at the end of the default text that is already there, outside of the quotation marks, type /nologo with a space in front of it. If you're using AutoCAD Architectural Desktop your target will look like this. "C:\Program Files\AutoCAD Architectural\acad.exe" /p Desktop.Arg /

Little Known Feature of Line Command
After placing an arc in your drawing, you can draw a line tangent to the end of the arc by initiating the LINE command and pressing the ENTER key when it prompts you to 'Specify the first point'.

Flipping Through Many Open Drawings
If you have multiple drawings open, a quick way of looking through them is by holding the control key down (CTRL) and pressing the TAB key.

Hatching
Who hasn't had the message "Valid Hatch Boundary Not Found" ?

One possible solution if you suspect a break is to actually zoom OUT making the drawing smaller, this makes the "break" smaller and to all intents and purposes "joins" the gaps. (As far as the hatch routine is concerned) After zooming out you WILL need to force a regen before you try the hatch routine again, - most important. If it still doesn't work, zoom out AGAIN and as before and force ANOTHER regen before trying the hatch routine again.

Selecting a hidden line in AutoCAD with Cycle
When you have multiple lines on top of each other and you need to select one of the lines that's below the others, you can press [Ctrl] while clicking on the line. This turns Cycle on, and begins to cycle through the various lines on that spot when picking the select button. When the desired line is selected, press [Enter] to pick that object and turn Cycling off. Carry on selecting further objects if need be.

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Blocks

Just a few blocks - When you really inspect your library of standard details it is surprising how bad and out of date some of the details are.
So here are just a few of my blocks

I Don't expect these trees will be very popular
Private drainage details
Adoptable drainage details

I don't have to repeat that you are responsible for checking these details are correct. Do I?

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VBA Programmes

Due to the total flop when I posted the software onto this web site I have decided to make all software free but time limited

RC Detailing Software

Unzip to C:\VikingCAD\VB\rebar*.*

To run double click on the .exe file.

When you find out how useful this programme is. Email me to buy my Unrestricted Autocad add on programmes. All of which I use every day and are run from within Autocad (changed to your Company standards if necessary).

If you think this programme is worth buying you will be blown away by my other programmes.

Works to BS 4466 and BS8666

• Draws reinforcement in elevation
  
• Calls off reinforcement
  
• Automatic scheduling to Excel Spreadsheet
  

Draw Pre/Post tension profile in Elevation

Unzip to C:\VikingCAD\VB\TendonProfile\*.*

If you use different points of contraflexture let me know and for a fee of £25 I will change the points of contaflexture to any value you require, and any other small changes that you need.

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Autocad Links

Engineering, Architectural, and AutoCAD Resources - Very similar to this site but obviously has mainly GPS experience
Raster-2-Vector Converter - The freeware version of this software converts a BMP image to a DXF file. Looks useful but I have not had chance to try it.
AcadX A very good web site for customising Autocad
Autocad User Group No longer sponsored by Autodesk

Magazines