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Using Transparent Commands
In many cases, you can start a command while using another command. The
command you start is called a transparent command. For example, to turn
on the grid while drawing a line, you can start the
GRID (page 469) command
transparently by preceding the command with an apostrophe. Two right angle
brackets (>>) precede prompts for transparent commands.
Command: line
Specify first point: 'grid
>>Specify grid spacing(X) or
[ON/OFF/Snap/Major/aDaptive/Limits/Follow/Aspect] <current>:
on
Resuming LINE command
Specify first point:
In the Command Reference, the command access sections identify commands
that you can use transparently.
Suppressing Dialog Boxes
Many commands provide both command prompt and dialog box interfaces.
In most cases, when both a command prompt and dialog box interface are
available, the command prompt version is preceded with a hyphen character.
For example, the command prompt version of
ATTDEF (page 112) is -ATTDEF.
You can also control the display of file dialog boxes through the
FILEDIA
(page 1334) system variable. See appendix B, “System Variables”.
Responding to Prompts
If a command does not immediately execute, AutoCAD either displays a dialog
box or displays command prompts requesting more information. Command
prompts are structured as follows:
Command: commandname
Current settings: Setting1 Setting2 Setting3
Instructional text [Option1/oPtion2/opTion3/...] <default
option or value>:
The optional current value line displays the current settings for the command
or for system variables related to the command. The succeeding prompts
identify the type of input required to complete the command and, when
applicable, list the available options in straight brackets and a default option
or value in angle brackets. In some cases, AutoCAD determines default options
Using This Reference | 3